Santan Sun News; 06-20-15: Youth

Youth

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Sister Cities announces showcase’s grand prize winner

BY ELLEN HARRINGTON

Beibhinn Cullen, a student from Chandler’s Sister City Tullamore, Ireland, is the 2015 Sister Cities International Young Authors Showcase Essay grand prize winner, according to Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities (CTSC).

Beibhinn’s essay, “Connecting Communities for Peace and Prosperity,” expresses her reasons for bringing people and communities together, which would result in lasting lifetime connections. As a grand prize winner, she will receive a $1,000 check from Sister Cities International.

Beibhinn is an accomplished musician— playing traditional Irish and classical harp, traditional Irish fiddle—and is an Irish dancer and is a student of ballet. She is fluent in Irish, and teaches Irish in the summers in the Gaelteach outside of Galway, Ireland. She has finished her sophomore year at Sacred Heart in Tullamore.

For more than two decades, the Young Artists and Authors Showcase has given youth from around the globe the opportunity to express their vision for a more unified, peaceful world through original artwork, literature and, new for 2015, short film. The 2015 showcase encouraged youth to submit entries inspired by the theme “Connecting Communities for Peace and Prosperity.” The theme challenged youth to use their imagination for their vision of peace, and to answer the question how does connecting globally allow you and your community to prosper.

Beibhinn’s essay, along with the other national and international winners and finalists, will be on display at the annual

Sister Cities International (SCI) Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from July 16 to July 18. Following the conference, the artwork, essays and poems will tour several cities across the United States. This is the fourth consecutive year that entries from ChandlerTullamore Sister Cities have received grand prize recognition at the national level.

“The Young Artists and Authors Showcase is one of the events sponsored by SCI, and is an amazing opportunity to expose our students—at young and impressionable ages—to Sister Cities,” said Ellen Harrington, president of Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities.

As President Dwight Eisenhower envisioned, these Sister City organizations could be the hub of peace and prosperity by creating bonds between people from different cities around the world. By forming these relationships, Eisenhower reasoned that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships that would lessen the chance of new conflicts. Congratulations to Sister Cities International for choosing another great theme which continues to help define our relationships with our sister cities, and inspiring the students to interpret these themes.

The 2015 Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities’ Young Artists and Authors Showcase was the collaboration with the City of Chandler’s Creative Expressions competition, offered through the Diversity Office.

Young Authors Essay Winners are: • First place: Nicole Hill, Hamilton High School, “No More Lonely Lunches”

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FIRST PLACE ART

• Second place: Elena Pulkinen, “The Lotus Flower” • Third place: Shreya Lamba, “An Encounter” • Honorable mention: Akshata Rudrapatna and Mikey St. Onge.

The Young Authors Poetry Winners are: • First place: Hope Yi, Hamilton High School, “From Many, We Are One” • Second place: Natalie Parkes, “Mezclado” • Third place: Lisa Zou, “We” • Honorable mention: Carlos Hurtado, Kevin Wang, and Guarav Jategaonkar.

Together We Can

Young Artists Winners are: • First place: Jade Nelson, Hamilton High School, “Together We Can” • Second place: Nicole Johnson, “Joining Hands” • Third place: Kevin Yang, “Unifying Religion” • Honorable mention: Olivia Stude and Fiona Zhang.

Chandler’s Young Artists and Authors Showcase and Reception at Chandler’s Vision Gallery in April was made possible in large part due to a grant from Chandler’s Special Events Committee and the Chandler Cultural Foundation.

The organization thanks the City of Chandler’s Diversity Office, Vision Gallery; author Judge Linda Ems and artists judges Laurie Fagen and Bonnie Lou Coleman; Chandler teachers who continue to encourage their students to stretch their imaginations; and, Chandler students who produce amazing artworks, poetry and essays, truly Young Authors and Artists.

All 2015 essays, poems and artworks can

Jade Nelson Hamilton High School be viewed on at www.chandlerirish.org. For information on the 2016 Young Artists and Authors Showcase, check the website in the fall of 2015. For further information on Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities, contact Ellen Harrington, at (480) 600-8509 or chan. to.tull@gmail.

