Easter celebration spells `eggs`citement at Snedigar

www.SanTanSun.com
Youth
April 5 – 18, 2014
29
Easter celebration spells ‘eggs’citement at Snedigar
BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
Eight thousand eggs will be up
for grabs for kids in four different
age groups at this year’s Easter
Egg Scramble from 9 a.m. to 12
p.m. Saturday, April 19, at Snedigar
Sportsplex.
“We have 8,000 eggs altogether, so
there will be 2,000 in each age group,”
says Stephanie Feldaverd, City of
Chandler recreation coordinator.
“They each have 1,000 eggs with
candy and 1,000 eggs with a toy,”
The morning will be filled with fun
events, friends, egg hunts, displays,
information booths, inflatables,
carnival games and performances, plus
the Easter Bunny will be hopping by to
visit with guests.
“This is our 34th year,” Feldaverd
states. “They’ll have roughly 3,000
attendees at the event and over the
past few years, it’s grown in size each
year.”
The Easter Egg Scramble will be
divided into age groups of 0-2 (green
flag), 3-4 (yellow flag), 5-6 (purple
flag) and 7-9 (blue flag). Look for
the colored flags at the start line for
each designated age group. All eggs
will have candy or a toy inside (only
four eggs per child is the requested
limit). One egg in each age division
will include a “golden ticket” that is
redeemable at the information booth
for a special age-appropriate prize. If
a family has more than one child and
they wish to keep them all together, it
is requested that they go to the older
FAMLY FRIENDLY FUN IN THE SUN:
There will be many fun activities, rides
and entertainment at the Family Easter
Celebration 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 19.
Submitted photo
EASTER: Families are invited to Snedigar Sportsplex to take part in a free event to usher in
Easter weekend. Submitted photo
age category field, Feldaverd notes.
The Chandler Family Easter
Celebration is free, with minimal
charges for select interactive activities
and photos with the Easter Bunny.
Activities that carry a charge include
the Human Hamster Ride (5-minute
ride for $6), Easter Bunny photo fees
by the Mayor’s Youth Commission ($3),
face painting ($1), inflatable and ride
wristbands and food vendors (varies
according to vendor). Proceeds benefit
the Mayor’s Youth Commission.
There will also be a family
Easter basket giveaway. Stop at the
information booth for a ticket for each
family member.
“It’s free to enter,” Feldaverd says.
“If you have four people in your
family and you get four tickets, you’ll
have four chances to win. The drawing
for the basket will be held the day of
the event at 11:30 a.m.”
The Easter “basket” is actually a
nice ice chest with games, a towel, a
ball and other family friendly goodies
tucked inside. The winner must be
present to win.
A DJ, Kyrene Del Pueblo Middle
School Show Choir and Desert Star
Dance will entertain. Inflatables will
be provided by Extreme Events, and
the Chandler Public Library will be
present.
“The Family Easter Celebration is a
fun way to start the holiday weekend
with our families and have a free event
they can come to,” Feldaverd says.
In addition to the celebration on
April 19, there is a coloring contest for
kids 9 years and younger. The coloring
page can be downloaded at www.
chandleraz.gov. Colored pictures must
be dropped off at Chandler City Hall,
175 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, or mailed
to Easter Celebration Coloring Contest
(Attention: Stephanie Feldaverd), Mail
Stop 500, P.O. Box 4008, Chandler, AZ
85244-4008 by April 11. You need not
be present to win. The winners of the
coloring contest will be announced at
9:30 a.m. during the event and posted
on the official Chandler website.
Lynette Carrington is a freelancer
for the SanTan Sun News. She can be
reached at lynette@santansun.com.
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30
April 5 – 18, 2014
Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
Chandler Boy Scout dubbed ‘inspirational’ by City
BY M.A. LEWIS
Vinnie Holmquist is an inspiration
to many. The difference is, though,
the Chandler 15-year-old has an award
to back up the claims of his mother
and mentors. He was given the City of
Chandler Inspiration Award.
“Vinnie separates himself by staying
focused on the goal,” according to Matt
Lewis, Vinnie’s plant and animals teacher
at Chandler High School. “He doesn’t
wait for others to tell him what to do,
he researches options and then may ask
(for) advice as to the best option, but he
has already taken steps to find answers
prior to asking the question.”
The Inspiration Award is given to
someone who “exhibits a work ethic
and behaviors that inspire those around
them,” according to a City of Chandler
press release. Vinnie was chosen for
his work with a community youth
volunteer program and for coordinating
various monthly events for Boy Scout
Troop 280. He volunteers for the iHelp
ministry of Sun Valley Church, the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation and the Chandler
Food Bank.
