Colombian students to participate in Chandler`s Science Saturday

28
February 1 – 14, 2014
Youth
Colombian students to participate in Chandler’s
Science Saturday
BY MEGHAN MCCOY
Students from Marie Curie school
in Colombia will participate in the
Chandler Science Spectacular this
month to showcase what they are
studying and to deepen their curiosity
of learning.
Nine students between the ages
of 10 and 15, as well as two teachers,
Diana Carolina Ravelo Salazar and
Estefany Jaramillo, and Principal German
Rodríguez Mogollon, will travel to
Arizona. They will be in the States from
Feb. 19 through March 23. Chandler
Science Saturday is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sat.,
Feb. 22, along Commonwealth Avenue.
The students will showcase five
projects while at Chandler Science
Saturday—extinct and endangered
species in Colombia, hydroelectricity,
Gorgona Island, La Candelaria and an art
endeavor.
“In the school, we are very interested
in the participation of our students
in events of science and arts,” says
Mogollon in an email statement.
“Everything that awakens their curiosity
and interest for knowing and discovering
new things is very important. Traveling,
going to science fairs, universities, opens
their possibilities and encourages them
to make better projects.”
The school serves 1,300 students
from kindergarten through 11th grade,
which is the last grade for high schools
in Colombia.
Marie Curie school opened nine years
ago with a main goal of encouraging
students to become scientists and
artists.
“This decision is justified because
Colombia has very few scientists
and artists, compared to first world
countries,” the principal says. “To
stimulate our students’ love for
knowledge in school, we make a lot of
activities.”
For example, time is set aside every
week for scientific education, a day
for students to participate in activities
related to the scientific method.
The students focus on observation,
experimentation, measurement,
communication and analysis.
Students also participate in “expert’s
project,” which changes every year. To
become experts, the students spend
the entire year researching their topic,
as well as finding experts in the field
and visiting places related to that topic.
Some of those topics have included
cancer, space rockets, the Aztecs and
hydroelectricity.
“For example, last year some students
traveled to Mexico because they were
experts in Aztecs,” he explains.
When the school year begins,
Mogollon says, students scour books,
the Internet, movies and experiences
with their teacher’s leadership to decide
a topic of interest.
“Next they decide on a research
question and set their objectives, they
carry out the theoretical framework,” he
says. “At the end they report the results
and draw conclusions.”
In November the school hosts a
Science Week, to provide each course
an opportunity to showcase its project.
Conferences and other activities related
to the general theme are held during
that week. The principal says last year’s
theme focused on water.
Marie Curie officials are constantly
looking for ways to improve its students’
education. Last year, Academic Principal
Fabiola Grisales sent an email to many
universities and centers of education in
the United States.
“The first in respond was Jeremy
Babendure, executive director of the
Arizona SciTech Festival,” Mogollon says.
“They invited us to visit Arizona.”
So he and Grisales traveled to
Arizona last September and met with
Babendure, as well as many others who
work in the science festivals of Flagstaff
and Phoenix.
“We asked them for opportunities for
our teachers and students,” he says.
Those opportunities discussed
included courses that improve the
teachers’ abilities to teach science
and arts, courses to improve English,
resources to teach science and
opportunities for students to participate
in Arizona science festivals.
Meghan McCoy is the Neighbors
and Business section editor for the
SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at
meghan@santansun.com.
www.SanTanSun.com
SWEET
VICTORY
CHANDLER CHAMP: Arizona College
Prep - Erie seventh grader Marcus
Behling outlasted 35 competitors
to win the Chandler Unified School
District Spelling Bee, held recently at
Perry High School. Marcus correctly
spelled “patronymic” in the 14th round
to edge out last year’s champion
Christopher Smith of ACP-Oakland.
