3 1 2014stsn p27 38 youth by Times Media Group

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Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

Students explore U.S. through books; library plans special programs BY TRACY HOUSE

Students at Payne Junior High School are traveling the country, via books. In an effort to encourage students to read, PJHS media specialist Stephanie Merrill sent kids on a cross-country journey through books set in different states as part of the nationally recognized program Read Across American that coincides with Dr. Seuss’ birthday. “Because it’s always called Read Across America we thought that if we could select books that took place in speciﬁc states that they (students) would read things that they would normally not,” explains Merrill. “We started doing this early in December so that they would read more books and the requirement would be higher, plus they had all of Christmas vacation to read.” Merrill says that 50 students signed up for the “Passport” and she anticipates 30 students will complete the six-book requirement to earn the incentive reward. “This year we’re providing a lunch and they’re going to play U.S.A. Bingo and I have bingo prizes and rafﬂe prizes,” Merrill says. In addition, students will get a READ bookmark and tattoo. As students complete a book, they are asked to summarize or answer a question about the book to receive their passport stamp. Books were chosen for the setting and Merrill says she looked for quality literature. Students could choose to read books not on the state list and still receive a passport stamp. “No matter what they read we found a category for it,” Merrill says.

Francis Stokes, Ryan Blech, Garrett Kowalski and Zion Barney are some of the seventh grade students participating in the program. Encouragement to read six books came from their language arts teacher who said that if they read all six books they didn’t have to do a book report. Francis, 12, says she’s read all six books. “I went to Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma,” she says. It took her two months to read all six books. She says it was a challenge to read the books. Ryan, 12, traveled to Alaska, New York, New Hampshire and Illinois during his reading journey. “I read ﬁction books,” he says. “They were kind of adventure books.” Ryan says he learned about how some people can be so courageous by reading the books. It took him one and a half months to complete all six books. Garrett, 13, chose to participate in the program because of his teacher’s incentive and to try to read new books. He’s read four of the six books, but plans to have them all complete by the March 3 due date. He mentions he “traveled” to Arizona, Oregon and Florida. Zion, 12, says she doesn’t read unless she has to, but she’s read three books and is reading two at the same time. “I’ve been to Oregon, one of them was in California and Nevada.” Like the others, she says she chose to read the books instead of having to do the project. “I read the ﬁrst three from Read Across America and the other three I picked out.” Merrill is hoping that next year, these then eighth graders will be a role model

for the incoming seventh graders and the program will encourage more students to read across America.

Read Across America Celebrate all things Seuss and enjoy a story and crafting at the Sunset Library, 4930 W. Ray Rd., Chandler. On March 4, the regular family storytimes will be celebrating Dr. Seuss. It is an interactive program for toddlers and pre-schoolers. There are games and songs that parents can use with their children later on at home, as well as stories read by the staff. Join Ms. Tish for stories, ﬂannel board stories, ﬁngerplays, songs and dance plus bubbles to honor Dr. Seuss from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Then at 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. March 19 the Family Funcrafting session will focus on Dr. Seuss as well. Again, there will be songs and stories, as well as a crafts for the family. There is no registration for either of these programs.

In-N-Out Reading Program at the Chandler Public Library Chandler Public Library is excited to partner with In-N-Out Burger again to provide this fun reading incentive program, March 1 through April 12. Children ages 4 to 12 who read ﬁve books at his or her reading level may earn a “Cover to Cover Club” reading certiﬁcate, along with a coupon for a free hamburger or cheeseburger from In-N-Out. Families can pick up a reading log from

COVER TO COVER: Encourage reading and enjoy a burger from In-N-Out during the Chandler Library’s reading incentive program. Information is available at all Chandler libraries.

any Chandler Public Library to enroll their children in the program. The log is used to list the titles of the book. After the five books are read, a parent or guardian signs the reading log and the child receives their certificate. Children too young to read may participate if an adult reads with them. Also, each child may earn up to three certificates during the program, while supplies last. For more information, call (480) 7822800, visit the library’s website at www. chandlerlibrary.org, or drop by one of the four library locations: Basha Library, 5990 S. Val Vista Dr.; Hamilton Library, 3700 S. Arizona Ave.; Sunset Library, 4930 W. Ray Rd.; or Downtown Library, 22 S. Delaware St. Tracy House is the news editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at tracy@santansun.com.

Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

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 Fuoco-Karasinski at christina@santansun.com. BY SETH COX

Perry Pumas Perry High School 1919 E Queen Creek Rd., Gilbert, 85297

At such a young school, it’s sometimes hard to make a name for yourself as an athlete. However, Mitch Albrecht has done just that at Perry High. “He’s an awesome kid,” was how Coach John Roberts introduces Mitch, the Pumas’ senior sweeper. On the soccer field, Mitch is the key to an at times stifling Pumas defense, and more importantly a senior leader. “Coach put me back there as the overseer of the defense, getting guys lined up and helping lead the defense,” Mitch says, “He expected me to help direct players where to go, but also to be the last line of defense.” Roberts adds, “He’s one of three seniors. He’s our best player. He’s our whole defense, but the biggest thing about him is he’s a leader. He gets the guys to do things they didn’t think they could do.” That leadership was a continual theme of Mitch’s character, but he says he’s just being himself. “I’m a hard worker and just take pride in everything I do. I knew if I showed the guys how hard I was working it would push them to work just as hard.” Off the field Mitch carries a 3.6

GPA, and is, as Roberts puts it, “the guy that gets everyone together for extra practice and team meals.” Mitch says he just takes the same approach off the ﬁeld as he does on: He just works hard. When it comes to after high school, Mitch has already come to terms with the next stage of his life. “I won’t be playing soccer, maybe intramurals or something like that, but I just want to get ready for the next part of my life.” What’s the next part of his life? “I am either going to attend Northern Arizona University or Colorado State University and study business economics,” says Mitch. He has teamwork and camaraderie oozing out of him from his time as the varsity kicker on the football team, and now he’s helped produce the best year in the boys’ soccer team history. His next step will be a success, as Roberts reiterates “He’s a great kid!” Seth Cox is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at news@santansun.com.

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Chandler AYF sets registration day for football, cheer The first Fall Tackle Football and Cheerleading registration will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at Tumbleweed Recreation Center, 745 E. Germann Rd. The teams, which fill up fast, range between 25-30 participants. Fall practice begins July 28 and the annual Chandler AYF combines and team selection camps will take place in late June. Onsite registration is in April, May and June. Online registration is available at www. chandlerayf.com. There are several programs offered: tackle football (ages 5-14), sideline cheerleading (ages 5-14) and competitive cheerleading (ages 8-15). Chandler AYF Youth Football and Cheer competes in the Phoenix AYF Conference. For more information, visit www. chandlerayf.com, email chandlerayf@ gmail.com or call (480) 370-0621.

Youth

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March 1 – 14, 2014

Interactive book shares story about a tuxedo cat BY MEGHAN MCCOY

Youngsters have the opportunity to learn about a tuxedo cat through an interactive book of song and illustrations created by a Sun Lakes resident. Patricia Koepp, a retired elementary art teacher of 29 years, has released “Mr. Mittens’ Magical Mittens: Listen, Read and Sing Along,” through Tate Publishing. The author, illustrator, editor and layout designer will have a big launch for her interactive book in June. “I have located a little plush cat that looks like Mr. Mittens in the book,” she explains. “They are being delivered to me in June.” A longtime animal lover, Koepp is a volunteer for the Arizona Welfare League and Humane Society. “All my cats that I have adopted have been rescued cats,” Koepp says. She adopted her ﬁrst cat, which lived to be 18, while she was in college. Another cat became a part of her family for 16 years before it, too, died. Now she has a 22-pound solid black male and a 16-pound female tuxedo cat who are brother and sister. These siblings helped inspire her book. “Mr. Mittens is a combination of the two,” Koepp explains. The character takes the personality of her male cat and the body type of the female. The song that tells the tale of Mr. Mittens came to Koepp as she was brushing her cats on their pedestal in the kitchen.

