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13637 N. Tatum Blvd. Suite 12 Phoenix, 85032

(SE Corner of Tatum & Thunderbird, next to Kid to Kid) 602-971-6999 www.thefoundryyoga.com

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FOLLOW US: @THEFOUNDRYYOGA Education PVSchools Community 5K Fun Run Returns

Photo courtesy of Paradise Valley Unified School District

Join the community for the 13th Annual PVSchools Community 5K Fun Run, an event encouraging active lifestyles.

Held Sat., Feb. 4 at Horizon High School, 5601 E. Greenway Rd., Check in starts at 7:30 a.m. The Kids’ Dash for youth ages 10 and under beings at 8:45 a.m., and the main race starts at 9:05 a.m. Awards for first, second, and third place male and female finishers in each age division will be given. Team awards will also be given for race participation. Participants who register by Jan. 6 will receive a t-shirt.

Runners will exit the Horizon High School football field south at the back gate and head east on Nisbet Rd up to Greenway Rd. Runners/Walkers will proceed down 64th St to Acoma then up 56th St back to Nisbet to renter and finish on the field. There are two aid stations on the course: One is on 64th St just south of Greenway. The other is at the elementary school on Acoma near 60th Street.

The 2023 PVSchools Community 5K Fun Run is supported by Race Entry, United Healthcare, VSP, Sun Life Financial, Delta Dental, Valley Schools, and the Paradise Valley Unified School District. For registration and information, visit runsignup.com/Race/AZ/Phoenix/ PVSchoolsCommunity5KFunRunWalk.

Education

18 under 18 Nominations Open for JA Leaders, change makers, and innovators encouraged to apply.

Photo courtesy of Junior Achievement of Arizona

Junior Achievement of Arizona’s 18 under 18 nominations are open until Jan. 31, 2023, at midnight. Nominees have to be under 18 years of age by July 1, 2022, and attend K-12 in Arizona.

“The Junior Achievement of Arizona 18 Under 18 all have something in common: They’re not waiting until they’re adults to make a difference in the world,” says Katherine Cecala, CEO of Junior Achievement of Arizona. “Whether it’s helping refugees, selling shoes, publishing a book, or finding a youth poet laureate, these entrepreneurs all realize the power that a single, driven person has.”

WHAT’S THE CRITERIA?

• Demonstrated leadership • Community Service • Entrepreneurial spirit

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• Active in the community • Selfless leaders • Change makers • Innovators

WHO CAN APPLY?

• Anyone under 18 years of age by July 1, 2022, and who attended K-12 in Arizona • Nominees can reside anywhere in Arizona

Winners will be announced in person on Thurs., April 27, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Cash and other prizes will be awarded to the winners. To learn more, visit 18under18.org.

FOR EARLY EDUCATION

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• Pre School full or part time. Ages 3-4 years • Pre Kindergarten full or part time. Ages 4-5 years • Before and After School care programs for elementary schools • We provide transportation to and from Desert

Cove Elementary, Mercury Mine, Larkspur,

Hidden Hills, Indian Bend! K-6th grade

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To Make Your Arizona Tax Credit Gift visit www.ocjkids.ort/donate or scan the QR code on this ad

Bring Hope to Arizona’s Foster Children

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Choose your Journey ofEXCELLENCE

It’s not just open enrollment. It’s open up their full potential enrollment!

 Preschool to 12th grade Gifted services  K-12 International Baccalaureate  District-wide STEM programs  Career & Technical Education  Award-winning Fine Arts programs  Suzuki Strings, violin program  Spanish & Mandarin Immersion

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›› www.PVSchools.net/enroll 602.449.2000

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Education

PVHS Student Receives Recognition for Excellence

Photos courtesy of Paradise Valley Unified School District

Paradise Valley High School Senior and CREST student Tej Desai was selected as one of the five Arizona nominees for the 2022-2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education honor. This program recognizes and celebrates distinguished graduating high school seniors and is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Desai was selected based on his technical competency, professional employability, skills, ingenuity, creativity, and for maintaining high achievement in rigorous classes.

As one of the five Arizona nominees or semi-finalists in this honor’s selection process, Tej was selected by Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, who submitted his nomination to the Commission on Presidential Scholars at the U.S. Department of Education. This month, Desai will be invited to apply for national review by the Commission on the Presidential Scholars at the U.S. Department of Education. He will find out in May if he is one of 20 students selected as a national winner after being showcased later this year by the Arizona Department of Education.

