SanTan Sun; 08-01-15: Youth

Chandler National Little League All-Stars win state title

BY KEN ABRAMCZYK

The Chandler National Little League All-Stars advanced to the West Regional Little League tournament after winning the Arizona state tournament.

Chandler National defeated Douglas, a team from Cochise County, 11-1, to advance to play in the regional against Northern California Aug. 8 in San Bernardino, California. The regional winner of the six teams in that tournament will represent the West at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, from Aug. 20 to Aug. 30.

Chandler defeated Douglas twice in the state tournament in Claypool, located near Globe. “They went undefeated in the district and the state,” said Doug Brewster, president of the Chandler National Little League.

Chandler scored 62 runs, and gave up only seven, through five games of the tournament.

The state title is Chandler’s third in three years, Brewster said.

Team Manager Paul Grako said he was confident that the team was ready for the tournament when it opened with a victory. The team rolled through the state tournament without a loss. “We were battle-tested and ready to roll,” Grako said. Grako credited the entire team for the wins. “Our pitching is outstanding, and we made the plays on defense,” Grako said.

“We scored a lot of runs. We had good hitting, good pitching and great defense.”

Grako isn’t doing anything differently, either, now that the team is on a regional stage. “We’re continuing to practice infield, outfield and hitting. We’re staying mentally sharp. We’ll stay focused as we approach each game.” The team has a “can-do” attitude, Grako said.

Chandler advanced out of the West Regional in 2003 and 2007 to Williamsport. The CNLL president and manager like the team’s chances.

“I always think we have a chance,” Brewster said about his team’s chances this year. “The team is strong. We pitch well and we hit really well.”

“I’m optimistic,” Grako said. “If we play well, we can play with everybody.”

The West Regional has tough competition throughout that region, including teams from Hawaii, Utah and California. “It’s a tough place to win,” Douglas said.

“If you get through Arizona, you’re doing something right,” Douglas said.

“We know when we go up there, we will play a team just like us. We’ve had games here where we hit eight home runs in four innings. That won’t happen there. They (the other team) will bring it. Every game will be tough. We will have to grind them out.”

Wanna help your kids succeed?

From Dr. Chamberlain’s Desktop

This past week I had the privilege of watching my son play in a tennis tournament at a Division I school tennis camp. The school’s tennis team is headed by Coach Brad Pearce, a former number one ranked national junior player, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist and 10 year pro tennis player. My son enjoyed the camp and came back not only a better player but returned motivated and more goal oriented. It turns out Coach Pearce has recently written a book entitled Life Lessons. During the week he gave some seminars that coincide with chapters in his new book. I am an avid reader and have always been goal-oriented so I purchased the book and read it over the weekend. I wanted to share the book with you not only because it is

Thomas Chamberlain

Players on the team are Hayden Grako. P.J. Johnson, Ethan Linn, Brok Liu, Jimmy Martin, Michael Martinez, Aiden Phan, Christian Reynard, Connor Roland, Brock Selvidge, Kai Taylor, Chacho Trejo and Carter Wilson. Coaches are Cisco Martinez and Andy Summer.

an excellent book on goals written from a very focused and goal-oriented individual, but it also is an excellent book on parenting. Since I do not know of any parent who has told me they don’t need to learn anything more on parenting, I found this book to be extremely helpful with my children and helping them with their goals. The book speaks about helping our children set big goals and then becoming an “alignment specialist” in their lives. Coach Pearce states, “The principle of alignment states that when you are not properly aligned with a realistic chance of accomplishing your goal, you have two options: You can change your goal, OR You can change your actions and behavior to more fully align with your goals.” I found this statement so true to form. So many times we set up goals with our children

Ken Abramczyk is an associate editor at the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at ken@santansun.com.

and then do not help them stay aligned with their goals. Two weeks or less after the motivated goal is set, it seems some distraction is competing for their attention and throwing them off-track. As parents and alignment specialists, it becomes our responsibility to keep them on track, or occasionally redirect their goals if necessary. With the school season now approaching and a new year mentality in the air, now is a great time to set some goals with your children. Then, be their alignment specialist (or accountability partner, as I’ve often called it). Keep track of the goals and help them achieve and succeed. Unfortunately, I can’t do enough justice to this great book in my short article. However, if you contact my office I will gladly buy the book for the first 15 parents that contact me.

