Glendale Union High School District
Rich Carlberg (left) recently was inducted into the Sunnyslope Hall of Fame in recognition of 24 years as head coach of the baseball program, while Mike Fenton (right) was recognized for 25 years of coaching soccer and 21 years of coaching softball (submitted photos).
Sunnyslope coaches inducted into Hall of Fame
Former coach Rich Carlberg and Coach Mike Fenton were inducted into the Sunnyslope Hall of Fame. Coach Carlberg was the baseball head coach for 24 years. Coach Fenton coached soccer for 25 years and softball for 21 years.
For more Sunnyslope news, visit @SunnyslopeHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.
GUHSD celebrates the Class of 2022
It is graduation season, and Glendale Union High School District (GUHSD) will celebrate the Class of 2022 with graduation ceremonies at Grand Canyon University Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Road Building 38.
North Central schools will hold graduation ceremonies on May 23 (Washington High School, 4:30 p.m.; Thunderbird High School, 8 p.m.) and May 25 (Sunnyslope High School, 1 p.m.).
To learn more, visit www.guhsdaz.org or follow the district on Facebook: @GUHSDAZ. Call 623-435-6000 for additional information.
Sunnyslope junior receives gold medal
Junior Abby Wolf has been named to receive a Gold Medal this summer in Washington D.C. She enrolled in the program in September of 2019 and worked on her own at home during the pandemic to achieve this award, which is given to students who set and complete goals in the areas of physical fitness, personal development, voluntary public service and expedition/exploration.
To follow Sunnyslope news, visit @SunnyslopeHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.
Art student recognized by State Superintendent
Thunderbird art student Hailey Baker received the overall art award by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman. Baker submitted her artwork for this year’s Arizona Youth Arts Month celebration.
To keep up on Thunderbird news, visit @ThunderbirdHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.
GUHSD offers free summer opportunities
Glendale Union High School District’s signature, free summer opportunities are available once again to sixth through eighth-grade students and current GUHSD students. GUHSD’s summer opportunities include Summer School, Summer Camps and Summer Academies, which will provide students with opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge and prepare them for the important next step.
For additional information, visit www.guhsdaz.org.
Governing board honors WHS 2021–22
Kiara Smith
Achievement Above All recipients
GUHSD’s Achievement Above All events continue to highlight the excellence within the district and schools. Most recently, the governing board honored Washington High School’s 2021-22 teacher, student, student group, support staff member and volunteer of the year during a meeting.
The recipients included teacher Steven Gould, senior student Kiara Smith, student group Wrestling, support staff Valerie Higgins, and volunteer Shelley Winchester. In honor of their achievement, each recipient received an award or certificate for their dedication to the school and community.
For more news about Washington High School, visit @WashingtonHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.
Madison Elementary School District
Student art supports Ukrainian refugees
Student artwork
Madison Meadows and Madison No. 1 students recently took action to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees by creating artwork of sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine. In this context, sunflowers represent a symbol of peace and support for the country. The art was sold on “Make a Difference Day” and all proceeds went to the International Rescue Committee, which provides vital supplies to displaced children and families.
“Artists can be great advocates for help in times of crisis or need. One way they can help is by creating and selling art, then donating the proceeds to organizations that bring vital resources to refugees,” said Meadows Art teacher, Megan Tracy.
Madison No. 1 art teacher Michelle Lindsay also joined the mission with a colleague at Fountain Hills Middle School. Lindsay stated, “Art can be healing, and this project is a way for students to help process their emotions when they hear news of war and displacement.”
Lindsay’s room was filled with sunflowers, including a “one inch gallery” where students made mini sunflowers out of watercolor. Students with Ukrainian heritage brought their idea home to work on sunflower art with their families.
Madison award recognizes everyday greatness
Madison School District recently introduced the Awesome Award to thank employees for supporting students, families and their school communities. The goal of this recognition is to provide students, employees, families and community members the opportunity to thank a Madison employee as well as provide a way to integrate gratitude and kindness into the everyday.
Employees who are nominated for an Awesome Award receive a certificate that includes a brief explanation from the nominator of why they are so awesome. This form is open to everyone. Students, families, staff and community members can send an Awesome Award to any Madison employee.
There is no limit to the number of Awesome Awards someone can receive. To thank a Madison employee, visit www.madisonaz.org/awesomeaward.
Team Hyperactive 6-Year Olds, which included students Owen Lifshitz, Brendan Camp, Maija Kaprosy, Ella Bradley, Elizabeth Deyette, Jordan Kasovac and Andrew Deyette, competed in the Odyssey of the Mind program (photo courtesy of team coach Elizabeth Cohen).
Meadows students compete in Odyssey finals
Six Madison Meadows teams competed in the Odyssey of the Mind state tournament March 26. All of the teams elevated their performances from the regional tournament and their hard work paid off; five of the teams will represent Madison Meadows and the state of Arizona at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Ames, Iowa, May 25–28.
Odyssey of the Mind is a program that encourages students to think outside the box in an effort to solve one of five long term problems.
The problems and their subsequent solutions show students’ ability to do anything from building a mechanical device to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. Students present their solutions at the local, state and world level. Thousands of teams (kindergarteners to college-aged students) from throughout the United States and roughly 25 other countries take part in the program.
Students learn to work with their teammates, how to make decisions on their own and even how to work within a budget. Teams are judged and scored at the various competitions for their long-term problem solutions, how well they solve a “spontaneous” problem on the spot, and “style” — the elaboration of their long-term problem solution.
Residents who would like to help support the team’s endeavor can make a donation on the Madison Meadows PTM website. Visit www.meadowsptm.org and click on “Odyssey of the Mind” under the “Madison Store” link.