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Youth

FIRST PLACE POETRY

www.SanTanSun.com GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Connecting communities for peace and prosperity

From many, we are one In North Korea, funeral clouds engulf the sky And no one can hear the millions of children cry The food sent from America to sate those who are hungry Ends up in the stomachs of the North Korean army I, a Korean-American, weep for my sisters and brothers The old people, those suffering in the gulags, and the others My family and I go to Washington to plead with Congress We pray in church, asking God’s mercy, to protect and bless As a first generation Korean-American in the land of liberty I never take for granted my country’s history Of promoting a sense of brotherhood and community And ensuring that our citizens reap the rewards of unity.

When my parents first arrived in the United States They were welcomed through the sea-washed, sunset gates Accepted into the melting pot of variety All races and religions, valued members of our society An American is an American regardless of background So for our country our gratitude should be profound All other nations envy our peace Our love for our homeland will never cease It is only by learning about where freedom is banned That young people can appreciate the privilege of living in this land I encourage all teenagers to consider this fact And with one another to make this pact That when our neighbors need us, Americans will be there And that when our freedom is threatened, we will do more than just care Our motto is our promise: E Pluribus Unum We are prosperous and peaceful because from many, we are one Hope Yi Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities Young Artists and Authors Showcase Grade 10, Hamilton High School Instructor: Gina Meade

Families and individuals connect with people all around the world, but for what? There’s enjoyment to be had and curiosity to be fed about different ways of life but connecting with people around the world isn’t just a want it’s a need. A need to survive, through ideas shared and thoughts expressed to help each other remain a strong and prosperous community that we have worked so hard and so long to build.

Connecting with different nations helps keep peace between countries and let everyone live a peaceful and happy life. Giving a helping hand to people who need it, compassion to people with misfortune and understanding to people who are misunderstood. Corresponding with others helps this world thrive and develop for the better and lets us learn from others mistakes.

Without international contact this world would be a reflection of confusion and disarray, it’s as developed and as peaceful as it is because of the communicating communities and support given even when it’s not asked. This title isn’t just words, there is meaning behind it, not just one but many and whatever way you pick it up is up to you, but in my head it means that

sharing your life with others in your area and outside it helps yours and everyone else’s lives function and survive.

Students swap lives for a week and in that week they see the differences that separate their worlds and the similarities that combine them, in that short space of time they make a connection that could last a life time and proves that not only can friendships be made when there a thousand miles away but the connections made can drive and push them to continue on with the relation of two worlds made into one.

In conclusion, without the help of our friends abroad and our foreign communities, it would be a dull and incoherent world full of lonely people with discombobulated lives.

Connecting communities for peace and prosperity really does help everyone to flourish alongside each other and truly does leave this world a peaceful and prosperous place.

Beibhinn Cullen Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities Young Artists & Authors Showcase Grade 10, Sacred Heart School, Tullamore, County, Offaly, Ireland

FIRST PLACE ESSAY No more lonely lunches Imagine a 14-year-old girl. It is her first day of school. She walks cautiously down the hallway in a new pink skirt her mom helped her pick out. The morning goes by without a hitch. Then, lunch period starts. She takes her crumpled brown paper bag lunch and frantically starts scanning the overcrowded room for a familiar face. Loneliness begins to creep in. In an attempt to avoid the inevitable, she runs to the bathroom. After finishing her smushed peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the stall, she forces herself to dive into the sea of blank faces once more. She suddenly feels thousands of blemished features turned toward her.

She walks faster, trying to hold back the tears. Then, out of nowhere, a smiling girl comes toward her and informs her that her perfect pink skirt is tucked in her underwear. However, the smiling girl does not mock or leave. She creates conversation and suddenly, the 14-year-old girl feels comfortable.

This is not just a story. Everyday thousands of teenage boys and girls are eating alone in the bathroom. On the other hand, not every one of those girls and boys has a smiling stranger to come to the rescue. However, that is the problem with society today. We are too busy caring about ourselves, when we simply need to look up and find those lost teenagers, who just want so badly to fit in. If teenagers would look up from their flashy cellphones and discover who needs a friend and act, the world would be a better place. If high schools come together as communities, working together

for one common purpose, who knows what could be achieved.