BMX Bike Event tickets on sale

Tickets for Chandler’s second annual BMX Bike Event go on sale Aug. 1. The heart-pumping event is for bike riders and enthusiasts ages 12 to 18 and will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Chandler’s Bike Park located at Espee Park, 450 E. Knox Rd.

The event will feature demonstrations and clinics, entertainment, bike vendors and raffles for prizes. Admission is $3 for Chandler residents and $5 for nonresidents. Tickets will be available for purchase at the Chandler Community Center, or online by visiting www. chandleraz.gov/registration. Tickets will also be sold at the event.

box, double roller, mole hill, hubba ledge and sub rail.

jumps, hips, quarter pipes and boxes where riders can catch plenty of air.

Chandler’s 25,000-square-foot bike park opened in 2007 and was the first public bike-only park built by an Arizona municipality. A community focus group of local riders of all ages and ability levels was formed to provide input into the facility’s design, which includes features with names in the BMX jargon like jump

One of the most popular features for thrill seekers is a 6-foot wall that combines with a 5-foot wall extension to create a vertical surface that is a foot taller than a basketball hoop.

Named by Ride BMX Magazine in 2008 as one of the top five concrete BMX parks in the country, the 25,000-squarefoot facility is a pedal pusher’s paradise boasting dozens of concrete ramps,

Keep up-to-date on the latest Chandler Recreation news and information with a “like” of the Chandler Recreation Facebook page, subscribe to Chandler Recreation on YouTube and follow @ChandlerRec on Twitter and Instagram.

For more information, send an email to shawn.peoples@chandleraz.gov or call (480) 782-2746.

Author discusses boys and girls and how they learn differently

A day of learning and fun for tweens, teens and parents with nationally-renowned author and researcher Michael Gurian will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Seville Sports Club. Gurian will talk about the differences between girls and boys and how they learn differently.

Students and parents will enjoy a day of fun and learning while keeping up on the latest trends and subjects that affect grades 4 to 12.

Concurrent sessions will be sprinkled with local celebrities, athletes and Miss Arizona. Students will rotate through sessions that will prepare them as they transition through

the middle and high school years. Topics will include current trends in substance abuse, self-empowerment and strategies to connect with friends and parents, combating bullying and Internet safety and social media dangers.

Students will enjoy a rock concert poolside featuring Tyler Carroll after the event where families can connect and share their learning while swimming and playing. This is not just a parenting event. It is for families, but students will not be with their parents until lunch and after the event.

For more information, visit www.whyteensfail.com or email kateymcpherson@yahoo.com.

Three Chandler students win at International Judo Junior Olympics

BY ALISON STANTON

Three students from Chandler—brothers Ellis and Lewis Donnelly, and Yusef Houssni—took home medals at the recent International Judo Junior Olympics in Irving, Texas.

Ellis, 12, a seventh grader at Santan Junior High, and Lewis, 17, a senior at Hamilton High School, both earned silver medals in their divisions. Yusef, 12, a seventh grader at Andersen Junior High, received a bronze medal.

Ellis also earned a silver medal the same weekend at the USA Judo National Junior Olympics, which were also held in Irving. The three train at Southwest Judo Academy in Mesa. George Uema, who owns the academy, said the trio has a long record of state, regional and national wins and places.

The three boys have been involved with judo for many years. Ellis, who began training five years ago and holds a blue belt, said he especially enjoys traveling with the team.

“It gives me the ability to assess the skill level around the country and test it against how my coaches have trained me,” he said.

He and his brother do judo training three times a week for about two to three hours.

“I also like the coaches, the opportunities judo has given me, the friends I’ve made and the self confidence self defense brings.”

Lewis, who holds a brown belt and is working on his black belt promotion, also began judo five years ago.

“I like learning the discipline of judo and also the coaching staff,” he said, adding

that like his brother, he also appreciates the way judo has allowed him to see different parts of the country.

“I’ve met many great people along the way, and I also like the physical shape and condition that judo keeps me in.”

Yusef started judo seven years ago and trains about 12 hours a week. Over the years, he said he has won 67 awards.

“It’s really fun, and my dad is a coach there, too, so he’s always there,” Yusef said.

Although the three boys were happy with their recent wins, they said the experience has motivated them to do even better at the next judo competition.

