Tag: Arizona Daily Sun
Education Spotlight — Archery shoot raises funds for cancer treatment
Archers from throughout the region gathered at the Page Shooting Range on Aug. 19 for a 3D archery shoot. The event was a fundraiser for Spencer Barnum, a 9-year-old member of the Page 4-H Archery Club who was diagnosed with leukemia in September.
“Spencer was on my archery club this last year. She enrolled in 4-H and shot with us this whole last year,” said Kip Bennett, the Page 4-H Club leader and Arizona State 4-H Archery Club leader.
“She loved archery, she enjoyed it, she got to learn how to shoot a bow. When we found out this last September that she got leukemia, one of my other coaches called me up and said, ‘We need to do something for this little girl.’”
They decided that an archery shoot was the best way to honor Spencer in a way that would also get the community involved.
Education Spotlight — Northern Arizona University to offer free tuition for members of state-recognized tribes. See more local, state and national education news here
Northern Arizona University (NAU) announced during a Native American Heritage Month reception on Nov. 14 it will be providing full tuition to members of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes starting next fall.
The announcement comes as an expansion to the university’s Access2Excellence Initiative (A2E) announced in April. A2E allows Arizona residents in households earning less than $65,000 annually to receive free tuition at NAU — aslo beginning in for the fall 2023 semester.
All students who are members of recognized Arizona tribes will now qualify for free tuition regardless of income level or state of residence.
Education Spotlight — Puente de Hózhó educator wins AEA’s 2022 Human and Civil Rights Award. See more local, state and national education news here
Jessica Kitterman, an English Language Learning (ELL) specialist at Puente de Hózhó Elementary (PdH) was awarded the Arizona Education Association’s (AEA) Human and Civil Rights Award for 2022.
According to AEA’s website, the award “recognizes Arizona leaders who promote diversity; programs that lead to improved human relations; efforts leading to improved school district support of human and civil rights; or successful implementation of human and civil rights programs.”
Kitterman was nominated by two other educators at PdH for her work with students at the school, her political activism and involvement local nonprofit organizations, including the Ballet Folklorico de Colores and Northern Arizona Interfaith Council (NAIC).
Education Spotlight — Coconino School Superintendent Cheryl Mango-Paget Announces Nominations for 2023 Teacher of the Year. See more local, state and national education news here
The Coconino County Education Service Agency (CCESA) is proud to announce a request for nominations for the 10th Annual Teacher of the Year, 5th Annual Rookie Teacher of the Year, and 2nd Annual Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awards are a distinguished countywide event created to celebrate, honor, and recognize full-time teachers from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. Even the simple act of nominating a teacher can mean the world to them. Nominating a teacher recognizes them for their hard-work and efforts throughout the academic year.
Education Spotlight — Higher Education Year in Review: New NAU president, CCC celebrates 30th anniversary. See more local, state and national education news here
This year marked a few milestones for higher education in Coconino County, with Northern Arizona University (NAU) welcoming a new president and Coconino Community College (CCC) celebrating its 30th anniversary. Though both institutions continued to be affected by the pandemic, they continued introducing new programs and initiatives throughout the year.
Here are the top higher education stories for 2021.
Education Spotlight — Navajo students present Diné Winter Stories. See more local, state and national education news here
Students from Page public school grades 9 through 12 presented the Page High School Diné Winter Stories Conference to a large audience on Dec. 1 at the high school’s Cultural Arts Building.
The culturally diverse audience was treated to an unforgettable evening, the culmination of the students’ work during the fall semester. Page High School and Middle School have a strong Navajo Language and Culture program.
Dressed in traditional attire, students presented the program with the help of a large monitor screen. The students started by presenting the cultural time-scale that spans several “worlds”: The First World, Nihodilhil (Black World); the Second World, Nihodootlizh (Blue World); and the Third World, Nihaltsoh (Yellow World). We are currently in the Fourth World, Nihalgai, the Glittering or White world.
Education Spotlight — Northern Arizona University announces plan to create three-year road map. See more local education, state and national news here
Northern Arizona University president José Luis Cruz Rivera released a statement Wednesday stating that he was starting work on longer-term plans for the university.
The university is developing a 2022-2025 Strategic Road Map that it plans to have finalized by early spring of 2022.
“The greatest challenge facing institutions of higher education today is delivering value to prospective students and the communities they represent,” Cruz Rivera said in the statement. …
The plan will focus on six areas that Cruz Rivera had previously listed as priorities for NAU, including academic excellence, “equitable student access” and success in a number of areas, faculty and staff recruitment, retention and development, community engagement and “stewardship of place” as well as of resources.
‘Flagstaff Tooth Fairy’ Jenny Zamora-Garcia awarded inaugural Northern Arizona Oral Health Hero of the Year award
It’s a poorly kept secret that Flagstaff has its very own Tooth Fairy. Not to be confused with the Tinker Bell-esque pixie that exchanges monetary gifts for lost teeth, the “Flagstaff Tooth Fairy,” dental hygienist Jenny Zamora-Garcia, takes on a much more significant role in the community.
Often sporting a glistening tiara, wearable wings and a formal dress, Zamora-Garcia is known for her costumes and decades of dental service to the community.
“People don’t know my name, but they know I’m the Tooth Fairy,” Zamora-Garcia said. “And when I’m not dressed, they’ll ask, ‘Why didn’t you wear your wings?’”
This year Zamora-Garcia was recognized for her efforts in dental health as the recipient of the inaugural Northern Arizona Oral Health Hero of the Year award.
Local Education Spotlight — Canceling the Annual Coconino County Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year Awards Event. See more local education news here
Each year, the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools office holds a Teacher of the Year, Rookie Teacher of the Year and Ambassadors for Excellence Awards Event, but due to COVID-19, the 2020-2021 event will not be held. The School Superintendent’s Office hopes to continue the annual tradition in the future.
Education Spotlight: 20 under 40: Jordan Morales (of Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School). See more local education news here
During her first two years as a teacher, Jordan Morales has learned a lot: How to break through a struggling student’s shell, how to encourage parent involvement, how to advocate for minorities in her classroom.
But it all started during her student teaching assignment at Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School where she worked with a class of first graders under the supervision of Katrina Collins-Hernandez.