High schools take pride in a variety of different activities and clubs. Service clubs, such as the National Honor Society, Key Club, Leo Club, Link Crew and many others, assist in making the city of Chandler a fantastic place to live. High schools, with strong bonds, would have more opportunities to create an ideal community.

The National Honor Society, the Chandler Arizona chapter, works hard to be available to serve in all different capacities in the community, whether it be volunteering at an elementary school carnival, or having a talent show to raise money for charity.

The schools in the Chandler district have a massive impact on the people around them.

In order to make a difference, it only takes one school, to step up and say, “We have your back.” It only takes one person to turn a community from good to great.

Remember that story of the lonely 14-year-old girl? It turns out that she is a natural born leader. She was not going to join a club because she thought she was not good enough. Nevertheless, simply because one smiling girl accepted her, she gained enough confidence to join Key Club. She later became president of the club. She is making a difference, one step at a time.

Nicole Hill Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities Young Artists & Authors Showcase Grade 12, Hamilton High School Teacher: Renee Stafford

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New youth basketball program a slam dunk

BY TIM J. RANDALL

Mark Nold knows his basketball. He can talk the intricacies of the pick and roll, breakdown a zone press defense and understands the “Triangle Offense” of Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson.

In short, Nold is a student of the game, and now he will utilize his coaching prowess to teach player and coaches at a soon to be opened kindergarten through eighth grade coed basketball league in Chandler.

Nold will serve as director of basketball for the new Chandler Gilbert Youth Sports (CGYS), an organization that will “promote excellence and help kids enjoy the game of basketball,” according to Brian Clark, a cofounder.

Nold, also a co-founder, has been around basketball his whole life, as a player in high school and now for more than 20 years a highly successful high school coach. Some of his greatest accomplishments include winning a state championship in 1998 with Moon Valley High School, and Apollo High School where his squad earned three consecutive state championships in the mid-2000s.

“I love the game of basketball, and so with CGYS I wanted the kids to love it as much as I do,” Nold said.

The match of Nold and Clark was fortuitous as Clark had the gymnasium space and Nold had the vision of what he wanted the program to look like.

“Skills are what are missing in youth basketball right now,” Nold said. “There is too much focus on playing games and not about the fundamentals of basketball. Brian and I want to change that.”

Located at THE PITT-Fitness and Sports Complex—2150 E. Germann in Chandler—

CGYS will call home a 10,000-square-feet, indoor complex complete with air conditioning, NFL grade artificial turf, 39-foot power wall, basketball and volleyball courts, showers and professional sound system.

“This is a fantastic facility,” said Clark, who is the chief operating officer of the PITT, which provides youth and adult fitness programs for all skill levels.

Now with basketball in the mix there are even more options for kids to exercise and be physically fit.

“CGYS believes youth sports should focus on creating a whole, well-rounded individual and must create an environment for the kids to learn and want to continue to participate in team sports,” Clark said.

The program will run eight weeks and consist of multiple teams, perhaps as many as 20 with sign-ups still occurring. Each week—Monday through Thursday—teams will have a one-hour dedicated practice at the PITT facility with Nold working with players and coaches on their skills, and learning the fundamentals of the game.

“Kids need to develop, you can play games, but if you are not getting better then kids ultimately go find another sport,” Nold said.

Clinics will also be held in which Nold instructs the team coaches on drills, and how

St. MaryBasha students perform in piano duet recital

they can make the game more enjoyable and, ultimately, their players better.

Saturdays are game days, when the players can take what they have learned from practice to team contests on the hardwood.

“This is an opportunity for kids to learn the competitive aspects of the sport,” Nold said.

The cost of the eight-week program is $139 before July 10 and $169 afterward.

Participants receive practice and game sessions, coaching, a player jersey, one free athlete fitness, speed and agility training session at THE-PITT. “We want CGYS to be cost effective,” says Clark.

For more information, visit www. chandlergilbertyouthsports.com or phone (480) 442-2310.

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

Hovland Conservatory of Music hosted a Spring Duel piano recital Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, at the Valley View Bible Church of Music.

