|
“HOLIDAY EDITION”
Deer Valley Elementary Schools
Arrowhead
Arrowhead school held a toy drive collecting 300 toys which were donated to Constitution Elementary through the Positive Alliance Group.
First grade teacher Mary Flynn and her class are participating in the “Kids for Cows” through Heifer International.
Sixth graders at Arrowhead donated $1,636 towards the Salvation Army Christmas Angel program at the annual walking field trip to Arrowhead Town Center.
Canyon Springs
Students at Canyon Springs are supporting the Foothills Food Bank by collecting much needed canned and nonperishable food donations as well as monetary donations and hygiene items. Each class has decorated a wagon for the purpose of collecting the items. One of the themes expressed on the wagons is "Together We Can Make a Difference." The collection of items will be complete by Friday, December 10.
Crossroads
Deer Valley Crossroads students and staff adopted four students from another DVUSD school campus for the holiday season. Students are also holding a can food drive for the St Mary's Food Bank.
Desert Mountain
Desert Mountain's Student Council is selling Holiday Grams to raise money to purchase toys for children in need.
Desert Winds
Desert Wind’s PTSA is hosting the holiday store on until December 10 from 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Esperanza
During the Holiday season, the Esperanza Community Builders and Student Council are collecting donations to support needy families with newborn babies, toys for Thunderbird Samaritan’s Hospital Toy Closet, canned food and non perishable items. The food drive will help to support ten Esperanza families in need. Items are being accepted through December 15.
The Esperanza Band, Chorus, Handbells, and Orchestra performed their Annual Winter Concert to a sanding room only audience on Thursday, December 2. The Handbell group will also be performing this Saturday, December 11 at the Shops at Norterra from 5 – 6 p.m.
Gavilan Peak
Gavilan Peak is celebrating their Multi-cultural awareness week called “Quarters for Caring” to support their sister school in Uganda and India for the holiday season. Students are also collecting toys for these students.
Greenbrier
In support of the community Greenbrier Student Council is sponsoring a canned food drive until December 10. All donations will benefit Westside Food Bank. The goal was at least one canned or boxed food item from every student but this goal was surpassed by more than 2,100 canned/boxed goods.
Greenbrier also hosted its annual Turkey Trot on November 24. Frozen turkeys were donated on the mornings of November 22 – 24 to families in need.
Highland Lakes
 Student Council at Highland Lakes sponsored their annual Food Drive to benefit St. Mary's Food Bank. This year, their goal was to collect 4,000 pounds which would provide well over 400,000 meals to needy families this Christmas season. Last year, they collected enough food for 386,682 meals.
Hillcrest
 Hillcrest National Jr. Honor Society students went to Arrowhead Mall on Saturday, December 4, to shop for the Angel Tree. Twenty-one students pitched in their monetary donations and were able to purchase presents for six people off the Angel Tree.
The students and staff at Hillcrest Middle School conducted a campus wide toy drive for which the toys were donated to the Glendale Fire Department Crisis Center, Mendy's Place Children's Hospital at John C. Lincoln, and the Glendale Police Department.
Yearbook students went to Build-a-Bear and made 30 bears to donate to the Mendy's Place Children's Hospital at John C. Lincoln and then wrapped gifts in front of Barnes and Noble on Saturday, December 4 for donations. They raised over $350 which was used to purchase more toys and stuffed animals do donate to their community. This is their 3rd year in partnership with the community.
Las Brisas
The Adopt a Family Program has begun at Las Brisas. Students are bringing in toys, stuffed animals, clothing as well as food to donate to the six needy families that have been fortunate to be adopted by Las Brisas. The drive ends on December 13. All the items collected will be delivered to the families before winter break.
Legend Springs
Legend Springs forth grade coordinated a sock and blanket drive.
Mirage
 Mirage Students rallied together and collected 1,761 pounds of food for Desert Mission Food Bank. In addition to canned foods, students, and their families, donated baby items, such as diapers, formula and baby food, and pet supplies. Mirage would like to thank its community for their contributions.
Mountain Shadows
 Mountain Shadows 5th grade students wrote thank you letters and sent care packages to military service men/women serving in Afghanistan. Thank you to all the 5th grade families for their contributions.
Norterra Canyon
Norterra Canyon is holding a canned food drive for families in the Paso Hills area. Students are also participating in the “Norterra Angels” program, where Norterra Canyon students will be adopted by the school and receive gifts for the holiday season.