“I am happy, but I went there to win,” Ellis said.

“It will make me train that much harder to achieve gold next year.”

Lewis added that his goal is to make the U.S. Olympic team.

“Although I did well, if it’s not gold it’s not good enough for me as I set very high standards for myself,” Lewis said.

Dave Faulkner, head instructor at Southwest Judo Academy, said the boys’ performance at the International Judo Junior Olympics represent their years of hard work and determination.

“We are proud of the character and determination these young men display when representing Southwest Judo,” Faulkner said.

For more information about Southwest Judo Academy, visit http:// southwestjudo.com.

Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in the East Valley. She can be reached at alison@santansun.com.

Studio 18 at the J announces fall schedule

Studio 18 at the J will begin its fall classes the week of Monday, Aug. 3. Classes such as ballet, tap, tumbling and hip hop will be held on Monday and Wednesday afternoons for children ages 2 to 12. Classes average $10 with savings

when registering for a full session.

Studio 18 at the J is located inside the East Valley JCC, located at 908 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler.

For more information, call (480) 8970588 or email pam@evicc.org.

Frosh orientation takes fear out of first day

BY TRACY HOUSE

Hamilton High School’s freshmen received quite a welcome at the school’s orientation.

They were greeted with music and the school’s fight song. Then they ran through a gauntlet of cheering staff members and upperclassmen and entered the gym. JROTC held up swords in a saber ceremony to honor them.

More than 700 freshmen converged on the school’s campus to participate in the annual Link Crew-sponsored freshman orientation on the Friday before school was scheduled to start. More than half of Hamilton’s freshmen showed up for the meet and greet.

Chantel Dooley, biology teacher at HHS and Link Crew coordinator, said the day was successful as 117 Link Crew leaders assisted the freshmen. The organization is comprised of volunteer juniors and seniors.

“We get every staff member on campus to come down to the gauntlet, and it runs from the entrance to the cafeteria all the way to the gym,” Dooley said.

The orientation made walking the halls on the first day of school a piece of cake with the help of the older students.

“Link Crew is a club,” she said. “The motto is ‘Students helping students succeed.’ Our whole purpose is to help mentor the freshmen, to make sure they commit to succeeding in high school and follow it all the way through until they graduate.”

Link Crew leaders reached out to the freshmen to ease any anxiety, if they had any, about attending high school.

“They even exchanged phone numbers with their freshmen so that they can keep in touch with them throughout the school year and the freshmen can also contact the link leaders with questions,” Dooley said.

The Saber Ceremony takes on a symbolic meaning, marking the beginning of the students’ high school career.

“It is very symbolic because on graduation day, as they proceed in for graduation, they also walk through the Saber Ceremony,” Dooley said. The assembly included the national anthem and motivational speech by Richard Baniszewski, 10th grade administrator.

Students also toured the campus with a Link Crew leader. The day ended back in the cafeteria, where students bought lunch.

Freshmen praised the orientation.

Kenny Murillo, who attended Willis Junior High School, said that it was helpful to attend the orientation. “Now I know where my classes are and I have more of a sense for where to go,” he said.

Jada Morales and Bryana Cannella both said it was helpful to learn their way around the school.

Morgan Burns, who attended Arizona College Prep, said he visited the classrooms and knows where he is going for the first day.

The day was helpful for Aspen Markland, who attended Bogle Junior High. “I had no

idea what was going on until I got here, so it did help a lot,” she said.

Junior Link Crew leader Cynthia Lee had 17 students in her group. “We helped them get to know each other and play games, and then we’re doing a campus tour.”

She participated in the orientation as a freshman and found it helpful.

After School Cool

Organizers put together the After School Cool for this year’s event, Dooley said. “We had 17 vendors from the community come to the patio and set up a booth, and our main goal for the After School Cool was to provide the freshmen with the knowledge of different vendors in our area,” Dooley said.

Jill Reeves, instructional librarian at

Chandler Public Library, helped coordinate the vendor fair as a way for the library on campus to greet the new students who will be using that library. The After School Cool was a way to introduce the surrounding businesses to the students as a place to visit at the end of the school day.

Area businesses included: Yogi’s Grill, Target, Subway, Starbucks, Panda Express, Jimmy John’s, Firehouse Subs, Einstein Brothers, Cold Stone Creamery, Cloud 9 Salon/Spa, BoSA, Beauty Brands, Bahama Bucks, Game Stop, Chipotle and IHOP. Panda Express and Jimmy John’s donated lunch for the Hamilton staff.