Additionally, last November, Desai was selected to be part of the Student Discovery Zone Challenge Scholarship by The Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) a not-for-profit, trade association supporting the growth of Arizona’s life science sector.

He submitted his work from his summer research through KEYS at U of A: Use of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Data to Examine Normative Cognitive Aging, explaining the research process and findings that industry leaders judged, resulting in him winning first place in the high school student group with a scholarship of $1000.00. The award was presented to him by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.

Education

Inspiring Teens Provide Support to Peers Dealing with Dating Violence, Abuse

By Amy Wolff Photos courtesy of BLOOM365

Teen dating violence statistics are staggering. According to a 2018 Centers for Disease Control study one in 11 females, one in 15 males, and one in four LGBTQ+ high school students have experienced physical dating violence in the last year. And roughly one in nine females, one in 36 males, and one in three LGBTQ+ high school students have experienced sexual dating violence.

For Valley nonprofit group BLOOM365, stopping abuse at the root of the problem and preventing dating and domestic violence before it begins, with a special focus on 11 to 24-year-olds, is the ultimate mission.

One of the most unique things about BLOOM365 is its Peer Advocate program. It includes roughly 40 local high school and college students who are trained to recognize the signs of abuse, respond appropriately, and reframe conversations and actions to cultivate a culture of safety, empathy, respect, and consent.

Harshitha Ram, a sophomore at Pinnacle High School, became a peer advocate to be part of something bigger and help create meaningful change in the lives of her fellow students.

“The work we do at BLOOM365 is something I am very passionate about, and I strongly believe in ending the cycle of abuse in my generation,” she says. “Through the peer advocacy program, I’ve learned how to create an impact within my school and community.

BLOOM365 educates young people on healthy versus unhealthy relationships and helps build skills to avoid controlling, abusive, and violent behaviors both now and later in life. The organization also provides trauma-informed emotional support, counseling, and safety services to enhance healing and well-being for young people who have been victimized.

“My work as a peer advocate is dear to my heart because it means that I can make a difference in the lives and experiences of every person around me,” says Clara McAdams, a junior at Barry Goldwater High School. “When a peer comes to me and discloses interpersonal violence or toxicity in their relationship, the first step I take is to listen. I give them an outlet to express their emotions, fears, and concerns. I strive to alleviate the silence they have felt in their relationship.”

Peer advocates participate in an immersive and highly engaging training that educates young people ages 13 to 24 years old about the risk factors, red flags, and root causes of domestic, sexual, teen-dating violence, and bullying and how to prevent them. Through the program teens and young adults gain skills they can use to support peers who have experienced unhealthy, controlling, toxic, or abusive friendships or relationships. They also learn steps they can take to create a safe space for survivors to seek help and perpetrators to unlearn abusive behaviors.

“For me, my goal is to always be empathetic and try to understand other people’s perspectives and experiences,” says Nidhi Konanur, a sophomore at Mountain Ridge High School.

After completing the Peer Advocate Academy, participants can apply for a paid Lead Peer Advocate internship position to uproot abuse on their school campuses.

To learn more about the Peer Advocate program and BLOOM365, visit bloom365.org.

WELCOME TO PARADISE

YOUR ACADEMIC JOURNEY CONTINUES AT PVCC

Located in north Phoenix, Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) serves a broad group of students in a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment.

Our students experience active and engaged learning, opportunities to enhance critical, creative and entrepreneurial thinking, and ways to positively impact today’s societal issues.. Whether you’re attending college for the first time, taking a class to transfer to a university, expanding your skill set, or wanting to explore a new interest, PVCC can help. We provide an array of services to ensure your success, such as academic advising, career counseling, early college, financial aid (for those who are eligible), a learning support center, and Veteran resources. What’s more, we are the only community college in Arizona recognized as one of the nation’s Top 150 Community Colleges by the Aspen Institute, the nation’s signature recognition for America’s community colleges. Paradise awaits….contact us for a campus tour today!

PARADISE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Union Hills - Main Campus

18401 North 32nd Street Phoenix, AZ 85032 paradisevalley.edu 602.787.7000

Black Mountain Campus

34250 North 60th Street, Building A Scottsdale, AZ 85266 paradisevalley.edu/blackmountain 602.493.2600

The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. The Maricopa County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit http://www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.