Marcus, Christopher and Isha Paode of
Willis Junior High now advance to the
Maricopa County Region 6 Spelling Bee
Feb. 21 in Queen Creek. Also qualifying
for the regional bee: Alexandra
Wilhelm, Knox Elementary; Kiersten
Rule, Fulton Elementary; Alec Mathew,
CTA-Independence; Breezy Hill, Santan
Elementary; Rachel Fullerton, Santan
Junior High; and Christopher Perkins,
Payne Junior High. Submitted photo
www.SanTanSun.com
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
29
30
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
CHANDLER’S
BEST AND
BRIGHTEST
Once a month, we will profile standout students from SanTan Sun-area high schools. Whether they’re involved in academics, athletics
or extracurricular activities, we want to hear their stories. To submit students for consideration, email the editor, Christina FuocoKarasinski at christina@santansun.com.
BY SETH COX
Chandler Wolves
Chandler High School
350 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 85225
Sometimes in high school athletics
the student athlete is much more than
meets the eye.
In the case of Chandler High School
boys basketball captain Kameron Casey,
you may miss one of the most intelligent
kids in the entire high school.
“Coming out of junior year I was
ranked third,” Kameron says, “but there
was a hold up with grades, so I am not
sure where I am right now.”
No matter where he ends up in
the class rankings, the reality is it’s
impressive.
A three-year varsity member,
Kameron has grown both in stature—
he’s 6-feet 7-inches tall now—and as a
leader.
“Moving on from the basketball stuff,
Kameron is just as solid as a kid as you
can want,” says Coach Mark Nold.
“Very, very coachable, comes to
practice wanting to learn every day, he’s
the best leader on our team for sure,
and what he gets done in the classroom
is amazing.
“On top of the basketball stuff, he’s
got four to five hours of homework
for the class load he’s taking, his dream
school is Stanford and where he wants
to go for engineering.”
Kameron says he has yet to hear from
Stanford.
“I applied to nine other colleges and
have been accepted to Barrett Honors
College at ASU,” he says. “I’m not going
to hear from the other nine schools until
the end of March, early April.”
What’s life like for a student athlete
who’s carrying a heavy college prep
workload and starting at center,
averaging 8.1 points per game and 6.1
rebounds per game?
“Well,” Kameron says with a pause,
“You don’t get as much sleep or free
time as you would want to. I don’t get
to hang out with my friends as much
as I want to, but I prioritize and make
sure I get all my classwork done, and
getting all my athletic work in. Then, if
I have extra time after that, I can use it
for my leisure, but I always make sure to
prioritize.”
Priorities don’t just extend to off the
court, as Nold says, “Kameron is not the
most vocal guy. I think he’s got a lot of
shy tendencies about him, but he knows
when to say the right thing. He leads by
example with his work ethic and he’s
great for our locker room.”
When asked about it, Kameron adds,
“I always try to help the team in any way,
even if it sacrifices my individual stats,
and try to push the selfless mentality to
make a better team overall.”
Kameron has prioritized the team,
and their goals as his own, knowing that
the legacy he leaves can be more than
just about numbers on the court.
When your aspirations are to go to a
school like Stanford and be an engineer,
you always seem to be looking at the
bigger picture and waiting for the next
challenge.
Casey has no problem with that
challenge, as he said, “My college prep
calculus class is my favorite class this
year because it’s the one that challenges
my mind, but my favorite class was my
junior year and college prep chemistry
because the teacher was so good and it
was an amazing subject to me.”
Stanford better keep an eye out,
because Kameron Casey is on his way.
SEE CHANDLER’S BEST AND BRIGHEST PAGE 32
www.SanTanSun.com
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
31
32
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
CHANDLER’S
BEST AND
BRIGHTEST
CHANDLER’S BEST AND BRIGHEST FROM PAGE 30
BY SETH COX
Hamilton Huskies
Hamilton High School
3700 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 85248
For some, things come naturally. For
Hamilton Lady Huskies senior guard
Shelby Hartman, that’s basketball.
Shelby is the Huskies’ leading scorer
through 11 games (Jan. 21, 2014) at 12.2
points per game.
