Registration opens at 5 a.m. May 24 for Family Zumbatomic classes at the York Jewish Community Center, 2000 Hollywood Drive.

Fuse the Zumba program’s unique formula with the psychology and physiology relevant to kids. Zumbatomic classes are high-energy fitness-parties packed with specially choreographed, kid-friendly routines and all the music kids love, like hip-hop, reggaeton, cumbia and more.

The event is for ages 7 and older. It will be held from 5:15-6 p.m. Thursdays, JUne 20 to Aug. 1. The cost is $60 each.

Mike the Knight, the star of the popular children’s TV series, is coming to Harrisburg on Saturday, May 18. To celebrate Mike’s visit to our area, Junior Dispatch is giving away some great “Mike the Knight” merchandise.

To enter the giveaway, kids must write a knight-themed poem, and we will publish all the entries here.  Your poem can be any style the young author desires — such as a haiku, a riddle, a limerick, an acrostic or a rhyme. Once the little bards have their prose perfected, email it to juniordispatch@yorkdispatch.com by 8 p.m.  Monday, May 20.  Junior Dispatch will then select first- and second-place winners out of all the qualifying entries. Teachers are encouraged to get their students to enter. Please see the official rules below for the details.

First place is the “Mike the Knight” DVD and a “Mike the Knight” book. Second place is the DVD only.

We will publish entries as they arrive.

HARRISBURG EVENT: Mike the Knight and his friends are charging into the Harrisburg Mall for two free performances of “Mike the Knight and the Mission for Hidden Treasure.” The 20-minute performance will also feature Squirt the dragon.  The event also includes photo opportunities, giveaways, and a glimpse of the “Mike the Knight” toys that are coming soon to stores. Performances are set for Saturday, May 18 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

ABOUT “MIKE THE KNIGHT”: “Mike the Knight” is a CG-animated series that transports kids to a realm of castles, dragons, and trolls.  With his rallying cry “Be a Knight, Do it Right!”, Mike brings the excitement and enchantment of medieval times to his young viewers.  Currently the broadcast series airs on Nick Jr.  For more information about Mike the Knight and his missions, visit www.miketheknight.com and follow on Facebook (www.facebook.com/miketheknightofficial) and Twitter @MiketheKnight_US.

OFFICIAL RULES: To enter this giveaway, contestants must write a poem of 10 or more words about subject of “knights.” Entrants who are just learning to write can compose their poem verbally, and then have the caregiver write it down. Decisions by Junior Dispatch are final. One entry per person. Entries must include a name, age, address and telephone number.  All entries will be posted on JuniorDispatch.com. Entries must be sent to juniordispatch@yorkdispatch.com by 8 p.m.  Monday, May 20.

ANOTHER CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST: Junior Dispatch is also hosting another writing contest for kids ages 0 to 18. The top prize in three age categories is $100 in gift certificates. Get all the details here: http://ydtalk.com/jdispatch/2013/04/22/tell-us-a-story-and-win-big/

UPDATE: The event has been cancelled for May 11. It will be held (weather permitting) on May 18.

Main Street Hanover will transform downtown sidewalks into colorful works of art from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 11, (rain date is Saturday, May 18) during the 3rd annual Chalk It Up Hanover.

Artists of all ages will transform Hanover’s sidewalks during this free, family friendly event, including Michael William Kirby, a leading public artist and street painter from Baltimore, Md.

Participants will be given an assigned square of sidewalk, chalk and time to convert concrete into temporary art. Sidewalk spaces are approximately 4 feet by 4 feet. More than 130 spaces are available.

Artists may use any or all of the space and may complete their work anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. All art must be completed by 3 p.m. Judging will be broken into six groups: ages 5 and younger, ages 6–9, ages 10–13, ages 14-high school senior, adult and family/group. Recognition and awards will be announced at 4 p.m. Participants do not need to be present to win.

Assigned spaces will be available at the registration table in the Fountain Quadrant of Center Square Hanover the morning of the event. Pre-registration is strongly recommended, but day-of registration is also welcomed.

For more information, call Main Street Hanover at (717) 637-6130 or visit www.hanoverchamber.com/downtown.html.

The Junior Dispatch, in conjunction with the York Libraries’ summer reading program and the York Emporium, is proud to announce a creative writing contest, as detailed in the flier above.

This contest is asking for original stories by kids up to age 18. The topic is an important one: We want you to write a tale of buried treasure!

The details are all in the flyer above, but we want you to pay close attention to these points:

• There are three age categories. (7 and under. 8 to 11, and 12 to 18)
• The word limit is 1,500 words. That just means that the longest your story can be is 1,500 words. Entries in the “7 and under” category certainly don’t need to be that long. A 50 word story, for example, is fine.
• Kids who are just learning to write can tell a story to a caregiver, and then have the caregiver write it down. Please keep it “in their words” though!
• The deadline for your story is Wednesday, July 31, 2013. You’ve got plenty of time, but don’t wait until the last minute either!
• Make sure your name, age and phone number is at the top of your entry. Printed entries should have this info on every page.
• Only one entry per person.
• Emailed entries are preferred. The subject of the e-mail should be “Buried Treasure Contest.” Send the submissions to juniordispatch@yorkdispatch.com. We prefer you sendyour story in one of the following formats: DOC,  PDF or TXT. You may also just insert it into the body of your email.
• Entrants may submit stories through the mail as well. Send those entries (which should include your name, age, address and phone number) to Junior Dispatch, c/o The York Dispatch, 205 N. George St., York, Pa. 17401.