“I sing to the cats as I was brushing them,” she explains. She jotted down the lyrics as the words flowed. That encouraged her to go to the store and buy a miniature keyboard. Although she cannot read music, Koepp researched which keys correlated to what letters on the scale. “I hammered out the song on the keyboard,” she says. The book, which is geared toward youngsters ages 4 and older, includes 18 pages of illustrations and songs, a coloring section and sheet music. “Each page is a verse of the song and the next page is an illustration of that verse,” she explains. The first verse describes Mr. Mittens. It is followed by a black and white versions of the illustrations so kids can color them. The final section includes sheet music and a CD of the music. Koepp says the music was orchestrated by a friend of hers using two female voices—a woman who majored in voice and piano in college and a young girl, a friend’s relative. “The song itself is a chorus singing about the cat. The cat responds to the chorus in the next verse,” she explains. Adults can either read the book with the youngster or sing along with the CD. “I’ve had really good feedback from people in town here,” Koepp says.

Second book After another song struck Koepp, her second book “Mr. Mittens’ Dreams Come

True” was born. She says the book will be available this summer. Her second book, which again is told through song, shares the story of Mr. Mittens being adopted into a family from an animal sanctuary. While at the sanctuary he meets another animal that he sings with, which is later revealed to be dog. The duo, who end up being adopted by the same family, share the story of how everyone dreams.

Her artistic journey A self-described hyperactive child in school, Koepp discovered that drawing cartoons and doodling kept her in her seat. “My idol when I was growing up was Walt Disney,” she explains. “It was always a dream of mine to be an illustrator and cartoonist.” When she attended college, she went after a double major, English and art education. Upon graduation, she stumbled upon a job, an art position in Phoenix. “I decided I would rather teach art than English,” Koepp says. “I loved my profession. It was a lot of fun.” She says with an overactive imagination, she is able to express herself through her artwork and share it with other people. “I have always envied musicians who can play a guitar and take their craft wherever they go and share that with the people they are with,” Koepp says. With a published book, she can share her craft with friends and people she has

MR. MITTENS: Sun Lakes resident Patricia Koepp wrote and illustrated her book “Mr. Mittens’ Magical Mittens: Listen, Read and Sing Along.” Submitted photo

never met. “All through my life I had been writing stories and drawing,” she says. The book, CD and plush kitten can be purchased by emailing danceswithbunnies@q.com, calling (480) 883-0662 or visiting www.tatepublishing. com. Individuals can also purchase other Mr. Kitten’s merchandise at www.cafepress. com/mrmittenskittenkaboodle. Meghan McCoy is the Neighbors and Business section editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at meghan@ santansun.com.

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Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

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New Vistas teacher named NHD Seton Prep launches Behring Ambassador website redesign Designee will represent Arizona in Washington, D.C. New Vistas Center for Education teacher Stacey Trepanier was one of 36 U.S. teachers selected as Behring Teacher Ambassadors. “I am honored to be selected and join the ranks of passionate history loving teachers to work with and help promote and grow NHD,” says Trepanier, referring to National History Day. “NHD has brought a new spark into my classroom and taken my students and I on journeys we never imagined. I love to share my passion and am excited to help make a difference in the world of education by serving as a teacher ambassador. This means a chance to reach out and make a difference, inspire, and connect several passions of mine!” The teachers selected have shown outstanding creativity, commitment, and inspiration in developing students’ interest in history. Each regional winner will be awarded $1,000 stipend for their participation and service as an ambassador. Middle and high school teachers are nominated by their administrators, peers or self for the award. Candidates must be classroom teachers interested in NHD programs, who have demonstrated excellence in the classroom, or be past Behring

Teacher award winners. Next year the 2014-2015 NHD theme is Leadership and Legacy in History. Behring Teacher Ambassadors will work with students and teachers to help them better understand this theme and to expand NHD programs in their region. Participating teachers, will attend a training workshop in August, collaborate with their program’s NHD affiliates coordinator to develop a working plan, and implement an action plan to support and expand NHD activities. “National History Day firmly believes that quality teachers are the best educational tools that students have,” says NHD Executive Director Cathy Gorn. “The history teachers selected as Behring Teacher Ambassadors understand the impact the NHD program has on their students. They are a credit to their discipline and a driving force behind the success of NHD programs.” For more information about NHD, visit www.nhd.org.

