School Notes are published as space permits. The View runs these items free of charge as a service to the community and puts as many into each newspaper as possible. If you have a notice that must run by a certain date, please contact our advertising department at 623-535-8439.
Caleb Deen wins scholarship
Caleb Deen, a graduate of Westview High School in Avondale, has won the 2016 Elks Nation Fund Most Valuable Student Scholarship contest. He was one of five winners who was presented a $200 check for his essay, in addition to a $1,570 check for winning the state competition.
He is attending the University of Southern California, majoring in journalism.
This school note is being republished to correct the spelling of the graduate’s last name.
Annalecia Caires makes dean’s list
Annalecia Caires of Goodyear made the spring semester academic dean’s list at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif. To make the dean’s list, students must have a 3.5 or better grade point average.
Mallory Tower named to dean’s list
Mallory Tower of Goodyear has been named to the dean’s list for the 2015-16 academic year at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo. To be named to the dean’s list, students must have a GPA of 3.75-4.0 in any two terms of the year.
Michila Elkins wins $1,000
Michila Elkins, a student at Millennium High School in Goodyear, has won $1,000 for being one of four regional finalists in the Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge.
Her video, titled Rewind, was chosen as the winner for the West region by a panel of judges from Toyota and Discovery Education.
The challenge focuses on teens creating videos to raise safe driving awareness among other teens and drivers.
W.V. school collects stuffed animals
The West Valley Christian School in Goodyear collected a large number of stuffed animals and gave them to Stepping Stones of Hope for the organization’s Stuffed with Love stuffed animal drive.
Stepping Stones of Hope is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting grieving children who have experienced the death of a loved one.
8th-graders take trip to Stanford
The Pendergast School District recently sent 21 eighth-graders to Stanford University as part of the district’s College Bound program. The program focuses on educating students on college and universities, including the acquisition of scholarships and other financial aid.
The students hosted fundraisers throughout the school year and several sponsors helped with the costs of the trip.
West Valley students placed on president’s list
Timothy Bland of Goodyear and Nicole Walton of Avondale have been placed on the 2016 President’s List for the School of Professional Studies at Trine University in Angola, Ind. To be named to the president’s list, students must maintain at least 12 credit hours and have a minimum 3.75 GPA.
Nicole Hardenbrook receives degree
Nicole Hardenbrook of Buckeye received a Bachelor of Arts in communications during a commencement ceremony held in May from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.
Alexia Peterson graduates
Alexia Peterson of Goodyear has graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo.
Dawnysia Seymore graduates
Dawnysia Seymore of Avondale has graduated with a Bachelor of Science in human sciences from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Tyler Boxwell named to dean’s list
Tyler Boxwell of Litchfield Park has been named to the spring deans’ list at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must be enrolled in 12 or more semester hours and maintain a GPA of 3.5.
TVHS students earn full-tuition scholarships
The following Tonopah Valley High School students have earned the Lumberjack Full Tuition Scholarship from Northern Arizona University:
Michelle Bueno, Virginia Cavillo, Michael Carter, James Fogel, Marissa Geraci, Jackie Gunn, Riley Harshbarger, Felecia Hildebran, Jack Hines, Jazmyne Holwegner, Zackiel Marsh, Luis Raya, Devon Strawn, Anthony Visoso, Katelynn White and Rebecca Wruck.
Melissa Hankins receives Cornetet award
Melissa Hankins of Goodyear has received the Lucile Cornetet Individual Professional Development Award from the Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation. The award enabled the fourth-grade Western Valley Elementary School teacher to attend the Differentiated Instruction National Conference July 18-22 in Las Vegas.
The Foundation awards approximately $60,000 annually to outstanding educators to enable them to attend professional activities in their respective fields.
Rachel Renaud named to dean’s list
Rachel Renaud of Avondale has been named to the spring 2016 honors dean’s list at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.
To be named to the honors list, a student must have a GPA of 3.6 to 3.79.
Charles Rocker graduates
Charles Rocker of Goodyear has graduated from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. He received a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology-exercise science concentration history.
Kaitlin Marie Reeves named to dean’s list
Kaitlin Marie Reeves of Buckeye has been named to Iowa State University’s spring 2016 dean’s list in Ames, Iowa.
To be named to the dean’s list, a student must have earned a GPA of at least 3.5 with 12 credit hours.
Connor Joseph Moore named to honor roll
Connor Joseph Moore of Goodyear has been named to the spring 2016 honor roll at the University of Oklahoma Norman campus in Norman, Okla.