Ten students from Mary-Basha Catholic School, who are enrolled in Hovland Conservatory of Music, performed in the recital. Those students included Charlie Gillispie, Jack Couch, Lincoln Burke, Lucas Cerneka, Alexander Williams, Jonathan Bell, Alisander Acuna, Paige Algoso, Madeline Gillispie and Mya Casey.

A small reception was held following the recital for all students and their families.

Enrollment at St. Mary-Basha Catholic School opens St. Mary-Basha Catholic School is enrolling students for grades kindergarten through eighth for the 2015-2016 school year. This marks St. Mary-Basha Catholic School’s 71st year.

The school is located at 200 W. Galveston St., Chandler.

For more information, visit www. stmarybashacatholic.com or call (480) 963-4951.

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Youth

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Five tips for summer learning

BY CAROL ELIAS

Educators have long been aware that children can lose important math and reading skills over the summer. For this reason, teachers often spend the first month or more of each school year reviewing previously taught material.

This is time that could be better spent introducing new skills. Knowing this, parents can easily incorporate learning into summer activities by following these five easy steps.

Read every day: Obtain a recommended ageappropriate list of books from your school or public library and ask your child to choose four or five to read over the summer months. Subscribe to a magazine and take turns reading to each other. Set aside a routine for daily reading instead of “screen entertainment” (television, iPad, iPhone). This will allow students to maintain important previously learned skills and enhance their love of reading as well.

Use math every day: According to Brenda McLaughlin, director of research and policy, Johns Hopkins University, the largest summer learning losses occur in the area of mathematical computation.

It is important for your child to practice and review addition, subtraction and multiplication tables weekly. Calculating the proper change for shopping trips,

planning a simple budget, playing board games, keeping score, making up math word problems during long car trips and adapting recipes while cooking together are all ways to keep math skills current.

Incorporate physical play every day: Research shows that when children engage in physical activity daily, academic achievement improves. Physical play has been shown to enhance concentration, reading, writing and math scores. Set aside time daily for swimming, family bike riding, soccer or other sports. Be aware of our Arizona summer heat and choose outdoor activities for the morning and indoor activities for the afternoon.

Write at least once a week: Writing tends to be the most neglected area of learning outside of the classroom, so much so, that by the time students get to their first year of college they sometimes need remedial writing classes before they are ready for more advanced classes. Each week, have your child write a letter to a friend, or relative or keep a journal describing their outings and special activities.

Encourage your child to write a family or individual biography and keep it in a scrapbook or album for a keepsake. Writing notes to your child will also encourage them to write notes back to you. If they particularly appreciated something done for them, ask them to

write what they liked to that person. For example: Dear Grandma, I like it when you make ice cream. It’s better than the kind we buy at the store.

Plus, it’s fun to do.

Your grandson, Jake P.S. I love you.

Do a good deed every week: Children act out less and achieve more when they become cognitively aware of other’s needs. They develop a strong sense of compassion and responsibility and grow in emotional maturity when they perform service projects for others.

MIT’s Neuroscience research reveals that children who engage in reading others’ needs and behaviors, stimulate a specific brain region known as the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) necessary for healthy emotional growth for children.

Delaying gratification in consideration of

others’ feelings is another important way of developing your child’s brain function.

These five tips are simple ways to engage your children in summer learning.

These benefits are huge when considering your child’s academic development, sense of accomplishment, and self-satisfaction.

Carol Elias is director of New Vistas Center for Education, named a Top 10 School by Johns Hopkins University CTY and Top Science and Engineering School by Intel, Helios and other hightech companies. Founded in 1979, New Vistas Center for Education is a private preschool through sixth grade August through May, and preschool through high school in June through August, located at: 670 N. Arizona Ave., Suite 35, Chandler.

New Vistas is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

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Pieceful Solutions hires Karen Delaney

Summit School of Ahwatukee students Eric Wilda, Elena D’Avanzo, Emma Lee and Mayari Merchant scored well on the Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics annual statewide algebra competition. Also pictured is teacher Christy Menard. Submitted photo

Summit School earns math honors Algebra may be a high school-level class, but middle school students at Summit School of Ahwatukee thrive in advanced coursework. This year seventh grader Emma Lee earned the highest score in the state on the Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics annual statewide algebra competition.

