Good news: Vaping may

not lure kidsinto smoking

If American kids are anything like kids in Wales, e-cigarettes may not be nearly as likely to get them started on tobacco as health experts feared.Researchers from Cardiff University and Glasgow University surveyed

kids between 10 and 16 at 150 schools in Wales about their use of regular cigarettes and of e-cigarettes.

Six percent of 10- and 11-year-olds had tried vaping, and 12 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds. That’s more than twice as many as had tried smoking reg-ular cigarettes. But here’s the good news: While they had tried e-cigarettes, that was all they had done. Apparently, “trying” was enough for most kids.

While some kids did go on to use e-cigarettes regularly, nearly all of those kids were also regular tobacco smokers. Researchers said it doesn’t seem likely that Welsh kids start by vaping and then become cigarette smokers because of them. AP Photo/Torin Halseye

2013

ColoradoKids CK ReporterKenna Havercamp,

Denver

ck RePoRteRS oFFeR tHeiR eaRtH Day tiPSTomorrow is Earth Day, so we

asked our reporters to share what they and their families do to help preserve the environment.

Even though we live in an area where there is limited

access to recy-cling and com-posting systems, we do such things as taking the extra step to recycle our plastic in a com-munity bin at the grocery store.

Our home is also in the sub-urbs of a large city, so there is a fair amount of exhaust polluting the air.

The contribution that our fam-ily makes to solving this issue is not having a car and trying our best to walk everywhere.

Once you have identifi ed the admirable things you are al-ready doing to help the planet, you can proceed to adjust the aspects of your life that aren’t so eco-friendly. -- Ellory and Lincoln Boyd, spending a year in Uruguay

Some foods not only have a negative effect on the well-

being of humans, but also the environment.

My family helps the Earth by purchasing almost no food that has been modifi ed by pesticides, herbicides, or any other xeno-biotics.

Several insects that are crucial to the continu-ation of nature, such as bees, are in danger because of pes-ticides, which confuse the nervous system of the animals and usually lead to death.

Herbicides are known to interfere with the photosynthesis and productiv-ity of crop plants, which causes problems for both animals and plants.

If people stop buying these products that are so harmful to the Earth, they will stop being pro-duced. -- Sanya Bhartiya, Centen-nial

My family recycles almost everything, so our recycling

bins outnumber our trash cans. We also compost things like

banana peels, coffee grounds and any-thing that is organic “matter,” such as grass, leaves, apple cores, and more. We use the compost for garden soil.

We also do several very small things that I would run out of space if I men-tioned. -- Carson Butler, Littleton

Instead of taking the bus or driving to school, I walk the

mile to get there. I think walking is good for the

Earth because walking doesn’t use gas and so reduces our carbon foot print. Second, walk-ing is good for your health; any

person can get a good work-out by walking just a mile. -- Thomas Krum-holz, Denver

My family has been

saving recy-clables for years to provide craft materials.

We have recycled jars by using

them for a classroom Hallow-een party craft. The jars were

painted and decorat-ed with scraps of rib-bon, black adhesive paper and small toys. The battery oper-ated tea light made for a fun lantern to brighten the day!

Our stash of milk caps and other lids is great for many proj-ects. They provided the eyes, mouths and buttons for snowman kits we made for

classroom holiday party favor bags. -- Kira Zizzo, Highlands Ranch

At large parties, people usually drink from a cup once, throw

it away, then do it again and again. This causes lots of waste.

We ask people to put their names on a cup. This way they know which is theirs and use that one cup as many times as needed. -- Mreedul Gupta, Denver

seem likely that Welsh kids start by vaping and then become cigarette smokers because of them.

April 21, 2015

Hurry to DMNS to travel the Silk Road

The Silk Road exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

begins with two life-size camels, laden with the many packs needed by the merchants travel-ing the 3,967 mile main path that stretches from Xi’an, China, to Constantinople, part of the old Roman Empire.

So strap your goods down tightly on your camel, and get ready for an interactive, fun, and interesting ride.

We begin in Xi’an, where silk is actively being made, but not by people.

The museum is raising live silkworms, and you can watch the sluggish caterpillars, as well as see them spin the cocoons from which silk is made, while, across the way, you can see a video and diagrams on exactly how this goes from cocoon to the soft ma-terial we still wear today.

Next stop: Turpan, China. The “City of the Night Mar-

ket” exhibit is just as lively as the name suggests, with stalls housing goods and volunteer merchants eager to show their wares, including fabric, furs and other real animal prod-

ucts (on loan from the National Wildlife Society), pigments and dyes, precious gems, spices and herbal remedies, and even fresh fruit, including watermelon!

Tired after our journey to Samarkand?

