scottsdale september 2013

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Galveston elementaryAll-Star Kids of the Month

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SMoCA InSpIre exhibitInterview with Associate Curator of Education, Laura Hales • By Kaci Demarest, Senior at SunnyslopeHow long has it taken to plan this exhibit? I have been working on this exhibition since last January, but I had the idea for it about a year ago. How were the schools/ teachers selected? I asked the Fine Arts Directors from each district to choose one teacher who would represent their district. This was asking a lot, as these districts all have many, many schools and as many wonderful art teachers. Each district had their own way of choosing the teacher. The teachers featured in this exhibition are great representatives of excellence in the field of art education; however the idea of the exhibition is to shine a spotlight on the many wonderful art educators we have in the Valley and the importance of art education in the schools.

What are some of the highlights at the exhibit? The exhibition has a wide range of work from Valley students in elementary through high school. I think it’s fun to see many excellent works of art created by students in so many different age groups in one gallery. In so many student shows, the art teacher receives little credit for the success of the student. We want to pay tribute to the good work art educators do, and the positive effect they have on student outcomes.

What does the Young@art gallery focus on? The young@art gallery is a dedicated exhibition space for student artwork. Each show is designed around a specific concept. Past exhibitions include a show about using technology to create art; an international exhibition about urban planning and architecture; and a show that centered on ideas about taking care of the earth. All exhibitions are installed professionally. It is amazing what a difference it makes to view the art in a professional gallery space.

What style of work is being featured? Many different styles from many age groups. You can sense the teachers’ styles of teaching by looking at their students’ works. One teacher incorporates lot of art history in her class, and the work reflects this. Another teacher centers his curriculum around Core Standards (new standards in the classroom that focus on science, technology, English and math), and his students’ works reflects this style of teaching.

How long have the teachers who are being highlighted been teaching art for? Cira Riccio (Scottsdale): 7 yrs.; Jasen Evoy (Tempe): 15 yrs.; Julie Peters (Phoenix): 15 yrs.; Nancy Shultz (Paradise valley): 31 yrs., Shelley Richardson (Mesa): 27 yrs. That’s a combined total of 95 years teaching experience!

How long will the exhibit be open? This exhibition will be open from September 27 – January 5.

What will take place at the opening reception? There will likely be teachers, student artists and their families, and school administrative staff present, as well as others who enjoy the young@art gallery shows. It will be a way for the teachers to gain exposure and for the student artists to share their talents with the larger community. The teachers will talk a little about the rewards of their jobs, and I’m hoping there will be some student artists there who can say a few words as well. There will be refreshments, and it’s a nice time to learn more about art classes around the Valley.

Cira riCCioArcadia High School,

ScottsdaleStudio Art, Four levels of

Drawing and Painting, AP Studio Art

Jasen evoYMarcos de Niza

High School, Tempe; Ceramics and AP Art History

Jasmine Warner Student of Jasen

Evoy, Marcos de Niza High School, Tempe;

Signature Cube, 2012. High fire stoneware.

sHelleY riCHardsonMesa Elementary Schools:

Edison, Hawthorne, Jefferson, Macarthur and

Sirrine Elementary4-6 grade Art

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inthezona.com

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ContaCt us: (602) 795-3140; inthezona.com

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by: Tim Kelley, Assistant Professor of EntrepreneurshipKen Blanchard College of Business, Grand Canyon University

educator Corner

Whether it’s for fun or to earn some spare change, it’s never too early for a young person to start a business. All it takes is an

entrepreneurial spirit, a solid work ethic and a smart idea. This is evidenced by the thousands of young people who have built successful companies selling T-shirt designs, cleaning pools, building websites and developing apps – all while still in their teens and 20s. And as technology evolves, entrepreneurial opportunities increase exponentially. Today’s high school students can lay claim to something no other generation can – being born in the Internet age. When it comes to embarking on new business ventures, their technological skills can give them a significant advantage, especially in areas, including:

Tech Support: Older adults are using the web more than ever before, but they may not know how to handle problems with connectivity, networking, or computer software and hardware. For teens who navigate such challenges with ease, offering tech support in the community can prove to be a lucrative endeavor.

