Desert Sky Middle cheerleaders compete

The Thunderbolt Spiritline from Desert Sky Middle School competed in the Fiesta Bowl

Twirl‑Pom‑Cheer‑Flag & Dance Competition on Dec. 9. Competing against seven junior high level teams, the Thunderbolts took first in the Junior High Cheer Division, bringing home gold medals and a first place trophy. A first place win in the competition gives the team the opportunity to represent Desert Sky and DVUSD in this year's Fiesta Bowl Parade on Dec.30. The parade begins at 11 a.m. and will be televised. The parade route is Central Avenue between Bethany Home Road and Indian School Road.

O'Connor Cross Country team to be recognized

Sandra Day O'Connor's Girls Cross Country team will be recognized during the AIA

Parade of Champions on Ice during the Jan. 15 Phoenix Coyotes game. SOHS Girls Cross Country Team took this year's state championship title. The girls team made history at the state meet, winning with the lowest score ever posted at the Arizona State meet. This is O'Connor's first state championship team. The girls scored 28 points. Five runners made all state and Lindsay Prescott was the individual state champion. This was her 4th individual state championship. Camille Olson was runner‑up, Jade Riley took 4th, and Aleina Eisenhauer 6th. Other team members Kailey Rumbo came in 15th, Renee Peck 17th, and Shannon Walsh 39th. SOHS Girls Cross Country is coached by Brian Dempsey.

Gavilan Peak Elementary collects items for charity

Gavilan Peak Elementary first and second grade students have been collecting money to purchase backpacks and supplies for the less fortunate. By completing chores, students earned $587 to benefit the Phoenix World Outreach Center. The students last week assembled backpacks with blankets and toiletries. 

Highland Lakes Elementary collect items for Afghanistan orphans Sixth grade students in Evon Lunde's class at Highland Lakes School collected over 300 items of school supplies, personal items, and toys to be sent to an orphanage in Afghanistan. The 26 boys and girls in Lunde's class greatly appreciated the donation of over 200 hand‑sewn teddy bears made by Carolyn McGee.

Spelling bee set for January

Terramar school fourth through eighth grade teachers are conducting spelling bees. Winners will participate in a Terramar School Spelling Bee in January of 2007. A winner and an alternate will attend DVUSD Spelling Bee on Jan. 25, 2007.

Character Counts at Diamond Canyon

The Diamond Canyon Character Council adopted Village Meadows School as a sister school last year. Both schools are located in the DVUSD. This year Diamond Canyon students, staff and community wanted to help out as many students as they could, thus the "Giving Tree" project was begun to benefit more than 150 students from Village Meadows School. Students from Diamond Canyon picked an ornament off the "Giving Tree," actually a cactus, from there purchasing a need and a want for a child. On Dec.18, Cody the Coyote, school staff, and students delivered the gifts to the boys and girls at Village Meadows Elementary.

Spell‑o‑thon to be held in late January

Gavilan Peak Elementary School will hold its 2nd Annual Spell‑o‑thon on Jan. 22. On the 100th day of school, students in all grades will participate in a special, written spelling test. Students have been studying up to 100 words at home and at school in preparation for this test. Students will ask for pledges from their families for each word spelled correctly on the test.

This is Gavilan Peak's main fundraiser of the year and all funds received will be put back into the classroom for teachers to spend on academic programs like books, field trips, and manipulatives. Prizes for the most pledges (in dollars and numbers) will be awarded in each grade level. Jeffrey Bennett, sixth‑grader at Gavilan Peak Elementary took first place in the school spelling bee. Kate Wilmot, a Gavilan Peak Elementary fourth‑grader took the school's geography bee title.

Middle School honor bands to perform at concert

The Deer Valley Unified School District will present the Sixth Grade and Middle School Honor Bands concert on Jan. 31 at Barry Goldwater High School. The middle school band will be directed by Nick Burdick, the band director at Barry Goldwater High School.

Students representing Diamond Canyon Elementary in this year's festival are sixth graders Jasmine Woods, flute; C. J. Carvelli, clarinet; and Lunden Herndon, percussion. Seventh and eighth grade members in the Middle School Honor Band are Kristen Ferrara, clarinet; Zach Dieman, tenor saxophone; Stephen Losinger, baritone saxophone, Ty Reeves, trumpet; Courtney Quaintance, trumpet; Taylor Reigel, horn; Philip Maykowski, trombone; and Nick Davies, percussion. Philip Maykowski has been selected to participate in the Arizona All‑State Band. The Arizona All‑State Band will perform at Higley High School on March 17.

Science Expo set for February

Gavilan Peak Elementary's award winning Science Expo will be held February 2007. All students will conduct a science inquiry project. The science fair week ends with an all‑day Science Expo where students participate in different science presentations. Last year, there was a portable planetarium, wildlife birds, Mad Science projects, a yo‑yo demonstrator, the boomerang guy, reptiles and chemistry experiments.