MARCH 25, 2011

Host families needed

Host families are needed for enthusiastic and eager French high school students. This is the 17th year that a group of French high school students will be in the Valley for a three week stay in July. This exchange to Arizona is sponsored by ATIL-CCL a student exchange program based out of Paris and Lyon, France. Volunteer host families (with teenagers optional but preferred) are needed to provide a true Arizona experience. The French students are actively hoping to improve their English, learn about our state, discover the American culture, and share in an American family experience. Contact Randy and Frym Hare; Phoenix ATIL-CCL Coordinators for more details. 623-561-2656- Home, 623-826-4330 Cell, or visit the website at: www.arizonastudentexchange.com.

BY PETE MOHR | MARCH 23, 2011

Sonoran Trails cheer wins State and National titles in first ‘combined’ middle schools season

Nationals crown is a first for Head Coach Michelle Wetzel’s squad

STMS – Cactus Shadows Head Cheer Coach Rika Cuff would be the first to tell you that her Lady Falcons’ six consecutive State Championships would not have been won without a talented “farm system”: that is, successful cheer programs at Desert Arroyo (gone, but not to be forgotten) and Sonoran Trails Middle Schools.  Keep Reading...

BY PETE MOHR | MARCH 23, 2011

For Baseball Falcons: First home win between two road ‘laughers’

Q-Creek (A, 3/29), Saguaro (H, 3/31), McClintock (A, 4/5) will test Birds

CSHS – On Wednesday night, March 16, in the finals of the “Spring Classic”, Head Coach Spencer Grace’s Falcons got skunked, 6-0, by the “Sandites” from Sand Springs, Okla. The next afternoon, the ‘Birds went from scoring famine to batting feast, traveling halfway to New Mexico (or so it seemed) to bury “new school” J.L. Combs, 20-3. Most fans know such a lopsided score is called a “laugher” in baseball jargon.   Keep Reading...

MARCH 24, 2011

Arizona high school students learn workforce skills through JA You’re Hired! event

Arizona high school students will prepare to enter the workforce by learning integral business skills, such as interviewing techniques, resume writing, ethics, problem solving and interpersonal communications through an innovative program called “JA You’re Hired!” 

The program, now in its third year, has three components developed by Junior Achievement of Arizona (JAAZ) including a competitive student event presented by University of Phoenix and a summer internship program.  The event is scheduled for Wednesday, March 30 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa.

In preparation for the full-day event in Phoenix, students from throughout Arizona will complete various assignments with the help of Junior Achievement volunteers and the “JA You’re Hired!” curriculum.

This year’s “JA You’re Hired! Challenge” event will bring more than 400 students from 20 Arizona high schools together for a series of workshops and competitions that focus on job aptitude and competence, business networking, work readiness skills and entrepreneurship.  In addition, hiring managers from over 50 Arizona companies – including those from the financial, education, nonprofit, retail, project management and business sectors, among others – will be on site to talk with students.  Many are offering summer internships based on the aptitude students demonstrate through the “JA You’re Hired! Challenge” competition.

“This important youth development program has been recognized with a MetLife Entrepreneurial Award and is being considered for implementation by Junior Achievement affiliates in Chicago and Washington state,” said Melissa Leasher, director of program development for JAAZ.  “It is a win-win for everyone involved – the students are learning invaluable lessons that will help them enter and succeed in the job market, and local companies are finding a wealth of diverse young talent in our Arizona youth from which to build their workforce for the future.”

This year’s “JA You’re Hired! Challenge” program is made possible thanks to the generous support of the University of Phoenix and community partners such as Humana Foundation, Allstate, bluemedia, Charles Schwab, FedEx, Manpower, SHRM and others.
For additional details about “JA You’re Hired!” visit www.jaaz.org

Baseball
Softball
Tennis
Track & Field

MARCH 24, 2011

Mr. Whiskers is coming to an urban lake near you

14,000 pounds of catfish will be stocked each week

Now that spring is here Mr. Whiskers is returning to an Urban Fishing Program lake near you.

The catfish season officially kicks off at all Urban Fishing Program lakes and ponds in the Phoenix and Tucson areas on Thursday, March 24 when all lakes will receive deliveries of 15-20 inch channel catfish, with some fish weighing up to 3 pounds.

Two large trucks will be used to bring 8,000 catfish to 20 waters throughout the day. Warming spring temperatures signal the fish stocking changeover from trout to catfish.

More than 14,000 pounds of Arkansas farm-raised catfish will be delivered and stocked into Urban Fishing Program lakes every two weeks from now through early July.

Traditionally, when the department switches fish suppliers from winter trout to spring catfish deliveries, anglers are given the specific day of stocking. For all other catfish stockings, only the stocking week (Mon.-Sat.) is announced.

The usual baits such as worms, stink baits, hot dogs and shrimp should work well for catching “Mr. Whiskers.” Daily limits are four catfish per person at Urban Lakes or two catfish per person at Urban Ponds (note regulations and park signage for lake and pond designations).

But don’t give up on catching trout – it may still be possible to catch some trout in the urban fishing lakes as well. For more information, visit the urban fishing report at on the Game and Fish website.