“(The award) means the world to me,”
Vinnie writes. “I had no idea that I was
receiving the award so it was a very nice
surprise. I appreciate the (award).”
Patty Holmquist, Vinnie’s mother, says
most people don’t know that Vinnie
was born with the genetic disease cystic
fibrosis.
“He has never let this define him,
however, it has help(ed) make him the
WINNER: Vinnie Holmquist, the City of
Chandler’s Inspiration Award winner, doesn’t
let his diagnosis of cystic fibrosis stop him.
STSN photo by Ron Lang
person he is today,” Holmquist writes in
an e-mail.
Adam Eslinger, Vinnie’s scoutmaster
from January 2011 to April 2012, also
dubs Vinnie an inspiration. He worked
with him to develop basic scout skills,
such as knot-tying and first aid.
“Vinnie is unique with his
determination,” Eslinger writes. “He
never allowed his diagnosis affect
how he lived his life. Even though he
struggled through a couple episodes
during my time with him, he always
returned with a positive attitude. This
is difficult for middle school youth to
accomplish without having to face some
of the challenges he faces.”
His mother describes him as a diligent
and fun-loving young man. She also
says he knows when to “get down to
business” and make things happen.
A Chandler High School freshman,
Vinnie participates in its Future Farmers
of America (FFA) program.
“As for my future career, I’m not sure
what I would like to do just yet,” Vinnie
writes. “However, I am currently thinking
about going into the D.E.A. organization
or S.W.A.T. team.”
Vinnie does know that he plans on
continuing with the FFA and in the
Boy Scouts of America program. He
wishes to earn the Palms, a five-badge
achievement.
“Vinnie is a humble kid who is willing
to do the work to succeed,” Lewis writes.
“He is pleasant to be around and his
humility makes him easy to teach.”
Lewis says Vinnie does not allow
physical challenges to stop him from
accomplishing his goals and works to
find a way around any problem that may
arise.
Recently, Vinnie’s troop honored him
at a special Eagle Scout ceremony at The
Springs Church in Chandler. His service
project was with the Southwest Wildlife
Conservation Center in Rio Verde. He led
a group of adults and scouts in building
three informational kiosks and an animal
platform for the Mexican Grey Wolf
Habitat. The project took about one and
a half months to complete.
“Vinnie has always loved animals,
especially reptiles,” his mom says. “As a
child, he was fascinated with scorpions
and all kinds of bugs. As he grew up, he
became more interested in reptiles.”
The teen owns two leopard geckos, a
turtle and a bearded dragon.
“That’s not to mention that our family
rescues dogs and volunteers for the
Boxer Luv organization and have three of
our own,” his mom says.
Holmquist says there is a lot to love
about her son.
“First, I love that Vinnie can laugh at
himself,” she says.
“He’s kind of a jokester and he isn’t
afraid to laugh at himself when things
don’t go his way. I think my most favorite
quality about him hands down is his
ability to be accountable. It’s hard to be
a teenager today and when he makes
a mistake or maybe gets a little out of
line, he always comes full circle and
takes responsibility for his actions and
apologizes if necessary. He’s also a loyal
friend and makes great efforts to keep
in contact with his friends from past
schools and church.”
M.A. Lewis is a freelancer for the
SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at
news@santansun.com.
www.SanTanSun.com
Youth
April 5 – 18, 2014
WEEK 1: JUNE 2-6, SUPER SPORTS!
Children will participate in playing sports and games, both classic and crazy! From
good old-fashioned kick ball to games like monkey soccer and everything in
between. Amazing athletes will be spending 30 minutes a day leading our students
in athletic fun and games!
WEEK 2: JUNE 9-13, SPLISH SPLASH!
Welcome to wettest week of summer, wear your swimsuit to get soaked! Splash
pad, rubber duck races, and slip ’n slide are just some of the fun activities planned
for this wildly wet-filled week! Come cool off and stay refreshed on the hottest days
of summer. Carebear will have a bouncy water slide this week and we will be visited
by the Chandler Fire Department to learn about water safety.
WEEK 3: JUNE 16-20, CAREBEAR COOKS
Come enjoy the creativity of cooking. This class gives children the opportunity to
enjoy a variety of cooking experiences as they create delicious snacks. Students
will use cooking tools, learn about etiquette and nutrition, and learn how to make
recipes and mix ingredients!