“Math class with Mrs. Menard is a place where all students can interact with each other and get to explore new ways to get to the solution,” Lee said.

“Friends like Mayari, Elena, Eric and all my classmates at Summit will be with you all the way, until you can solve for x.”

Her Summit School of Ahwatukee classmates also excelled. Mayari Merchant tied for the fourth highest state score. Elena D’Avanzo and Eric

Wilda placed in the top 10 percent of all Arizona students taking the exam.

“My friends and I have such a healthy competition betwixt us that we push each other beyond what we think we are capable of,” Merchant said.

Their teacher, Christy Menard, is thrilled, but not surprised. This is the fifth year that Menard’s students have placed in the top 10 percent, or in the top four state scores.

“My students have an amazing aptitude and attitude about learning and excelling,” she said. “They are wonderful young adults who love the challenge, are respectful, and collaborate to support each other to be the best they can in and out of class. They make my job as their teacher extremely fun and rewarding.”

Pieceful Solutions, a K-12 school in Arizona for children with autism spectrum disorders, hired Dr. Karen Delaney, Ph.D.as its school psychologist for its three school campuses in Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert.

Delaney is a licensed psychologist in Arizona, and has more than 35 years of experience in the field. She served as school psychologist for the Kyrene School District in Tempe, where she spent 25 years providing psycho-educational assessments and consultation, social skills training and counseling. She was an active participant in state monitoring of special education services within the district, provided training regarding state and federal regulations for disabled students, and served as the supervisor for doctoral students from various universities for many years.

Previously, Delaney served as a school psychologist for Murphy Elementary School District in Phoenix, Plattsmouth Public Schools in Nebraska, and as a psychologist at the Glenwood State Hospital School in Iowa. Her experience includes training in various disabilities of school-age children, preschool assessment and transition, Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development, student home visits, and behavioral programming for both adults and children with developmental disabilities.

In her new role at Pieceful Solutions, Delaney will oversee case management and intervention and provide consultation

Karen Delaney. Submitted photo

and assessment. She will assist the team in the interpretation and implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and provide training regarding various best practices to assist students with various developmental disabilities.

Delaney earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, a Master of Science degree in clinical psychology from Indiana State University, and a Ph.D. in developmental child/experimental psychology from the University of Nebraska.

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According to spring assessment test results released in May, students enrolled in Primavera Blended Learning Center’s programs have improved by one and a half grade levels on average in five months.

Primavera Online High School’s Blended Learning Center’s facility in Chandler combines faceto-face classroom teaching methods with online learning activities. In October, the BLC incorporated Scholastic’s Math and Read 180 programs, which are intervention courses that are designed to help students struggling in those subjects. With individual computers, personalized programs and one-on-one support from teachers, students have been able to reach and even excel grade level competency, according to BLC’s Executive Director Dr. Kevin Thrasher.

“As a result of these individualized lessons at the BLC, there has been positive progress in students’ reading scores, with the group average being over a full grade level of growth only after three to four months,” Thrasher said. “By helping them improve their reading and

math abilities, they will be able to not only do better in their courses, but also in life.”

Sage Jones, 15, is a student at the BLC who improved by two grade levels within just five months and is now proficient in math at his grade level.

“I take three buses to get to the BLC every day. That means I have to wake up extra early.

Sometimes I leave the house before the sun even comes up,” he said. “When I see my progress in my Read 180 and Math 180 class, it makes me feel like it was all worth it.”

Jose Pantaleon, 18, started at BLC in October and was assessed well below his grade level for reading. Within six months, Pantaleon was able to gain two grade levels in reading comprehension, compared to Scholastic’s estimation of a full school year.

“I love to hear about my results when I am assessed because it helps me see that I am getting smarter,” he said. “When I feel like I’m getting smarter and learning more, it makes me feel like I’m getting closer to my goals and it helps me to stay motivated.”

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Haylin Harris, Megan Ohland and Jenny Bae participated in the Willie Low Invitational.

Submitted photo

Brock Goyen, Thomas Avant and George Markham participated in the Willie Low Invitational.

