ChooseyourJourneyofEXCELLENCE Education Band Teacher Ends the Year on a High Note

Photo courtesy of PVSchools

Ryan Diefenderfer, the esteemed band director at Paradise Valley High School, has been announced as a quarterfinalist for the prestigious 2024 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. This award recognizes outstanding music teachers who have made significant contributions to music education and show a commitment to maintaining music programs in schools nationwide.

With over 2,000 submissions, being selected as a quarterfinalist is an exceptional accomplishment. Diefenderfer has proven that his dedication to his students and passion for music education has not gone unnoticed. He has become a beloved figure within the Paradise Valley High

School community due to his tireless efforts and selfless commitment to cultivating a love of music among his students.

Under Diefenderfer’s expert guidance, Paradise Valley’s band has flourished and achieved a multitude of successes. He has taught his students invaluable skills, instilling within them a sense of discipline, creativity, and teamwork that will benefit them both in and outside the classroom.

PVSchools wishes Ryan Diefenderfer the best of luck as he continues on his journey toward winning the prestigious Music Educator Award.

To learn how your student can become a part of Paradise Valley High School’s prestigious band, visit pvschools.net/ programs/fine-arts/performing-arts.

Want a reason to play with your food? While adults may discourage us from doing so, food items can teach us a lot about science, especially chemistry. And it can be fun too! In this activity, you’ll learn about how vinegar and baking soda create a reaction and form carbon dioxide bubbles. When a raisin joins the (dance) party, the bubbles that are formed stick to the raisins and their many wrinkles, causing them to float to the top. When the raisins reach the top, bubbles tend to pop and release the gas which, in turn, allows the raisins to sink back down to the bottom.

Supplies

• 1 clear plastic cup

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 6 to 7 raisins

• Water

• Vinegar Challenge

• Fill you cup about halfway with water

• Add one teaspoon of baking soda and stir until dissolved in water

• Add 6 to 7 raisins into the cup

• Very slowly pour in vinegar until cup is three-fourths full

• Watch the raisins dance

What did you think would happen to the raisins? Did they surprise you? What happened? What do you think is causing the bubble to form? What type of gas is it? You can try this experiment with other small fruits–how do you think the reaction would be different if you used grapes? Or a blueberry. What about a cherry tomato?

There are lots of different ways to learn about science in your very own home. Science is all around us, and as long as you ask and have supervision, it is great to be curious about what other experiments you can conduct. Visit azscience.org and find experiments just like this!

Sari Custer is a lifelong science junkie, Chief Curiosity Officer at Arizona Science Center, and mom to daughter Carson (7). Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SariOnScience.