Seton Catholic Prep recently launched its newly redesigned website at www.setoncatholic.org, featuring a new, contemporary design, improved functionality and mobile friendly access. Visitors to the site can learn about Seton Catholic Prep’s unique offering as the only Catholic high school in the East Valley. Seton Catholic Prep is a private, coeducational high school in Chandler offering a college preparatory curriculum, wide-ranging ﬁne arts program, numerous extracurricular activities and more. “Our new website signals an exciting

time in the history of Seton Catholic Preparatory,” says Seton Principal Patricia Collins. “As we approach our 60th year serving students of all socioeconomic, ethnic and faith backgrounds, we are committed to sharing the core qualities that distinguish our Catholic faith-based school with a new generation of students and their families.” Seton Catholic Prep is at 1150 N. Dobson Rd., Chandler. To learn more, visit the new website at www.setoncatholic.org or call (480) 963-1900.

RUNNING WITH ROSCO GOOD FUN: Children at St. John Bosco Catholic School spend 20 minutes running, jogging, walking or skipping around the school track to promote the importance of physical fitness. Scott Keppel of Scott’s Training Systems partnered with the PTO to provide fitness information for the entire family. The event also served as a fundraiser, with a goal of raising $25,000. The monies will go directly to the PTO to enhance technology with the purchase of 15 iPads for teacher-led classroom instruction, and to purchase a classroom set of 32 iPads. It also benefits PTOsponsored throughout the year. All the students, many of whom live in Chandler, received a free Running with Rosco T-shirt. Submitted photos

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Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

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Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

Free college prep workshops, tests in Chandler SanTan Sun-area eighth- through 12th-grade students and their parents can get a head start on the college admissions process with “It’s Never Too Early to Prepare Your Child for College,” a free college application workshop offered by the College Application Preparation Program, a Tutor House Tutoring Services partner, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 1, in the Monsoon Room of Chandler Sunset Library, 4930 W. Ray Rd., Chandler. Participants will learn current information on admissions trends and how to become the applicants that colleges are seeking. For more information or to reserve a seat, call (866) 713-5330 or email BeAsuccess@myCollegeCAP.com.

Free ACT, SAT practice tests offered A free SAT or ACT practice test is available for high school juniors and seniors Saturday, March 15 at Tutor House Tutoring Services, 100 W. Boston St., Suite 4, Chandler. Testing is from 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a welcome and registration from 9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Students should bring a calculator to the session. Participants will become familiar with the test format, question types, timing and content of these college

entrance exams. Test results and analysis will be given at a separately scheduled conference with parents, where a program can be designed to address the student’s individual needs. The free practice test is offered in addition to Tutor House’s regular SAT and ACT prep programs. A wide range of one-on-one and small-group tutoring for students in kindergarten through 12th grades is available, including tutoring in reading, math, writing, Spanish, study skills, algebra, geometry, calculus, SAT/ACT prep and more. Sign up at www.TutorHouseAZ. com to reserve a seat. For more information, call (480) 857-1222 or email Tutoring@TutorHouseAZ.com.

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BASIS Chandler student wins top honors at Arizona Brain Bee Vijeeth Guggilla and Jaeyoung Kang of BASIS Chandler were two of the students who took top honors at the annual Arizona Regional Brain Bee, an educational competition similar to a spelling bee that focuses on neuroscience. The 2014 Arizona Regional Brain Bee at Midwestern University was presented in partnership with the BHHS Legacy Foundation. One hundred forty-eight students from 15 Arizona high schools, some of whom came to the Brain Bee from as far away as Kingman, converged on the university’s Glendale campus to test their knowledge of the human brain, how it governs human behavior and the science that helps medical professionals understand brain function. It was the largest turnout for the Brain Bee since Midwestern University began hosting it in 1999. Anisha Ariff of BASIS Peoria was