Submitted photo

Chandler’s Thomas Avant and Tucson’s Haylin Harris notched victories in the Boys and Girls Divisions, respectively, at the Willie Low Invitational presented

by MJ Insurance, the third JGAA Junior Masters Series tournament, played Monday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 9, at Phoenix Country Club.

Thomas fired a four under par 138 for the 36-hole tournament posting 71-67 to win by three strokes over Phoenix’s George Markham. He adds the win to a third-place finish in March at the Thunderbird Invitational and a T9 performance in May at the second Junior Masters Series event—the Charlie Beljan

The event honors late Willie Low, one of the Valley’s top golf professionals for nearly a half century. He began the tournament in 1969, which has been showcasing the talents of junior golfers from across the state since then with past winners including PGA Tour golfers Billy Mayfair, Ted Purdy, Charlie Beljan and LPGA player Sara Brown.

The JGAA’s Junior Master Series consists of five regular tournaments and one series championship at some of the most prestigious courses in Arizona.

Dates and venues for the balance of the schedule will be released soon.

“Our goal is to provide a competitive

Avant wins the Willie Low Invitational Invitational.

On the girl’s side, Haylin edged out Megan Ohland by a stroke, finishing with a five over par 147 for the tournament.

She started out strong on the front nine each day at one under par in the first round and two under par in the second.

“Willie Low was one of Arizona’s most impactful advocates of junior golf,” said Executive Director of the JGAA Scott McNevin. “It is our honor to memorialize his efforts through this event, and Thomas and Haylin are the latest beneficiaries of his vision and dedication.

A profound thank you goes to him and generous support from MJ Insurance.”

More youth in Arizona, nationally attend summer learning programs Participation in Arizona summer learning programs has increased in the last five years, but there is still tremendous unmet demand, according to data from the America After 3PM study.

An Afterschool Alliance survey found that 35 percent of Arizona families reported at least one child participated in a summer learning program in 2013, compared with 22 percent in 2008. Nationally, 33 percent of families have at least one child in a summer learning program, up from 25 percent in 2008.

Despite the progress at the state and national levels, the demand for summer programs far exceeds the rate of participation.

The America After 3PM household survey conducted in 2014 includes responses from more than 30,000 U.S. families, including 261 in Arizona where parents reported on their children’s 2013 participation in summer learning programs.

“Summer is critically important for parents who want to ensure their children are safe and involved in quality programs offering activities that inspire, enrich and that build their child’s skills for success in school and in life,” said Melanie McClintock, executive director of the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence (AzCASE).

“Arizona’s rate of increased participation in summer programming is significant, but meeting the unmet demand is a challenge we must address. We know that 34 percent of parents want more out-of-school time programming in the state.”

McClintock said the Arizona Quality Standards for Out-of-School Time Programs and the Arizona Quality Self-Assessment

Tool are new assets to outline and measure what quality out-of-school time programs look like and will “pay great dividends in providing additional quality opportunities.

But that doesn’t address the immediate need.”

At the same time, AzCASE has created a free, comprehensive online Arizona Afterschool Directory with more than 1,450 out-of-school time programs. It is the state’s only directory searchable in English and Spanish with information about location, services, ages of youth served and other criteria through a map-based interface.

“The numbers are clear. Demand far outstrips the supply of summer programs,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “That’s also the case with the afterschool programs from which many summer learning programs spring. We’re not reaching nearly as many children as we could, and some of them will be at a disadvantage in the classroom next fall as a result.”

Research shows that summer learning loss is a significant contributor to the achievement gap; students from lowincome families typically lose two to three months in reading achievement and two months of math skills during the summer months.

CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS July 7-July 10: July 13: New teacher orientation—Destination Chandler July 14: Returning teachers report July 14-July 17: Teacher inservice/ workdays July 20: First day of school for students

place for aspiring players to play,” said George Getz, chairman of the board of the JGAA. “This tournament series will allow kids to earn national level points and will serve as a launching pad into nationally chartered events.”

Openings for junior players from neighboring states will be dependent on availability at each event. Qualified junior players can sign up for the Junior Major Series by visiting www.jgaa.org. To learn more about the JGAA and the Junior Masters Series, contact Scott McNevin, JGAA executive director, at (602) 9446168 or smcnevin@jgaa.org.

