Young Reporter Amanda Kephart (right) learns the finer points of Zazzle from Beth Walkup.

Have you ever felt like you needed to be more positive? Beth Walkup, wife of Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup, started “Zazzle” two years ago. To Zazzle is to think or write something positive. Walkup says sometimes people forget they can choose to Zazzle and be happy and excited and do good things.

“If you think positive thoughts, you will do better on things like the AIMS test,” she said.

Last Nov. 21, people all around the world took time to Zazzle at 10 a.m. their time. “We were in all of the time zones except for four,” Walkup said. “People from (Davis-Monthan Air Force Base) even took Zazzle to Iraq.”

Tucson schools will celebrate a Zazzle moment at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Walkup said when she observed a class last year, students got along better after the Zazzle moment.

Walkup chose the word Zazzle because it was a positive word and “kids really like words with a lot of “z’s in them.”

It also teaches people how to give a compliment. Instead of saying, “You are great,” it is better to say, “I really like the way you. . .”

Walkup challenges kids to Zazzle at home. “Zazzle your parents, and they might just Zazzle you back,” she says.

For more information, visit www.youvebeenzazzled.org.

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