another top ﬁnisher. All participants received certiﬁcates of participation as well as Brain Bee pins. For his performance in the Brain Bee, Jaeyoung won a $2,000 scholarship toward tuition in any Midwestern University program at either the university’s Glendale campus or the campus in Downers Grove, Ill., as well as travel expenses to help him as he competes at the upcoming National Brain Bee in Washington, D.C. Midwestern University faculty and students served as judges, question readers, timers, and scorekeepers for the Brain Bee, using the book Brain Facts, published by the Society for Neuroscience, as the source text. Questions ran the gamut from identifying physical features of the brain itself to naming brain disorders and diseases to surgical and medical practices that modify neural behaviors.

YOUTH CHRONICLES Marcus McSweeney of Chandler is on the fall 2013 Dean’s List at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA. Celena De Los Santos of Chandler is a 2013-14 member of the Student Health and Advisory Committee

at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. The Student Health and Advisory Committee acts as a twoway liaison between university administration and the students regarding health care issues. Celena is majoring in exercise science.

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Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

Bilingual school hosts open house Chandler adds Chandler new mobile makes social tool to receive connections city news SanTan Sun-area families are invited to learn more about Casa del Nino Bilingual Montessori School at an informational open house from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 22. A special presentation on how bilingual education works will be given at 10 a.m. Refreshments and activities for children will be available.

Casa del Nino is enrolling children ages 18 months to third grade for the upcoming school year. Casa del Nino is at 2625 W. Queen Creek Rd., Suite 6, Chandler. To learn more, call (480) 963-2550, email bcasadelnino@yahoo.com or visit www. casadelninobilingualmontessori.com.

Chandler schools represented at science competition Three of six student teams advancing to the recent finals of the 15th annual Honeywell Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge are from Chandler schools. The “All Stars” from Bogle Junior High, “Omega 5” from Tri-City Christian Academy and “TerraeInProcellarum” from Kyrene Aprende Middle School were among the final six teams who presented their projects in front of a panel of engineers from Honeywell. Astronaut Richard Linnehan from NASA and retired astronaut Edward Gibson presented information and answered questions. The final competition, presented by US Airways and held at the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix, was part of Arizona Science Center’s Engineering Day sponsored by

Honeywell in conjunction with Phoenix Engineers Week. Nearly 900 fifth- through eighthgrade students competed in the preliminary competition and were required to work in teams to create an international lunar base module that could mine Helium 3, complete with a physical scale model. Students used critical thinking, communication, teambuilding and decision-making skills while expanding their knowledge in science, mathematics and other subject areas. The final competition was made possible by Honeywell, US Airways, Arizona Science Center, ASU Polytechnic Campus, Culver’s, AZTV, Challenger Space Center and Wells Fargo. For more information, visit www. fiestabowl.org.

The City of Chandler has added a new mobile tool to make it even easier for subscribers to receive Chandler news. The new Text-to-Join feature allows subscribers to sign up right from their mobile phones. Residents need simply text COCNEWS to 22828 to sign up for the Chandler E-News Update, a subscription-based e-newsletter powered by Constant Contact. Next subscribers are asked to reply to the message with their email address to complete subscription. The Chandler E-News Update is distributed regularly and features details about upcoming special events, council meeting recaps and more. The city has more than 12 different e-newsletters for every interest, including aquatics, water conservation, recreation, council agendas and road construction. To sign up for a specialized newsletter, visit: www.chandleraz.gov/listserv. aspx. Standard data and messaging rates may apply.

The City of Chandler is reaching more than 10,000 followers on Twitter, a major milestone in social media. Chandler has been actively using social networking as a communications tool for more than ﬁve years. The ofﬁcial Twitter account, @CityofChandler, has become a popular source of local news and information for Chandler-area residents. Chandler also uses other social networking tools, such as Facebook, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Next Door and more. For a complete list of City of Chandler accounts, visit www. chandleraz.gov/socialmedia.

Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Calendar: March 10-24: No School Spring Intersession March 25: School resumes

Carlson Champions Looking ahead – Carlson’s PTO is accepting nominations for next year’s officers. Forms must be submitted by Tuesday, March 25. Elections are Thursday, March 27. Spring carnival – Silent auction donations are being sought for the schoolwide event in April. All parents are encouraged to secure some. Donation-request letters can be retrieved through the students’ Monday Morning Message or room parent. —Lora Robinson

CTA-Independence Hawks Save the dates – State 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. Safety updates – Classroom “Go” bags, filled with items to be used in case of evacuation, have been assembled and will be presented to teachers soon; thanks to the PTO for purchasing the bags and contents.

At the school’s request, 25 mph signs have been installed along Lake Drive in front of the school. Also, thanks to Brayden’s Buddy for generously donating an AED defibrillator to the school; staff will be trained on its use. Brayden’s Buddy is a nonprofit organization created to help families affected by heart conditions. For more information or to make a donation to Brayden’s Buddy, visit www.braydensbuddy.com. Calendar March 7: Dollar Dress Down and Spring Picture Day —Wendi Olson

Haley Tigers Stage craft – Haley Elementary’s Drama Club will perform “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” based on the classic children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl, at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 3, and Wednesday, March 5, and at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 6. Haley’s Drama Club is a quarter-long performing arts training club for students in fourth through sixth grades and with special needs. The students participate in classes, workshops and finally, a fullscale production. The club is designed to encourage teamwork, personal integrity, self-esteem, social skills, friendships and a lifelong appreciation for live theater. Class notes – Fifth-grade classes went

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to the Halle Heart Museum recently as part of their Life Science body system unit. The classes learned about the circulatory system. Classrooms recently kicked off Read Across America with visits from authors Chris Gall and James M. Deen, and the PTO’s annual Books at Bedtime event at Barnes and Noble. —Stephanie Vatistas

include names and grades of students pictured. —Kristen Boyd

Jacobson Jets

Hull Heroes Read-A-Thon – Hull PTO is excited to sponsor its first Read-A-Thon, “Reading Takes You Places,” promoting reading as a fun activity while raising money for the school. Families can look for information to come home Monday, March 3, Read Across America Day. Box Tops – All Box Tops are due Thursday, March 6. This is the last contest of the year. Students from each grade level have the chance to win prizes, and the class that brings in the most Box Tops wins lunch. Movie night – Join Hull PTO at 6 p.m. Friday, March 7, to kick off the ReadA-Thon with a viewing of “The Lorax.” Yearbooks – Pre-order yearbooks by Saturday, March 8, to save money. The full-color yearbook is just $19 with a pre-order, or $23 on orders turned in after March 8. Only a limited number of books will be ordered, so late orders may not be filled. Families can submit their Hull student and event photos to hullyearbook@yahoo. com to be included in the yearbook;

READY SET GO: Jacobson Elementary students enjoyed a day of running during the recent APEX Fun Run. APEX is a fundraiser supporting on-going technology updates throughout the school. Submitted photo —Linda Monaghan

Tarwater Toros Music notes – Congrats to the following Tarwater sixth graders, chosen to perform in the CUSD Sixth Grade District Honor Band: Isabel Aksamit, Luke Bass, Isabelle Bond, Ben Chappell, Craig Grande, Ryan Greer, Michael Halick, Casey Otolski, Noelle Redding and Faye Rodgers. The students will perform an Honor Band concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in the Hamilton High School auditorium.

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Youth

www.SanTanSun.com New program - 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. Sock drive – Toros collected more than 400 pairs of socks for donation to the Clothes Cabin. Thanks for all contributions; the donations were much appreciated. Fieldtrip fun – Kindergarten classes attended “The Cat in the Hat” at Tempe Center for the Arts recently, thanks to tax credit donations. Aiming high – Fifth graders recently studied Newton’s three laws of motion to prepare for their soda bottle rocketry event. Guest scientist John Pomeroy from Orbital Sciences spent two days with each classroom teaching how to build a rocket, stabilize the vessel and ﬂy the rocket in the intended direction, then helping students build their rockets and launching them. All six rockets built by students were launched successfully from the school playground. —JoAnne Cawley

