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It's just a Phase, so don't Miss It!
by Debbie Sperry
Parenting is not for the faint of heart! Anyone with kids knows that parenting might just be the hardest thing you do in life. Sometimes as parents, it's the best we can do just to make it through the day with them fed, clean and clothed! We know there's more to it, but sometimes it's hard to find the time and energy to put into researching how to be better at it. This led us to ask the question: "What can we do to equip and support our SCV parents?"

At VUMC, we care about you and your children. We want you to thrive as a family, and so we are offering a parenting seminar on Saturday, October 3 from 9am to 12pm called, "It's just a Phase, so Don't Miss It." We're going to dive into the characteristics of this current generation of kids and discuss how they, along with culture, affect the way we parent. We'll unpack what each phase of a child's life holds from the youngest years through the teen years. And yes, we're going to cover those challenging topics of technology and sexuality and how to deal with them in those different phases. Being the best parent we can be takes time, education and intentionality. We decided the best way to support you was to research and gather the most practical parenting tools and share with you how to intentionally use what we have learned.

You'll never regret trying to be a better parent, and there's always room for improvement! There's also always room for family fun. Mark your calendars because we are trumping up our Trunk or Treat! Join us on October 28 from 6pm to 7:30pm for fun games, mazes, crafts, a photo booth, and, of course, outstanding trunk or treating. To register for "It's just a Phase," go to www.umcv.org.
Debbie Sperry is the lead pastor at Valencia United Methodist Church. 255-1301

Local Martial Arts Studio Featured at World Expo
Master Gavin Espinosa of Get Fit Martial Arts and the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) were chosen to co-host a demonstration showcasing the talents of ATA athletes with special abilities from all over the United States. Andrei Mojica, who's a second-degree black belt at age 13; Vanessa Roccella, a first-degree black belt at age 14; and 5-year-old orange belt Kara Carnes - all who are students of Get Fit Martial Arts - were a few of the chosen performers at the Olympic World Games held in Los Angeles on July 27 at the Memorial Coliseum in UCLA. They were featured as one of the Unified Taekwondo Exhibition team members in the Taekwondo demonstration.

Master Gavin Espinosa is the owner of ATA Martial Arts in Stevenson Ranch and former coach of the ATA World Demo team. This team comprised of the most elite-level black belts and special-abilities athletes from all around the United States, performing at several events including the most prestigious event held every year, the ATA World Expo. 255-7435



"My name is Landon Klotz. I'm a 13-year-old eighth-grade student. I was born in Dallas, Texas and moved to Santa Clarita three years ago. I have been a student at Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts (SCSOPA) since February 2015. I have always loved acting and I am very excited I got my start with this fantastic school. Immediately upon starting classes, I knew I wanted to continue pursuing my passion of acting. The teachers are knowledgeable, amazing, fun and very helpful. Their personal experiences, along with their industry expertise, provide a solid education for all ages. The owner and office personnel are wonderful, too. The entire staff wants nothing but success for each student, focusing on each student's individual talents. They celebrate each success with open arms, hugs, high fives and smiles. At SCSOPA we are all a close family. Each Saturday, different talent agencies hold auditions at SCSOPA. I was signed to The Brogan Agency seven weeks after I started taking classes. Upon signing, I continued taking classes weekly, some of which include: voice over, improvisational, movement in acting, teen character building, scene study, monologue and audition techniques. I soon began getting calls for auditions, and within six months of starting at SCSOPA, I landed my first job in a short movie called 'Framed.' It was such an awesome experience and I look forward to many more opportunities! Thank you again for such a great start into the industry. SCSOPA is the best!"




Don't Miss Cinema Park's 18th Annual Sidewalk Spectacular
Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20
This annual event includes all tenants in the Center, conveniently located on Cinema Drive in Valencia. Saturday morning opens with a ribbon-cutting for the new "You're in Good Hands" Allstate franchise. Children will be entertained with free face-painting, provided all day Saturday and Sunday by a talented artist. Here are some more highlights!
Bring your scissors to Santa Clarita Sewing Machine
to have your scissors sharpened for only 99 cents.
See UniformLand's "new look" and enjoy a discount
of up to 70 percent on clearance merchandise.
Valencia Shoes will offer up to 50 percent off high-quality
name brand shoes like Mephisto, Clarks and UGGs.
Drop into Pilates Body Basics, which offers private and
semi-private Pilates sessions with exclusive, focused attention.
Tranquility Salon & Spa will be offering new clients a
20 percent discount on any beauty service.
A Chorus Line will give you a head-start on Halloween with
their "Pre-Halloween Sale." One-of-a-kind costumes and
accessories, plus used rentals, will be offered at huge discounts!
20/20 Optometric Eyecare, providers of fashionable eyewear, will be showing off their unique Halloween contact lenses.
Mother and Baby Boobtique recently moved to a larger suite in order to accommodate their support group for new mothers who want to nurse their babies. Interested moms may call 259-8802 for more information. And don't forget to check out their infant and baby clothes, with featured merchandise up to 50 percent off.
Hand Rehab Pros is a new addition to the Cinema Park family. They are specialists in hand and upper-extremity therapy. Drop in and say "hi!"
The folks at KidsArt have a treat in store for you on display will be the artwork of budding artists.