Web Design: According to a report by Pingdom, as of December, there were more than 634 million websites in the world, 51 million of which were added in 2012 alone. That number is expected to continue its upward trajectory in 2013. Clearly, there is a need for people with web design skills, ranging from simple WordPress template usage or complex coding, to meet the growing demand for quality websites.

Social Media: This generation has completely transformed the way people connect with friends and family – not to mention how businesses compete. While social media is simply a way of life for most high school students, older generations are struggling to keep up. Incredible opportunities exist for today’s teens to offer their social media know-how to help companies connect with their target markets.

App Development: The U.S. is app hungry! According to Nielsen, in the past 12 months, the average number of apps per smartphone has risen to 41 from 32, representing a 28 percent increase. It’s never been easier to develop an app or game. In fact, many software programs provide templates for iOS, Android and other platforms, and even help with its initial launch. The next million-dollar idea is out there!

If teens believe their business idea has real, longer-term potential, they should connect with experts in the particular field or even entrepreneur departments at a local university or college. They can offer insights on business development and advice to leverage the Internet to raise capital to get their company off the ground through crowdfunding. Sites like Kickstarter, Crowdfunder and appbackr earn funding from individual backers and angel investors. Today’s marketplace is rife with opportunities for young entrepreneurs. We see it every day at Grand Canyon University. All it takes is one bud of an idea to bloom into a lucrative opportunity, coupled with the dedication and courage to take the leap to discover a world of business possibilities, regardless of age.

teens’ tech Savviness Fuels entrepreneurial opportunities


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rogelio Huitron • viCe President • 6tH grade

How did you feel when you heard your name as the winner?I felt so emotional when I heard that I was Vice President. I was so happy because I have never been picked for anything before. I was so excited!

What are you looking forward to most about being in student council this year?I am looking forward to showing my school spirit and dressing up during spirit week. I am also looking forward to making the school better by getting other students’ ideas.

What are some things that you are going to do for your school while in office?I am going to listen to my classmate’s ideas, be creative, have fun, and be the best that I can be.

melissa delasquez • seCretarY • 5tH grade

How did you feel when you heard your name as the winner?I jumped up and screamed, “AHHH!” I have been waiting for this moment, even if I didn’t win. But I did! I couldn’t believe it. Even my classmates started to scream for me.

What are you looking forward to most about being in student council this year?

I am looking forward to being the best secretary that Galveston student council has ever had. I will attend all the

meetings and help everyone with their ideas. I will participate 100%.

What are some things that you are gong to do for your school while in office?Well, I can’t promise anything fancy and popular, but I can say that I will bring all the ideas of my classmates to the meetings. I will try to do the best in helping all the students and will be the best Secretary ever!

miranda Fimbres • President • 6tH grade

How did you feel when you heard your name as the winner? When I heard that I was the winner I was ecstatic! I couldn’t believe it. I though that another candidate was going to win for sure, but I guess all of the time and effort I put in really paid off. I did feel bad for my two opponents though. They worked really hard as well.

What are you looking forward to most about being in student council this year?What I look forward to most about Student Council this year is to lead all council members and together plan great events and help encourage school spirit throughout the year. I would also like to organize fundraisers to help raise money for our school. I know that this year will be the best!

What are some things that you are gong to do for your school while in office? My priorities this year while I am president will be to encourage box tops, recycling throughout the school grounds, and that everyone participates in school spirit. I will also listen to all ideas inside and outside of student council to help promote a happy and safe school environment. Most importantly, I will try my hardest to be the best role model for Galveston!

Zona’s All-Star Kids of the Month is Sponsored by:

Galveston Elementary Student Council Winners

Share Their Upcoming Goals


To submit a recipe, email us at [email protected]

RECIPE

ingredients:• 1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust

• 1 can (18 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ fire roasted tomato cooking sauce

• 1 ball (8 oz) fresh mozzarella, drained well, diced (1 cup)

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

garnisHes, iF desired:• Sliced plum (Roma) tomatoes

• Crushed red pepper flakes

direCtions:Heat oven to 425°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll pizza dough on cookie sheet; press into 15x12-inch rectangle. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown.

