Pima County, Ariz. (March 29, 2012) – Now there’s an interactive website just for kids that helps them learn about air, water, soil, resource conservation and climate change – and why it’s important for them to learn how to take good care of planet Earth.

The Eco Kids Corner website was developed by Pima County’s Department of Environmental Quality and a student intern from the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health to engage children in learning about the natural world and their role in it. Here’s the link: http://www.cleanair.pima.gov/ .

Not only can they learn fun facts, like how old the Earth is and what air is made of, but they can write poems, guess the answers to science questions, learn why recycling really matters, take a look at the hydrologic cycle and find out about pedology. That’s the study of soil.

The colorful website provides links to other activity-based sites for kids from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control.

The site also provides links to the local zoo, museums, the Sonoran Desert Kids Club and other venues that offer educational programs and materials for children.

The site includes resources for teachers and inspiration for science fair projects, too.

A special program to introduce the website is set for  Saturday, April 7, at 11 a.m. at the Murphy-Wilmot Branch Public Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road, during the library’s monthly Science Saturday event.

Si estás entre las edades de 14 y 21 y quieres trabajar, el programa de verano para jóvenes del Pima County One-Stop Career Center estará aceptando solicitudes de empleo empezando el 27 de enero.

El verano pasado, más de mil 400 jóvenes del Condado Pima ganaron el salario mínimo y adquirieron experiencia valiosa trabajando para el Condado, la Ciudad de Tucson, y la Universidad de Arizona entre otros negocios participantes.

Entre los trabajos que asumieron estaban apoyo administrativo, oficinista, ayudante de guardería, ayudante de recreo, técnico para el cuidado de pacientes, guía en el Children’s Museum y aprendiz de cirugía en Pima Animal Care Center.

Aplique el 27 de enero por internet en https://secure.pima.gov/summeryouth o recoja una solicitud de empleo en su preparatoria, centro comunitario o biblioteca más cercana.  El plazo de entrega se vence el 16 de marzo.

El Condado recibió cerca de tres mil 900 solicitudes el año pasado, dijo Dana Katbah, gerente del programa.  Los participantes son seleccionados a base de sus solicitudes, la nota de sus evaluaciones e intereses de trabajo.

Antes de su primer día en el trabajo, los participantes asisten a un taller de trabajo de un día donde aprenden acerca de los buenos hábitos de trabajo y las expectativas de sus futuros patrones.

El año pasado, Diana Guerrero, senior de Cholla High School, trabajo en la oficina de Road Machinery, LLC, una compañía que alquila, vende y realiza el mantenimiento a equipo de trabajo usado en la construcción, minería, silvicultura, tornos entre otras industrias.

“Adquirí muchas habilidades que podré usar en futuros trabajos”, dijo Guerrero.  “Podré anotar esta como una experiencia de trabajo valiosa en futuras solicitudes de empleo y en mi currículum.  Aprendí ética laboral en la vida real que también me ayudará en mis búsquedas de empleo”.

El programa de verano para jóvenes también incluye educación básica, en la cual los jóvenes pueden adquirir créditos de preparatoria participando como aprendiz de matemáticas, lectura y escritura.

Para más información, comuníquese con Dana Katbah a Dana.Katbah@pima.gov o llame al 798-0500.

If you’re between the ages of 14 and 21 and want to work this summer, the Pima County One-Stop Career Center’s Summer Youth Program will begin accepting applications on Jan. 27.

Last summer, more than 1,400 young people in Pima County earned minimum wage and gained valuable experience while working for Pima County, the City of Tucson, the University of Arizona and dozens of participating local businesses.

The jobs they performed included administrative support, clerk, child care aide, recreation aide, library page, patient care technician, discovery guide at the Children’s Museum and surgery tech trainee at Pima Animal Care Center.

Starting Jan. 27, apply online at https://secure.pima.gov/summeryouth or pick up an application form at a local high school, community center or library.  The application deadline is March 16.

The county received about 3,900 applications last year, said Dana Katbah, program manager.  Program participants are selected based on their applications, assessment scores and work interests.

Participants attend a one-day “employability skills” workshop, where they learn about good work habits and employer expectations, before they go to work.

Diana Guerrero, a senior at Cholla High School, worked last summer in the office of Road Machinery LLC, a company that sells, rents and services heavy equipment for use in construction, mining, forestry, milling and other industries.

“I gained a lot of skills for my future jobs,” Guerrero said.  “I will be able to list this as valuable work experience on my résumé and applications for future jobs.  I learned real world work ethics that will also be helpful in my future job search.”

The Summer Youth Program also includes basic education, in which young people can earn elective high school credits through learning in math, reading and writing.

For more information, contact Dana Katbah at Dana.Katbah@pima.gov or call 798-0500.

Students must have:

• A copy of their birth certificate
• Immunization records
• A withdrawal form from the last attended school if the student was enrolled any time during the current school year.