Tracy House is a freelancer for SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at news@ santansun.com.

Aspire athletes make U.S. team

2 trampoline, tumbling athletes

…The common denominator between young children and the love of reading.

headed to World Age Group Championships

Two Aspire Kids Sports Center athletes have been selected to participate in the Trampoline and Tumbling World Age Group Championships in Denmark as part of Team USA.

Matthew Hawkins of Ahwatukee and Michael Liao of Chandler will compete Nov. 28 to Dec. 6.

Matthew, a member of the U.S. Junior National Team, will compete in two events—power tumbling and double mini trampoline. Michael will compete in double mini trampoline.

T&T, is a relatively new sport to Arizona and many people were exposed to it for the first time during the Sydney Olympic Games. T&T consists of three events—trampoline, power tumbling and double-mini trampoline.

Both boys train at Aspire Kids Sports Center in Chandler and are coached by Lee Wilkerson, who was selected as a Team USA World Team coach. He will specialize in double mini trampoline.

Aspire and the two boys’ families have begun a fundraising campaign to help offset the costs of the trip. Their GoFundMe site can be found at www. gofundme.com/6x2t7qcsk.

Trampoline and tumbling, also called

Aspire Kids Sports Center is a 32,000-squarefeet gymnastics and swimming facility in Chandler. It offers classes for all ages in gymnastics, swimming, dance, martial arts, acrobatic gymnastics, tumbling and trampoline. Aspire is home to an 80-foot trampoline—the largest TumblTrak in Arizona.

The facility also hosts year-round swim lessons in its indoor, heated swimming pool.

Aspire Kids Sports Center is located at 50 S. Hearthstone Way, Chandler. For more information, call (480) 820-3774 or visit www.aspirekidsports.com.

Money grows on walls at Tortilla Flat

BY KIMBERLY HOSEY

My son and I like to travel to out-of-theway places, but it’s not often that we find ourselves in the middle of town—and in the middle of nowhere—at the same time. With a population of six, Tortilla Flat might make that very short list. It also may be the only entire town that is a destination you can see in a few hours with your family.

Tortilla Flat, located northeast of Apache Junction and 2 miles past Canyon Lake on Apache Trail, boasts the distinction of being the last surviving stagecoach stop on the historic Apache Trail. The unincorporated town knows how to make the most of its tourist appeal, and has been hosting visitors for over a century.

Arguably the main attraction is the Superstition Saloon, a bar and restaurant known for its decor, chili and burgers. Sadly for my son, it does not feature kick-in-able, cartoon-style saloon doors, but he made a show of identifying himself as the “rootinest, shootin-est” as we entered anyway. (I’m sure other patrons were duly impressed.)

We visited not for food, but to see the artwork. In addition to the Western themes painted through much of the town (even the bathroom stalls have saloon-character art), Tortilla Flat has a rich history—literally. Tens of thousands of dollar bills paper nearly every wall and surface in the restaurant. The saloon started as a hangout

for Roosevelt Dam workers in the early 1900s. Workers would leave a dollar with their name on it on the wall so they could always return for a cold one. That’s how the tradition of pinning dollars to the restaurant’s walls got started—a tradition

that’s grown to an estimated $80,000 pinned to nearly every wall, ceiling, beam and other surface in the saloon and other buildings in Tortilla Flat. You can join in the tradition: Just sign your name on a dollar bill, hand it over at the bar, and it will be

added to the rich walls within a week as the workers maintain and add to the walls.

While we weren’t up for a full meal, we did mosey over to the ice cream parlor, which offers fantastic ice cream as well as

The ‘Elite’ choice for students in Chandler

BY TRACY HOUSE

Chandler Unified School District is constantly trying to find new ways to educate and accommodate the educational needs of its students.

This year, the district opened Elite Performance Academy, a school that provides third- through eighth-grade children who are busy with afterschool activities with a personalized education program.

“What we are focusing on is giving our students individualized, personalized education plans here,” said EPA Director Dr. Thuy Padilla explained. “Many of our students are athletes or performers.”

EPA teachers specialize in a core content subject and are able to provide individualized instruction for each student.