Spread 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the cooking sauce evenly over partially baked crust (using more sauce will make crust soggy). Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Meanwhile, heat remaining sauce until hot.

If desired, arrange tomato slices on pizza; sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Top with basil. Serve with sauce as a dipping sauce.

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tesseraCt Celebrates 25 Years!

As Tesseract School begins to sow the seeds for another

great academic year, there is extra excitement in the air as we embrace our twenty-fifth anniversary with a lot to celebrate. The Tesseract community is blooming. For the ninth consecutive year, our opening enrollment is higher than the previous year and our student retention rate is the highest in seven years.

This growth and success is testament to the outstanding program that Tesseract offers. Having been true to its mission for the past twenty-five years, Tesseract is an anomaly in the Arizona educational market. Tesseract offers an academically rigorous program in all of its primary classes and is on the forefront of education for math, science, language arts, humanities and second language. Keeping its classes small and teacher to student ratios low, Tesseract has the unique advantage of allowing students the ability to be engaged in the educational process. Tesseract is student centered and brings learning to life in the classroom, ensuring that the curriculum is meaningful to the children and grows out of their interest and current knowledge base. The students therefore gain a deeper, broader knowledge of the material and learn to be collaborative, critical thinkers, who can fully understand any content and acquire the unique skill of being able to synthesize and apply the knowledge that they learn.

Focusing on teaching to the whole child, where a well-rounded education is core, Tesseract is expanding its arts and music program instead of cutting it. In the lower school, each grade puts on a performance, studies visual and performing arts, music and participates in physical education as part of the curriculum. In the middle school visual arts, instrumental ensemble and chorus are integrated into the curriculum and once a year the entire middle school put on a large-scale spring musical production under the direction of Terri Scullin. The middle and upper school music educators were awarded innovative teacher grants to expand their Instrumental Music Ensemble Programs this year. All art classes are integrated with the grade curriculum courses. Students’ focus on subject, composition and content, with the tools and foundation skills to be developed and explored as they grow.

We at Tesseract see integrating the arts as merely the core of a well-rounded education. Our true differential is integrating this core with technology, global education and service learning. We masterfully weave the use of technology into each and every element of our core classes. Our students travel each year to a different location in sync with their core curriculum so as to experience first hand what they have learnt in the classroom. We integrate service learning into the students’ learning experience by participating in various community outreach days so students learn to give back and gain awareness of being part of a global community. We are constantly viewing education through a twenty first century lens and striving to prepare our students for their future.

At a grass roots level, Tesseract’s commitment to teaching to the whole child was evident over the summer, as our lower school invested in a brand new fully equipped art room and we enhanced our commitment to our technology integration program by investing in a 1 to 1 iPad program for the entire middle school in line with our already existing 1 to 1 iPad and laptop program in the upper school.

Other facility expansions were made to accommodate our substantial growth,

including a brand new kindergarten and first grade wing and a new preschool classroom. In the middle and upper school, where space is a premium, we creatively added two additional classroom spaces until such time as enough funds have been raised to break ground on our new middle school building.

Research continues to support the fact that integrating arts, music and physical education into curriculum has enormous impact on academic success. According to the Washington Post in an article entitled: “Top 10 skills children learn

from the arts”: “…they serve as a reminder that the arts — while important to study for their intrinsic value — also promote skills seen as important in academic and life success. (That’s why some people talk about changing the current national emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics.) …”

Tesseract has blossomed over the past twenty-five years, having built a unique independent school from early childhood (ages 2) to twelfth grade. We embrace the next twenty-five years and look forward to sprouting the same passion for exciting our students about learning and educating them for their future.

inthezona.com

Arizona Language Preparatory was founded by parents who wanted to continue to give their children

the gift of languages after attending BeiBei Amigos Language Preschool. The school teaches the Arizona Common Core Standards through full immersion in Spanish, Mandarin and English. Students are not taught the languages, but are taught the curriculum through the languages; therefore they develop language proficiency in all content areas, math, social studies, language arts, science, technology, art and music.