If you would like to print out copies of the flier, you have several options:

• 8.5×11 in B&W
• 8.5×11 in color
• 11×17 in B&W
• 11×17 in color

Now get writing! Tell us a story about some crazy thing you’ve dug up!

If you have any questions about the rules, email John Simcoe at jsimcoe@yorkdispatch.com

Adult and youth (ages 12-17) volunteers are needed for the cleanup of an illegal dumpsite on Bunker Hill Road in Peach Bottom Township from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 20.

Organized by Keep York County Beautiful, youth volunteers must complete a Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Volunteer Waiver Form with signed parental consent prior to participating. All volunteers should dress for safety by wearing long pants/shirts and sturdy shoes. Safety vests, gloves, and trash bags will be provided.

Participants should meet at Bunker Hill Road, located near Bunk Hill Avenue and Main Street in Delta, by 9 a.m.

Funding and resources are being provided by Peach Bottom Township, York County Solid Waste Authority, York County Commissioners, Penn State Extension-York County West Nile Virus Program and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Volunteer help is needed and greatly appreciated.

For directions and more information, contact Thomas Smith at (717) 840-2375 or email TLS35@psu.edu.

The Red Lion Community Swimming Program will conduct registration for its spring session swimming lessons on March 12 and 13 in the Red Lion Area Senior High School pool lobby. A full range of Red Cross certified courses will be offered from Level 1 to Level 6, as well as parent/tot lessons.
Registration will be held as follows:

– Tuesday, March 12, from 6-8 p.m. for Red Lion Area School District residents currently enrolled.

– Wednesday, March 13, from 6-7 p.m. for Red Lion Area School District residents only and from 7-8 p.m. for residents and non-residents

Swimming classes begin March 18. All classes are held for 30 minutes either Saturdays between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. or Mondays or Wednesdays between 6:30-9 p.m.

For more information, visit www.rlasd.net or call Mr. Grim at 246-1611, ext. 2103.

Learn how to fight food waste and save money along the way. http://youtu.be/Pmr5NbFyL-E

A book-loving leprechaun is your ticket to a special kind of gold — a gift certificate! (Don’t download this image, click on the PDF link at left.)

The York Emporium is holding a coloring contest. Winners earn a spot on The York Emporium’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade float and a gift certificate to the famous York City bookstores Get all the details in the PDF you can download here.

If you don’t want to print out your own copies, just visit The York Emporium, the Sunrise Soap Company, YorkArts or Martin Library and get copies at one of those places.

The deadline for entry is Sunday, March 10, so get coloring!

The “Life of Lincoln” series is an abbreviated biography of President Abraham Lincoln that Junior Dispatch and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association has created in an effort to celebrate the United States of America’s 16th president.

This guide features all of the chapters, posters and teacher’s guides, plus a few additional items of interest.

LIFE OF LINCOLN

Each of these chapters includes a “Question of the Day,” where readers can talk about history and its effects on modern life. To answer them, just leave a comment or e-mail your response to juniordispatch@yorkdispatch.com or send it by regular mail to:
The Junior Dispatch
c/o The York Dispatch
205 North George St.
York, Pa. 17401

• Chapter 1: The Wild West
• ‎Chapter 2: The Early Years
• Chapter 3: In Indiana
• Chapter 4: The Second Journey Through New Orleans
• Chapter 5: Entering Politics
• Chapter 6: Entering the Law
• Chapter 7: On the Circuit
• Chapter 8: The Birth of a New Political Party
• Chapter 9: The Nomination of 1860
• Chapter 10: Lincoln as President

VIDEOS

Junior Dispatch recommends these YouTube videos to get to know Abraham Lincoln and the world he lived in.

• Lincoln’s Tough Choice — http://youtu.be/akfQ7TfAQVY
• Why the Emancipation Proclamation Mattered — http://youtu.be/b5JTxFIRxWY
• The Gettysburg Address — http://youtu.be/V4bM9geY0do
• Every Known Photo of Abraham Lincoln — http://youtu.be/8YpV0-faTpM
• The Assassination of Lincoln — http://youtu.be/6qAeFjCscRY
• The Mask of Lincoln — http://youtu.be/PsTtHiX8ey4
• Bill & Ted’s take on Abraham Lincoln — http://youtu.be/idz70hx-WGA
• The Fantabulous Life of Abraham Lincoln — http://youtu.be/s0QcTYYzqB8
• Lincoln Biography — http://youtu.be/7xtviHoJGyI

POSTERS & MORE

You can use these PDF posters and lesson guides from the “Life of Lincoln” series.  (Coming soon! Check back!)

• Independence Hall — Teacher’s Guide PDF, Speech Handout PDF, Speech Poster PDF
• Pre-Emancipation – Teacher’s Guide PDF, Speech Handout PDF, Speech Poster PDF
  
• Emancipation — Teacher’s Guide PDF, Speech Handout PDF, Speech Poster PDF
  
• Gettysburg Address — Teacher’s Guide PDF, Speech Handout PDF, Speech Poster PDF
  
• 2nd Inaugural — Teacher’s Guide PDF, Speech Handout PDF, Speech Poster PDF
  

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association presented the results of their Life of Lincoln project in a 2009 seminar. This link takes to the PDF version of their PowerPoint Presentation.