CTA-Goodman Gators Class notes – Fourth graders recently presented their Arizona Wax Museum for family and friends. Each student researched a famous Arizona ﬁgure, then presented the information in character dress. Students in kindergarten through second grade enjoyed a visit from Chandler High students in the “Bookends” drama organization. The children loved all the Dr. Seuss characters and stories that Bookends presented. Special thanks to CTA’s CHS buddies. Calendar March 3: Flag ceremony presented by chorus, 8 a.m., Amphitheater March 7: Yearbook presales end March 7: Third quarter PTO Box Top/ Label Contest ends March 7: Fifth Grade State Day, 8:30 a.m.10:30 a.m., Multipurpose Room March 7: Good News Gators Assembly, 1:15 p.m., Multipurpose Room —Kathie Butters

CTA-Freedom Falcons

Chandler High Wolves Wolves Night Out – Chandler High hosts its annual Wolves Night Out, formerly Casino Night, starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Chandler Airpark. The event will be an evening of food, fun and prizes; for ticket information, contact Vicki at (480) 5400701. —Denise Chisholm

First grade fun – When ﬁrst graders return from spring break, they will be able to greet live frogs in the aquariums and tadpoles in the class Planet Frog tank. The Chandler Education Foundation has awarded the CTA-Freedom ﬁrst-grade team a grant for the past four years for Life Cycle, Characteristics of Organisms. The children get to observe two tadpoles, one froglet and a green tree frog. Acts of kindness – CTA-Freedom Student

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March 1 – 14, 2014

Council will give back by volunteering at Feed My Starving Children in Tempe. The students and advisers are excited to have the opportunity to help out by packing bags of food for those less fortunate. Read Across America – CTA-Freedom students and staff celebrated Read Across America recently, dressing as their favorite book characters, welcoming guest readers to classrooms and wrapping up the day with activities in the library to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Tax credit donations – Arizona taxpayers can donate to CTA-Freedom and earn a 100 percent tax refund on their Arizona state taxes. The money goes toward ﬁeldtrips and extracurricular activities. To learn more, visit www.ctafreedom.com and click on the Tax Credit link in Announcements. —Erin Morgan-Canter

CTA-Liberty Eagles High honors – CTA-Liberty has earned the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award for 2013, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. A Blue Ribbon celebration was held recently in honor of the award, which was given to only four Arizona schools. —Barbara Aldecoa

Knox Knights Book Fair – Families are encouraged to come support Knox’s Spring Book

Fair Monday, March 3, through Friday, March 7, in the Media Center. Volunteers are welcome; for more information, visit www.knoxpto.com. Jump for fun – Visit Airworx Trampoline Center between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday, March 13, and up to 40 percent of entry sales will go directly to Knox. Visit www.airworx.us for more information, to prepurchase fundraiser wristbands and sign parent waivers. Airworx is at 4960 W. Ray Rd., Chandler. Arts Night – Knox’s annual Arts Night will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4. If interested in volunteering, contact Karla Tandon at knoxartmasterpiece@gmail.com. Making a difference – Knox Student Council recently raised nearly $1,600 for “Make That Change!”—an organization that benefits Arizona’s Special Olympians. Students brought in their spare change to support Student Council and help the cause. Science Night success – A huge thanks to the coordinators, volunteers and vendors who made this year’s Celebration of Science and Engineering such a success. Also thanks to the families who participated and enjoyed a variety of science and engineering activities. Calendar March 3-7: Spring Book Fair March 4: PTO meeting, 3:45 p.m., Library, free child care provided —Jacqueline Bartrim

Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

NEW ADDITION

OUTSIDE VOICES: SanTan Sun-area families are invited to view the new expanded playground, explore the classrooms and pick up registration forms for the 2014-2015 school year at Exploring My World Learning Center’s Open House from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 9. The preschool’s playground was recently expanded by more than 1,000 square feet; a new climber was also added to the playground, which also includes a large playground structure, sandbox and playhouse. Exploring My World Learning Center is in Chandler Presbyterian Church, 1500 W. Germann Rd., Chandler. To learn more, visit www.exploringmyworld.com. Submitted photo

Whitening •

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Ashley Sanford to compete in NHRA Paciﬁc Division Points Race at Wild Horse Pass Barely out of her teens, she roars down the drag strip in her Top Alcohol Dragster at speeds topping 200 mph, racing against men often more than twice her age. Coming to compete in the NHRA Pacific Division Points Race at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1, fan favorite Ashley Sanford and her team will take on the field in this Lucas Oil event. “Even though this is just my second season on the circuit, I know I learn more each time I race and I’m ready to win in Phoenix,” says the 20-year-old southern California native. “My best time is 5.42 seconds at 264 mph, and I hope to top that here.” Sanford comes from a family of racers, both her father and grandfather have been by her side since she started racing in the Kids Quad Class, and placed first in her very first race in the division, and she has never looked back. She earned her TAD license last February in Las Vegas and will compete in a total of 10 races this year. Frederosa’s Team Extreme is a family-owned A/Fuel Dragster team competing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag

Ashley Sanford. Submitted photo Racing Series. Sanford drives the team’s Gelish Soak-Off Gel Polish dragster, tuned by Troy Schweers and Dave McWilliams. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park is located at 20000 S. Maricopa Rd., Chandler.

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Youth

www.SanTanSun.com

March 1 – 14, 2014

Another season of ‘Storytelling and Song’ ending National Championship qualifier at ASU Saturday, March 8, marks the Arizona State Taekwondo Championship from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Fitness Center on Union Street in Tempe. USA Taekwondo certified referees, six matted rings and electronic scoring, Daedo TrueScore scoring for black belts and forms, sparring, breaking and weapons, will be included in the qualifier for the National Championship for USA Taekwondo event. Participants must be a member of USA Taekwondo, although all ages and belts are welcome to compete. The events of USA Taekwondo offer opportunities for athletes of all taekwondo disciplines to compete against the best competition, at the regional, national and international levels. The events serve athletes, coaches and parents in the most time efficient and cost effective manner, while providing the best experience possible for all involved. USA Taekwondo events aim to exceed the expectations of coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and the athletes themselves at each and every event. USA Taekwondo is an affiliate of the National Governing Body for the United States Olympic Committee.

The “Storytelling and Song” program at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa will soon come to a close because spring is drawing near. The eighth season will end from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, March 15, with a special closing led by Community elder, Bobby Stone. The program must end by the first day of spring due to cultural customs because winter is the only season storytelling is permitted among the Pima and Maricopa people. The program is designed to share the ancient cultures of the Pima and Maricopa people. Enrolled members of the Gila River Indian community are the featured storyteller members. They share a

combination of ancient legends based on desert wildlife and their experiences growing up on the surrounding tribal lands. Cultural Concierge Rosie Rivera manages the resort’s program. “This program has become a favorite tradition for new and returning resort and restaurant guests from around the world,” she says. “Whether it is a family from Phoenix in for dinner, or returning business travelers, the intimate and informative nature of the stories shared around our fire pit foster a true sense of place and impart an important and lasting impression.” The “Storytelling and Song” program is open and complimentary to all resort and restaurant guests and is appropriate for all ages.

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa, located on the Gila River Indian Community, 5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Rd., Chandler, is a total destination resort showcasing the heritage, culture, art and legends of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. The resort offerings include 500 culturally themed rooms, Forbes Five-Star/AAA Five-Diamond Dining at Kai, the Forbes Four-Star Native American Aji Spa, 36-holes of Troon managed golf at Whirlwind Golf Course, the 1,000-acre Koli Equestrian Center and a boat cruise to nearby attractions. For more information, phone (602) 225-0100 or visit www. wildhorsepassresort.com.

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.

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Youth

March 1 – 14, 2014

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.

WHERE KIDS EAT FREE

Gilbert (480) 242-1258 www.CopperStillMoonshineGrill. com Here’s the deal: Every Tuesday, 10 year old 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

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www.nabersaz.com Here’s the deal: Kids eat free every Monday and Tuesday, with the purchase of an adult meal and two beverages.

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.

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.

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.

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

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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.