To be placed on the honor roll, a student must have a minimum 3.5 GPA with at least 12 credit hours.
Thai Quang Ong graduates
Thai Quang Ong of Avondale has graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.
Breanna Schukar inducted into honor society
Breanna Schukar of Avondale has been inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda nontraditional honor society. Schukar is a senior studying nutrition and health at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.
5 West Valley students receive scholarships
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix has awarded scholarships to five West Valley students; Yolotzin Avila-Cruz of Avondale, Dalia Cardenas Garcia of Avondale, Dallas Chewning of Litchfield Park, Mayra Hernandez of Buckeye, Jennifer Owusu-Ankomah of Avondale and Alias Sturges of Goodyear. The scholarships range from $1,500 to $2,500 each.
Damin Kippes named to honor roll
Damin Kippes of Buckeye has been named to the President’s Honor Roll with a 4.0 GPA for the spring 2016 semester at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, N.D.
Hai Duc Dang graduates
Hai Duc Dang of Avondale has graduated from Fort Hays State University Hays, Kan., with a Master of Science in psychology.
Great Hearts receives $50K APS grant
Great Hearts received a $50,000 grant from the APS Foundation to support its two-year pilot program to deliver top-tier math education in collaboration with Reasoning Mind.
Reasoning Mind is a national nonprofit that offers the Russian Mathematics curriculum together with a thorough and intentional method of instruction. The partnership between Great Hearts and Reasoning Mind features a master mathematics teacher as the center of instruction. The teacher is supported by a technology platform that allows students to work through problems at a level that challenges them and enables the teacher to work with small groups to provide targeted instruction.
Great Hearts has two campuses in Goodyear, Archway Classical Academy – Trivium East for kindergarten through fifth-graders and Trivium Preparatory Academy for six- through 12th-graders.
First Things First honors Litchfield educators
The First Things First Southwest Maricopa region recently recognized a team of education leaders from the Litchfield Elementary School District as its 2016 First Things First regional Champions for Young Children.
Kacey Baer, Pete Kovats and Jodi Gunning attended the First Things First Early Childhood Summit Aug. 22-23 at the Phoenix Convention Center. They participated in a panel discussion on how they built an early childhood program, what worked and what didn’t.
The award is given to educators who actively volunteer their time to raise public awareness of the importance of early childhood development and health. They spend a significant amount of time volunteering with First Things First and building public awareness about the importance of early childhood issues.
The First Things First Regional Partnership Council honored the three educators because of their collaborative efforts to build new programs and tools into the process of getting local children ready for kindergarten.
Kovats is the district’s community education coordinator; Baer is the district’s early childhood instructional coach; and Gunning is the district’s coordinator of Title I and community resources.
First Things First is a voter-created, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to help children be successful once they enter kindergarten. Decisions about how those funds are spent are made by local councils staffed by community volunteers. To learn more, visit FirstThingsFirst.org.
W.V. Catholic schools receive donations
Two West Valley Catholic schools recently received donations to help with tuition assistance for low-income pupils.
St. John Vianney School in Goodyear received $30,000 and St. Thomas Aquinas School in Avondale received $20,000 of a $100,000 donation FirstBank made to Catholic Education Arizona, an organization that makes private education more affordable and accessible to low-income pupils.
Since 2000, Denver-based FirstBank, which has 18 branches in Arizona, has donated more than $55 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations.
Littleton District to destroy special education records
Littleton Elementary School District will destroy all special education records of former pupils who discontinued special education services, withdrew, transferred or graduated in 2010. Parents who wish to view their children’s records can call the Exceptional Student Services office at 623-478-5682 by Sept. 30.
2 W.V. districts now serving breakfast in classrooms
Liberty Elementary School District and Avondale Elementary School District signed up to participate in Valley of the Sun United Way’s Breakfast in the Classroom program earlier this summer.
The program helps feed pupils breakfast to ensure academic success. Pupils who eat breakfast score more than 17 percent higher on math tests and are 20 percent more likely to graduate than pupils who don’t eat breakfast, according to a United Way press release.
The program has grown in the past year from 14 schools to 51 in the greater Phoenix area.
IRS warns of back-to-school scams
The Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers against telephone scammers targeting students and parents during back-to-school season and demanding payments for non-existent taxes, such as the “Federal Student Tax.”
Scamming calls tend to rise during the back-to-school season. The caller ID on the incoming call may read the IRS, local police or another agency and threaten the person being called to pay money immediately or be arrested.
The IRS reminds people that it will never demand immediate specific payments over the phone.
Anyone who receives a scam call should not give out any information, and should hang up immediately and report the number to treasury.gov/tigta.
