SanTan Sun News; 12-20-14; Youth

Youth Animation student credits Seton Catholic Prep for success

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

When Elizabeth Hopwood began drawing in Cyd Totten’s art class at Seton Catholic Preparatory High School, the teacher knew she was witnessing something special.

“She is extraordinary, in terms that she could draw on both sides of the brain at the same time,” Totten says. “She was second in her class and extremely gifted in the art field.”

A freshman animation student at DePaul University in Chicago, Hopwood was recently given the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of three or higher on five or more of the exams.

Other honored students were Janek Benigno of Chandler; Cole Dieterle and Emily Jackman from Gilbert; and Connor Companik from Tempe.

Hopwood, an 18-year-old Chandler resident, says she believes her advanced placement classes at Seton Catholic helped prepare her for college. She learned stellar study habits and “better ways of thinking critically.”

“The credit earned from the AP art history test in particular counted toward one of the required classes for my major and gave me a solid background in fundamental art concepts for my design-related classes,” Hopwood says. “Being in AP

government and politics at Seton taught me the importance of being an informed citizen and increased my confidence in defending my own opinions.”

with things, especially when you’re a little bit timid,” she says. “I became involved in art club; simple stuff at first. I gradually got more comfortable with my place there.”

Hopwood has won multiple awards for her work. Among them, she was a national art finalist for the 2013 Young Artists and Authors Showcase, sponsored by Sister Cities International, which, for 25 years, has given young people an opportunity to artistically express their visions for a better world.

Hopwood doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t interested in art or creative writing.

“I love to draw and have loved it since I was very small,” says Hopwood. “I would write stories and not necessarily always fiction. I do l ove fiction though. I write critically a lot, which is interesting.

“It’s still a great passion of mine to write fictionalized settings or characters,” she continues.

Hopwood is the daughter of Kevin and Jean, and has a younger brother, Christopher, a Chandler High School freshman.

Admittedly shy, Hopwood says that participating in extracurricular activities at Seton brought her out of her shell.

“It took me a while to get involved

“She knows what she wants,” Totten explaines. “She just went for it. She’ll be very successful. I saw her talent the moment I saw her take a pencil to paper. She’s just an extremely gifted girl.”

Chandler girl competing in Miss Teen pageant

BY TRACY HOUSE

For Lindsay Zadakis, competing in a pageant contest isn’t about glitz and glamour. It’s about trying something new and gaining self-confidence.

Lindsay, a seventh-grade student at Bogle Junior High School, will participate in her first pageant at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at the 2014 Miss Teen Phoenix Preliminary Pageant Competition at the Coolidge Unified School District Performing Arts Center, 685 W. Northern Ave., Coolidge. If she wins she will receive a 3-foot trophy, tiara, banner and title, and a trip to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the 2015 national pageant.

Lindsay decided to pursue the contest with the help of her mother, Brigette Thompson. After an informational meeting, she was selected to participate in the pageant.

“I wanted to try something new,” Lindsay says. “To gain more selfconfidence.”

A competitive amateur dancer, Lindsay sees the Miss Teen Pageant as a stepping stone to a modeling career.

“This is a natural contest that is based on their self-confidence and poise and personality,” Thompson explains. “They can wear make-up, but it’s dubbed a ‘natural pageant.’ It tells the girls that they want them to feel pretty and look nice, but they are judged on their poise, their selfconfidence and their inner beauty.”

Lindsay, 12, is competing in the 9 to 12

age group. In addition to a photo shoot and coaching, she was required to attend a pre-interview session. “They asked, ‘What do you think of yourself?’ and ‘What do you want to accomplish in this pageant?’”

Lindsay says she wants to gain selfconfidence and see what the pageant world is like. She’s not sure if she’ll want to pursue more pageants.

Thompson says Lindsay has asked about modeling and pageants the last few years, but she had no idea how to get into it.

“When this opportunity came up, she was really excited to try it, because there’s also the photogenic and modeling component to it.”

Thompson says she looked for other pageants but when she saw this one was based on personality, the interview, it didn’t have a swimsuit component and was age appropriate, she thought it would be a good experience.

“I thought that it’s really about their presentation and self-confidence,”

Thompson says. “They celebrate every girl looking different, having the differences, and it’s really about what’s on the inside. It’s about teaching you how to present yourself and how to work with what you have and to present the best part of you.

I think that’s a lifelong skill and especially important for young women, to be able to be strong and have self-confidence.”

Areas of the competition include the personal interview, casual wear and formal wear.