WEEK 4: JUNE 23-27, ANIMAL PLANET
Join us for a week of animals adventures. Our Carebear explorers will learn about
mammals, birds and reptiles. We will have a visit from the Reptile Guy who will
bring his cool creatures.
WEEK 5: JUNE 30-JULY 3, PARTY IN THE U.S.A.
The children will celebrate the USA’s birthday with some good old fashioned
summer fun, watermelon eating, flag making, sidewalk child, water games, s’mores
and much more!
WEEK 6: JULY 7-11, A CAMPING WE WILL GO
It's going to be a wonderful week in the wilderness! The children will enjoy reading
tents, s’mores and games. During this week as well the children will get to learn
about constellations, nature and even get to build a pretend campfire.
Full-Day Programs for
2- to 5-year-olds
FULTON RANCH RIGGS ROAD
(480) 802-0058 (480) 219-9049
31
32
Youth
April 5 – 18, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
‘Wee blessing’ sells lemonade to help teacher
CYF registering
for new season
BY TRACY HOUSE
Mariza Martinez-Gay, a teacher at
Wee Blessings Preschool and Academy,
has her own wee blessing—Lincoln Fife.
Recently Lincoln, 5, and his family
manned a lemonade stand at a
community garage sale event to raise
money for Martinez-Gay’s medical bills
from cancer.
“It’s for his preschool Spanish
teacher,” says Davi-Anne Fife, Lincoln’s
mom. “Lincoln and I talked about it and
I asked him how he’d feel about raising
money for his teacher and he said he’d
want to give all the money to her.”
Fife says a ton of people came
through the community and helped out
by buying lemonade and cookies from
Lincoln’s stand.
Lincoln raised $346 in just one day
selling lemonade and cookies only. Fife
says, “Every single bit of it is going to
help her with her medical bills.
Lincoln is part of “Mrs. Mariza’s”—as
he calls her—class of nine students
at Wee Blessings. He’s been at the
preschool for a year now, in her class for
half the year, but Fife explains MartinezGay has been too weak to be there
recently.
“We’re just trying to teach our kids
how to give back to our community
and I felt with this coming up it was the
perfect opportunity to teach him, so we
got word that they needed some help
with their medical bills,” Fife explains
about how this event came about. “They
never asked for help for anything. We sat
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS: Lincoln Fife, second from right, sells lemonade for
teacher Mariza Martinez-Gay with some friends, from left, Elisha Wells, Dakota Fife, Alec Grant,
Olivia Grant, Lincoln, and Genesis Wells. Mother Davi-Anne Fife is in the back row. MartinezGay is pictured in the photo at front. STSN photo by Ron Lang
down and talked about how this is one
way to give back.”
He’s shy when asked how the day has
been going but Lincoln worked at the
lemonade stand from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
with the help of his sister Dakota, 7, and
two of his friends, to raise the donation
for Martinez-Gay.
Fife explains there is a fund to help
Martinez-Gay. The school is also holding
a boutique from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 17, at Wee Blessings,
1751 E. Queen Creek Rd., Chandler. “All
$500
OFF
Chandler youth ages 6 to 15 are
invited to register for Chandler Youth
Football’s upcoming season at one of its
registration sessions.
Registration for the youth football
organization’s new season will be held
8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 5; 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 16; and
8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at
Tumbleweed Recreation Center, 745 E.
Germann Rd., Chandler.
Chandler Youth Football has served
the community for more than 39 years
and remains committed to providing
high-level football instruction while
emphasizing sportsmanship, teamwork
and academic excellence. To learn more,
visit www.chandleryouthfootball.net or
call (480) 840-4142.
proceeds, every single proceed, is going
toward her medical bills,” Fife says.
Debi Larkin-Chavez is the owner of
Wee Blessings and Fife says that folks
interested in helping out should contact
the school. For more information, visit
www.weeblessingspreschool.com, email
weeblessings@cox.net or call (480) 6344788.
Tracy House is the news editor for the
SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at
tracy@santansun.com.
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Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
April 5 – 18, 2014
WHERE KIDS EAT FREE
347 Grill
Ak-Chin
16000 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa
(520) 233-2426
www.ultrastarakchin.com
Here’s the deal: Sunday Brunch 6
and under eat free with paid adult.
On Tuesdays, all kids 12 and younger
eat free with purchase of adult
entree.
Apple Dumpling Café
3076 E. Chandler Heights Rd. Suite
101, Gilbert
(480) 279-3879
www.appledumplingcafe.com
Here’s the deal: Mondays are Family
Value night, where kids eat free with
each adult meal and two drinks
purchased. On Family Fun night, kids
receive free ice cream with a meal.