“She’s got that motor that doesn’t
stop,” Coach Jeff Kain says. “Shelby’s the
best outside shooter on the team. She
works hard, rebounds whatever we need
from her.”
As a rebounder she shows that
nonstop motor, as she stands only 5-feet
8-inches tall. She is the second leading
rebounder on the team averaging 5.9
rebounds per game so far on the season.
Shelby’s play was enough to get
her a scholarship offer from Colorado
Christian University, a Division II school
in Lakewood, CO.
“She had a few other schools looking
at her,” Kain says. “She went to Colorado
Christian’s camp this summer and just
loved the team, the coach and the
environment up there. It was a perfect
fit for her. I think if she would have kept
looking she would have gotten more
(offers).
“But they just fit.”
Shelby spoke about the process, “He
(Colorado Christian head coach) visited
me after games and continued to talk to
me and tell me they wanted me on the
team and that meant a lot to me that
even after poor performances that they
were still interested in me.”
Shelby continues, “They push the
ball up the court and run. They all work
really hard and that’s something I want
to do. As a Christian, I love the idea of
going to college where I am on that
court playing for Christ.”
That’s not a surprise, as one of only a
couple of returning seniors.
“She’s been around the program for
four years,” Kain says. “Shelby has her
own role as a leader, and it’s nice to
have, especially one that does so well on
the court, but also in the classroom.”
Shelby’s all-around game is quite
impressive as well, though, as she is first
in points, second in rebounds, third in
assists and third in steals on the team.
She does so while keeping up a rigorous
academic schedule.
When it comes to off the court,
Hartman is just as rock solid, Kain says.
“She’s a high academic kid, taking
several AP classes throughout her time
at Hamilton. She’s never a grade issue.
She’s always getting A’s. She’s such a
highly motivated kid that a ‘B’ would
probably disappoint her.”
Shelby says she’s earned a 4.3
weighted GPA, a 3.8 unweighted.
“For me, I just really have to stay
focused in school,” she says. “There’s no
time for procrastination. If you have a
week to do something, you just get it
done because you never know what may
come up in terms of basketball.”
When all is said and done at
Hamilton, Shelby already knows what
the next step in life is.
“I am going to study nursing,” she
says.
That’s a student athlete who knows
where she’s going.
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February 1 – 14, 2014
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34
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
DSNetwork offers help, support and encouragement
BY ALISON STANTON
Michele Fiorenza and her daughter,
Leia, became acquainted with the Down
Syndrome Network (DSNetwork)—a
nonprofit, support group for people
with Down syndrome and their
families—when Leia was 3 years old.
A friend of Michele’s asked her to
bring Leia, who has Down syndrome, to
a photo shoot that was being held in
Mesa. When they arrived, they learned
it was for the annual calendar for the
DSNetwork.
“We had so much fun, and I was
overwhelmed by the warmth and
support we received for those two
hours,” says Michele, who lives with her
family in Chandler.
Michele says she and Leia both
enjoyed the caring and loving way they
were welcomed to the group.
“We knew this was the support group
for us.”
Alex Duggan, executive director of
the DSNetwork, says the grassroots
support group, which formed around
12 years ago, offers a wide variety of
programs for individuals with Down
syndrome and their families. The
organization, which is based in Mesa,
helps people from birth through
adulthood and serves families from
Tucson to Payson.
“Our mission is to educate, support
and advocate for those impacted by
Down syndrome,” Duggan says, adding
that “from zero to gray,” the DSNetwork
is there to help.
“We offer pre- and post-natal classes
for parents, diversity training in schools,
and we offer a young adult program.
In addition, we have a parent-toparent support network which is very
helpful. We do all we can to provide
families with an open and supportive
environment, and access to unbiased
information that will help them with
their journey.”
Knowing that there will be programs
available for Leia, now 10, as she gets
older is one of the many things Michele
says she likes about the DSNetwork.
“The DSNetwork also has a board
made up of members who are either
parents or loved ones of individuals with
Down syndrome. This will ensure that all
aspects of our kiddos’ lives will be taken
care of.”
