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Anthem Prep’s Crandall commits to Trinity University

BY ALEX GALLAGHER

Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Anthem Prep senior Callyn Crandall signed a letter of intent on May 11 to attend and play soccer at Trinity University in San Antonio.

“Trinity University in San Antonio is getting a special person,” said Anthem Prep Principal Richard Watmore.

“Callyn has proven here, at Anthem Prep, that she is talented. However, her dedication to her academics and friendships are revealed every day at school.”

From overcoming a devastating knee injury her sophomore year of high school to losing critical time of recruiting due to the pandemic, the center defender never gave up and credits the support of her parents and peers to her new adventure.

“Recruiting was really hard with COVID-19,” Crandall said. “We had so much time off during the recruiting dead periods.” Although recruiting was difficult for Crandall, her father told her about Trinity University, and it sparked her interest.

“My dad told me to look at Trinity University, so I began talking to their coaches about a year and a half ago,” Crandall said.

“We corresponded over email for a while and then they watched some film on me. From there, I went on a visit and they made an offer during the visit.”

Trinity was not the only school that piqued Crandall’s interest.

“I also talked to Davidson College in North Carolina, which I received an offer from, as well as Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California,” Crandall said.

However, it was the communication that Crandall received from the coaches at Trinity University that made her feel welcome and cemented her choice.

“I picked Trinity because of the coaches and the school, the academics there are unbeatable,” Crandall said.

Crandall plans on majoring in biology or psychology and wants to eventually pursue a career in physical therapy.

“I tore my ACL sophomore year playing soccer here at Anthem Prep,” Crandall said. “That was a whole year/year and a half process of rehabilitation to be able to play again which really inspired me to pursue physical therapy eventually.”

Crandall said she’s looking forward to playing soccer and meeting other incoming freshmen.

While shipping off to college can be scary, Crandall feels best prepared for what is to come and credits her education at Anthem Prep to that.

“I owe everything to Anthem Prep, they formulated me into the student I

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Summer learning makes up for missed opportunities

BY DR. CURTIS FINCH

Superintendent, Deer Valley Unified School District

The Deer Valley Unified School District had an amazing school year in 2020-2021, but it was not easy.

Working together with community stakeholders, staff and students, the district navigated the many turns in the COVID-19 roller coaster ride. Although the ride was tricky, challenging and exhausting, the district excelled at developing successful academic and safety systems, protocols, and procedures for the betterment of students.

One of the glaring holes from this year was the information, tasks, and skills that may have been missed by students. Quarantines, unsuccessful online experiences or emotional struggles with the pandemic were the top three issues for students.

Academics and emotional well-being go together and teaching social emotional learning (SEL) skills can be critical for academic success.

The whole premise of teaching SEL skills is to influence emotions so students can function successfully at home, school or in society. If teachers can successfully instruct students how to guide their emotions, students can be a contributor to their own future and positively influence their peers around them.

However, if students missed those SEL lessons, it probably affected their academics this year. If your student struggled emotionally or academically this year, they might benefit from some enrichment, intervention, and/or credit recovery courses this summer.

The district will have a robust enrichment summer program where students can develop their academic and SEL skill sets. Summer academic interventions are designed to set up the next school year for success, while enrichment activities are designed to help rekindle a student’s love for learning.

There will be Math Level Up for seventh to ninth grade, English Language Learners Writers Workshop for K-12, and community education will host multiple camps for all ages. There will be options for the high school students in ACT prep, SAT prep, driver’s ed, science and dance.

Kindergarten through eighth grade will have camps in adventure, math, science, Mandarin, music and gifted.

Interventions will also cover kindergarten to 12th. The younger students will have Jump Start for incoming first to third grade, along with Jumpstart Math for grades fourth to ninth. Student Support Services will provide extended school year as it does every year for qualified students, and Southwest Behavioral Services will provide a Skills and Strategies program for kindergarten to eighth-grade students.

Secondary students from seventh to 12th grade can take courses to get ahead or recover a grade/credit through the Middle School Summer program, DVUSD Pathways, Deer Valley Online Program (DVLOP) or the HS Course Extension program.

Academic and SEL interventions, extensions and enrichments will be very important this summer. Transportation may be provided for some of these programs, but seats will be limited. Contact your school principal to see if your student is eligible for these programs.

The list of programs, requirements, and offerings can be found on the district’s website at dvusd.org/2021SummerPrograms

Summer enrichment, intervention and credit/grade recovery programs can help set your student up for success next school year. Enroll now!

Dr. Curtis Finch can be reached at superintendent@dvusd.org

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 19, 2021

STUDENT CHRONICLES

Know a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com.

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Foothills Focus Executive Editor

John Ross of Anthem graduated cum laude from McKendree University with a BA degree in sociology-criminal justice emphasis. The university is conferring 667 degrees in 2021 — 35 doctoral, 181 master’s, 446 bachelor’s and five associate degrees — on students who completed their program requirements in December 2020, and in May and July 2021. A total of 124 students graduated with Latin honors (pending final grades for the spring and summer terms): 21 summa cum laude, 55 magna cum laude and 48 cum laude. Eighteen graduates were members of the university’s Honors Program. The McKendree University Class of 2021 hails from 29 states and 15 countries. Founded in 1828, McKendree University’s historic Lebanon, Illinois, campus is 25 miles from St. Louis. McKendree also has a center in Radcliff, Kentucky, and offers degree programs online and at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

CRANDALL from page 23

am today,” Crandall said. “Plus, everyone who graduates from here says that college is a breeze compared to high school.

“The support I’ve had from the athletic director and all the coaches and teachers here has made it all worthwhile.”

Crandall also wanted to give a major thank you once again to her classmates. “To my class specifically, I want to thank them all for their support,” Crandall said. “Sophomore year when I had that injury and was on crutches for nine weeks, people carried my books for me and pulled out chairs for me. I could have easily quit soccer after that, but they kept me wanting to go back.”

Watmore offered Crandall and the rest of the graduating seniors a parting message.

“Regardless of the situation, regardless of the scoreboard and regardless of how well you played in the game, you will be successful because you put in all the time, effort and hard work and you know that it will pay off,” Watmore said.

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