After-school coolness is from 2:30
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through
Friday, where kids buy one ice cream,
and get one free
Chompie’s
3481 W. Frye Rd., Chandler
(480) 398-3008
www.chompies.com
Here’s the deal: All day Tuesday,
children 10 and younger receive one
free item from the kids’ meal menu
with adult meal purchase of $8 or
more. Dine in only.
Connect5 Family Centers Corp.
222 E. Warner Rd., Chandler
(480) 699-2122
1495 S. Higley Rd., Gilbert
(480) 361-8410
Here’s the deal: Mondays and
Fridays free kids’ meals with an adult
purchase for Munchie Monday
Free Lunch and Freebie Friday Free
Dinner.
Copper Still - Moonshine Grill
2531 S. Gilbert Rd., Suite 101, Gilbert
(480) 242-1258
www.CopperStillMoonshineGrill.
com
Here’s the deal: Every Tuesday, kids
ages 10 and younger eat for free with
the purchase of an adult meal.
Dilly’s Deli
2895 S. Alma School Rd., Suite 5,
Chandler
(480) 722-0644
www.dillysdeli.com
Here’s the deal: On weekends, get
one free kids’ meal for each adult
meal purchased for $4.79 or more.
El Palacio Restaurant & Cantina
2950 E. Germann Rd., Chandler
(480) 802-5770
www.epchandler.com
Here’s the deal: Wednesday kids 12
and younger eat free with paid adult.
Fat Willy’s
4850 S. Gilbert Rd., Chandler
(480) 883-1356
www.fatwillysaz.com/Chandler
Here’s the deal: From 2 p.m. to 9
p.m. Tuesday, dine in and get a free
kids’ meal with every adult entrée
purchased. Little Leaguers menu
only, 12 and younger.
Nabers Music Bar and Eats
825 N. 54th St., Chandler
(480) 705-0288
www.nabersaz.com
Here’s the deal: Kids eat free
every Monday and Tuesday, with
the purchase of an adult meal and
two beverages.
Pittsburgh Willy’s
1509 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler
(480) 857-2860
www.pittsburghwillys.com
Here’s the deal: Every day except
Sunday breakfast, kids younger
than 10 eat free with each paying
adult. Additional kids eat for 50
percent off; Wee Willy menu only.
Planet Sub
1920 W. Germann Rd., Chandler
(480) 245-6503
www.planetsub.com
Here’s the deal: Monday kids eat
free with paid adult.
Sidelines Grill
2980 S. Alma School Rd., Chandler
(480) 792-6965
www.sidelinesaz.com
Here’s the deal: Kids eat free from
kids’ menu after 4 p.m. Thursdays
with adult entree. Dine-in only.
Cannot be combined with any
other offers or specials.
Someburros!
3461 W. Frye Rd., Chandler
2597 S. Market St., Gilbert
1335 E. Baseline Rd., Gilbert
www.someburros.com
Here’s the deal: Every Tuesday
night from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. kids
12 and younger eat free with
purchase of combo or specialty
meal. Dine-in only.
The Cove Grill
5070 S. Gilbert Rd., Suite 400,
Chandler
(480) 802-9070
www.thecovegrill.com
Here’s the deal: Tuesday kids
younger than 12 receive one free
meal per adult entrée purchased.
The Sushi Room
2475 W. Queen Creek Rd.,
Chandler
(480) 821-9000
www.sushiroomaz.com
Here’s the deal: Sunday Funday
means kids 12 and younger eat
free, two kids per paying adult.
Uncle Bear’s Grill and Bar
1980 W. Germann Rd., Chandler
(480) 722-1555
www.unclebearsgrillandbar.com
Here’s the deal: Wednesday
kids eat free with each full price
entrée purchased.
Whiskey Rose Bar and Grill
135 W. Ocotillo Rd. Chandler
(480) 895-ROSE (7673)
www.whiskeyrosesaloon.com
Here’s the deal: Kids eat free
every day with the purchase of an
adult entree and kids drink.
WHERE KIDS
EAT FREE
The SanTan Sun News
now has a regular “Where
kids eat free” section.
Restaurant owners,
please email us details
such as days of the week
kids can eat free at your
establishment, and what
conditions apply, such as
purchase of an adult meal,
certain hours, etc., Include
your restaurant name,
address, phone and website
and a contact name for
verification.
Readers, if you know of
a location that has a kidseat-free program, email us
with the restaurant name,
a phone and / or email for
confirmation and details.
Email information to
KidsEatFree@santansun.
com.
33
34
April 5 – 18, 2014
Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
New Vistas students take top regional honors
Four sixth-grade students and two
recent graduates under the supervision
of Stacey Trepanier from New Vistas
Center for Education successfully
competed with finalists throughout the
Phoenix region for Arizona’s National
History Day held at Sorenson Junior High
School.
The all-day event marked the
culmination of a year of intensive
preparation by sixth through 12th
graders that began in fall 2013.
The first- and second-place winners
in each division will proceed to National
History Day State Finals on April 5 at
Grand Canyon University. The National
History Day (NHD) program, sponsored
locally by the Arizona Historical Society
and nationally by The History Channel, is
dedicated to teaching the importance of
history and how historical events have
impacted our world today.
For “Best Performance,” Aryasp
Nejat presented a moving soliloquy
entitled “Veterans Rights—A Two-Way
Street,” noting the immense sacrifice
that veterans make to secure our rights.
Aryasp was recognized for his effective
use of oral history, creative use of
archival photographs and the emotional
retelling of returning veterans from
combat theaters throughout the world.
Kira Armoogam and Grant Trepanier
teamed up for their original website
entitled “Incanis Confiderus: In Canines
We Trust,” dedicated to the work of
military-trained dogs who are often
sent into harm’s way to secure citizens’
FINALISTS: Pictured are three of the six finalists heading to the state competition in the History Channel’s NHD Competition: From
left are teacher Stacey Trepanier and students Hannah Tsay, Riaz Mowzoon-Mogharrabi and Sajni Patel. Submitted photo
liberty during combat situations.
Kira and Grant were recognized for
the depth with which they presented
their topic, extensive field studies and
thorough analysis.
Two students scored high with musicrelated themes: Hannah Tsay and Sajni
Patel. Hannah, an accomplished pianist,
produced a website the judges could
only describe as incredibly advanced.
Hannah chose to analyze how jazz
star Dave Brubeck did more than just
revolutionize music but also worked
tirelessly for the causes of religious
and civil rights. Sajni Patel, performed
a persuasive monologue depicting
Nina Simone, a black musician who
lent strength to the cause of blacks in
America’s civil rights movement. The
judges noted her charismatic delivery
and the uniqueness of her topic.
Riaz Mowzoon-Mogharrabi will
proceed to state competition for his
exhibit which effectively presented
his family’s experience with religious
persecution in Iran. The judges noted
his exhibit’s unique construction. The
family immigrated to the United States
from the country of Iran where they
had practiced the Baha’i Faith, a new
independent world religion. Those in
Iran who practice any other religion
other than Islam are targeted for arrest
and torture.
New Vistas Center for Education is
located at 670 N. Arizona Ave., Suite
35, Chandler. It is celebrating its 35th
anniversary. For more information, visit
www.newvistasaz.com.
April 4th-12th
FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION
CopperstarRep.org
Military Appreciation Night, April 9th
Adoption Awareness Night, April 10th
Food Glorious Food Drive:
SCHOLARSHIPS
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Bring Nonperishable Items & Be entered into Drawings for Prizes
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Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
CHANDLER UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT
April 8 through April 11: AIMS and
Stanford 10 testing
April 18: Spring holiday; no school
CTA-Independence Hawks
Save the dates – AIMS/Stanford
testing is scheduled for April 9 and
April 10, second grade; April 9 through
April 11, third grade; and April 8
through April 11, fourth through sixth
grades. Families are asked not to
schedule appointments during testing
dates.
Spring Fling – All families are invited
to join CTA for its Spring Fling event
from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, April 25.
More information and ticket order
forms will come home soon.
—Wendi Olson
Haley Tigers
Stage stars – Haley’s Drama Club
recently performed “Willy Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory,” with
music led by Haley Music Director
Kim Abrahamson. More than 100
students in fourth through sixth
grades participated in the production.
The Drama Club, a weekly afterschool program, was created by the
ADAPTS (Teacher of Autism Spectrum
Disorders) teacher Amy Miller,
who also put together the script,
set, music and costume details; all
children who auditioned for a role
received a part in the play. All 12
children from Miller’s class were in
the play.
—Tanya Sanders
Hancock Heat
Welcome kindies – Families may
come in and register their children for
the 2014-15 school year; documents
needed for registration include the
child’s birth certificate, immunization
records and proof of address.
Tax credits – Donations for 2014 can
be given any time. Up to $400 can
be donated to Hancock for credit on
2014 taxes for the full amount. Thanks
to the Hancock families who have
already contributed.