“Since there’s scholarships available and they were really pushing the whole selfconfidence component and competent women, I thought it would be a good opportunity for us, to see what it’s like,” Thompson says.

Part of the responsibility of the contestant is to find sponsors for the entry fee. Thompson says she is very grateful to Dwayne and Barb Ernst of Woodcraft of Chandler for their generosity. “I had sent out emails to people we knew who had businesses and they replied within five minutes. They were happy to sponsor her.”

Lindsay says some of her strengths going into the pageant are her dance experiences.

“I like to perform and be in front of an audience.”

Lindsay says she not too nervous about the pageant. She’s hoping that she learns some new skills that will help her in her quest to be a model. Lindsay says she’s had fun so far with the pageant, including the costumes, make-up and hair.

“She’s always been interested in fashion,” Thompson says. “The reason I like this pageant, over a glitz pageant, is because I’m hoping she gets the poise to do interviews because that’s what life’s about. Presentation, how you present yourself and how you carry yourself are important.”

Tracy House is a Chandler resident and freelancer for SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at tracy@santansun.com.

BY LINDA MCFADYEN

Using language to solve problems constructively Chandler high schools show their stuff during tours

Words are powerful! As tools for problem solving, words will determine, either positively or negatively, the outcome of a given situation. It makes sense, then, to teach children constructive ways to solve their everyday problems by means of wellplaced words; words that defuse potentially negative situations; words that come from a position of strength rather than weakness; words that soothe rather than irritate?

Unfortunately our children have too many opportunities to see adults behaving badly—whether it’s through sports, politics or media. Even our recent political rhetoric from the midterm elections did little to raise the level of conversation for constructive problem solving. So are there any rules of engagement for solving problem that children can use every day? Three come to mind:

1. Instead of blame, look for a solution: The fi rst rule should be ingrained in our conscience. Much emotional energy is wasted when we cling to the need to fi nd blame in another person’s actions. Let it go. Teach your child that accepting responsibility is a grown up thing to do and comes from a position of strength.

2. Ask for what you need: This is cardinal rule No. 2 for problem

solving. We have the right to express our needs, opinions and wants. It’s how we do it that will make others either want to listen and accommodate us or send them into a resistance/ opposition mode. And, when we are committed to opposition, we are left with opposing viewpoints using force to coerce the outcome. This is a loselose situation! It is important to know that there is a way to assert our needs without being either aggressive or submissive.

For example, someone has taken a book your child was just going to use. Your child could say:

• Aggressive (mean response): “Give me that book or else.”

• Submissive (weak response): “You can have my book, I don’t need it.”

• Assertive (strong response): “I’m reading this book right now. How about if I bring it to you as soon as I’m fi nished?”

Or suppose students are arguing about who is in which place in line, it might sound something like this:

• Aggressive: “Hey, I was here fi rst! Move!”

• Submissive: Student will move meekly without a word.

• Assertive: “Looks like we both got here at the same time. How about you go fi rst this time, and then next time, I’ll go fi rst. Deal?”

3. Express your need kindly and assertively. Try the “I message” formula:

• I feel...(state the feeling.)

• When you...(describe the action.)

• Because I...(say why.)

We have a golden opportunity to teach our children what we believe. That:

• Disagreements can be a metaphor for war, a battle in which you attack weak points in your opponent’s side so that you win the argument at all costs, or

• Disagreements can be a metaphor for cooperation, in which you try to understand the other person’s perspective so that you can achieve consensus and move forward.

We can help our children decide. We can help them become calm, confi dent, able, problem-solvers—kind people putting kind words into action.

Linda McFadyen is the reading and curriculum coordinator at New Vistas Center for Education, an advanced private preschool and elementary school located in Chandler. NVCE is designated a Top 10 School by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth and was named the 2014 Top Arizona Elementary School in Science and Engineering. For more information, call (480) 963-2313 or visit www. newvistasaz.com.

Tours of the four district high schools will be given to approximately 3,000 eighth graders in the Chandler Unified School District during the week of Jan. 7. Tours will be led Wednesday, Jan. 7, Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan. 9, at Basha High School, 5990 S. Val Vista Road, Chandler; Wednesday, Jan. 7, Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan. 9, at Chandler High School, 350 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler; Wednesday, Jan. 7, Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan. 9, at Hamilton High School, 3700 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler; and Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan. 9, at Perry High School, 1919 E. Queen Creek Road, Gilbert. All tours will begin at approximately 9:45 a.m. and end at 1:30 p.m.

The tours will highlight the schools’ Career and Technical Education programs, food/ lounge areas and other campus features, while familiarizing students with their prospective high schools. Student presenters will showcase the schools’ programs and lead the tours.