According to federal law, homeless students registering for school are exempt from having all the listed documents at the time of enrollment.  PVHS will help them obtain the necessary documents after enrollment.

For more information, please call Betty at 520-243-1740 or go to: www.pima.gov/CED/CR/PimaVocHS.html or www.pimavocational.com/.

Pima County, Ariz.(Nov. 21, 2011) – Why does the early morning sky look hazy, now that cooler weather is here?

Meteorologists call this phenomenon a temperature inversion. It’s what happens when early morning temperatures fall, trapping pollutants in the chilly air. Warm air above the cool air traps the cooler air below, and keeps it from rising.

That’s what causes the haze, as airborne pollutants hang closer to ground level. But as the sun rises and the cool air warms, the hazy air begins to rise, carrying airborne pollutants with it. The hazy air moves higher and higher, dispersing as it goes, and improving visibility.

This often yellowish-brownish haze occurs mostly in winter, when nights are longer and the air stays cool until the sun rises in the sky.

Tucson is surrounded by mountains, and they contribute to the winter inversions. The mountains cause an overnight downward flow of cold air onto the desert floor and that cold air can increase the strength and duration of these morning temperature inversions.

What this means is that air quality can be poorer in winter as pollutants from motor vehicles, industry and fireplaces remain trapped longer in the air we breathe.

People can help reduce winter air pollution levels by driving less often, limiting idling our vehicles to a minute or less, and reducing our use of fireplaces.

Fireplaces are inefficient sources of heat. When you have the option, choose natural gas, electric or solar-powered heat or a wood stove certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

To reduce the use of polluting fossil fuels, carpool or take the bus if you can, and do more than one errand while you’re out, to reduce the number of trips you make. And, if you can, drive a vehicle powered by an alternate energy source, such as electricity.

For more on local air pollution levels in Tucson, including particulates, ozone and carbon monoxide readings, go to www.AirInfoNow.org.  Also, call Pima County’s Department of Environmental Quality air pollution hotline: (520) 882-4AIR or (520) 882-4347.

Beth Gorman

Twenty-four young people graduated from Pima County’s Las Artes Arts & Education Center this week.

Armed with their GEDs, they are now better prepared to become employed, pursue more education or training, and handle life’s challenges.

Most of the members of this final graduating class of 2011 came to the program after giving up on traditional high school.

At least one was homeless.  One had stopped going to school in eighth grade.  Another had attended many schools because her family moved a lot.  At a dinner for the graduates and their families this week, two talked about school coming in second to the jobs they needed to support themselves or their families.  Many of these young students had children of their own – and were inspired by them.

“I know I need to do my best so I can give you the life you deserve,” one young father said.

The 2011 graduating class of Las Artes Arts & Education Center listen to one of their valedictorians, Nikky Vidarte, speak during their commencement ceremony Friday.

Las Artes, a program of the Pima County Community Services, Employment and Training Department, combines structured classroom study with community art projects to prepare students for GED testing and to build their employability skills.

Working for eight weeks on a community art project helped the students appreciate and develop the discipline they needed to pursue their dreams.  Studying for up to 24 more weeks helped them prepare for the GED tests.

Las Artes students’ murals, ceramic tiles and other artwork can been seen along South Tucson’s Fourth Avenue and on benches along Sahuarita’s main drag, from Marana’s Town Hall to a red, white and blue sports tribute at East Ajo Way and South Country Club Road.

Their work will be part of the Tucson Children’s Museum’s Dia de los Muertos exhibit this year.  They will be contributing to the public art that will be part of the University of Arizona Bioscience Park and the Santa Cruz River Park between Silverlake Road and Ajo Way.

“Las Artes means being at school on time every day and following the rules,” one graduate said.  Several graduates thanked the teachers for “being so strict,” and one was grateful for the “friends, education and hope” she found at Las Artes.

Clearly proud of obtaining their GEDs, the graduates shared their plans to attend Pima Community College, cosmetology school, the University of Arizona and Pima Medical Institute to study literature or international business management, to pursue a master’s degree or become a veterinary technician.

“I know I’m not going to stop here,” one said.

For more information, go to http://www.pima.gov/CED/CR/LasArtes.html.

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Congratulations, Graduates!
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Kilns in Las Artes studio
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Las Artes studio space
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Las Artes tile work
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Las Artes tile work
Source: Pima County Communications Office

A panel of local experts will talk about trends in the logistics/supply chain field in southern Arizona at the Sept. 9 meeting of the Pima County Workforce Investment Board.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is 7:30-9 a.m. at the Pima Community College Community Campus, 401 N. Bonita Ave., Rooms A109-112.

The panelists are all board members of the Southern Arizona Logistics Education Organization (SALEO), created to educate, promote and grow the transportation and logistics industry by networking the logistics service providers and users in the Arizona-Mexico region.  For more information, go to www.saleo.org/.