Students receive the same instructional minutes in core content areas with each teacher as in traditional schools.

“We have state requirements that we have to meet,” Padilla said. “When we cut away recess and other things like that, it leaves you with this condensed school day, which we have here at Elite.”

School begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast available, then students are in classes from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. From there, lunch is offered from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Students are then transported to their preferred practice facility. Pupils can be picked up after class if the parent chooses. There is a supervised afterschool care program available until 3:15 p.m. daily for nonscheduled practice days.

Padilla said the district worked with the participating performance gyms, studios and center locations to offer this

educational opportunity and provide transportation.

“We know, even though we’re providing a condensed schedule, a lot of our parents work, and not everybody has the luxury of coming to pick up their student and then driving to their practice facility,” Padilla said. “So we are transporting students to make sure we are assisting our families as much as we can, because they’ve chosen to be at Elite Performance Academy already, and we want to take care of them.”

Enrollment is increasing daily at EPA as parents find out about the unique school day and the convenience it affords. She

said many students are in competitive gymnastics or dance. She estimates students at EPA practice anywhere from 10 to 20 hours a week, depending on age and level, in their respective activity.

There are six teachers on staff to meet the educational needs of students, who are mixed by instructional level. They try not to be confined by grade level at EPA.

“If a student needs acceleration, we are able to modify their schedule so they are going to their appropriate level class at different times during the day,” she said. “That’s the beauty of different area content level teachers. Our teachers

are very talented. They’re able to teach multilevels, but they specialize in their subject area.”

In addition to the core content, Padilla said there is a 30-minute exploratory elective component built into the day. “We have an art instructor who comes into the classroom, and they are doing drawing and pastels with the kids this first quarter,” she said. “The kids are really excited about that.”

Padilla said some students said it was nice to be able to get out of school early and have time with their families before evening practice. “Some of them still didn’t get home until 7 o’clock last night from practice, and they didn’t get in bed until 10 o’clock,” she said.

There are still homework expectations at EPA. Padilla shared what she thought was a well-put comment by Deanna Jimenez, one of the teachers, “I’m not here to give you an A. I’m here to help you succeed.”

Elite Performance Academy is located at 1825 S. Alma School Rd., on the campus of Chandler Christian Church on Alma School and Germann roads. For more information call Thuy Padilla at (480) 8127612 or visit the website www.cusd80.com and go to the Our Schools drop down menu.

Tracy House is a freelancer for SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at news@ santansun.com.

Free preventative youth heart screenings to be held at Chase Field

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a serious heart condition that affects one in 400 student athletes every year, often without any sign or warning. To help with early detection, the American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy (AmericanFFC) has teamed up with Biltmore Cardiology to provide free preventative youth heart screenings.

“It’s really important to all of us at the foundation to be able to educate the public about cardiomyopathy and to provide free screening services that would cost families thousands of dollars to have done in an emergency room and many times, by then it’s too late for preventative treatments,” said Anthony Miller, founder and executive director of American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy.

The foundation has four screenings scheduled over the next year. The first one is Saturday, Aug. 8, at Chase Field just before the Arizona Diamondbacks game from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Families are encouraged to register early online for the free heart screenings.

Tickets to the Diamondbacks game that evening have been made available at a special discounted rate of $20 if purchased through the AmericanFFC

website. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the foundation. Tickets for the screening and the game are available at www.AmericanFCC.org.

The other heart screening dates include Saturday, Oct. 17, at UltraStar Multi-tainment Center, Saturday, Feb. 6, in Scottsdale and Saturday, May 7, in Tucson.

Miller is a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy survivor. HCM is a complex cardiac disease that causes a thickening of the heart muscle. He has made it his personal mission to build a heart safe community by providing preventative youth heart screenings, CPR certification courses and to raise money for lifesaving automatic external defibrillators for youth athletic teams, schools, community centers and places of worship.

The American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy operates with a mission to create awareness of the heart muscle disease, cardiomyopathy and to support those already affected. The foundation is dedicated to providing families with heart screenings, resources, training opportunities and other support. For more information about the foundation and to make a reservation for a free heart screening, visit www.AmericanFFC.org.

CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS

Sept. 7: No school due to Labor Day CTA INDEPENDENCE

Curriculum Nights, Aug. 4, and Aug. 5: This event is intended for parents only. Parents will hear the policies, procedures, plans, special events and much more from classroom teachers. Even if parents have been at the school for years, it is a chance to learn more about the specifics of each classroom and grade. Teachers will give their presentation two times, 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. or 6:05 p.m. to 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, is for kindergarten, second, fourth and sixth grades. Wednesday, Aug. 5, is for first, third and fifth grades.

Hot weather! As always, the beginning of the school year is hot. Please send a water bottle, or even two, with your student every day. That second bottle of water is nice to have during the hot afternoon pickups. The school uses the CUSD heat index, temperature and humidity, to determine outdoor activities. The school has three zones for recess time. Green-unrestricted outdoor play, yellow-restricted outdoor play and red-nonoutdoor play, inside recess time.

PTO meeting: Mark your calendar to attend the first PTO meeting of the year at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18. This is a great opportunity

to hear what great things our PTO has planned for the school.

Calendar: Aug. 4: Curriculum night for kindergarten, second, fourth and sixth grade Aug. 5: Curriculum night for first, third and fifth grade Aug. 12: Fall school pictures.

—Wendi Olson

TARWATER TOROS

PTO Meeting: The first PTO general meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Nando’s.

Raising money: The first fundraiser, a Reada-thon, runs from Aug. 7 through Aug. 14. The Read-a-thon is the school’s favorite way to start the school year, it encourages students to make reading a daily habit. Reading is a fundamental skill for children to master in elementary school. The best part of the Read-a-thon is that 100 percent of the money collected is used at the school for the children.

School Cents: School Cents continued through the summer. If individuals have any receipts from Back-to-School shopping, turn them in to the box in the Tarwater office. No receipt is too small. Thanks for your support, Toros.

—JoAnne Cawley

STUDENT CHRONICLES

Rebecca Godbout was named to the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, dean’s list for the spring 2015 semester.

Annie Waterscheid graduated from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance.

Kathryn Keenan was named to the Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska’s spring 2015 dean’s list.

Whitney Webster graduated from Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois with an associate’s degree in applied science degree.

Trevor Franklin was named to the Olivet Nazarene University’s 2015 spring dean’s list. The university is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois.

Cameron Berry reserved a place among more than 1,500 freshmen at SUNY Oswego in Oswego, New York, this fall.

Anastasia Plyasunova was named to the University of Delaware’s 2015 spring dean’s list. The university is located in Newark, Delaware.

Sarah Cox received a Presidential Scholarship from Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Nicholas Anders Oleson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business majoring in interdisciplinary business management from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Kiley Raica was named to the Fort Lewis College’s dean’s list for the 2015 spring semester. The college is located in Durango, Colorado.

Samantha Weiss was named to the Fort Lewis College’s dean list for the 2015 spring semester. The college is located in Durango, Colorado.

Youth WHERE KIDS EAT FREE

Apple Dumpling Café

3076 E. Chandler Heights Rd., Suite 101, Gilbert (480) 279-3879, www.

appledumplingcafe.com.

Mondays are family value night, when kids eat free with each adult meal purchase of $6.95 or more. Ice cream happy hour is 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, when kids buy one ice cream or dessert and get one free.

Chompie’s

3481 W. Frye Rd., Chandler (480) 398-3008

www.chompies.com

Children 10 and younger receive one free item from the kids’ meal menu with an adult meal purchase of $8 or more on Tuesdays. Dine-in only.

Copper Still Moonshine Grill

2531 S. Gilbert Rd., Suite 101, Gilbert (480) 656-1476

www.CopperStillMoonshineGrill. com

Kids ages 10 and younger eat for free on Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult meal.

Dilly’s Deli

2895 S. Alma School Rd., Suite 5, Chandler

(480) 722-0645

www.dillysdeli.com

Get one free kids’ meal for each adult meal purchased at $6 or more on weekends.

Earnest

4991 S. Alma School Rd., Suite 1, Chandler (480) 883-3773

www.earnestrestaurant.com

Through the end of August kids eat free from the kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult entrée.

El Palacio Restaurant & Cantina

2950 E. Germann Rd., Chandler (480) 802-5770

www.epfamilyrestaurants.com

Kids 12 and younger eat free when adult meals are purchased on Wednesdays.