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WHERE KIDS EAT FREE 347 Grill Ak-Chin 16000 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa (520) 233-2426, www.ultrastarakchin.com Children ages 6 and under eat free with paid adult during Sunday brunch. Tuesdays are family nights, where all kids 12 and younger eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée. Ice cream scoops are $1 in the Cones Café.

Apple Dumpling Café 3076 E. Chandler Heights Rd., Suite 101, Gilbert (480) 279-3879, www. appledumplingcafe.com Mondays are family value night, where kids eat free with each adult meal purchase of $6.95 or more. On family fun night, kids receive free ice cream with a meal. Ice cream happy hour is 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, where 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.

Connect5 Family Centers Corp.

222 E. Warner Rd., Chandler (480) 699-2122 Receive a free kids’ meal with an

adult purchase for Munchie Monday, free lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Freebie Friday Free Dinner from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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.

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. on 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.

STUDENT CHRONICLES Tori Wolter was named to the Nichols College dean’s list for the spring semester.

Michael Anthony Castellano graduated from Campbellsville University with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with an accounting emphasis.

Manaf Alhunaidi graduated from the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in business economics and finance.

Klohe S. Harrion was named to the ASU dean’s list for the 2015 spring semester.

Whitening •

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. on Wednesdays. Receive one free kids meal per $8 adult purchase when customers dine-in only.

Nabers Music Bar & Eats 825 N. 54th St., Chandler (480) 705-0288, www.nabersaz.com Kids eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult meal and two beverages.

Dine-in only.

NYPD Pizza 2580 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (480) 722-0898, www.aznypdpizza.com Kids eat for 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 Everyday, except Sunday breakfast, one child aged 10 and under 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.

Michele Mulcahy graduated from George Fox University with a Master of Arts degree in marriage, couple and family counseling.

Kayla Forlin was named to the dean’s list at Central College for the 2015 spring semester.

Hannah Laflin was named to the dean’s list at Central College for the 2015 spring semester.

Jessica Laflin was named to the dean’s list at Central College for the 2015 spring semester.

Tiera Marie Sheldon was named to the dean’s list at Brescia University for the 2015 spring semester.

Lauren Stringham and Staci Grady, master’s degree students in the Global Field program from Miami University’s

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(Chandler Blvd. between Alma School Rd. and Arizona Ave.)

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. on Thursdays with the purchase of an adult entree.

Dine-in only.

Someburros Great Mexican Food 3461 W. Frye Rd., Chandler (480) 726-8226 2597 S. Market St., Gilbert (480) 497-8226 1335 E. Baseline Rd., Gilbert (480) 755-8226 www.someburros.com From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, kids 12 and younger eat free with the purchase of a combo or specialty meal.

Dine-in only.

The Cove Grill 5070 S. Gilbert Rd., Suite 400, Chandler (480) 802-9070, www.thecovegrill.com Kids younger than 12 receive one free meal per adult entrée purchased on Tuesdays.

Dine-in only.

Whiskey Rose Bar and Grill 135 W. Ocotillo Rd., Chandler (480) 895-ROSE (7673) Kids eat free on Tuesdays and Sundays with purchase of an adult entree.

Project Dragonfly, will travel to Baja in the summer to study the diverse desert and marine landscape of two richly diverse biosphere reserves through ecological and social field methods.

Kymberly Winn, a master’s student in the Advanced Inquiry Program from Miami University’s Project Dragonfly and Phoenix Zoo, will travel to Costa Rica in the summer to study lowland rain forest and montane cloud forests while investigating the biotic, physical and cultural forces that affect tropical biodiversity.

Katrina Ottesen graduated from Lincoln Memorial University with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology.

Alaina Haws graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree

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.

in historic preservation with a minor in museum studies from the University of Mary Washington.

Tara Larsen, a junior at Concordia University, participated in the first New England study tour that focused on theater and literary sites on the east coast.

Loren Marissa Carrier was recognized on the dean’s list at Norwich University for the spring 2015 semester.

Haley Christine Barraza was named to Culver-Stockton College’s honor roll for the spring 2015 semester.

Christopher Dohopolski graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering.