Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
Feb. 20 - March 4, 2016
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Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities seeking young artists and authors Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities (CTSC) is looking for students from Chandler to participate in the Young Artists and Authors Showcase, which encourages youth from the city to express the mission of Sister Cities International (SCI) through original essays, poetry, art, film and photography. This program is a great opportunity to reach out into the community and engage local English and art teachers, and reach a student audience who may not already be included in sister city programming, according to CTSC’s Ellen Harrington. The showcase theme for 2016 is “Peace Through People,” and commemorates SCI’s 60th anniversary by celebrating six decades of global citizen action and impact while looking ahead toward a better future where the world’s citizens can come together and find common ground, prosperity and peace. Participants for art, essay and poetry must be Chandler residents and between the ages of 13 and 18. Participants for film and photography must be Chandler
residents and between 13 and 22. Entry specifications for each is available on the CTSC website, www.chandlerirish.org. All entries must be submitted by Wednesday, March 25. A reception, awards and public viewing will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, April 15, at the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership’s Third Friday ArtWalk in downtown Chandler. One piece of artwork, one poem and one essay from the Chandler entries will be submitted to SCI. National grand prize winners will receive $1,000 from SCI. Sister city relationships foster partnerships within the community and between international cities, counties and states—one individual, one community at a time. When President Dwight D. Eisenhower founded Sister Cities International in 1956, he stated that “if we are going to take advantage of the assumption that all people want peace, then the problem is for people to get together and to leap governments—if necessary to evade governments— to work out not one method but see SISTER CITIES page 35
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Santan Elementary teachers crowd into their newly refurbished break lounge after it was unveiled. STSN photo by Srianthi Perera
Santan Elementary teacher wins lounge makeover for school BY SRIANTHI PERERA
It took fourth-grade teacher Stephanie Lederman about one hour to write an essay describing the woeful inadequacies of the staff lounge at Santan Elementary School. The time was not wasted. California Casualty picked her application from among 30,000 across the nation to award her its $7,500 School Lounge Makeover on behalf of her school. It was also the first time an Arizona school won the award. “It’s a very special school and there’s an amazing staff here,” said Lederman at the lounge’s unveiling. “The opportunity came up and I thought our staff deserves a makeover.” At least 60 elementary school teachers hobnob, relax and eat in the lounge each day. “When the school was built, it was a K-8 and then they divided it to K-6 elementary school and a seventh through eighth junior high school. So the elementary lounge was an afterthought,” said Amy O’Neal, principal. “It was very small and just minimalistic.” The space is still the same size, but it’s much more functional, with bench seating and storage options, a new refrigerator and microwaves. The linoleum tiled flooring has been updated to a wooden floor, and the 5-gallon water bottles and the dispenser have been removed because a reverse osmosis water filtration system has been installed. Santan Elementary also worked with its parent teacher organization to raise funds to augment the makeover. “We’re all thrilled; the staff is thrilled,” O’Neal said. The San Mateo, California-headquartered California Casualty does two lounge
After the remodel, the break lounge features new flooring and picnic-style bench seating. STSN photo by Srianthi Perera
makeovers each year, and Santan is the 11th school to receive one. It created the contest to provide educators a more conducive environment to take a break, relax and reinvigorate during the day, according to a release. Lederman is a member of the Chandler Education Association, a requirement to apply. The company provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, law enforcement and nurses across the country. “This is what we do across the country for educators, and really, we’re trying to be able to make more of a positive impact in giving back to our educators and our heroes in the education community,” said Jill Strandquist, senior field marketing manager. In addition to the lounge makeover, teachers with a need for classroom supplies and materials can also apply for a $2,500 Academic Award at www. calcasacademicaward.com.