Fat Willy’s

4850 S. Gilbert Rd., Chandler (480) 883-1356

www.fatwillysaz.com/chandler

From 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, dine-in and get a free kids’ meal with every adult entrée purchased. Kids can select from the Little Leaguers menu only and must be 12 and younger.

Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta 590 N. Alma School Rd., Suite 35, Chandler

(480) 812-8433,

www.floridinos.net

Kids eat free from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. Receive one free kids’ meal per $8 adult purchase when customers dine-in only.

The Hungry Monk Andersen Fiesta Shopping Center, 1760 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (480) 963-8000

www.hungrymonkaz.com

Kids eat free on Mondays with every purchase of an adult entrée.

NYPD Pizza

2580 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (480) 722-0898

www.aznypdpizza.com

Kids eat free on Wednesday and Sunday after 4 p.m. with the purchase of a small or medium pizza. Dine-in only.

Pittsburgh Willy’s

48 S. San Marcos Pl., Chandler (480) 821-3197

Every day, except Sunday breakfast, one child aged 10 and younger eats free with each paying adult, while additional kids eat for 50 percent off, when they order from the Wee Willy menu only.

Planet Sub 1920 W. Germann Rd., Chandler (480) 245-6503

www.planetsub.com

Kids eat free with a paying adult on Mondays.

Social Box 1371 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler (480) 899-6735

www.socialboxeateries.com

Kids 12 and younger eat free from the kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult entrée on Mondays.

Sidelines Grill

2980 S. Alma School Rd., Chandler (480) 792-6965

www.sidelinesaz.com

Kids eat free from the kids’ menu after 4 p.m. Thursdays with the purchase of an adult entrée. Dine-in only.

Whiskey Rose Bar and Grill

135 W. Ocotillo Rd., Chandler (480) 895-7673

Kids eat free on Tuesdays and Sundays with the purchase of an adult entrée.

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.

ChessHelps tournament open for registration

BY TRACY HOUSE

A 14-year-old BASIS Chandler School sophomore is doing his best to combat poverty and help his teachers by hosting a benefit chess tournament.

For the second year, Prateek Pinisetti is directing the ChessHelps Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 29, at BASIS. Entry fee is $25 if registered by Monday, Aug. 24; $30 if registered by 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28; or $35 on-site registration, which closes at 8:30 a.m. the day of tournament.

ChessHelps is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for the school and the community. The event also raises money for the KIVA, a nonprofit organization with the mission of connecting people through lending to alleviate poverty.

“It’s a microloan organization,” Prateek said. “They do small loans for people in developing countries to help people start a business or who need an education.”

A portion of funds go to the Annual Teacher Fund at BASIS, as well.

Prateek raised $6,000 last year; $3,000 from the tournament and the remainder from donations received after the competition. The 2014 tournament hosted 135 contestants, including Grandmaster Rogelio Barcenilla, and FIDE Masters Pedram Atoufi and Joel Banawa, the top players in Arizona.

Open to the public, Prateek said there are no skill or age restrictions.

“The United States Chess Federation is helping us,” Prateek said.

For those who do not have a USCF rating, there is a casual play or unrated section.

“Anyone who knows how to play chess can play,” he said.

The grandmaster and international masters have agreed to return for this year’s tournament. Prateek will be directing the tournament, which will include running concessions. His mom and other volunteers are helping as well. “Last year I decided to host a tournament,” he said. “It took a while to get everything in place, and I think it’ll go a lot smoother now with the experience.”

He started playing when he joined the chess club at his elementary school.

“I discovered I was pretty good. I could beat a lot of people,” Prateek said.

Playing since third grade, Prateek is a ranking candidate master. “I’ve won the national championship twice, for my age group. I play in tournaments all around the country. This summer I played in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.”

ChessHelps Tournament is an all-day event with rounds beginning at 9 a.m.

The awards ceremony will take place after the final round is completed. Awards include trophies and cash prizes

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The public is invited to participate in the second annual ChessHelps Tournament Saturday, Aug. 29, at BASIS Chandler School. The event raises funds for the BASIS Annual Teacher Fund and KIVA, a nonprofit microloan organization. Submitted photo

for top tournament winners.

Players are asked to bring their own clocks, as none are provided. The tournament is four-round or five-round Swiss tournament based on rating. Proof of USCF membership is required. An unrated section is available for those without USCF membership.

BASIS Chandler School is located at 1800 E. Chandler Blvd., Chandler.