For more information, call Basha High School at (480) 224-2100, Chandler High School at (480) 812-7700, Hamilton High School at (480) 883-5000 and Perry High School at (480) 224-2800.

Santa workshop features ‘magic snow’

Kids ages four to 14 will discover the concepts of civil and chemical engineering by building gingerbread houses, inventing cookie dough recipes and making magic snow at “Santa’s Engineering Workshop.”

The holiday event is being hosted by East Valley Engineering for Kids from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Primavera Blending Learning Center, 2451 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.

The cost of the workshop is $39 per child. There is no charge for parents.

Children, ages seven to 14, may be dropped off for the workshop, but younger children, ages four to six, must be accompanied by an adult. Attendees will be able to take home their projects.

Space is limited. For more information, or to register, visit www. engineeringforkids.com/eastvalley, call (480) 779-8184 or email eastvalley@ engineeringforkids.net.

“This workshop will introduce kids to engineering principals using fun, hands-on holiday activities,” says Ron Hoagland, director of East Valley Engineering for Kids.

During the workshop, children will construct gingerbread houses in order to gain an understanding of the structural properties in architecture and the properties of different materials used in building construction. Kids will also learn how to use simple household ingredients to create an

exothermic reaction and form magic snow. Hoagland says attendees will also

East Valley Engineering for Kids is a leading STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) enrichment program for children ages four to 14. The event is being held to promote awareness about STEM education and new core engineering, EV3 robotics and video game design classes at Primavera Blended Learning Center from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The after-school engineering programs are offered monthly and will have different themes each month. Courses on mechanical engineering, robotics 101 and video game designs 101 are available in December. In January, the themes will be aerospace engineering, robotics Olympian and platform games.

The after-school program is a continuation of the engineering for Kids Summer STEM camps launched last June.

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Primavera,” Hoagland says. “Through our summer camps, we were able to positively impact many kids in the East Valley. Our enrichment programs teach children a systematic process to address engineering problems and situations.”

invent a process for creating holiday cookie dough and observe the reactions between the various ingredients.

“In order to provide a full range of educational opportunities to both the Primavera students and the local community, Primavera and East Valley Engineering for Kids will collaborate on offering engineering and technology education as an after school program,” Dr. Kevin Thrasher, the new executive

director for Primavera Blended Learning Center says. “This is a phenomenal way to bring technology and engineering to kids in the neighborhood and get them excited about project based learning.”

The East Valley Engineering for Kids program, which has been featured in major local publications and on television, introduces children to the basic principles of engineering in a hands-on format that also enhances problem-solving skills. All of the Engineering for Kids courses are designed to meet National Educational Standards in STEM, Science (NSES), Technology and Engineering (ITEEA) and Mathematics (NCTM).

“Kids will be challenged to use creativity and teamwork to address the situations we present to them and also analyze the work they have done,” Hoagland says. “There is simply no better way to combine learning and fun when the normal school day is done.”

For more information, call (480) 779-8184 or email eastvalley@ engineeringforkids.net.

Nickelodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band to perform at MAC

The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon’s preschool music group and stars of the Emmy Award-winning TV series of the same name, are back on the road for a brandnew tour, and they will perform in Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The Fresh Beat Band Greatest Hits Live presented by Nickelodeon will feature Kiki, Marina, Twist and Shout performing the band’s greatest hits including “Bananas,”

“Here We Go” and a remixed version of “Great Day,” plus new songs including the pop classic, “Walk Like An Egyptian.”

Tickets are available at the Mesa Arts Center Box Office, www.mesaartscenter. com or by calling (480) 644-6500.

“The Fresh Beat Band is back on the road to give kids a chance to see their favorite

rock stars live in concert,” says Doug Cohn, SVP, Music, Nickelodeon. “This reimagined, high-energy production features the band’s biggest hits, never-before-performed songs, and fun surprises that will deliver an unforgettable experience for families.”