5 W.V. students awarded scholarships
The Mexican American Golf Scholarship Association awarded $1,000 college scholarships to Andrew Alfaro, a graduate of Millennium High School in Goodyear who is attending Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff; Danielle Rocha, a graduate of Tolleson Union High School in Tolleson who is attending Arizona State University in Tempe; Valerie McKee, a graduate of Tolleson Union High School in Tolleson who is attending Grand Canyon University in Phoenix; Catalina Erives, a graduate of Tolleson Union High School in Tolleson who is attending Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale; and Abbigail Lee, a graduate of Agua Fria High School in Avondale who is attending Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale.
Gary Shoars graduates from Bemidji State Univerisity
Gary Shoars of Avondale has graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn.
Chad Hauk receives scholarship
Chad Hauk of Phoenix has received a $2,000 scholarship from Luke Air Force Base in Glendale as part of the Scholarships for Military Children Program.
He is attending Arizona State University in Tempe.
Manuel Franco named to dean’s list
Manuel Franco of Avondale has been named to the spring deans’ list at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must be full time and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Scott Noonan graduates
Scott Noonan of Goodyear has graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in energy management from Bismarck State College in Bismmarck, N.D.
David Wright graduates
David Wright of Buckeye has graduated with a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Minnesota Crookston in Crookston, Minn.
Park University announces graduates
The following West Valley residents have graduated from Park University’s Luke Air Force Base Campus Center:
• Yvonne Godwin of Goodyear with a Bachelor of Science in social psychology.
• Robert Hood of Buckeye with a Bachelor of Science in information and computer science.
• Jessica McDonald of Goodyear with a Bachelor of Science in management.
• Jesus Portillo of Goodyear with a Bachelor of Science in management and finance.
• Jermaine Taylor of Goodyear with a Bachelor of Science in management and human resources.
• Dennis Untalasco of Avondale with a Bachelor of Science in social psychology.
• Christopher Washburn of Luke Air Force Base with a Bachelor of Science in management and finance.
Anthony Estes named to dean’s list
Anthony Estes of Goodyear has been named to the spring dean’s list at Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill.. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit with a GPA of 3.5 out of a possible 4.0.
Sami Abujbarah to participate in research program
Sami Abujbarah of Avondale is currently participating in a summer diversity program that gives undergraduates exposure to biomedical research at Tufts University in Boston, Mass. Seventeen undergraduates from across the county are participating in the 10-week program.
Local homeless youths need school supplies
Homeless Youth Connection, a Goodyear-based nonprofit that serves more than 900 homeless youths in the West Valley, is in need of various supplies to help teens going back to school. Basic school supplies are needed, as well as clothes, groceries and gift cards to fast food restaurants.
Those who are interested in hosting a supply drive through their social, church or other group can contact Homeless Youth Connection. Donations can be taken to HYC at 500 N. Bullard, Suite 28, Goodyear. For information, call 623-374-3747 or visit hycaz.org.
EFHS robotics team takes 3rd at invitational
Estrella Foothills High School Robotics Team 5661 finished third at the Asia Pacific Invitational in July in Sydney, Australia. The tournament consisted of 33 teams, 10 being from the U.S.
The team also won first place for the Promote Award for its 60-second public service announcement about robots using Blender, a high-quality 3D modeling software.
Connor Lewis Treptow makes dean’s list
Connor Lewis Treptow of Goodyear made the spring semester academic dean’s list at University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. To make the dean’s list, students must have a 3.5 or better GPA.
Jason Roach accepted into master’s degree program
Jason Roach of Avondale was recently accepted into the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) and will be taking classes toward a Master of Arts in teaching degree in the biological sciences from Miami University through Project Dragonfly.
As a first-year AIP student, Roach will complete web-based courses from Miami University with face-to-face experiential learning at Phoenix Zoo.
Miami University’s Project Dragonfly reaches millions of people each year through inquiry-driven learning media, public exhibits and graduate programs worldwide. Project Dragonfly is based in the department of biology at Miami University, a state university in Oxford, Ohio. Miami was established in 1809 and is listed as one of the eight original Public Ivies.
Tonopah Valley freshman joins Buckeye Youth Council
Morgan Harris, a Tonopah Valley High School ninth-grader, was sworn in as a Buckeye Youth Council member Sept. 8 at Buckeye City Hall. She joins 17-19 other teens from the Buckeye area who provide feedback to the City Council on youth issues. Throughout the program, Youth Council members gain leadership skills through problem-solving and volunteering in and around the Buckeye area.