community programs

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month so this time on Kids These Days! we are exploring the programs and meeting the individuals who are working to combat the high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA) in our state.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining KTD Host Shana Sheehy are two guests who address the need for public awareness about these crimes while speaking about prevention measures and offeing advice for victims or those who want to help someone in need.

• Katie TePas (at left) is the the state's DV/SA Response Coordinator.

• Sgt. Cindi Stanton (at right) is the head of the Crimes Against Children Unit at the Anchorage Police Department.

** If you are in crisis and need help, call 911 or click here for statewide hotline numbers that will link you to services and shelters in your area.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS & CHILDREN:

The Alaska Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault and the UAA Justice Center partnered to produce the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey (opens as a PDF) released last week.

• Alaska 2-1-1
• Alaska Cares
• Alaska Native Justice Center
• Alaska Office of Victims' Rights
• Alaska's Children's Advocacy Centers
• Standing Together Against Rape (STAR Alaska)
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children
• Alaska Children's Alliance
• Anchorage Police Department
• Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
• Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• Wired Safety
• Net Smartz
• Web Wise Kids
• Safe Kids
• Obtaining a DV Protective Order (restraining order) how-to videos in English, Spanish, Yup'ik

FEATURED STORIES:

- Staying SAFE in Dillingham - Ginger Baim, the executive director of Safe and Fear-Free Environment (SAFE) in Dillingham shared her point of view on the state's new Choose Respect initiative as a professional who has been combating DV/SA in Alaska for 35 years.

- Free services for victims - KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran spoke with the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA) to report on the pro-bono legal and victim services available throughout the state. [Listen]

- Alaska's teens stand up against DV/SA - KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with two teens, Bo and Isis, and one adult, Lori Grassgreen, the prevention director at the ANDVSA who worked to create the Stand Up, Speak Up! media campaign produced in partnership with the Departments of Health and Social Services and Public Safety. The goal of the campaign is to promote respect - for self and others - as a means to ending interpersonal violence among teens. [Listen]

** If you are in crisis and need help, call 911 or click here for statewide hotline numbers that will link you to services and shelters in your area.

HAVE FUN EXPLORING Anchorage on this audio tour of three of the city's most entertaining, indoor recreation areas for kids: PhazeOne Skate Park, Lapsit at the Loussac Library and the Imaginarium at the Anchorage Museum.

KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran takes us on this fun triple tour.

This story originally featured on Show 5: Moving Indoors.

With winter just around the corner, we take a look at the multitude of indoor activities for kids and families to enjoy throughout the snowy season - from museums to playgrounds to libraries to hidden gems throughout the Anchorage area.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining KTD Host Shana Sheehy in the studio are two guests who know a lot about seasonal recreation.

• "Dr. KTD" Michelle Laufer is a local pediatrician and author of Anchorage With Kids: Family Fun in the Snow or Sun.

• Margaret Timmerman is a program coordinator for Anchorage Parks and Rec.

Check out our list of fun things to do in the winter!

Want more Dr. KTD advice? Visit the Dr. KTD Collection for more advice from our resident pediatrician.

FEATURED STORIES:

- Touring a trio of fun kid spots! - KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran takes us on an audio tour of some of the most popular indoor recreation areas in Anchorage. [Listen]

- What do Alaskan teens do in winter? - KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales learns what the teens at Service High School are up to in the winter.

- A local mom's favorite winter outdoor activities - AKontheGo mom, Erin Kirkland, shares some of her favorite cold weather activities. [Listen]

- Also on this program, 26-year old listener, Abram, responds to last week's Delayed Adulthood story by offering his opposing view.

Anchorage United for Youth is a coalition of youth-serving organizations that exist in the Anchorage community to help our kids they are reaching out to kids. We'll also learn simple ways that anyone can get involved in being a positive force in the life of a child. 

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy to speak about the upcoming Anchorage United for Youth Summit are two guests.

• Sarah Sledge, director of community action at the United Way of Anchorage, and

• Dawn Groth, a community member who took action to serve the youth in her neighborhood.

FEATURED STORIES:

- Power of One: Leslie Dahl - Our Power of One mentoring series premieres today with a piece from Juneau's Scott Burton highlighting the work of Leslie Dahl, former coach of the Juneau-Douglas High School Dance Team. [Listen]

- Alaska's Girl Scouts - Marge Larson, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Alaska, along with her 5th grade daughter, spoke with KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales all about scouting in the 21st century. 

- Being young in Anchorage - From the Alaska Teen Media Institute, teen reporter Max Jungreis brings us a voice montage about being young in Anchorage. [Listen]

The developing infant brain is an amazing thing, capable of learning more than we have previously understood. On this episode we find out when babies and young children can best learn a second language and how to teach them, and we'll learn what brain research is revealing about early identification of learning disorders such as autism.

IN-STUDIO GUEST: Dr. Patricia Kuhl is internationally renowned for her research on the infant brain and early language acquisition. She spoke with host, Shana Sheehy, all about her fascinating work at the University of Washington's I-LABS (Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences).

FEATURED STORIES:

- Helping families with learning-delayed babies - KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran spoke with Amy Simpson at the Programs for Infants and Children (PIC) in Anchorage to tell us about the services they offer throughout the state, and how PIC is supporting families with learning-delayed children right in their homes.

- Teaching Yup'ik in the Lower Kuskokwim - KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with Abby Augustine (below, with students), the Yup'ik Language Education Specialist for the Lower Kuskokwim School District. She shared what she knows about getting kids excited to speak a second language - hint, it involves humor and acting... Learn more about Abby Augustine's research on the TPR Storytelling method of teaching language. Plus, Doreen Brown of the Anchorage School District's Title VII Indian Education Program tells us how they are teaching indigenous Alaska languages while also building community.

Stream the full show below, or subscribe to the KTD! podcast today!

THE CHUGACH CHILDREN'S Forest is a joint effort between Alaska Geographic and the Forest Service to symbolically designate the Chugach National Forest as a kid-friendly place to explore, learn and discover the outdoors.

KTD producer, Sarah Gonzales, spoke with Ann Mayo-Kiely of Alaska Geographic, and Sara Boario of the Forest Service all about the programs they are facilitating for kids right here in our big backyard!

This story was originally featured in Show 1: Babes in the Woods