SCVi Hosting iLEAD Film Series Kicks Off with Education Documentaries
SCVi Charter School is hosting a new series of documentary film presentations geared toward informing students and parents about pending shifts and challenges in education - and new approaches to helping children prepare to succeed as adults in a technologically-oriented global economy. The screenings will be open to the public at SCVi, the founding campus of iLEAD Schools, located at 28060 Hasley Canyon Road, Castaic, in the Hasley Canyon Commerce Center.
"All of these films provide valuable insight into the challenges facing the US education system and the innovation we need to prepare our children to think, lead, create, collaborate and succeed in the 21st century," said Amber Raskin, co-founder of SCVi and iLEAD Schools. The next two films in the series each take a different look at education in the context of a rapidly-changing world:

"Race to Nowhere": Shown at 7pm on Thursday, October 1 (Donation only.). Takepart.com calls this film one of the "10 Education Documentaries You Don't Want to Miss." The film features the stories of students across the nation who are pushed to the limits by over-scheduling, over-testing and relentless pressure to achieve.

"Beyond Measure": Shown at 7pm on Friday, October 23 (Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door.). Led by producer/director Vicki Abeles, the same team that created "Race to Nowhere" seeks to answer the next question: "If our current education culture isn't working, what is?" The film takes a look at schools that have redesigned themselves and educators who have brought forth fresh ideas and innovative methods to help students go beyond memorization and truly learn.

The films are being screened in SCVi's Shakespeare Theatre and each will be followed by a group discussion. 800-925-1502

When it comes to Value, Laser Tag is a Birthday Party Blast
The best value for your birthday party dollar must address one essential component: Are the kids thrilled with your choice? If no, start over!

The best party starts with an activity that ensures the kids will have a great time. If you've ever seen your kids fly out of the laser tag arena at Valencia Laser Blast after a game of laser tag, beaming and anxious to see their scores on the monitor in the lobby, you know right at that moment that you picked the right place for their party. When you hear kids screaming in the arcade after hitting jackpots and winning bunches of tickets, that feeling is confirmed.

At Valencia Laser Blast, your party includes three games of laser tag, unlimited soda and 10 tokens for each child in the party for one fair price. You also get your own private party room for two hours, where you can visit with friends while the kids play, enjoy their pizza and nosh on birthday cake. By the way, you'll enjoy the food. That's right; thanks to Pizza del Sardo, you'll actually love the party fare! You'll also enjoy the atmosphere. The well-lit, modern arcade is designed so parents can easily see their kids, and parents will also appreciate the big screen in the lobby to keep abreast of the day's sporting events.

You get quite a bit for your money at Valencia Laser Blast. Call to ask about current birthday party specials to get even more value for your dollar. 255-1600

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Junior Tennis Academy at Paseo Club Teaches Children the Joy of Competition
The Paseo Club Junior Tennis Academy offers classes for children of all levels from three years of age through high school. They believe there are many things to learn in order to become a great tennis player, but most importantly, a love for tennis and a passion to constantly improve, combined with a joy for competing are the critical ingredients. Their pros nurture a love of tennis and help children embrace competition, along with teaching them the necessary skills to become great. Their goal is not just a college scholarship, but that your child will play tennis their whole life. Academy groups include Preschool Champions (3 to 5 years); Future Stars (5 to 8 years); Pre-teen Training (9 to 12 years); Teen Starters (13 to 18 years); and Elite Training (For advanced juniors competing in tournaments.).
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Cuddle Up with Cocoa!It's hard to believe that cooler temps are on their way - but it's the truth! Escape the last bit of SCV heat in Paint A Dream's air-conditioned studio, then enjoy your made-just-for-you mug when it's time to cuddle up with the sweet people in your life! $5 and $10 coupons to Paint A Dream are available on page 87, too! 255-1177