Stop at one of the inns this part of the Silk Road offers, with some of the most modern goods of the time.

Samarkand brought all the different cultures trading on the Silk Road together, and it show-cases things such as the step by step making of paper, and a life-size camel demonstrating how camels were perfect for the desert that merchants crossed to reach the city.

It also showcases the myths and fairy tales from all around Asia that traveled there.

Next is Baghdad, one of the most learned cities of the time and home to medicine, science and astronomy.

Besides inventing the Arabic numbers that replaced Roman numerals, Baghdad had brilliant

astronomers who invented ways to track time using the stars.

These devices are called astrolabes, and the museum houses two, one set up facing the stars on Denver time, while the other shows the time in Baghdad a thousand years ago.

Being able to use these is like looking back in time.

The final stop on the Silk Road is Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, a city chosen for the end because all of these artifacts are owned by the museum rather than being part of the permanent exhibit.

By the time you arrive, the language has changed multiple times, and while many mer-chants would not have made it this far, the goods would have, and the techniques were carried on through Asia, and eventually through the world.

I found this exhibit interest-ing, and would recommend it for both adults and older chil-dren, but you’ll need to hurry: It ends May 3.

ck Kids and adults can find live links to information about stories in Colorado Kids at www.ColoradoNIE.com

Look through today’s paper for stories or pictures of things that are good for the environment and things that are bad for it.

Choose the best example of the good and the worst example of the bad and write a brief essay explaining why you feel each belongs in its category.

Beyond these four pages

A

B

C

D

‘Helping out’ more common than choresThe vast majority of CK

readers who responded to our latest question help out around the house, but don’t necessarily do a set of chores on a regular schedule.

More than half said they pitch in when they’re asked, and a small group admit that chores only get done sometimes.

Only about a fifth said chores are a regular part of the way their family keeps up with things.

Here’s what we asked you, and what you told us:

How are chores handled in your household?

A. When my help is needed, someone asks for it. 53%

B. I have chores, but they’re mostly enforced when things get out of control. 13%

C. Regular chores done on a regular schedule. 19%

D. Shh! I do very few chores. 15%

Here’s our next question:As we head into the last part

of the school year, where does it find you?

A. Gliding in for a controlled, safe landing.

B. Catching up a few things, but basically okay.

C. Scrambling like crazy to get on schedule.

D. It’s not the end of my year.To answer this question, go to

www.nextgen.yourhub.com

we asked, you answered

By Thandi Glick,11, a CK Reporter from Denver

Colorado Kidsis produced by

Denver Post Educational ServicesExecutive Editor: Dana Plewka

dplewka@denverpost.comCK Editor: Mike Peterson

coloradokidseditor@gmail.comWe welcome your comments.

For tools to extend the learning in this feature, look under“eEdition lessons” at:

www.ColoradoNIE.com

eEditions of the Post arefree of charge for classroom use.Contact us for information on all

our programs.

Denver Post Educational Services101 W. Colfax Ave.Denver CO 80202

(303) 954-3974(800) 336-7678

Stories without bylines werewritten by the editor.

The half-dozen nations that make up the West Afri-can Sub Regional Fisher-

ies Commission are not wealthy, but they have won a victory that may help keep them from being robbed of resources, and preserve the world’s fish as well.

The oceans of the world are not unlimited, and over-fishing has endangered some species.

There are international treaties that apply to ships in the ocean, and require them to respect the laws of nations or regional groups whose waters they fish in.

But when fishing vessels go where they are not permitted or take more fish than is legal, it can be hard for small countries to protect their fishing grounds.

Catching one ship at a time does not stop huge companies from simply sending out more.

Last month, the West African Sub Regional Fisheries Com-mission asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the group that acts as judges over maritime treaties, for help.

It came in less than two weeks, and the ITLOC judges were near-ly unanimous: They ruled that, when a fishing vessel breaks the law, the country whose flag it flies can be held responsible.

The six nations were happy, of course, but conservationists around the world also rejoiced.

Up until now, a ship might be owned by a company in one country, but fly the flag of anoth-er nation

There are countries that make a lot of money by letting ships register with them without pay-ing a high licensing cost or pass-ing a lot of inspections.

This has made it easier for those distant companies to avoid being responsible when ships break treaties and regional laws.

Now countries that issue licens-es to foreign ships may decide to be more careful, since helping dishonest companies could cost them money instead of making it.

It won’t stop illegal fishing en-tirely, but it is a good step towards making fishing sustainable.

Judges provide a weapon against illegal fishing

BrainteaserJohn Muir, one of the greatest conservationists in history, was born on this day in 1838, so our answers will all begin with M.