Parent intervieW WitH ann-marie CHamPion a teaCHer at HillCrest middle sCHoolWhy did you choose a tri-immersion program for your child? I am a public school teacher and this program isn’t offered in the public schools. Also, I first enrolled my daughter at BeiBei Amigos Language Preschool, ALP’s sister school, at two and a half, and I wanted her to continue to learn both Spanish and Mandarin.

Why spanish and mandarin? I wanted Spanish because we live in the Southwest and I have a niece in the military intelligence program and they have her learning Mandarin. I believe that if my child speaks the three most spoken languages in the

world she is going to have an opportunity to have any job that she wants.

do you speak any of those languages?I speak a little Spanish, but I am learning more of both languages. Spanish has been easier.

now that your daughter is in first grade what linguistic advantages have you seen?I think now that she is learning Spanish it is helping her to learn to read in English. She has other cognitive advantages in critical thinking skills, creativity, and cultural competence. I am so happy with the program.

student intervieW WitH amelia CHamPionHow long have you been learning

spanish and mandarin? I have been learning Spanish and Mandarin since preschool.

Which is your favorite language? Spanish, because I like the sounds of Spanish.

Which language is hardest to learn?Chinese is the hardest to learn, the characters have to be memorized. I like to write in Chinese.

arizona lanGuaGe preparatory tri-immersion lanGuaGe proGram

q. What grade are you in? What school do you go to?a. I’m going into 5th grade and I go to Stetson Hills.

q. How long have you been going to az sunrays?a. I’ve been going to Sunrays for seven and a half years. My mom also was a competitive gymnast at Sunrays when she was a kid, and my grandma is an office manager at Sunrays, she’s worked there for 22yrs. q. do you compete? if so, at what level do you compete? What is your favorite event?a. Yes, I do compete. I compete at level 4 and my favorite event is floor.

q. do you aspire to go to the olympics one day? Who was your favorite girl olympian last year?a. I definitely want to go to the Olympics one day! My favorite Olympian is Jordan Wieber.

q. What do you think makes a great gymnast?a. To be a great gymnast, you have to really love what you’re doing and work hard at it.

q. What do you aspire to be when you grow up? How is going to az sunrays going to help you with that?a. I want to be a gymnastics coach and hairstylist like my mom. AZ Sunrays will help me because my coaches teach me to work hard for what I want.

q. tell me about one of your coaches? is he/she hard on you? What makes a good coach in your eyes?a. Melissa Gomez is one of my coaches and she works us hard so that we can be the best we can be. She’s also really nice and caring.

q. did you do or are you going to do anything really fun this summer? a. I did compete this summer in a swim team and did very well, and we are going to the beach. I’m going to take my first surfing lesson!

Arizona Sunrays’

september 2013 • 9


BABY’SNIGHTOUT

A Chance For New Moms & Dadsto Bring the Baby to the Movies

THEY Want to See!

Crying, Feeding &Diaper Changing Expected!

EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT AT 7PMScottsdale Pavilions & Ak-Chin Cinemas

For this week’s feature information visit:www.UltraStarMovies.com

www.thewholefamilycoaching.com

480-420-9551

Does life with your teen feel like this?

I can help you enjoy more of this.

The Survival Kit for Parents of Preteens and Teens™

Discover 4 critical parenting skills that give you less stress, easier communications, more understanding. We all want that!

Mention “In The Zona” and receive a one time 20% discount!

frEE BABy SPLASH SWIM CLASSES • onGoInGHubbard Family Swim School’s Riverview location offers FREE “baby splash” swim classes every day of the week except Sundays & Mondays for babies 8 weeks to 5 months of age. These 30-minute water acclimation classes give parents or caregivers a chance to learn excellent tips on how to enjoy tub time at home with baby and also learn how to prepare baby for swim lessons. Babies love it! Advanced registration is required. 1061 N. Dobson Road, Suite 101, Mesa. (602) 971-4044 or www.hubbardswim.com

SUnDAy MornInG TUMBLE TIME • SEP. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29Children ages 1 – 12 are invited to The Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics Center on Sundays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. to enjoy “open gym tumble time” in which kids are allowed to play on various pieces of gymnastics equipment and in foam pits, jump up and down on trampolines, and enjoy unstructured exercise, play time and fun. Cost is $5 per child (cash) or $8 per child (debit/credit.) Adult supervision is required for children under 6 years. Open to members and non-members. Please call ahead to confirm. Tumble Times are subject to cancellations. 3110 E. Thunderbird Road, Phoenix. (602) 992-5790 or www.arizonasunrays.com

HAnDS-on SCIEnCE CLASSES • SEP. 5, 12, 19, 26If you have a child who is fascinated by science and loves doing science experiments, The Doll House & Toy Store offers weekly science classes taught by the professional nanny agency, A Caring Nanny, on Thursdays starting at 4 p.m. Cost is just $2 per class. See website for class schedule: Advance registration is suggested. 16447 N. Scottsdale Road, D115, Scottsdale. (480) 948-4630 or www.azdollhouse.com

To submit an upcoming event, email us at [email protected]

frIDAy nIGHT CHArACTEr DInnEr AT THE PLAy fACTory • SEP. 6Calling all little girls! The Play Factory at Desert Ridge Marketplace will host an exciting Friday Night Character Dinner with your favorite Kitty character from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. Come and say “Hello” to this Kitty! Girls are invited to come dressed in their favorite Kitty t-shirts or dresses. Don’t forget to bring your camera for a great photo op! The dinner will include pizza and drinks for the whole family. Cost is $35 per family. Advanced registration is required. 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. (480) 473-7529 or www.playfactoryparty.com

GrAnDPArEnTS DAy fUn AT KIDSPArK • SEP. 8Calling all grandmas and grandpas! KidsPark flexible, hourly childcare center will host their very own Grandparent’s Day celebration from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in honor of “National Grandparents Day.” Children are invited to bring in their grandparents so they can do a fun arts & crafts activity together, play a special game, and then enjoy a yummy snack. FREE admission for children when Grandma or Grandpa stays with them. 4848 E. Cactus Road, #220, Scottsdale. (602) 788-2445 or www.kidspark.com

GETHSEMAnE LUTHErAn SCHooL CArnIvAL • SEP. 27, 6:00PM–8:30PM$5.00 per person or $15.00 for the family. Lots of amazing games, prizes, box maze, bounce houses, food, face painting, and the best magician in town! Please come and show your support for our school and have a wonderful time as a family! All ages of children and adults young at heart are welcome to come and enjoy our fun! 1035 E. Guadalupe Road Tempe, AZ 85283

FaMILy actIVItIeSUpcoming Family Events Around the Valley


Freedom Academy’s

tell us how you became a baton twirler? When I was seven, my parents who are golf instructors, would take me to golf class with them. I liked to twirl my golf club through my fingers more than I liked to hit golf balls! My parents bought me a baton, found me a coach, and I started taking weekly lessons.

Can you tell us all of the awards you have won in your short time as a baton twirler? I have been twirling for 5 years and competing in Solo baton, 2-baton, 3-baton, Show Twirl and Rhythmic Twirl. Since I started, I have won 11 NBTA All-West Regional titles, 12 NBTA National titles, placed 3rd in the world (Bronze Medalist) at the NBTA Baton Twirling World Championships in Switzerland, and I was named Grand Canyon State Games “Male Athlete of the Year” in 2011.

