With the onslaught of Oscar contenders that debuted last November, there’s a good chance that a little-seen indie gem, “Starlet,” managed to fall off your radar during its short, theatrical run. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW film festival, “Starlet” explores the unlikely friendship between a cheerful, aspiring actress (played by the winsome Dree Hemingway) and a cantankerous, elderly widow (the late Besedka Johnson).

Just after the school bell rang last Friday morning, Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary Principal Dave Maloney headed straight for his school’s media center to do live morning announcements.

Congratulations to the winter guard teams from Corona del Sol High School and Desert Vista High School for taking first and second place in the Arizona State Winter Guard Championship on April 6. These two teams have been competing all season and have forged what can best be described as a “friendly rivalry.” On the floor, they gave their best and used the competition to push each other to higher performance levels. When each competition was over, they could often be seen hanging out together and forming friendships. The season is over with a terrific showing on behalf of Tempe Union High School District. This level of achievement is only possible with a strong commitment to excellence and willingness to put in many hours of hard work week after week.

Jackie Robinson was the ideal class act to break the barrier and become the first black player in Major League Baseball.

You may better know her sister, Dakota, from box-office smashes like “War of the Worlds” and “The Twilight Saga,” but 14-year-old Elle Fanning has already made quite a name for herself among the arthouse set, appearing in such acclaimed works as “Babel,” “Somewhere” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” This month, she takes center stage in a new drama from writer/director Sally Potter entitled “Ginger & Rosa” – a coming-of-age tale set in 1962 London as the threat of the Cuban missile crisis looms overhead.

Ahwatukee Foothills kids and parents can rejoice as a variety of summer camps and activities continue to be offered this year by area churches.

Summer is coming up and the school year is coming to an end. Parents will face the inevitable question, what to do with the kids?

Debra Gutierrez knows first-hand how lasting friendships can be made while being a Girl Scout.

No public figure has clearly articulated the true lesson from the 10th anniversary of the disastrous Iraq War. That lesson is a matter of logic. In weighing the war’s costs and benefits, we reversed the burden of proof. The war’s proponents should have been presumed guilty until proven innocent. Instead, the Bush Administration reversed that proper criterion, generally supported by the national press in placing the burden on skeptics.

I have read so many good books lately I couldn’t decide which one to review. It was a toss up between “The Obituary Writer,” by Ann Hood and “The Secret Keeper,” by Kate Norton (I don’t know about you but any title that contains the word “secret” draws me like a magnet — maybe it was that early Nancy Drew conditioning).

They brought folk back to mainstream radio long before The Lumineers and Of Monsters And Men hit it big, with blissful, down-home tunes popping up in jaunty car commercials and adorable father-daughter YouTube covers. This weekend, you can find the 10-piece Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at the McDowell Mountain Music Festival in Phoenix, where they’ll be rubbing shoulders with the likes of The Shins, Dr. Dog and The Roots.

The only incredible thing about "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is that way it makes Steve Carell so thoroughly and irreparably unlikable. In a film about magic tricks, this is the most difficult feat of all.

It’s no surprise that Chelsea Bain has been attending NASCAR races since she was 5 years old. Her dad, Emmett “Buddy” Jobe, brought NASCAR to Phoenix International Raceway in 1987. Now, Bain is more involved in NASCAR than she ever has been, but not as a spectator — as a rockin’ country musician.

Freshmen, it’s not too early to start thinking about your college plans. Your first step — build a strong resume. If you establish high standards and work hard, you will set yourself up for unlimited opportunities when you apply to colleges in the fall of your senior year. Here are some tips to get you started:

For Horizon Honors senior Stephanie Yamamoto, 17, Japanese taiko drumming is more than just rigorous exercise or a way to get in touch with her roots — it’s a spiritual art.

Part of a cultural exchange program that at one point included about 65 schools, Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School in Ahwatukee Foothills is one of the few remaining host schools in the state.

February is the month we glorify “love” and “The Fault In Our Stars,” by John Green, is a glorious love story. A love story not just between a boy and a girl, but with life itself. You’ll find this book in the Young Adult section, but don’t let that keep you from reading it; its message is universal to all ages because it is about living each day to the fullest, as if your days were limited.

It seems ironic that the title of the movie is "Identity Thief" when its co-stars have such a firm grasp on their well-established screen personae.

Based on Michael Morpurgo’s childrens book and popularized by Steven Spielberg’s feature film of the same name, “War Horse” follows the fate of a horse named Joey, who is sold into the British army and serves on both sides of the conflict during World War I.

Thirty years ago, Valley Christian High School opened its doors to students.

Friendship Community Church in Ahwatukee is dedicating a new leisure garden to late member Tom Carney this weekend, an effort fit to commemorate the former grounds keeper and farmer.