One of the many things she
especially enjoys about the DSNetwork,
Michele says, is the organization’s Yahoo
and Facebook groups.
“Any question we have is answered,
whether it be about doctors, events or
potty training. We always get an answer
from what we call ‘the smartest parents’
in the world on their social media sites.”
Michele says she and her family have
also enjoyed taking part in the many
events the DSNetwork hosts, including
an annual pool party held in the summer,
a holiday party in December, and the
yearly “Step Up for Down Syndrome”
(SUDS) Walk in October, which is also
STEPPING UP FOR DOWN SYNDROME: Taylor Schroeder, one of Leia’s oldest friends and part
of the Best Buddies program at Hamilton High School, Leia and her brother, Chandler, enjoy
taking part in the annual Step Up For Down Syndrome walk. Photo courtesy of the Fiorenza
family; photo by Michele Fiorenza
Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
“The SUDS walk takes place at ASU
during the homecoming parade. Down
Syndrome Network is invited every year
to this event and they have a float that
drives in the parade route in front of
30,000 spectators,” Michele says.
“This is the ultimate in educating the
public about Down syndrome.”
Duggan says providing children of
all ages with the chance to have social
opportunities is a large part of the
DSNetwork, as is the opportunity for
parents to connect with other parents
who “have been there.”
“We often hear from grandparents,
aunts and uncles and other relatives who
want to know how to support parents
whose children have Down syndrome.
We just want parents to know that they
are not alone.”
For more information about the
DSNetwork, visit dsnetworkaz.org.
Alison Stanton is a freelance writer
for the SanTan Sun News. She can be
reached at alison@santansun.com.
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Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT
Feb. 4 and 6: Junior high parent/
teacher conferences
Feb. 12-13: Elementary parent/teacher
conferences
Feb. 17: Presidents Day holiday; no
school
Carlson Champions
Feb. 7: Jamba Juice Fun Friday, smoothies
$3 each
Feb. 8: Father-Daughter Dance, 6-8:30
p.m., Multipurpose Room
—Lora Robinson
CTA-Independence Hawks
Skateland Night – Student Council will
sponsor Skateland Night from 5 to 8
p.m. Fri., Feb. 7. Admission is $2, skates
extra. The night includes skating, a live
deejay, a laser light show, games, trivia
and more; the whole family is welcome.
Save the date – Two early-release days
are coming up on Wed., Feb. 12, and
Thu., Feb. 13. Students will be dismissed
at 11:40 a.m. both days.
Thanks due – Thanks to all the Hawk
families who came to Math and Science
Night; it was a great time for parents
and students alike. Thanks also to the
Arizona Science Center for bringing
fun math and science centers and to
the CTA staff for presenting great math
activities.
—Wendi Olson
February 1 – 14, 2014
35
Haley Tigers
Hancock Heat
Hull Heroes
Stage craft – Drama Club is in full
rehearsal mode for its production
of “Willy Wonka” that will debut in
March.
Student scientists – Fifth- and sixthgrade students have been working
hard on science experiments in the
disciplines of Earth and space science,
physical science and life science. Six
fifth graders and six sixth graders will
be chosen to represent Haley at the
district-level science fair.
Shooting hoops – Fourteen fifthand sixth-grade students just kicked
off practices for the first coed
basketball team at Haley. The focus
of the team is not on wins and
losses but improving individual skill
levels to better prepare for future
competitions. There will be five
games in the season, plus playoffs.
Cheer squad – Kindergarten through
sixth-grade students have joined the
first ever cheerleading squad run
through Chandler Sports League.
These students will learn the basics
of cheer and show off their newly
learned skills at Haley’s Running Club
races, assemblies and basketball
games.
Tiny Tigers – Preschool students
have been learning about community
helpers and what they do in our
neighborhoods. Real-life police
officers, firemen and doctors came to
talk to the children about how they
keep everyone safe and healthy.