What do you think is the hardest thing that you have had to learn? “Rolling” the baton on your body (on elbows, arms, and the neck) is the hardest thing to learn in twirling. Tossing the baton up and catching it was always easy for me, but learning to skillfully “roll” the baton took a lot of practice and patience.

tell us a little bit about your coach? How many hours a week are you training with him/her?I have a team of four amazing coaches who live in Arizona, California, and Virginia. I do a lot of training through weekly “skype” lessons and we use video to learn new tricks and review routines. Sometimes I travel to California to work with my two coaches who live there, or they travel here.

do you find it hard at times to juggle your training hours and keep up your schoolwork? Yes, it is hard because I practice three to four hours of twirling every day (two of those hours are at the gym). Weekends are

either spent practicing, competing, or working with my coaches. Because I am very organized and manage my time well, I am a straight “A” student at Freedom Academy.

What do you think was your best performance so far? Why was it so great?At the 2011 NBTA National Competition, my 2-baton performance qualified me to represent my country at the 2012 World Championships. Even though I was only in the 9 year old age category, I had to twirl against boys as old as 16 to earn this World spot. I was the youngest boy from the United States to qualify, and the only twirler- boy or girl, from the state of Arizona who had ever qualified for a NBTA World Championship!

What was your favorite place to travel for a competition?Travelling to Switzerland for the World Championships was an amazing

experience that I will never forget. I got to fly in airplanes, ride in trains, taxis and buses. The scenery was beautiful and the people spoke French and German. It felt a lot like I was competing at

the Olympics because throughout the week we had Opening and Closing Ceremonies

and there were 15 countries participating! do you have a lucky baton? do you

have any superstitions that you do before an event?

I don’t really have a lucky baton, but I do always take a minute to “get in the zone” before I go out onto the floor

to compete.

When you are not practicing, what do you do for fun?

I really like to play basketball, and I am interested in mixing and recording

electronic music.

do you have any shout-outs or anything else you would like our

readers to know?I would like them to know that I also

twirl fire batons and someday I hope to twirl fire in a Cirque du Soleil Show. If you would like to see me in action, check out codythetwirler.com


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To submit a gardening tip, email us at [email protected]

TIPS & TRICKS

September is here, and it is finally time to plant vegetables! Kids love to

help, especially if it involves getting dirty, and they may just be more willing to eat their veggies if they get to grow some themselves! Here’s a step-by-step guide to your fall garden:

1. First, create your garden space. Here are a few ideas:

Raised bed garden – build a simple frame of 2x6 or 2x8 lumber, then set it into the ground so that you have several inches above ground to fill with quality garden soil. Follow square foot gardening principles to utilize every inch of these beds.

Build or buy elevated garden boxes or planters for a more portable garden. Fill these with garden soil. For a tutorial on how to build an elevated garden box cheaply and with few tools see http://www.cacheliving.com/2013_02_01_archive.html. Get creative with garden boxes. I even designed one on wheels so I could roll it around my concrete patio in search of sun or shade.

Pots and containers are wonderful too! Choose containers that are deep enough for roots and large enough for the mature plant. Make sure your container has drainage. Fill containers with potting soil, and be prepared to water daily.

If you are feeling particularly ambitious, look on pinterest or other websites for creative garden ideas. I have seen gardens made from wooden pallets, rain gutters, over-the-door shoe organizers, and more!

2. Next, decide what you want to grow. Starting in mid-September, you can plant beans, carrots, peas, cucumbers, turnips, radishes, beets, greens and more! See http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/regions13.html#1-3 for more ideas. Plant your seeds, then water deeply and daily until they sprout. Check with your finger to make sure the water has soaked down a few inches. You’ll need to do more than just mist the top of the dirt!

3. Begin fertilizing about 2-3 weeks after your seedlings emerge. This is especially critical if you are using elevated boxes or pots. Nutrients wash out through the drainage holes and must be replaced. I have always had good results with MiracleGro plant food, but there are many other choices, including some organic solutions.

4. Enjoy produce from your own garden as soon as a few weeks after planting! Some things, like greens, will continue producing all winter in our climate!

Submitted by Cara ricks, cacheliving.com


Q. How can I start the semester strong, and avoid the pitfalls of

procrastination and time slipping away, so I don’t fall behind?

A. Wow…that’s a great question, and wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple

answer. School, especially your first semester at college, can be overwhelming at the beginning. You’re learning where everything is, meeting new teachers and learning they’re expectations, tackling new subjects and, for most of you, working a full- or part-time job.

