Drawing a small but receptive crowd to its east parking lot on Friday evening, the Ahwatukee Recreation Center hosted a flag retirement ceremony that reminded attendees about what the flag truly means.

On May 18 Everest College Phoenix celebrated the graduation of 141 students from its Phoenix campus. During the graduation ceremony, Calvin Coolidge Goode was recognized for his extraordinary leadership in Arizona and beyond as well as his dedication to the promotion of education and advancement of civil rights. He was presented with an Everest College Phoenix honorary degree, doctor of humane letters.

REALITY TIME is fast approaching on the conclusion of the public comment period on the proposed Loop 202 for the South Mountain Freeway, as we have just until July 24 to submit our opinions.

After seeing her daughter, Delilah, graduate from preschool at the Foundation for Blind Children’s Chandler campus, one mother stood up and recited a poem for parents, staff and students on Thursday.
“The crooked stem no longer mattered, no one missed the leaves, all they saw was the exquisite rose, that someone was a teacher and that rose was my daughter.”
Moved with compassion and empathy, several parents wiped away tears at the Cooperative Preschool for the Visually Impaired during the small ceremony at the campus on Warner Road near the Loop 101.
Parent Christine Knots said the growth she has seen in her son, Cameron, this year has been huge. Cameron, 5, who has been visually impaired since birth, now dresses himself, feeds himself, uses a Braille writer everyday, and started potty training earlier than expected.
“He’s so independent now,” Knotts said.
The foundation graduated nearly 40 students from its preschool program around the Valley this past week, with some students now heading to elementary schools in the Kyrene and Chandler Unified school districts.
For teacher Jean Murphy, every year graduating her students is unique.
“For some reason it’s really hard this year, the changes in the kids have been over the top,” she said, with tears filling her eyes.
Murphy said some of the changes included seeing her students walk, learn American Sign Language, improve in motor skills, and more.
“It’s just about seeing the light bulb come on and take whatever tiny little step it is,” said Murphy. “It’s always so exciting for me.”
Certificates of achievement were handed out to each student on Thursday, along with single, yellow carnations for their parents as a “thank you.”
The preschool program packs in a wide array of services to the students in five-hour days during the week. Students are exposed to music, gymnastics, pet, physical and speech therapies as well as social and cognitive development.
One of the graduates, 5-year-old Aubrey Brock, could have easily been recognized as “Miss Congeniality,” after running off to the back of the stage giggling after receiving her certificate.
Her mother, Aria, said the past year at the preschool has made Aubrey more confident and was truly a “blessing.”
“She was already a social butterfly, but I’ve just seen her bloom here and it’s been amazing.”
Foundation for Blind Children’s Chandler campus is located at 2005 N. 91st Place. For more information, visit seeitourway.org.


Army National Guard Spec. Ryan A. Kordys has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.


With a unique style of commencement ceremony, Horizon Community Learning Center in Ahwatukee graduated 92 seniors on Tuesday night.

Taylor Guthrie, a student from Chandler, was recently honored as one of the brightest young students in the nation at a statewide awards ceremony for academically advanced children sponsored by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

Another Mother’s Day has come and gone and the Internet is littered with women griping about how disappointed they are with their families’ celebration of their Amazing Motherhood. The eternal conflict still rages: Is the holiday a Hallmark Holiday, and thus a despised marketing ploy or the deserved reward after devoting some or all of one’s life to her children?

Close to a thousand high school seniors tossed their caps up to the evening sky as Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe high schools hosted commencement ceremonies on their home football fields Thursday.

Alex Shin, a kindergartner at Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School, placed first in a writing contest for PBS Kids Go! He was invited to a special awards ceremony in downtown Phoenix where local author, Terri Fields, presented Shin with his first place prize, a Kindle Fire.