1. This state is called “The Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

2. You’ll often see these large ground squirrels among the rocks in the Rocky Mountains.

3. Ludwig Bemelmans wrote and illustrated stories about her.

4. The caterpillars of monarch butterflies eat this plant.

5. US President when British troops burned the White House

6. The plant we call “corn” is called this in other countries.

7. Darkish-brown shade of red

8. Metallic element which is liquid at room temperature

9. Series of dystopian novels by James Dashner

10. Thick, sweet coconut cookie popular during Passover(answers on Page Four)

Youth Journalism Dayfor 4th-8th grade students

Thursday, June 11, 2015 7:30am to 5:00pmStudent Cost for the Day: $60 (includes breakfast & lunch).

Spend the day with professionals learning about story writing, interviews, writing tips and photography.

Register today! Go to ColoradoNIE.com for a registration form.Call 303-954-3974 with questions.

Limited to fi rst 75 students.

The West African nations of the West African Sub Regional Fisher-ies Commission are highlighted in either black or white on this map.

From top to bottom, they are Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia (the black stripe within Senegal), Cape Verde (islands shown by the circle), Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. File photo of fishing ship: US Navy

Murder is never a joke, never a game, and never a normal occur-

rence.Until now.

“Party Games,” by R. L. Stine, is more than worth your time.

Brendon Fear, who is from a family of sup-posed murder-ers, witches, and madmen, has a party coming up.

So when he invites our main character, Ra-chel Martin, she doesn’t hesitate for a second to accept.

She stays firm to her agree-ment to go, even after the warn-ings from her jerk of an ex-boyfriend and her well-trusted best friend.

They tell her to stay here, don’t go, he’s not to be trusted, and so on and so forth, but their hopes at persuasion go disregarded.

So letting her huge crush on Brendon get the best of her, Ra-chel boards the boat bound to take them to Brendon’s private

island, where mystery, death, and of course, fear all come into play.

And that’s when things start to go wrong, very wrong.

R. L. Stine did a very nice job executing this book and in all honesty the hook really threw me off, leading me to believe that this really was an in-depth murder mystery.

Then I read the book.Stine really has quite the

detailed imagination. The really

twisting plot of “Party Games” keeps you en-gaged through-out the entire book.

However, he still incorporat-ed a hint of ro-mance between Brendon and Rachel without really overdo-ing it.

“Party Games” would really be better for an age group who

doesn’t get the jitters at every spook at a camp fire.

I believe that 11- to 15-year-olds will really get the most out of this book and truly be able to understand its confusing but intriguing plot.

My recommendations are very high for Party Games and I can see in the near future reading it several more times.

StiNe ScoReS witHuNuSual tHRilleR

BrainteaserSolution

(see Page Three)10 right - Wow! 7 right - Great! 5 right - Good

3 right - See you next time!

1. Minnesota 2. marmots 3. Madeline 4. milkweed 5. (James) Madison 6. maize

7. maroon 8. mercury 9. (The) Maze Runner 10. macaroon

By Megan Lindsey11, a CK Reporter from Fort Collins

“Monkey Kingdom,” a Disney Nature film directed by

Mark Linfield and narrated by Tina Fey, is about how mon-key Maya and her son Kip face many challenges and climb their way up the ranks.

Maya lives in an isolated tropical forest in Sri Lanka.

She and her troop live at a place called “Castle Rock”, which is a good spot for spot-ting rivals, and they eat from a tree that has a lot of fruit.

Maya is not allowed to eat fruits from the top of the tree which had the best fruits, how-ever, because she is low in class.

Raja, the alpha leader, eats at the top of the tree.

The Queens are a few branch-es lower, and think “everything is theirs.”

The branch lower than that is where all the male warriors sit and, at the very bottom of

the tree where Maya is, are the grounders.

They have to wait for the fruit to drop, or find food elsewhere.

One of the disadvantages is that the higher-ranked troops can boss the grounders when-ever they want, something Kip learns when he is only a few weeks old.

He also learns that his skin is attached to his face, which the audience found quite funny.

When Lexs, the leader of the rival clan, takes over “Castle Rock,” the troop is forced to

move into unfa-miliar territory.

They must travel through cities and forests to find food.

Along the way, they face many chal-lenges.

Will they find a territory that suits them or are they going to have to take back “Castle Rock”?

This docu-mentary film

is interesting and quite funny, which means kids will love it and adults will also enjoy it.

Anyone who watches this movie will surely admire the crew’s work, because they spent several years in the tropical for-est, through monsoon season, winter, and summer.

FilM SHowS NeeD FoRRaNk aMoNg MoNkeyS

By Mreedul Gupta,10, a CK Reporter from Littleton

Youth-written stories that appear here also appear on

C , !