Nominate Your School Bus Driver

            Thomas Built Buses asks: Do you know school bus drivers who are making a difference? Do they stand up to bullies? Do they nurture a spirit of giving by helping organize food, toy, and book drives? Do they know your name or start each day with a friendly greeting? Do they help celebrate special milestones? Do they work hard to keep you safe?

        These are just some examples of heartwarming and influential actions by previous “Children’s Choice School Bus Driver of the Year” winners in an annual contest sponsored by Thomas Built Buses.

        “A school bus driver’s primary responsibility is to get students safely to school and home again. The essay contest provides a platform for us to shine a light on drivers who do this and so much more. Many of the essays describe drivers who have become champions, admired mentors, trusted guardians, and dear friends,” says Kelley Platt, of Thomas Built Buses.

                Students in kindergarten through sixth grade are invited to submit essays of at least 90 words to nominate their favorite school bus drivers. In their own words and through illustrations, students can describe just what makes their school bus drivers so special. Entries must be postmarked by July 1, 2011. The grand prize-nominating child winner will receive a laptop computer, and the nominated driver will receive a $1,000 Visa® gift card. To enter the contest, visit www.thomasbus.com/contest for complete rules and an entry form.

National Bike Safety Month  

        May is National Bicycle Safety Month. Here are a few tips, provided by Idaho Bicycling, Street Smarts, for riding confidently, legally, and safely.

• Wear a helmet for every ride.
• Wear bright-colored clothing during the day, such as white or yellow.
• Use lights and wear reflective clothing at night.
• Be predictable so other vehicle operators can anticipate your actions.
• Wave and/or nod your head while making eye contact with other road users when you need to make sure they see you. If they don’t react, there is a strong chance they don’t see you.
• Ride with the traffic flow and allow motorists to pass when they can do so safely.
• At intersections, position yourself in a through lane when going straight, or in a dedicated turn lane when turning.
• Have at least one hand in control of your bicycle at all times.
• Be alert, continually scanning ahead for hazards such as debris, potholes, opening car doors, or vehicles moving into your path.
• Sometimes a little courtesy or a simple thank-you wave can go a long way in improving a motorist’s attitude toward sharing the road with bicyclists.

            Boise Bike Week, May 15–21, promotes cycling in every form. The events highlight our great cycling community by promoting bicycling to work, providing resources for commuting, and having fun. The final event is the Pedal Power Parade, fun for all ages and riders. It will be held at 4:30pm on Saturday, May 21 at Capitol Park in Boise (6^th St. between Jefferson and Bannock). For more information about Boise Bike Week, visit www.boisebikeweek.org.

Create, Play, Win!  

            The Backyard Game of the Year Contest encourages kids ages 6–12 to use their imagination and reconnect with outdoor playtime—right in their backyard. Three-time U.S. Olympic soccer medalist and mom Julie Foudy will serve as Official Team Captain for the contest.

        Backyard game ideas can be submitted through June 30, 2011 at clifkidbackyardgame.com. Contest entries must allow at least two kids to play together and can utilize common household items such as balls, hula hoops, beanbags, and most important, kids’ imagination for hours of fun. A panel of play experts will select five finalists, and those kids will be flown with one parent each to New York City to compete in the CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year Playoffs in late August 2011. Each finalist will receive a Trek bicycle and a Bell helmet, the four runners-up will each win a $1,000 scholarship, and the winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship.

        The winning game will be reproduced and donated to Children & Nature Network, a nonprofit organization working to reconnect kids with nature (www.childrenandnature.org).

Teen Volunteer Opportunities 

            Teens today are looking for ways to become involved in their community and in their country. They are looking for opportunities that will allow for personal growth as well as support an organization or individual. At Family Magazine and Media, we want to help! Our website, www.treasurevalleyteen.com, is updated with teen resources, news, contacts, and much more.

        There is a specific link to volunteer opportunities; listings include ideas from Boise Parks & Recreation, Idaho Foodbank, Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, local libraries and hospitals, and many more. There is also a link that allows organizations to list their opportunities and events for teens. Visit www.treasurevalleyteen.comto discover ways teens can become involved.

“Our Troops, Our Families” Program Wins Award  

            City of Boise Mayor Dave Bieter announced the creation of Our Troops, Our Families in September of last year to support military families during the year-long deployment of the 116^th Cavalry Brigade and the 391^st U.S. Army Reserve to Iraq. The program has been awarded the Seven Seals Award by the U.S. Dept. of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program.

        Since its formation, the Our Troops, Our Families program has offered a variety of free activities for military families, including free admission to Zoo Boise, two free skating events at Idaho IceWorld, PC Saturday (which provided free technical computer support for military families), Military Family Day at Boise WaterShed, fire station tours, and a special library event. The final event will be held on July 9, Military Family Free Swim at Ivywild Pool.

        For more information on the Our Troops, Our Families program, visit www.cityofboise.org.

Planting the Wild Garden  

            Planting the Wild Garden, by Kathryn O. Galbraith, is a lyrical picture book with eloquent text and stunning illustrations that combine to demonstrate the many ways seeds are distributed—by weather, water, people, animals, and the plants themselves. Year-round, we all play a role in the dispersal of seeds throughout our landscape, planting the wild garden together.

Family-Friendly Home Design  

            More than just beautiful photographs, No Place Like Home by Stephen Saint-Onge is a useful tool for anyone looking for creative direction on making a home truly livable and inviting.       

        The first section of the book helps you approach design by defining your style and determining your goals and budget; introduces creative tools and tricks that can have a big impact on a room; and educates you on various materials, furnishings, and accessories.

       The second section walks you through each room of the home, revealing secrets that the author has discovered in working with hundreds of families through the years. It includes not just living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens, but also home offices, kids’ rooms, and multipurpose spaces.

        Full of creative advice, design tips, and renovation ideas, No Place Like Home shows real families how to create beautiful spaces that work in the real world.