—Andrea Dickson
Hull Heroes
Test time – Students will take AIMS
and Stanford 10 tests April 8 through
April 11. Teachers and students have
been working hard to prepare for
these tests all year.
Read-a-Thon – Pledges for the first
Hull PTO Read-A-Thon are due Friday,
April 11. All reading logs must be
turned in with pledges for students to
be eligible for prizes.
Restaurant Night – Families are
invited to support Hull PTO by
participating in Chick-fil-A restaurant
night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday,
April 17, at the Gilbert and Loop 202
location.
Acts of kindness – Hull students
collected $1,100 for the Lymphoma
Society through the Pennies for Pasta
program and donated books for the
Books for Jamaica book drive. Thanks
to Hull families for their generous tax
credit donations.
Thanks due – The Awesome Arctic
Festival was a great success, thanks
to all the students, families, PTO,
volunteers and vendors, and to Mr.
Novak for volunteering for the Silly
String arena. Thanks also to the staff,
teachers, volunteers, students and
families who made the Book Fair and
Celebration of Learning Night a fun
success with a great turnout.
Kudos – Congrats to the fifth- and
sixth-grade student winners of the
2014 Science Fair. Also, congrats to
Hull for its grant awarded from Fuel
Up to Play60 and Dairy Council of
AZ to purchase new physical activity
equipment.
Class notes – Sixth graders dressed
up as Mythological Character Wax
Museum exhibits, playing their roles
very convincingly. Mrs. G. and the
Hull Heroes Chorus Club participated
for the seventh year in the district’s
Elementary Chorus Festival.
Calendar
April 8-11: AIMS/Stanford 10 testing
April 14: Environmental forms
available
April 15: Kindergarten Fairy Tale Night
April 25: AIMS Dance Party
April 29: Battle of the Books
—Lalitha Krishnan
April 5 – 18, 2014
35
Tarwater Toros
Save the dates – Tarwater’s final
Restaurant Night of the year is from
4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at
Barro’s; both dine-in and carry-out
orders benefit the school.
Language learning – Tarwater will
offer a Kindergarten Mandarin
Immersion program for the 2014-2015
school year. Contact Tarwater for
more information at (480) 883-4300
or visit the school website.
—JoAnne Cawley
Basha High Bears
High honors – Basha High senior
Ashley Diaz is the recipient of the
2014 Presidential Honors Scholarship
Award as well as the 2014 National
Technical Honor Society Award for
ranking within the top 20 percent
of her graduating class. Ashley was
recommended by a school official for
the National Technical Honor Award.
Both awards recognize her hard work
and dedication by maintaining a 3.5
grade point average for all four years
of her attendance at Basha High.
—Sandra Jaramillo
Knox Knights
Save the date – The next PTO meeting
will be held at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, April
8, in the library, featuring special guest
speaker future KGA Principal Lynn Weed.
SEE CUSD PAGE 36
36
Youth
April 5 – 18, 2014
CUSD FROM PAGE 35
Nominations for 2014-15 PTO Board members
are open; anyone interested should contact
knoxelementarypto@gmail.com for more
information. Free child care is provided during
the meeting.
Flying high – Last year, several CUSD teachers
and administrators designed and launched a
high-altitude balloon. Sally SkyRider, as she
is now known, launched near Casa Grande
and traveled nearly 100 miles east to land
on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Sally
was recovered, intact and full of interesting
data and video footage. This year, Knox gifted
fifth graders will take the lead redesigning
the questions and payload; the next launch
is scheduled for Saturday, April 12. Stay up to
date on Sally SkyRider and the work of the
KGA fifth graders by following her on Twitter,
Instagram and Flickr; check it out at my.yapp.
us/D7S8DX.
Character Counts – Students are asked
to come dressed in green to celebrate the
character trait of Responsibility at the next
school assembly Thursday, April 17.
Chess champs – The Knox chess team
recently won first place in the K-3 champ
section. Trophies were also won individually
by Kenneth Su, second place; Benjamin
Higgins, fourth place; and Evan Higgins, 15th
place.
Calendar
April 8: PTO meeting
April 8-11: AIMS testing
May 2: Field Day
May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6: PTO meeting
May 9: Muffins for Moms
—Jacqueline Bartrim
www.SanTanSun.com
Get involved and give back by volunteering
Event season has hit Arizona
with clear skies and beautiful
temperatures that draws the
community outdoors. Downtown
Chandler is no exception, and for
the next few months there is an
event almost every weekend. The
Downtown Chandler Community
Partnership (DCCP) is seeking
volunteers to assist at a variety of
events such as the Chandler Craft
Spirits Festival, Cinco de Mayo and
Chandler Chill Out.
“Volunteering at one of our events
is a fun way to get involved in the
community, meet people, and assist
at events that raise money for our
foundation which provides grants
to nonprofits in the community,”
explains the DCCP’s Executive
Director, Jennifer Lindley.
Volunteer duties vary per event
but often include beer and wine
tents, ticket sales, wrist banding,
information booth, kid zone
attendants and more. See below for
a list of upcoming events needing
volunteers:
• Chandler Craft Spirits Festival – 5
p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday April 26,
• Cinco de Mayo Festival and
Chihuahua Races – 12 p.m. to 5
p.m. Saturday, May 3,
• Chandler Chill Out – 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. Saturday, May 31
Visit downtownchandler.org/
volunteer-downtown/ or email
allison@downtownchandler.org for
more information.
Kids: Win $15 gift card from Changing Hands Bookstore
Students who either live
in Chandler, Gilbert, Queen
Creek or surrounding areas
or who attend area schools
can win $15 gift cards from
Changing Hands Bookstore,
thanks to a partnership between the
bookseller and the SanTan Sun News.
This ongoing, monthly promotion
awards a $15 Changing Hands gift
card to every youth whose article,
story, poem, essay, editorial, book
review, photo or illustration is
chosen to be printed in the SanTan
Sun Kids Opportunity section, while
Bring the Kids, they Love our Playroom!
Your Smile is Our Top Priority!
• Cleanings and
Dental
Examinations
• Digital X-Rays
• Sealants and
Fluoride
• Periodontal
Treatment
• Laser Gum Therapy
• Extractions
• Teeth Whitening
supplies last. The Kids
Opportunity section
is printed in the Youth
Section of the first
paper of the month,
each month. The best
news is that even though only one
to three submissions are printed per
month, all good submissions are held
in a file to be printed in future issues.
So if an entry doesn’t win this
month, it could win next month—
or even the month after that.
To enter, visit SanTanSun.com,
click on Youth and then on Student
Writer Permission Slip to download a
submission-permission slip. Complete
the form and have a parent sign it so
the paper has permission to print the
entry and the author or artist’s byline.
Then, email the submission-permission
slip
and writing
or artwork
to news@
SanTanSun.
com as a Word
file, if writing,
or JPEG, if art,
or pasted into
the email.
K.O.
AZ
COMFORT
• Tooth Colored
Fillings
• Bonding
• Crowns and
Bridges
• Veneers
• Dental Implants
• Dentures and
Partial Dentures
• Sedation
(Sleep Dentistry)
From Chronic Crying to Colic
and everything in between,
BabyComfort is the fastest way
to comfort and soothe even the
fussiest of babies. We guarantee it!
602-549-3146
www.azbabycomfort.com
Ask how you can get your 1st month’s rental FREE!
NEW PATIENTS ASK ABOUT
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480.214.4898
480-963-6105, Ext. 211
w w w. s h a d o w r i d g e a z . c o m
800 West Ray Road
South Campus • Chandler
3970 E. Riggs Rd., Ste. 3 | NW Corner of Lindsey & Riggs | Chandler
www.RayofLightPreschool.org
2014-2015 PROGRAMS
9 A.M. - NOON
3-Year-Old Class
Tuesday and Thursday
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Monday thru Friday
4-Year-Old Class
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Pre-K Class
Monday thru Friday
Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
April 5 – 18, 2014
37
LITTLE LEARNERS
AWARD WINNER
AWARD WINNER: Horizon Community
Center. Submitted photo
—Melissa Hartley
BIRTHDAY FUN: The students at Ray of Light Christian Preschool celebrated Dr. Seuss’
birthday recently with two special guest visitors. First Officer Laura Fabianek and flight
attendant Lisa Ellis from US Airways spent the morning reading to children and sharing
about all the places they have visited. The students ended their school day with a parade
for their parents. Ray of Light, at 800 W. Ray Rd., Chandler, offers programs for ages 3 and
4 and pre-K students from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Friday. Enrollment for the
upcoming school year is underway; prospective families are encouraged to contact the
school to schedule a private tour or for more information at (480) 963-6105, ext. 211 or
visit www.rayoflightpreschool.com. Submitted photo
• Title and Registration
• Title Transfer
• Permits:
3 Day, 30 Day, 90 Day
• Level One Inspection:
Bonded & Salvage
• OVH Decal
• Special Plate
• MVRs
480-964-0505
• Abandoned Vehicle Fee
• Mobile Home
www.innoutags.com
3150 S. Gilbert Rd. Ste. 102 • Chandler
SW Corner of Gilbert Rd. & Queen Creek Rd.
TAEKWONDO
New Student Special!
Your first month. Includes uniform.
480-442-3150
aztkd.chandler@gmail.com
Gilbert
480-964-2005
Germann
HYUN CHRISTOPHER KIM, LUTCF, CSD
hkim@farmersagent.com
2100 S. Gilbert Rd. #17 • Chandler • Germann & Gilbert
38
Youth
April 5 – 18, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
YOUTH CHRONICLES
Tonimae Bancod, Monica Burba, Chad
Flannery, Rachel Gur-Arie, Whitney
Lawrence, Nisarg Patel, Cindy Shi
and Jorge Tenorio of Chandler were
among more than 100 students who
represented Arizona State University
at the Clinton Global Initiative
University meeting held recently
at ASU’s Tempe campus. The event
brought together college students
to address global challenges with
practical, innovative solutions.
Megan Liborio, a junior at Basha
High School in Chandler, is the firstplace winner out of 29 competitors
in her division at the Phoenix Metro
Jr. Championship, held recently at
Dobson Ranch Golf Course in Mesa.
Benjamin Pitt of Chandler is on the
fall 2013 Dean’s List at Berklee College
of Music in Boston, Mass. To qualify, a
full-time student must achieve a grade
point average of 3.4 or above; a parttime student must achieve a grade
point average of 3.6 or above.
Chandler residents Allison Desrosiers,
Nhan Du, Edward Gonzalez, Jeffrey
Hanley, Baltazar Hernandez, Caroline
Hutchins, Samantha Incorvaia, Jason
Kerestes, Damon Krause, Miles
Johnson, Athena Lovely, Kristin
Jones, Jenni Layton, Ha Mai, Erin
Mattocks-Thielsen, Krista McDowell,
Kaleena Middleton, Alexis Mitchell,
Gina Nasta, Kalin Nehrenz, Sydney
Park, Bailey Patchen, Lacey Phillips,
Santiago Quinio, Loni Rae, Caitlyn
Scanlon, Nicholas Shaw, Madeleine
St. Peter, Amanda Sweig, Cynthia
Thomas, Yuexin Wu and Bryant Young
are on the fall 2013 Dean’s List at
Arizona State University. To qualify,
undergraduate students must earn a
grade point average of 3.5 or higher
in 12 or more graded semester hours
during a semester in residence at ASU.
Free self-defense seminars offered
Speech contest yields winners
A free one-hour self-defense
seminar for females 14 years and
older is offered Saturday, May 3, by
Kajukenbo AZ.
The seminar covers a variety of
useful techniques, including kicks,
strikes, verbal techniques and
defenses from front grabs, hair pulls,
back grabs and arm grabs. Other
upcoming free seminars will be held
Aug. 16 and Nov. 1.
Founded in 1947, Kajukenbo is a
blend of five styles of martial arts:
karate, judo, jiu-jitzu, kenpo and
kung fu. Kaju’s free seminars were
recently featured on “The List” on
ABC Channel 15, during which studio
The first District Modern Woodmen
Speech Contest for northern-area
Legacy Traditional Schools at the
Athlos Campus winners were: First
place, Katie Rea, a fifth grader at LTSGilbert; second place, Delaney Auer,
a seventh grader at LTS-Avondale; and
third place, Jordan Sutherland, a sixth
grader at LTS-Queen Creek. These
students are eligible to compete at the
state level.
The contest was designed to
enhance students’ public speaking
abilities, as well as research and
organization skills.
The Legacy Traditional School
district, featuring a back-to-basics
owner and master instructor Sigung
Kelly Corder demonstrated for “The
List” host Donna Ruko the best tools
for preventing or fighting off an
attack in different settings.
Kajukenbo AZ operates two Valley
locations, 3978 E. Chandler Heights
Rd., Gilbert, and 2602 W. Baseline Rd.,
Suite 1, Mesa, and will also visit the
site of any business, organization or
group to present a free self-defense
seminar. To learn more, visit www.
kajuaz.com, email info@kajuaz.com or
call (480) 755-3008.
curriculum and accelerated pace of
studies, operates several campuses
Valleywide, including locations in
Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek. To
learn more, visit www.legacytraditional.
org.