Volume 13 • Number 8
The Voice of the Catalina Foothills
April 19, 2023
INSIDE
JA honors Foothills teen for her nonprofit BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tucson Local Media Staff
Nonprofit opens a construction trades center | Page 8
Everything is fresh at the new Pasta Shop | Page 10
Homeless young adults get a boost with free hair services | Page 13
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een Lily Messing is passionate about her peers and the work they can do to make the world a better place. Messing is the founder of 100+ Teens Who Care, a giving circle made up of high school students dedicated to making changes in their community. In its first year, the group gained 220 members and donated more than $30,000 to local nonprofits. She has expanded to 20 other chapters in cities around the world. “I’m super passionate about the idea that you don’t have to be an adult to make a difference,” said Messing, a 17-year-old junior at The Gregory School. “That’s the thing we try to spread in our chapters. We donate to all local nonprofits. Those are two factors that I feel are important.”
Messing is among the 2023 18 under 18 winners, as chosen by Junior Achievement of Arizona. Like Messing, the other winners have started businesses and nonprofits, broken glass ceilings, volunteered, or advocated for a cause. “Each year, we’re amazed by the next class of students,” said Katherine Cecala, chief executive officer of Junior Achievement of Arizona. “They advocate for causes, start nonprofits to help others in our community, work with their schools to bring new ideas and programs to their schools, care about the environment, or advocate for causes. They all have bright futures, and we’re honored to know them.” Messing founded her nonprofit during the COVID-19 pandemic, in light of the crises around the world and online
Lily Messing founded 100+ Teens Who Care. (Lily See TEEN Page 2 Messing /Submitted)
BASIS Tucson North educators unionize BY TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA ducators at BASIS Tucson North Charter School voted by a 34-17 margin to unionize in a National Labor Relations Board election held April 12 on the school’s campus. BASIS Tucson North is the first charter school in Arizona to unionize, according to a statement. The teachers at BASIS Tucson North will be represented by the AFTAZACTS; they join the nearly 12% of other
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charter schools in this country that have unionized. The AFT represents more than 240 charter schools in 15 states and the District of Columbia. “It’s high time for Arizona charter schools to stop manipulating the rightto-work laws and taking advantage of our teachers, parents and students. BASIS should be ashamed of their treatment of their teachers and eagerly welcome negotiating rights for their staff.
Serving all of Tucson Specializing in the Foothills
Si se puede,” said Ralph Quintana, AFTAZACTS president. BASIS Tucson North educators will move to bargain a first contract with the school’s administration to ensure additional accountability, administrative transparency, and more resources and time to effectively identify and address student needs. “As a BASIS alumni and second-genSee BASIS Page 2