—Stephanie Vatistas
Kindergarten registration –
Kindergarten registration for the
2014-15 school year begins Feb. 3. To
be eligible, students must turn 5 years
old by Aug. 31. Parents can stop by the
school office between 7:30 a.m. and 4
p.m. to register their children, bringing
a certified copy of the children’s birth
certificate, immunization record and
proof of address, such as a city of
Chandler utility bill, SRP bill, lease or
rental agreement or home contract.
The last DPT and polio vaccination
must have been received on or after the
child’s 4th birthday.
Raffle drawing – Tickets for the
Chandler Education Foundation Raffle
are available in the front office. This
year’s grand prize is the choice of a 2014
Toyota RAV4 or $20,000 cash. Tickets
are $20. For every ticket sold, Hancock
will receive $4 to be used for the
school. The grand prize raffle drawing
will be held on March 9.
Save the date – The Valentine Dance
will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 7.
Book Fair – Hancock hosts a Scholastic
Book Fair fundraiser Mon., Feb. 10,
through Fri., Feb. 14, in the library.
Families are welcome to come and
volunteer as well as shop for books.
For more information, call Miss Gray at
480-883-5921.
Spelling bee – Crystal from Ms.
Mazza’s fifth-grade class did a great job
representing Hancock at the District
Spelling Bee.
—Andrea Dickson
Box Tops – All Box Tops are due Wed.,
Feb. 12. This is the last contest of the
year. Students from each grade level
have the chance to win prizes, and the
class that rings in the most Box Tops
wins lunch.
Class baskets – Information is coming
home soon regarding Hull’s annual
basket silent auction. Families are
encouraged to consider donating to
their child’s class basket. All money
earned from these baskets stay in Hull
classrooms. The basket auction kicks off
at the Celebration of Learning Thu., Feb.
20, with a live silent auction and will
end with an online auction.
Save the date – Hull’s Celebration of
Learning will be held at 6 p.m. Thu.,
Feb. 20. Hull families will have the
opportunity to visit student classrooms,
view Art Masterpiece projects and
science fair displays and shop at the
book fair. Families will also have the
opportunity to start bidding on silent
auction baskets.
Thanks due – Thanks to Maria at Water
and Ice on Gilbert and Riggs roads for
generously donating 250 pounds of ice
for Hull’s Winter Carnival; thanks also to
SRP for donating trash bins and liners.
Finally, the event would not have been
possible without the help of students
from Perry High, Basha High, San Tan
Junior High and the many Hull parents,
staff and teachers who volunteered.
—Kristen Boyd
SEE CUSD PAGE 36
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36
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
CUSD FROM PAGE 35
Basha High Bears
Jacobson Jets
Math counts – Jacobson recently
celebrated its first Jacobson Math Day.
District office officials, math specialists,
past administrators and teachers
visited and taught every Jacobson
Jet on campus. Jacobson teachers
and administrators enjoyed teaching
math lessons to different grade levels
and classes. The entire community
contributed to helping this Excelling
School continue to find unique,
creative ways to help children gain a
love of learning and reach their fullest
potential.
—Linda Monaghan
Payne Panthers
It’s a trip – Payne Junior High
librarian Stephanie Merrill is the
winner of an all-expenses paid trip to
the Pro Bowl in Honolulu, HI. Merrill
is a program adviser for the Fuel Up
to Play 60, a program sponsored by
National Dairy Council and National
Football League to promote healthy
eating and physical activity in
schools. Because Payne completed
all six steps of the program, including
physical activity and nutrition goals,
Merrill was eligible to enter the Pro
Bowl contest drawing.
—Roxanne Helman
Color Run – A 5K Color Run/Walk will
be held from 8 to 11 a.m. Sat., Feb. 8,
at Basha High School, 5990 S. Val Vista
Dr., Chandler. Cost to participate is $25;
sign up at brindleefullmer.wix.com/
kennethscolorrun. The event is a senior
project for Basha High student Brindlee
Fullmer; all proceeds from the race
will be donated to the Forever Young
Foundation for children’s cancer.