To register online for the ChessHelps Tournament visit www.events4chess. com or email chesshelps@gmail.com.

Tracy House is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at news@santansun.com.

Hamilton sophomore to represent U.S. at Maccabi Games

BY TIM J. RANDALL Hamilton High School sophomore Tori

Williams will be spending her winter break a bit differently than her classmates this December.

Tori, a talented youth gymnast, will represent the United States as a squad member at the Pan American Maccabi Games from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Santiago, Chile.

“I am so excited to be competing for my country with my teammates,” she said.

The Pan American Maccabi games is sponsored by Maccabi, which according to its mission “supports Jewish Athletic endeavors enhanced by cultural and educational opportunities.”

Cuba, Great Britain, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Uruguay, United States and Venezuela.

In the gymnastic competition, Tori will be joined by seven other female junior members.

This year’s games showcase more than 20 sports and activities, and will feature 3,000-plus athletes from: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,

“I won’t meet my teammates or my coach until we get to Chile,” Tori said.

Once the games begin, Tori will see action in all four events—vault, bar, beam and floor.

Scores will be earned for each member and then totaled for a final team tally to go up against the other nations’ squad scores.

“This is my first international event, so I am hoping to do very well. My favorite and best event is beam,” she said.

The 15-year-old Tori has been a gymnast since she was 3 years old, when her mom, Debbie, introduced her to the sport.

“She showed great talent and picked it up right from the start, she just loved

it,” Debbie said. Tori began competing at age 6, and since age 9 has been training at Desert Lights Gymnastics in Chandler.

“I love Desert Lights, it’s like a second home and my teammates are like sisters, we have a lot of fun,” she said.

The selection process involved submitting YouTube videos of her training, practicing and competing.

“I guess I did enough to impress the judges,” Tori said.

According to Tori’s coaches, Lisa and John Spini, her gymnastic abilities are hard to overlook.

“Tori is a very talented gymnast, who has not yet achieved her full potential,” said Lisa Spini. “We are very excited for her to get to prove herself on the international stage, representing the USA,” says John Spini.

The cost for Williams and mom to travel and compete in Chile will cost more than $5,000.

“We have a fundraiser site on my Facebook page, and we will also be holding a boutique fundraising event on Oct. 4 to help me get to Chile,” Tori said.

The event will be held from 3 p.m. to 6

p.m. at Chapel Center House, 9240 E. Sun Lakes Blvd., Sun Lakes Phase I, according to Doris Codkind, a family friend who is helping draw awareness to Tori’s trip.

An array of jewelry, candles, floral, handbags, kitchen gadgets and more will be available, as well as baked items and raffles for lovely wrapped baskets of goodies.

Tori speaks highly of Codkind and said: “She has always been supportive of me, cheering me on and very helpful.”

Tori’s longer-term goal is to earn a Division 1 gymnastic scholarship to a great school, but in the meantime, mom and daughter are looking forward to the games.

“We are so excited, this is such a big honor for her to compete internationally and for me to be with her,” said Debbie Williams.

For information or questions on the fundraising event, call (480) 883-9159.

Tim J. Randall is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at news@santansun.com.

homemade fudge in a variety of flavors. Of particular acclaim is its prickly pear gelato. We chose butter pecan and double dark chocolate. Warning: Get a cup, especially if you’re visiting in the summer. My son wore a very sticky, very tasty chocolate glove of melted ice cream from his ill-advised cone. We rounded out our stay by touring the rest of the attractions along the small row buildings that make up the location. In addition to the saloon and ice cream shop, the town boasts a one-room schoolhouse that serves as the Tortilla Flat Museum and a mercantile shop that offers Tortilla Flat souvenirs, humorous Western paraphernalia, high-quality jewelry and more.

You probably won’t spend an entire day here—though if you visit October through April you can make use of the nearby campground, and the town hosts reenacted gunfights Dec. 26 through Easter—but Tortilla Flat is a great stop for out-of-town guests looking for a little Old West fun, a stop as you visit a lake, or just a fun and quirky jaunt. Your buck can literally stop here.

Tortilla Flat

1 Main St. Highway 88

Tortilla Flat, 85190. (480) 984-1776

www.tortillaflataz.com.

June 1 to Sept. 30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday

Oct. 1 to May 31: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday