Attention all space fans! The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has launched a new kid’s magazine called NASA Next! It was created for kids in grades 5–8. The magazine breaks down science and space to a kid’s level. It is only available online. You can download the latest issue for free on any device. Kids can tell their teachers about the NASA Next Educators page so they can learn more about space and science in the classroom. The first issue was presented on May 23, 2016, and the fall issue has already been released.

Did you know the Tucson Community Food Bank relies on about 120 employees?

It takes a lot more than employees to run a food bank!

Doug Ruopp was my guide at the food bank, and Cindy Montano assigned us into jobs.

My job was to put two boxes of raisins and a box of walnuts into a bag. Outside, Ruopp told me that the Community Food Bank helped people get their own gardens. They bring dirt, soil, seeds and even worms to get gardens started.

Photograph by John de Dios/Bear Essential News for Kids

Would you ever want to eat an insect? Now you can! On Sept. 18, several thousand people went to the Arizona Insect Festival hosted by the Department of Entomology (the study of insects) at the University of Arizona. The festival, which started in 2011, is held in September each year. There were sautéed mealworms and onions on a chip, cricket cookies and protein bars. It may sound gross, but my brother, dad and I tried them and they were actually very good.

Ruins of the Franciscan church at Mission San José de Tumacácori NPS Photo by Ed Wittenberg

Do you know what is special about September 17? Not only is it Constitution Day, which celebrates our Constitution signing but also the day that Tumacacori National Historical Park has it’s naturalization ceremony.