Nickelodeon is in production on “Fresh Beat Band of Spies,” a brand-new animated preschool series based on the hit liveaction show, The Fresh Beat Band. In the new series, Kiki (Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer), Marina (Tara Perry), Twist (Jon Beavers) and Shout (Thomas Hobson) are bandmates and also undercover spies. The pop band uses its individual talents and the coolest transforming spy gadgets to outwit a goofy cast of bad guys and solve wild and wacky mysteries. The series, which teaches problem-solving to preschoolers, is created

by

Nadine van der Velde and Scott Kraft (The Fresh Beat Band). Fresh Beat Band of Spies will premiere in 2015. In each episode of The Fresh Beat Band preschoolers sing and dance along as they help The Fresh Beat Band solve everyday challenges. Preschoolers learn the fundamentals of music such as melody, rhythm, tempo and performance styles and the importance of friendship, working together, and respecting each other’s differences. Ne-Yo, Justin Bieber, Jason Mraz, Wayne Brady and Sarah Chalke have all hung out with the Fresh Beats and the group is beloved by many celebrity parents. Mesa Arts Center is located at One E. Main St. in downtown Mesa. Tickets range in price from $34 to $42, and VIP packages are available.

Take free SAT, ACT practice test at Tutor House

High school juniors and seniors are invited to take a free SAT or ACT practice test on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Tutor House Tutoring Services, 100 W. Boston St., Suite 4, Chandler.

Testing is from 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a welcome and registration from 9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Students should bring a calculator to the session.

Taking the practice test is a way for students to find strengths and weaknesses in a low-pressure environment. Participants will become familiar with the test format,

question types, timing and content tested on these college entrance exams. Test results and analysis are given at a separately scheduled conference.

This free practice test is offered in addition to Tutor House’s regular SAT and ACT prep programs. Tutor House is a family-owned and -operated learning center helping students reach their full potential by providing an individualized approach to education. The tutoring process begins with a skills assessment that will identify students’ academic strengths and

weaknesses; test results are then reviewed with parents, and a program is designed to address the student’s individual needs.

A wide range of one-on-one and small group tutoring for students in grades K-12 is available, including tutoring in reading, math, writing, Spanish, study skills, algebra, geometry, calculus, SAT/ACT prep and more. Sign up at www.TutorHouseAZ.com on the homepage to reserve a seat. For more information, call (480) 857-1222 or email Tutoring@TutorHouseAZ.com.

CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Dec. 22-Jan. 2: Winter intersession; no school

Jan. 5: Teacher Inservice/Workday; no school

Basha Bobcats

Pasta for Pennies – Basha Elementary raised $3,345 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society earlier this fall for the Pasta for Pennies fundraiser, sponsored by Olive Garden. The Bobcats set a goal of $2,100 and surpassed it by $1,200. Basha is the school that has raised the most money for LLS in Arizona. Funds raised go toward counseling for families, survivor workgroups for patients and research to find a cure for blood cancer.

Students are encouraged to bring in pennies and spare change, but often bring in larger amounts. The class with the highest contributions wins a pasta party from a local Olive Garden restaurant.

Carlson Champions

BEE A WINNER: Sixth-grader Stephanie Robinson is congratulated by Principal Leo Schlueter after winning the school’s spelling bee. She will move on to the district competition in January. Josiah Park, a fifth grader, got second place. Submitted photo

—Lora Robinson

Fulton Fire

Fundraiser fun – Fulton’s Student Council raised money and awareness for children with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers in November. The Student Council participated in a program called Pennies for Patients through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

For a two-week period, elementary

students brought in their coins, cash and even checks to donate to Pennies for Patients. Student Council members kept track of how much money each classroom donated and awarded each grade-level classroom that donated the most a popsicle party.

The classroom that donated the most for the entire school, Stephanie Goodell’s sixth-grade class, will enjoy lunch provided by the Olive Garden, courtesy of LLS. Her class raised $542.33. Overall, Fulton’s Student Council was able to donate $7,267.14 to this cause.

—Betsy Schultz

Haley Tigers

Drama Club – The Haley Elementary Drama Club has begun rehearsals for its annual show. This year, 140 students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades are participating. Drama Club students work to gain confidence in singing, acting and working together as a team. The club includes students with special needs and varying ability levels, and is one way that Haley works to create an inclusive atmosphere for all students.

Parade – Third-grade student Sophia Greifzu is one of four students who won the contest to be a Half Pint Judge in the Fiesta Parade on Dec. 27. Sophia wrote a paragraph about why she likes milk. In the parade, she will get to ride in a convertible and will wear a big purple bow in her hair to

represent the Haley Tigers. Jingle Jog – Haley’s annual Jingle Jog was held recently. Students bought bells to put on their shoes as they jogged around the track; a portion of the proceeds benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Association. Class notes – Fourth-grade Tigers visited Tonto National Monument recently. The fieldtrip was a culminating event that brought the study of ancient Native Americans to life for the students.