Panelists are:

• Al Altuna, president and CEO of Altuna Logistics International LLC, president of SALEO.
• Mark Gutierrez, sales executive with DHL Global Forwarding and a founding board member of SALEO.
• Curt André Charles Pedersen, chairman of the board of The Enterprise and Land-Bridge Co., proprietor of C.A.C.P. Consultant Services, and a founding board member of SALEO.
• Hector Valenzuela, owner and president of Mode Transportation, and senior vice president – business/sponsorship development for SALEO.

The panel will be moderated by Noreen Nelson, 2^nd vice chair of the Pima County Workforce Investment Board and former director of human resources for Raytheon.

The Pima County Workforce Investment Board is authorized by the U.S. Department of Labor and appointed by the Pima County Board of Supervisors to provide recommendations on local workforce policy and oversight of the local One Stop system that connects eligible job-ready youth, adult and dislocated workers in local growth, high-demand industry occupations.

For more information about the Pima County Workforce Investment Board, go to http://www.pima.gov/CED/CS/workforce%20investment/workforceinvestindex.htm

The Pima County Youth Employment Program pays minimum wage to about 1,300 people ages 14 through 21 for their work for about 400 businesses, agencies and nonprofits.

Read the Arizona Daily Star story about the program — and see photos — at:

http://azstarnet.com/business/local/article_fb409016-a8d2-5dfe-8938-59608da9bc6f.html

By Diane Luber, Pima County Communications Office

The celebrating started days before their commencement ceremony.

So did the gratitude.

On Friday, July 1, students at Pima County’s Las Artes Arts & Education Center will mark the successful completion of their studies and the passage of their general educational development tests at a ceremony at Pima Community College’s Downtown Campus.

On Wednesday, June 29, they had a special dinner at their school at 23 W. 27^th St. in South Tucson, where they thanked their families, their friends and the Las Artes teachers and staff who helped them reach this milestone.

These young people are more familiar than most with the school of hard knocks.  They never thought they’d ever get through high school.

Las Artes, a program of Pima County’s Community Services, Education and Training Department, combines structured classroom study with community art projects to prepare students for GED testing and to build their employability skills.

Working together for eight weeks to create ceramic tiles and murals helped the students appreciate and develop the discipline they needed to pursue their dreams.  Studying for up to 24 more weeks helped them prepare for the GED tests.

On Wednesday evening, several students thanked the person – their uncle, their mom, their boyfriend – who got them up every morning to get to school.

One thanked his grandma for the hugs she gave and the cakes she made to celebrate his achievements, and he thanked his mom – “even though she’s not here.”

Some thanked their own children for inspiring them to seek a better life and hoped that now they would be good examples for that next generation.

“I have learned from my mistakes,” one said.

Many thanked the Las Artes teachers and staff for “never giving up on me,” “pushing me to do my best,” “really caring,” and “giving me a second chance.”

Some of the students shared their aspirations – to attend Pima Community College or the University of Arizona; to be an accountant, an architect, a registered nurse.

One student, who talked about his descent into depression and drug addiction and the help he’d gotten to climb out of those dark holes, asked everyone only to “wish me luck.”

Las Artes has awarded more than 500 GEDs since it opened more than 15 years ago.

“Las Artes has been a long journey,” one young graduate said Wednesday evening, “and it’s only the beginning.”

For more information about Las Artes, contact program manager Elena West at 243-5053 or at Elena.West@pima.gov or go to:

http://www.pima.gov/CED/CR/LasArtes.html

http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/photos/slideshows/20100331-chavez.htm

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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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A mural of César Chávez created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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A mural of President Barack Obama created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students

Pima County, Arizona – Up to 500 high school students and graduates are expected to attend the 2^nd Annual First Responder Youth Career Day at Tucson High Magnet School on Friday, July 1.

The keynote speaker will be Daniel Hernandez, the University of Arizona student who was an intern in U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Tucson office and is credited with helping to save the congresswoman’s life when she was shot Jan. 8.  Ramón Valadez, District 2 supervisor and chairman of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, will give closing remarks.

The young people attending the “Presenting Dreams” event, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the school at 400 N. Second Ave., are among those participating in the Pima County One Stop Career Center’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

They will hear presentations, watch demonstrations and be able to talk with representatives of the American Red Cross; the Pima County and Tohono O’odham Nation offices of Emergency Management; the U.S. Border Patrol; the Pima County Health Department; the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy; and other public safety and emergency agencies.  A helicopter, a Hummer and other specially equipped vehicles will be on display.

The event is not a job fair but rather an opportunity for young people to get firsthand information about important careers as first responders.

“This is a great opportunity to expose students to service careers, especially those students wanting to gain skills and experience necessary to help people in times of emergencies,” said Maiola Coleman, one of the organizers of the event and winner of the 2007 Arizona Community Leadership Award.

Sponsors of the event include the Community Alliance Addressing Disparities, Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Pima County Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Pima County One Stop Career Center Summer Youth Programs, Pima County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Tucson Unified School District Multicultural Student Services, and the Tucson Urban League.