—Brindlee Fullmer
CTA-Goodman Gators
Gator Grams – PTO is selling
Valentine’s Day Gator Grams. For 50
cents per message, the PTO will attach
a sucker and deliver it on Valentine’s
Day. Order forms are available in the
school office or on the school website
at cusd80.com/goodman.
Reaping rewards – Congrats to the
CTA-Goodman teachers who were
recipients of the Walmart Teacher
Rewards Program. Each of the 10
teachers selected were awarded $100
and a goody bag from Walmart for
their classrooms by Patricia Rodriguez
from Horace Mann and a representative
from Walmart. The staff thanks Horace
Mann and Walmart for this exciting
opportunity.
Calendar
Feb. 3: Kindergarten registration begins
Feb. 3: PTO Valentine Gator Gram sale
begins
Feb. 10: Flag ceremony presented by
www.SanTanSun.com
second grade, 8 a.m., Amphitheater
Feb. 12: Early dismissal at 11:10 a.m.,
conferences 1-4 p.m.
Feb. 13: Early dismissal at 11:10 a.m.,
conferences 1-3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m.
Feb. 14: PTO Valentine Gator Gram
deliveries
—Kathie Butters
Knox Knights
Box Tops – Students are encouraged
to bring Box Tops to school by Feb.
14 to win $50 worth of playground
equipment for their class. One prize is
available for primary and intermediate
classes as well. Note the teacher’s
name on the contribution.
High honors – President Obama
recently named Knox Gifted Academy
CATS kindergarten teacher Allison
Davis as Arizona’s recipient of the
prestigious Presidential Award for
Excellence in Math Teaching. Awarded
annually to outstanding K-12 science
and mathematics teachers from across
the country, the winners are chosen
by a panel of distinguished scientists,
mathematicians and educators.
Winners receive $10,000 from the
National Science Foundation and are
invited to Washington, D.C., for an
awards ceremony and events.
Rock and roll – Classic rock radio
station KSLX 100.7 FM is joining with
Landing’s Credit Union to give away
one iPad a month now through May to
teachers who go above and beyond.
At the end of May, one prize winner
will be chosen as KSLX Teacher of the
Year, winning a $25,000 Master’s in
Education scholarship to Grand Canyon
University. Families can nominate their
favorite Knox teacher by visiting kslx.
com.
Thanks due – Knox collected 2,390
pounds of food over the holidays
for Matthew’s Crossing, which had
to be picked up in three separate
installments. Thanks to Knox students
and teachers for their continued
support of Matthew’s Crossing.
Running Club – Congrats to Knox
Running Club race participants:
Kindergarten: girls, Brynn Wilson,
fourth place; boys, Edward Oh, second
place and Lucas Zhou, fourth place;
first grade: girls, Emma Weiss, second
place; boys, Simon Aleksov, third place
and Xander Holdren, fourth place;
second grade: girls, Lucy Daniels, first
place, Savanna Creal, eighth place;
boys, Maddox Moses, fourth place,
Stevie Ortiz, fifth place and Taylor
Relvas, seventh place; third grade: girls,
Whitney Wilson, first place and Laurel
Anderson, third place; fourth grade:
girls, Ella Anderson, third place; boys,
Andrew Oh, seventh place; fifth grade:
girls, Nicole Smith, fourth place; boys,
Cole Nusbaum, third place; sixth grade:
girls, Kennedy Jones, fourth place; boys,
Alex Wilhelm, eighth place.
Calendar
Feb 4: PTO meeting, 3:45 p.m.
Feb 22: Celebration of Science &
Engineering Night & Science Fair
—Jacqueline Bartrim
Carebear Preschool At Fulton Ranch and Riggs
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Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
Seton Catholic Prep Sentinels
Music notes – Popular rock
musical “Godspell” opens Feb. 7 at
Seton Prep, and is the first Seton
production directed by English
Department Chairwoman Bridget
O’Neill, who has years of experience
directing shows in New York. The
show is unusual because it has a
very large cast for a high school
production—nearly 40 actors and
crew—and 18 actors are all on stage
for almost the entire production,
providing the actors with a
tremendous amount of experience.
Austin Weigel, who plays Jesus, is
following a 40-day modified Jewish
fast to emulate Jesus’ 40 days in the
desert.
—Amy Wolff
February 1 – 14, 2014
37
Sister Cities seeks young artists, authors from Chandler
The city of Chandler’s Sister City
affiliate, Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities
(CTSC) representing the “twinning”
between Chandler and Tullamore, Ireland,
invites Chandler youth between the ages
of 13 and 18 years of age to participate in
the fifth annual Young Artists and Authors
Showcase.
The 2013 Art and Author Showcase
yielded a National Grand Prize Winner
for Poetry, Rachel Beglin, a student at
Hamilton High School, and a National Art
Finalist, Elizabeth Hopwood, a student at
Seton Catholic Preparatory High School.
The showcase theme for 2014 is
“Connect globally. Thrive locally.” Sister
City relationships foster partnerships
within the community and between
international cities, counties and states.
Young Artist entries must be no larger
than 24 by 36 inches, including matting, and
only 2-dimensional art is accepted. Water
color, oils, pastels, pen and ink, charcoal,
photography, 2-dimensional mixed media,
as well as computer-generated art are
all acceptable media. Entries must be
submitted by Mon., March 3.
Young Authors—essayists and poets—
are encouraged to creatively express
the theme. Essays are not to exceed 500
words, and poetry is not to exceed 25
lines. All entries must be typed in English.
Winners will be required to submit a
digital copy. Judges will evaluate on theme
interpretation, composition and grammar.
A reception will be held from 5:30 p.m.
to 7 p.m. Fri., March 21, at Vision Gallery
in downtown Chandler to celebrate
Chandler’s young authors and artists.
One piece of artwork, one poem and one
essay from the Chandler entries will be
submitted to Sister Cities International
where the National Finalists are chosen.
Grand Prize Winners at the National Level
will receive $1,000 from Sister Cities
International.
Underwriting for the 2014 Art and
Author Showcase is made possible through
a grant received from the Chandler Special
Events Committee and the Chandler
Cultural Foundation.
For further information and entry
submittal for Young Artists and Authors,
please contact Barb Olivieri, CTSC
Education Committee chairwoman, at
chandler_tullamore_education@yahoo.
com or at 480-347-8293.
Entry guidelines and forms may be
found at chandlerirish.org.
For information on Chandler-Tullamore
Sister Cities’ activities, information and
membership and information about
Tullamore, Ireland, visit chandlerirish.org.
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 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 submissionpermission 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.
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of cards just to name a few!
• Complete a scavenger hunt and receive a Connect5 Gift Bag
full of gift certificates, coupons and
surprises for the whole family!
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38
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
YOUTH CHRONICLES
Michael Anthony Castellano of
Chandler is on the fall 2013 academic
honors list at Campbellsville University
in Campbellsville, KY. The academic
honors list recognizes students who
achieve a grade point average of at
least 3.5 for the semester with a course
load of at least 12 hours.
Samuel Curl of Chandler is on
the fall 2013 Ira A. Fulton School of
Engineering Dean’s List at Arizona State
University. To qualify, students must
earn at least a 3.5 grade point average
on a 4.0 scale.
Casey Filler of Chandler is
the recipient of the Presidential
Scholarship for Cornell College in
Mount Vernon, IA, where Casey has
also been accepted. Cornell College
is a private liberal arts college with
a distinctive One Course at a Time
curriculum.
Brooke Huppenthal, Bethany
Seifert and David Villa of Chandler are
on the fall 2013 Dean’s List at Belmont
University in Nashville, TN. Eligibility is
based on a minimum course load of 12
hours and a quality grade point average
of 3.5 with no grade below a C.