Osborn Elementary School District
Osborn offers Girls Who Code, other programs
Students enrolled in the Dual Language program at Osborn School District continue to score high on the AAPPL (ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages) Spanish Competency test.
Students in grades 6–8 enrolled in Osborn Dual Language demonstrated proficiency in all four domains (e.g., listening, reading, writing and speaking) in the Spring of 2021. Eighty-one percent of students scored proficient and received high school credit. This credit counted toward graduation requirements as an elective credit, as well as counting towards in-state University Entrance Requirements for Foreign Language. Results from Spring 2022 testing will be available this summer.
In addition to its dual language program, the district will soon offer coding through their partnership with Girls Who Code. The program will be available for any third- through eighth-grade girls and non-binary students. Girls Who Code offers a safe and supportive environment for girls to learn coding skills and to see themselves as computer scientists.
The other after school coding program will be open to kinder- eighth-grade students, where students will learn and explore different coding languages for their grade level in an engaging environment, while also learning and reinforcing good digital citizenship skills.
These and other coding and computer science offerings will be in classrooms in the very near future. To learn more, contact the district office at 602-707-2000 or visit www.osbornnet.org.
Phoenix Union High School District
Madi Gallagher
Gallagher appointed to Air Force Academy
North High School JROTC Cadet Battalion Commander Madison “Madi” Gallagher recently received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy for the graduating Class of 2026.
Madi is a four-year North High School JROTC Cadet, captain of the North High School girls volleyball team, where she was selected to the All Phoenix and All-State Teams, and the senior class vice president.
Private and Charter Schools
SeaPerch team named ‘Most Valuable’
Madison Highland Prep’s SeaPerch Team was named “Most Valuable SeaPerch” at its first competitive outing April 8 and 9 in San Diego.
The team, which was led by Rene Rios and included Gavin Hughes, James Lockwood, David Melendez and Ruben Valenzuela, submitted a technical design report and competed in an obstacle course in which their underwater robot was guided through a series of hoops by a three-person team and completed a skills challenge in which they showed what their robot could do.
Despite some early trouble, the team persevered and never gave up, which earned the team the title of “Most Valuable SeaPercher,” the first ever award of its kind granted by SeaPerch San Diego.
Brophy Spring 2022 Distinguished Students
Sixteen seniors recognized as ‘distinguished’
Twice a year, in the fall and in the spring, Brophy honors 16 seniors who have emerged as leaders in the classroom, in co-curricular activities and as representatives of the Jesuit-educated grad at graduation: intellectually competent, open to growth, religious, loving and committed to doing justice.
On April 7, Brophy hosted a ceremony to recognize these seniors as Spring 2022 Distinguished Students.
Those recognized include Patrick Thomas Chew, Carlos Xavier Dominguez, Dashiell Ramsey-Thomas Gardner, Zander Ali Guevara, Nicolas Michael Hahne, Christopher Espinoza Hernandez, Ryan Jeffrey Holmes, Andrew Raphail Jajou, Ryan Matthew Lin, George Michael Mansour IV, Lochlan Pierce Marquis, William Bennett Mills, Benjamin James Morrison, Neil M. Patel, Ryne Michael Prochniewski and Henry Lahr Roth.
GrandPaws Pantry
Xavier sophomore expands GrandPaws Pantry
Sonya Colattur knew she wanted to help people from a young age, taking inspiration from her grandmother living in an assisted living facility.
During the pandemic, seniors were even more isolated and needed the emotional support that their pets provided. In fact, many seniors were unable to leave their facility to purchase food and supplies for their companion pets.
Seeing this need, Sonya expanded the services of her existing charity, GrandPaws Pantry. Every month since the pandemic started, Sonya has shopped for monthly dog and cat food supplies for seniors with companion pets living in independent living or assisted living facilities in the Phoenix area.
Many seniors are on fixed incomes and cannot afford the food and supplies. Sonya raised funds and successfully applied for three grants. In addition, she has partnered with AZ PetVet and other Phoenix businesses to provide food and supplies to more than 50 seniors each month.
Sonya’s family was instrumental in encouraging her — they have always been involved in charities. Sonya did the research, and her mother helped her with the paperwork to create GrandPaws Pantry. She launched it when she was 11 years old.
Now a sophomore, Sonya says, “The best part of GrandPaws Pantry is how big of a service it is. One woman told me that she had $19 a month to live on after her expenses. If it wasn’t for GrandPaws Pantry, she would have to give up her pet.”
Sonya is always looking for more Xavier friends to help and join her Youth Ambassador Program, and, of course, additional donations to help more people.
To learn more about her charity, visit www.grandpawspantry.org.
Kayla Cruz (left) and Santana Vasquez, both seventh-grade students, are pictured standing by their booth at the Arrupe Marketplace (photo courtesy of St. Francis Xavier school).
Students pay it forward with Arrupe Project
The Arrupe Project at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Jesuit School, now in its 12th year, has helped hundreds of students discern and help support causes that are most meaningful to them.
The Arrupe Project is a seventh and eighth-grade interdisciplinary service-learning unit named after former Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. who said that “our prime educational objective must be to form men and women for others.”
The goal of the Arrupe Project is to empower students to personally respond to social injustice by partnering with a local organization that serves those in need. Through this relationship, they spread awareness about the organization and cause, get others involved, and raise funds to purchase necessary items.
This year the students supported Catholic Charities and they raised $49,652. On Tuesday, March 22, the school held a campus donation drop off event. Since 2011, when the Arrupe Project began, SFX students have raised $408,525 for more than 80 local organizations.
For more information, visit http://school.sfxphx.org.