I asked around and got some great input from people at SCC who know a thing or two about this stuff – like the Dean of Student Affairs – and I’ve come up with the Top 5 things you can do to start the semester strong.

1. Go to class – All of them!!

2. Keep up with reading assignments – don’t wait until the last minute to get your work done

3. Use the Writing Center and other tutoring before you start to struggle

4. Meet with an Advisor to make an Education Plan in September

5. If you are Undecided - start exploring career options right away. Talk to a Counselor or Advisor about how to get started

There aren’t any surprises there, right? Well maybe a couple – sometimes people don’t know how much student support there is at SCC. There are people on campus, from faculty to staff to fellow students, who REALLY want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

The other thing to remember is that college is going to take hard work…yep, take it from me, Artie the Artichoke, it’s not easy, but it sure is worth it.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you, so remember to send your questions to: [email protected]

Homeowner HelperS

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Each month, ZONA is bringing you a family service! We know them and trust them and we want to pass their great service to you.

This month, we are proud to present Mears Mechanical. Mears Mechanical has been proudly serving Metro Phoenix since 2007. Specializing in both residential and commercial air conditioning maintenance, repair and installation. Whether you are located in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa or elsewhere in the Valley, we are here to assist you with your air conditioning needs.

Send us your favorite family service and a testimonial of why: [email protected]


Benchmark Garden ClubAt Benchmark Elementary school in Phoenix children learn many things aside from the

regular curriculum. Along with a good amount of After School Clubs, one in particular that stands out is the Garden Club. Garden Club is for kids of all ages and runs for

an hour and a half after school lets out. The children gather in the back side of the school where there is a large area equipped with raised garden beds, an amphitheater (which many of the grade levels use as well), a functioning pond with special little fish, an orchard area in the front of the school, and a special herb garden planter that runs across a long block wall of the neighboring houses. Benchmark’s Garden Club started back around 2005. Some volunteer parents worked in the garden, getting many of the trees, which are standing/producing today, established. The principles of Benchmark had a dream that the kids would be able to work in an outdoor area and learn how to grow things. Their dreams became a reality and it has been going strong since. Although several different parents have taken the reins since then, the garden still thrives and the children love it and remember it! Garden Club meets once a week, often times we will have an all school call to have everyone come help with weeding, tilling and planting. The children have fun doing a craft, relaxing, gardening and just being outside.

SoME of THE THInGS WE GroW ArE:grapes, apricots, peaches, pears, apple, fig, citrus, herbs, artichokes, celery, cucumber, zucchini, strawberries, lettuce, squash, beets, and broccoli. We are continually trying to get enough yields to sustain some of the animals in our live science lab.

Football Season is Here!Submit a photo of you and your family in your FAvorite FootbAll teAm geAr and we will publish it in next month’s ZONA!

Please make sure your photo is a high resolution .jpg file and submit to [email protected]

by September 20th.


Register using the code ZONAT to get a free “in training” shirt prior to the event.

RACE SOMAWHERE FAST IS FUNCOMPETE AS A THREE-PERSON RELAY TEAM OR INDIVIDUALLY

Be a part of our 10th Anniversary CelebrationLife Time Tri Soma is the half-Ironman-distance tri that you don’t want to miss! After a decade of autumn racing fun and tradition, Life Time Tri Soma is an annual must-do for many athletes. We want to make it your’s too. Grab your friends and bring the whole family. There are fun activities for everyone throughout race day, including kids’ arts and crafts – and a bounce house! Come out and race in the same location as Ironman AZ. Don’t miss it! Register now at AZTriSeries.com.

20OCTOBER

Register today atAZTriSeries.com

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Supporting students of all abilities

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The college of you.An EEO/AA institution.

www.scottsdalecc.edu | 480.423.60009000 East Chaparral Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85256

ScottSdale community college A great place to begin your college experience.

Spring registration

starts OctOber 7, 2013Scan QR code with your smartphone to get started or visit our website.