Hannah Laflin of Chandler is on the
fall 2013 Dean’s List at Central College
in Pella, IA. The honor is awarded to
fulltime students who earn a 3.5 grade
point average or higher on a 4.0 scale
while taking 12 or more graded credit
hours for the semester. Hannah, the
daughter of Don and Arla Laflin, is
majoring in sociology.
Nicolle Martin of Chandler is on the
fall 2013 Dean’s List at Luther College in
Decorah, IA. To qualify, a student must
earn a semester grade point average
of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale and
must complete at least 12 credit hours
with 10 hours of conventional grades.
Nicolle, a junior at the college, is the
daughter of Camille and John Martin.
Madyson Wellcome of Chandler
was recognized as Student Athlete
of the Week at Fort Lewis College in
Durango, CO. Madyson is majoring in
public health and is a member of the
2013-14 Skyhawks women’s soccer team.
Phillip Giandiletti of Chandler is
on the fall 2013 Dean’s Honor Roll at
Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma
City, OK. To be eligible for the Dean’s
Honor Roll, students must complete
a minimum of 12 credit hours with
a minimum 3.5 grade point average
during a semester.
Klohe S. Harrion of Chandler is
on the fall 2013 Dean’s List at Angelo
State University in San Angelo, TX. To
be eligible for the Dean’s List, students
must be enrolled fulltime and maintain
a 3.25 or better grade point average on
a 4.0 scale.
Patric Pray of Chandler is on the fall
2013 Dean’s List at Hofstra University
in Hempstead, NY. Patric is a junior
majoring in finance.
www.SanTanSun.com
New Vistas students earn honors in
Chandler’s multicultural competitions
New Vistas Center for Education had
a strong showing in the performance
and essay categories at Chandler’s annual
Multicultural Festival, securing first place in
both.
Tied for top honors in the performance
category were Alessandra and Liliana
Isaacson and the New Vistas’ second
grade choir. The first-place winners
performed songs dedicated to children
worldwide. New Vistas’ students also
swept first through third places in the
essay competition for the kindergarten
through fourth grade category. Niki
Tapia, community resources coordinator,
announced the winners at the citywide
event on Saturday. There were more than
1,000 entries.
Third grader Alessandra Isaason is no
stranger to the annual Chandler MultiCultural Festival and has won first place for
three consecutive years. This year, however,
she teamed up with her younger sister,
7-year-old Liliana, to perform an original
song written by their mother, Noemy
Isaacson, entitled “Together.” The song
written in Korean, French, Japanese, Italian,
Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese and English
expressed the importance of breaking
down barriers and working together for the
benefit of all children.
Also tying for first place is New Vistas’
second grade choir under the direction
of Patricia Neff. The students, dressed in
costumes from their country of origin,
performed the song, “My Town, My World.”
Whitening •
New Vistas also had a strong showing in
the essay writing category by winning first
through third places. Earning first place was
6-year-old first grader, Riya Nannapaneni,
who wrote a compelling essay about the
value of knowing children from different
cultures. She says, “It makes the world seem
like a small place even though I learned
Earth is very big. My grandparents live in
India and they are just one Skype call or
Facetime away! They might live far away
but when I talk to them it feels like they are
very close.”
Vanessa Koo, 7, came in second. Being
from Hong Kong, Vanessa wrote her
essay about her love of sharing her own
culture with all of her classmates. Kate
Ekiel secured third place with her essay on
learning about others’ cultures and customs
through her friends she knows at school.
“Because of the tapestry of nations
represented at New Vistas, our students
and their families bring a balanced mixture
of cultures, experiences, traditions and
interests that can only be described as
enriching,” says Dr. Eleanor Jordan, codirector of New Vistas.
“Every day is a celebration of diversity
at New Vistas. With approximately 500
students, we have children representative
of over 38 different nations.”
All first place winners have been invited
to attend the Chandler City Council
meeting at 7 p.m. Mon., Feb. 7, when the
group will be congratulated by the council
and mayor and presented with cash prizes.
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