—Stephanie Palomarez

Hancock Heat

Bee smart – Hancock’s 2014-2015 spelling bee winner is fifth grader Blake Enwiller from Robert Lee’s class. Blake will represent Hancock in the District Spelling Bee Friday, Jan. 30 at Perry High School. Runner–up was Jennifer Yanez of Kathy MacNabb’s fifth-grade class. Thanks to Jacqueline Hensley for coordinating the spelling bee.

Running Club – The 2014-2015 Running Club season is underway, with 176 students participating. Tax credits – The year is quickly coming to a close, and tax credit donations will be accepted through Dec. 31. Help support Hancock’s extracurricular activities by making a 2014 tax credit contribution. To contribute online, go to chandler. mytechsupport.com/eca. Prize money – Tickets for the Chandler Education Foundation Raffle

are available in the front office for $20. For every ticket sold at Hancock, the school receives $4. The winner of the final prize can choose either $27,000 toward any 2015 Toyota vehicle or $20,000 cash.

Calendar

Jan. 12: PTO meeting, 6 p.m.

Jan. 16: PTO Family Fun Night at Peter Piper Pizza

Feb. 2: Kindergarten registration begins

Feb. 26: Kindergarten Open House, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

—Amy Fricke Jacobson Jets

with a picture on peace and community. Her picture will be displayed at an art show in January at the Chandler Public Library. Submitted photo —Nicole Estevez

Tarwater Toros

Youth

Running Club – Tarwater Toro Running Club season has begun. Every Tuesday morning, 212 students come early to school to jog laps around a course.

Runners work hard to complete their jog card of 10 miles so they can see their names written on the mileage board in the gymnasium. Running Club continues through February, with Race Days against other schools beginning in January.

Giving Tree – Tarwater students and teachers look forward to the annual Giving Tree project. Donated toys are distributed to needy Chandler families through CUSD’s CARE Center.

Bee winners – Congrats to fifth/ sixth grade spelling bee winners Ben Darnell, first place; Kaleb Lenfest, second place; and Tatum McMillan, third place. Compliments also to Danielle Bernabe, Kyle Dunn, Kyndra Rojo, Breanna Tupy, Brandon Walker and Justin Yi for doing a great job. Ben will go on to compete in the District Spelling Bee in January.

Projects & Pie – Fourth graders have been hard at work studying the Hopi, Apache and Navajo tribes this quarter. Students researched and showcased their work at “Projects & Pie” recently. Families joined their students for the special event, in which students presented PowerPoint slide shows, showed off their dwelling projects and enjoyed a slice of pie with their families and friends.

Coin Drive – Thanks to everyone who contributed to the coin drive held by the Toro Ambassadors and Student Council in November. More than $1,290 was collected for Feed My Starving Children. The money raised will be used to purchase ingredients for nutritional packets and the cost of shipping them to some of the most malnourished children in the world.

—JoAnne Cawley

Santan Storm

Cheer up – The Santan cheerleaders took home first place at their first cheer competition recently.

—Heidi O’Brien

20,

YOUTH CHRONICLES

Kalyn Marquez of Chandler is one of more than 50 students who participated in the Cornell College holiday concert recently, held in the school’s King Chapel. Kalyn is a member of the concert choir. Cornell College is in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Visit Santa HQ for family fun

HGTV’s Santa HQ continues to run through the end of the holiday season at Chandler Fashion Center.

Santa HQ visitors can take an Elfie selfie and star in their own holiday video, explore Santa’s Observatory using ELF-RAY Vision, test out the “Naughty O’ Nice Meter” and enjoy a memorable photo with Santa. Reservations can be booked online at www.Santa-HQ.com.

Join us for our 2nd annual Rawhide’s Snowy Christmas. The kiddies can drop off letters for Ol’ Saint Nick himself and even have their photo taken with him. Stroll through Rawhide, watch the snow fall, and marvel at the holiday lights. We look forward to welcoming you to our 1880’s western town full of fun, good eatin’, great shopping, and a little bit of the rootin’ tootin’ Christmas spirit that is Rawhide’s Snowy Christmas.

December 20 Town OpenNoon - 10 pm

December 21Town OpenNoon - 8 pm

December 22-23Town Open5 pm - 10 pm

December 26-27Town OpenNoon - 10 pm

December 28Town OpenNoon - 8 pm

December 29-30Town Open5 pm - 10 pm

Chandler student performs in ‘Christmas at Augustana’

Chandler resident Kaitlyn Kauffmann was one of more than 300 student musicians who performed during Augustana College’s “Christmas at Augustana” on Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6. Founded in 1860, Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. The college is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to

pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 155 Academic AllAmericans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world’s most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS