February 2024 Issue 71
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed on February 11th, 2024, is a celebration of the achievements of women in science and a call to action for greater gender equality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
Women have made remarkable contributions to science throughout history, yet they remain underrepresented in STEM professions. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science aims to challenge stereotypes, break gender biases, and inspire girls to pursue careers in science-related fields. By encouraging diversity in STEM, we unlock new perspectives and innovative solutions to global challenges.
As we commemorate this day, it's crucial to encourage and inspire the next generation of female scientists. Parents play a pivotal role in fostering their daughters' interest in STEM activities.
- Provide Positive Role Models: Introduce your daughters to successful women in STEM. Share stories of renowned scientists, engineers, and technologists to inspire them and showcase the diverse opportunities available in these fields.
- Expose Them to STEM Experiences: Attend science museums, workshops, and STEM events. These experiences expose children to the excitement of science and provide them with real-world examples of STEM applications.
- Support Their Interests: Identify your daughter's specific STEM interests and support them. Whether it's astronomy, coding, biology, or engineering, nurturing their passions will help build confidence and enthusiasm.
- Connect with Female Mentors: Seek out mentorship opportunities with women working in STEM. Connecting with role models can provide valuable insights, guidance, and encouragement for aspiring young scientists.
- Foster Curiosity: Encourage curiosity by engaging in hands-on STEM activities. Create a learning environment that allows experimentation and exploration, sparking an interest in scientific concepts from an early age.
- Science Experiments: Conduct simple at-home experiments to explore scientific concepts. Examples include making a volcano eruption with baking soda and vinegar or growing crystals.
- Coding and Programming: Introduce basic coding concepts through games and interactive platforms. Websites like Code.org offer engaging resources for children to learn programming skills.
- Robotics and Engineering Kits: Invest in age-appropriate robotics or engineering kits. These hands-on activities allow children to build, design, and problem-solve while learning fundamental STEM principles.
- Nature Exploration: Take nature walks and explore the environment. Use the opportunity to discuss biology, ecosystems, and environmental science, fostering a connection to the natural world.
- STEM Books and Documentaries: Read STEM-themed books and watch documentaries together. Choose materials that showcase diverse perspectives and highlight the achievements of women in science.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science serves as a reminder that every girl has the potential to contribute significantly to the world of STEM. By actively supporting and encouraging their daughters' interest in science, parents can play a pivotal role in breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive and diverse future for women in STEM fields. Through engaging activities and positive reinforcement, we can empower the next generation of female scientists and innovators.
Funding for classes/lessons, clubs/groups, camps, or certain park/event admission (aquarium, museums, etc.), may be available through Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation.
Pinal County Community Connections Summit
Pinal County Family Court presents the Community Connections Summit. This is a FREE training that will include session on trauma, parenting, co-parenting and more. The event will take place at the beautiful Encanterra Country Club on 3/14 8:30-4:30, and lunch will be provided.
SWAPPOW Professional Development Series
The Mayfly Project Fly Fishing Fun
PAXIS Institute Workshops
Did you know... PAXIS Institute, in collaboration with AHCCCS, is now providing no-cost IN-PERSON workshops for caregivers interested in using trauma-informed evidence-based behavioral strategies with the children in their care? Additionally, receive an Amazon gift card for attending training and participating in post-training surveys!
Email paxarizona@paxis.org with any questions or to schedule a training for your organization’s parents and caregivers!
Visit www.paxarizona.org to view and register for live-virtual training dates already on our calendar!
Free Course: Navigating the Maze of Special Education
Mentor Program
Arizonans for Children have mentors available for kiddos between the ages of 5-18 with an open DCS case in Maricopa County. Children can be in any placement setting, including licensed, kinship, and congregate care. Children cannot have a current safety plan due to behavior, as volunteers are not professionally trained to manage that level of need. Anyone on the child's team can complete the application, as long as they have sufficient information on the child's case.
Foster Cooperative
Foster Cooperative is an open-sourced online community powered by Foster Arizona for anyone helping children and youth facing adversity to find connections, peer support, quality resources and training, community events, and innovative communication methods to be empowered with tools needed to succeed.
ASA Now
ASA Now is a non-profit organization that ADVOCATES for, SUPPORTS, and ASSISTS children and families impacted by foster care. We are passionate about providing support to families and professionals by restoring hope and empowering them to better serve these children in need.
Services we offer include tutoring & extracurricular activities, food pantry, clothing, and meeting basic necessities. Other services include life skills for youth, respite care, therapeutic programs, family activities, peer-to-peer support groups, education and training on utilizing Jacob's Law to obtain behavioral health services, providing resources to families and caregivers to successfully navigate the foster care system, raising awareness, recruiting new foster families, and advocating for families and their children.
The Foster Alliance
The Foster Alliance provides essential needs for children in foster care in an effort to help every foster child feel safe and loved. Our programs provide beds, clothing, hygiene items, birthday packages, backpacks filled with school supplies, licensing safety items, foster footlockers, and more. Our services are open to kinship and foster families with a current Notice to Provider.
Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents
Christian Family Care Training
Helen's Hope Chest
At Helen's Hope Chest, our mission is to engage the community to provide for the basic needs of children and teens in foster and kinship care. Helen's provides more than just clothes for kids in care. It is important that every youth who comes through our door feels a sense of confidence, acceptance, and dignity. Our boutique environment allows kids to choose their favorite items and feel like they are in a regular store, all at no cost to the foster/kinship family.
Families with a current foster or kinship placement are encouraged to call us at 480-969-5411 to schedule an appointment.
A Mighty Change of Heart
A Mighty Change of Heart provides FREE duffle bags to foster children with new, age-appropriate items inside: 2 outfits, shoes & socks, underwear, a book, diapers/wipes, hygiene items, and more. These bags have the children’s names embroidered on them and are something that they can call their very own. They have delivered over 3,500 bags across the state.
Please check out their website for more information: www.amchaz.com. If your family, business, church group, or school would be interested in holding a donation drive, please contact A Mighty Change of Heart. Items are always needed.
Aviva Children's Services - Tucson
More Than a Bed - Tucson
Spreading Threads - Tucson
Spreading Threads is a grassroots, nonprofit community clothing bank that provides free clothes to foster youth in southern Arizona. The organization was founded by two foster moms in Tucson who have fostered and adopted several children in Arizona. Your donations go directly to local children in need. On the second Saturday of each month, foster, adoptive, and kinship families can visit the clothing bank. A Notice to Provider will be needed. The clothing bank events are held at 2945 N Flowing Wells in Tucson.
STEP Training- Tucson
Support, Tools, and Education for Parents (STEP) is designed to build positive relationships between family members. It provides a safe space to discuss topics that may be too difficult to talk about at home. These conversations are about peer pressure, stress, and the importance of working together as a team. When caregivers and children work together, it creates a stronger family! The Children’s Advocacy Center understands that family does not always mean a biological parent and child. STEP is a program that will benefit the whole family, including biological, foster, kinship, and adoptive families.
Families enrolled in STEP will meet virtually each week. Each session consists of different topics, such as communication, stress management, substance abuse prevention, and how to talk to your child about difficult topics (identifying potential child abusers, child abuse, healthy and concerning sexualized behavior), each session building on the next. Child care will be available when classes are offered in person again. For questions, please contact Jackie Ballesteros at jballesteros@soazadvocacy.org or 520-724-2148.
Warmline Supports Kinship and Foster Families
The Foster Parent Warmline is available for kinship families and licensed foster parents. While not an emergency number, Warmline staff can assist with information, timely communication, and support. It is not intended to discourage or replace direct and regular communication between the DCS Specialist and the out-of-home caregiver. You can reach the Warmline by calling 1-877-KIDSNEEDU (1-877-543-7633) and selecting Option 3. Please leave a message with your name and contact information in order to receive a call back.
Children's Heart Gallery
More than 70 percent of the children in need of forever families are adopted by their relatives or foster parents. For the remainder, special recruitment efforts like the Heart Gallery are used to connect them with a forever family.
The children featured in the Heart Gallery represent all ethnic groups and range in age from toddlers to teenagers. Some have special behavioral or medical needs, some are without siblings, and others are in groups of siblings.
Salina
Salina is a vibrant young woman. She has a big personality and likes to laugh. She loves playing volleyball and basketball with friends in her free time. She also enjoys listening to her favorite rap music or playing games on her tablet. Salina also loves to dance and enjoys teaching others new moves. Salina enjoys going out to eat and spending quality time with peers and supports. She dreams of going to Disneyland or Disneyworld someday, and if she could have three wishes, she would wish for unlimited coffee, unlimited Takis, and to be a great singer.
Salina was born in 2006.
Deven
Deven is an active young man who has a shy but extremely kind personality. He enjoys talking with people he's close to and finding out how he can help someone to make their day better. Deven has so many wonderful dreams for his future about find his forever family who will love and support him on his goal of becoming a deep-sea welder. He is obviously adventurous with that kind of career goal. Deven loves camping and the outdoors, playing soccer, and running. Devin is currently on his high school track team this year as a sprinter.
Deven was born in 2007.
Kole and Kinsley
Judith (who goes by Kinsley) is an adorable and affectionate little girl with a very playful personality. In her free time, Kinsley enjoys pretending to be a princess and dancing, especially ballet! Her favorite food is every little child's dream- chicken nuggets! She describes the perfect day as being able to play outside and having a tea party with her loved ones.
Kole is an energetic, excited, and affectionate boy who loves spending time outside playing in the sun! He has a deep love for Paw Patrol, so much so that he wants to be Chase the Police Dog when he grows up. His ideal day would include playing tag and swimming.
Kole was born in 2017, and Kinsley was born in 2019.
AZ Families Thrive is published monthly by the Arizona Department of Child Safety to inform foster, kinship, and adoptive families across the state. Rhiannon Schaudt-Hobkirk created this edition. Please feel free to email with questions, comments, or content you may be interested in seeing in future editions. Sign up to receive email updates when new issues are posted.
Interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent? Call us: 1-877-KIDS-NEEDU (1-877-543-7633) or email us: FosterAdoption@azdcs.gov. Visit us online: www.azkidsneedu.gov.
To report child abuse or neglect: 1-888-SOS-CHILD