Park Meadows
Park Meadows PTA sponsored a Holiday Shop for students to purchase gifts for their families until Friday, December 10 in room 602. Students may visit the Holiday Shop before or after school and have the opportunity to browse with homeroom classes. Items range in price from 50 cents to $12.00. Parents/Guardians are welcome to stop by any time during school hours, but must sign-in at the front office before being allowed on campus.
Sierra Verde
Sierra Verde has adopted Paseo Hills and Constitution Elementary Schools for the holiday season. Sierra Verde has displayed a Giving Cactus in the Media Center. On this tree there are ornaments that display the sex/age of children in need this holiday season. Students from Sierra Verde are able to choose one ornament off of the Giving Cactus. By choosing an ornament, the students are committing to buy a gift or gifts for the student in need. All of the gifts will be delivered on Friday, December 10.
Sierra Verde Student Government is collecting new bags of dry dog and cat food to donate to the Maricopa County Animal shelter for the holiday season. The homeroom that collects the most will receive an ice cream sandwich party.
Sierra Verde kindergarten students performed “The First Thanksgiving” for parents, siblings and community members. After the performance, a small celebration was planned. Kindergarten students along with the audience members enjoyed pumpkin pie, ice cream and whip cream.
Sierra Verde's annual Reindeer Run will be held Saturday, December 11 at 10 a.m. Students, families, community members, and teachers will enjoy a morning 2.5 mile run around the neighborhood. Please come out for a fun time there will be raffle drawings and prizes.
Sunset Ridge
Sunset National Junior Honor Society is collecting new and gently used blankets for the homeless as well as new disposable diapers for St. Vincent De Paul.
Sunset Student Council students have adopted two families and collecting gifts and food for the holidays.
Terramar
Terramar students in Mrs. Karen Ciba’s 2nd grade class are earning money for children in need by helping out at home with odd jobs in order to shop for a student from the Angel Tree program. On Wednesday, December 15, as an entire class, students and their families will meet at the Walmart on Lake Pleasant and shop for their “selected child in need” from their Angel Tree.
Deer Valley High Schools
Boulder Creek
Boulder Creek’s Pawprint players present “The Facts in the Case of Edgar Allan Poe” play which will debut from December 10 - 11 at the Boulder Creek High School Performing Arts Center in the Black Box: 40404 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway. Evening performances will begin at 7 p.m. with an additional 2 p.m. performance on Saturday. This performance is meant for a mature audience. Admission to the event is $5 and all proceeds will go to support the theatre program at Boulder Creek High School.
The Boulder Creek Key Club with the support of Anthem Young Professional Kiwanis group has adopted three families from a sister school Head Start Program in Deer Valley.
National Honor Society hosted a canned food drive for St. Mary’s Food Bank collecting over 3,300 cans to donate during the holiday season. Students Samantha Sidoti, Jennifer Gray, Danielle lackey, and Jennifer Kennard coordinated this community service project. Boulder Creek teachers Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Erickson, Mrs. Roberts, and Mrs. McDermott had the greatest participation.
Mountain Ridge HS
Mountain Ridge is the recipient of the Van Hengel Trophy for winning the Arizona state food drive competition for the 4th year in row. The canned food drive was organized by MRHS Student Government and sponsor Doug Evans, during the first three weeks of November.
Sandra Day O’Connor HS
Sandra Day O’Connor Spanish Honor Society is orchestrating a personal hygiene drive for Vista Colina, an apartment complex for homeless families. The Spanish classes are donating items and will deliver them after the New Year to the shelter and also have a party for the children at the shelter.
Sandra Day O’Connor teacher Jeff Baumgartner’s 7th hour Systomatics class has adopted a large family for the holidays. Gifts will be delivered to the family during the week of December 13th.
Sandra Day O’Connor Air Force JROTC instructor Lt. Col. John Simmons and his cadets donated $1,000 worth of brand new toys to Luke Air Force Base Airmen's Attic for their Annual Christmas Party for children of junior enlisted personnel. The cadets used their own money to purchase and donate the toys. The Airmen's Attic is a charitable store that enlisted personnel in the ranks of E-1 through E-5 can come to find clothing, household items, appliances, furniture etc. absolutely free. We have accomplished this community service event for the past three years.
Several Sandra Day O’Connor football players will be serving meals to shut-ins Christmas morning through The Salvation Army.
|
)