June 18 - July 1, 2016
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CTA student is Arizona winner for Michelle Obama recipe challenge BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Chandler Traditional Academy Independence student Scarlet Summers is sure she wants to be a chef when she grows up. The 11-year-old is well on her way. She has been named one of the winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe challenge for kids that promotes cooking and healthy eating as part of the First Lady’s initiative. Her prize-winning dish was Scarlet’s Southwest Barack-a-Bowl. “It was really fun and it was just fun to create the recipe with my mom and have some family time,” Scarlet said. Scarlet’s mom, Lisa, is just as thrilled. She and her daughter will travel to Washington, D.C., in July to attend a kids’ “state dinner” at the White House hosted by Michelle Obama. Scarlet and the 55 other aspiring young chefs and their guardians/parents will have a healthy lunch featuring a selection of the winning recipes followed by a visit to the White House Kitchen Garden. “I’m so proud of her,” said Summers, whose husband, Sean, and son, Gage, round out the family. “I’m absolutely pretty surprised. Whenever we entered this, we were just thinking it would be a fun mother-daughter thing to do. We had no idea she would win for our state. It was quite a shock.” She also created the Presidential Prickly Pear Power Smoothie.
Scarlet Summers and her mother, Lisa, prepare breakfast while discussing Scarlet’s award. STSN photo by Will Powers.
“We wanted to incorporate prickly pear because it’s really unique to Arizona,” Summers said. “We
Hamilton grad receives prestigious Fulbright award
Local builder wants to create motorsports development BY KEN ABRAMCZYK
A Chandler builder has unveiled plans for a 2,360-acre recreational motorsports complex near the I-8 and I-10 freeways in Pinal County. Danrick Builders officials hope to break ground in mid-2017 on Attesa, which will feature two 2.8-mile road courses, a karting track, a driver experience center and a multisurface racing and event area, a private airport with a 6,000-foot runway, accommodating single-engine Cessna propeller planes to corporate jets, along with commercial, industrial and residential areas, and a private club to use the track and airport. Danrick officials describe the development as an “entertainment and economic engine for the region,” located 6 miles southwest of Casa Grande.
added prickly pear, kale, strawberries, Greek yogurt and banana. “The whole point of it is to get kids to think about eating healthy,” Summers said. Scarlet called the process “fun.” “I had been to cooking classes before,” she said. “I love it.” A full list of winners and their recipes can be found online at www.pbs.org/lunchtimechallenge. Additionally, a free downloadable and printable e-cookbook of the winning recipes and nutritional analyses and photos, will be available on July 14 on the contest site, pbs.org/lunchtimechallenge. During their travels to Washington, D.C., Scarlet and Summers will also have the opportunity to tour the Smithsonian. Scarlet will participate in a pizza part as well. This is the fifth year of the Heathy Lunchtime Challenge and Kids’ State Dinner in which 8- to 12-year-old students from across the nation were invited to create not only a healthy dish, but one that’s affordable as well. The contest received more than 1,200 entries. It was co-sponsored by Obama, PBS WGBH Boston, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “I’ve been to Washington, D.C., one time,” she said. “We tried to get into the White House but it didn’t really work out. I just hope to earn new things and just meet Michelle Obama. That would be really awesome. This is opening new doors for me.”
“We’re excited about being there, and bringing jobs,” said Pat Johnson, principal of Danrick Builders. Johnson did not provide estimates on the number of jobs created, but expected to receive those figures soon from Elliott Pollack of Scottsdale, one of several partners in the project. Johnson said the complex has not received approval yet for zoning and plans, but Pima officials praised the project in a press release. Pinal County Economic Development Director Tim Kanavel said that once people understand that Attesa will house a landing strip, high-end homes and commercial along with industrial development surrounding a motorsports facility, “it dawns on you that not many places in the country, or in fact the see BUILDER page 4
Voted Chandler’s BEST REALTOR for 4 years!
BY JARED MCDONALD
Hamilton High School graduate and Chandler resident Advika Dani has received a prestigious opportunity to study abroad. The 19-year-old ASU student was recently accepted into the prestigious Fulbright Summer Institutes program, allowing her to study in Scotland this summer for five weeks, starting in July. “I think the opportunity to go with so many diverse people will help me grow as a leader and person,” said Advika, who recently returned from an internship abroad. “It’ll be an amazing cultural experience to go to Scotland with a wide variety of classes.” The Fulbright Summer Institutes program allows U.S. undergraduates the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom for up to six weeks. The curriculum varies between each program location, but generally they focus see FULBRIGHT page 5
F E AT U R E STO R I E S CTA student wins Michelle Obama recipe challenge . . . . . . . Chandler Chamber honors Community Award winners . . . . . Chandler girl’s artwork goes viral on internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deli owner provides hot meals for homeless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Musical composed by talented 17-year-old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
See WHY on page 18
A Very Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year from The Amy Jones Group!
on leadership skills and the culture and history of each area. Only 60 spots were available. “I was baffled when I heard I got in,” Advika said. “I kind of applied on a whim and didn’t think I would get in. Now it means I get to be a part Advika Dani of something on a national level. I get to be an ambassador.” Advika said she heard about the program through ASU’s Barrett, The Honors College and found that the program’s broad focus on art, culture and history mirrored her own broad interests. She is majoring in biochemistry with a
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