O’Connor athletic director earns regional title

PHOENIX – Mike Cornish, athletic director at Sandra Day O’Connor High School, was recently named Northwest Region Athletic Director of the Year. He was recognized for his knowledge of high school sports and his commitment to Victory With Honor, a sportsmanship campaign endorsed by the Deer Valley Unified School District.

Residents award Cactus Shadows scholars

CCUSD – Seven years ago, shortly after moving to the area, Erika and Roger Greaves established a scholarship in their name to award to college‑bound Cactus Shadows seniors. They made a 10‑year commitment to the program that honors academic achievement, extracurricular activities and work experience.

The 2006 winners include Britnee Southland, Mercedes Kralovec and Danielle Gonzales. Southland plans to major in Veterinary Medicine, while Kralovec will study business management and Gonzales will study business administration.

District sings praises for choir

DESERT HILLS – The seventh and eighth grade choir at Desert Mountain received a “Superior” rating at the Deer Valley Choir Festival competition for middle and high school choirs. Superior is the highest mark a choir can receive for its performance.

Choirs are judged on seven areas of vocal and performance techniques. The students must memorize each piece of traditional choir music for the event.

Girl Scouts honor Wilmot

ANTHEM – Bonnie Wilmot, Anthem resident and volunteer Girl Scout leader, was awarded the Girl Scouts Outstanding Volunteer Appreciation Pin at the Arizona Cactus‑Pine Council annual recognition luncheon. The council, the largest within Arizona, serves 24,000 girls and 8,400 adult members.

Since Wilmot began serving as team leader for the Desert Mountain Neighborhood in fall of 2005, the number of troops in Desert Hills, Anthem, New River and Black Canyon City has increased from 23 to 32, serving more than 400 girls.

For more information about Arizona Girl Scouts, visit www.girlscoutsaz.org.

District rewards employees with a HUG

CCUSD – The Cave Creek Unified School District will reward 22 employees with a HUG–the Helping Us Grow award–presented to staff who bring innovation to their jobs, represent the district well, or go beyond their outlined responsibilities. It is the highest award bestowed by the district.

The recognition dinner will also honor employees celebrating milestones for years of service to the district. The dinner will be held May 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Cactus Shadows High School Cafeteria, 5802 East Dove Valley Road. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased by calling the district office receptionist Carolyn Carter at (480) 575‑2000.

Canyon Springs launches Web site

PHOENIX – Canyon Springs, the newest K‑8 school in the Deer Valley Unified School District scheduled to open in north Phoenix in August, is now on the Web. Visitors who visit http://canyonsprings.dvusd.org/ will find a message from principal Julie Ruskey and campus contact information.

In addition, a hotline with a message service has been established providing recorded information pertaining to the school. The number is (623) 445‑5008.

Families will receive updated information throughout the summer in the mail regarding volunteerism and committee memberships. The school is located at 42901 North 45th Ave. in Phoenix.

Books for breakfast at  Diamond Canyon fair

ANTHEM – Diamond Canyon will hold a Spring Book Fair May 15‑18. Proceeds from the sale of new books will be used to buy one novel set for each grade level.

Students can shop with their class and purchase books for summer reading. They can shop with Dad on May 16 from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. during Donuts with Dad or the same hours on May 17 during Muffins with Mom. Families can also browse for books May 15 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. during the school’s fine arts night.

Students are ‘Future Problem Solvers’

CAVE CREEK – Desert Arroyo Middle School students will compete against teams and individuals from more than 40 states and countries at the International Future Problem Solvers Competition May 30 through June 4, in Fort Collins, Colo.

During the Arizona competition, held on April 22 at ASU, 8th‑grader Alex Lazo won the individual competition for the middle school division, and 6th‑grade team, Megan Brennan, Shona Becwar, Tyler Wolf and Ian Saltwick, won 1st and 3rd place in written competition, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd for skits.

The Future Problem Solvers Program stimulates critical and creative thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision for the future.

Exhibit, ceremony honor K‑12 art students

CCUSD – Visual arts instructors in the Cave Creek Unified School District, in partnership with the Sonoran Arts League and the Jeff Cross Memorial Fund, held their annual Celebration of the Arts and Visual Arts Award ceremony May 3 at the Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center.

Visitors viewed exhibits of works from students in grades K‑12 during the reception. During the program students received awards for dance, music, drama and visual art achievement.

Seeking history teachers

VALLEY – Deadline is May 19 to nominate an Arizona teacher as History Teacher of the Year. The award, inaugurated in 2004 by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in New York, in partnership with Preserve America, a White House initiative, annually honors one K‑12 teacher of American history from each state and U.S. territory.

Winners receive a $1,000 honorarium and a core archive of history books and materials for their school.

For more information, contact Adria Martinez, Arizona coordinator, at (602) 364‑2317 or amartin@ade.az.gov.