It started off as a challenge to celebrate Martin Luther King Day. In our class we were discussing how we could make a difference in the world. There are so many “NO Bullying,” “No Name-Calling,” and “No Hate” programs. They are good, but we felt they were all negative messages. We wanted to do something positive. One of the ways we have found to make a difference is to do a project called “100 Random Acts of Kindness.” Random acts of kindness are random and kind things you do for others. For example, you can hold the door for an elderly person.

Principal Shelley Conner said she’ll miss camaraderie the most at St. John Bosco in Ahwatukee.

On May 5, 1862, a rag-tag force of vastly outnumbered Mexican soldiers held off well-provisioned French troops backed by heavy artillery in a battle to defend Mexican sovereignty.

Jo Ann Anderson passed away peacefully in her home in Ahwatukee on April 8. She was 73 years old. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa, to Ernest and Ruth King. She was married to Dr. Gorlyn Anderson for 55 years. She was mother to Bradley Joseph and twins, Sherry and Shelly.

Opening Day is a national holiday to some.

The Roman Catholic Church is the oldest organization on earth at 2,000 years. It changes very slowly. In theology it only changes at the far edges. It is built on a rock (some say built of road).

Start marking your calendars with all the shows you plan to see this season. Arizona Theatre Company has announced its 2013-2014 lineup.

Arizona grocery magnate, education advocate, philanthropist, and one-time gubernatorial candidate Eddie Basha, Jr., passed away Tuesday afternoon.

Hardboiled and dyed, plastic and filled with coins, or chocolate and oozing white and yellow fondant, eggs are a hot commodity this time of year.

“The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” starts off with a recipe for grade-A comedy. The cast includes names such as Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini, and Jim Carrey. The director is Don Scardino of “30 Rock” while Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis of “Horrible Bosses” penned the screenplay. The premise regarding rivaling magicians offers endless comedic possibilities. So how is it that the final product is just mediocre?

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” starts off with a recipe for grade-A comedy. The cast includes names such as Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini and Jim Carrey. The director is Don Scardino of “30 Rock,” while Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis of “Horrible Bosses” penned the screenplay. The premise regarding rivaling magicians offers endless comedic possibilities. So how is it that the final product is just mediocre? It’s probably because the audience has to be constantly caught off guard in order for a magic show or comedy to succeed. In “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” the audience can pretty much predict everything that’s going to happen. This subtracts the elements of surprise and humor from the equation.

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.

MGM’s “The Wizard of Oz” is the rare film adaptation that has officially become even more cherished than the timeless book that inspired it. Over the years, “The Wizard of Oz” has influenced numerous sequels, prequels, and reimaginings in just about every entertainment medium. Although there have certainly been some good additions to the “Oz” franchise, it’s unfortunate all of them must live in the shadow of an unbeatable classic. While nothing will ever top the Judy Garland version, the most we can ask from a modern “Oz” interpretation is that it remains true to L. Frank Baum’s universe while also sprinkling in something fresh. On that basis, director Sam Raimi sufficiently delivers in his vibrant and fun “Oz the Great and Powerful.”

This week's "Jack the Giant Slayer," a 3-D retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk legend, contains all the elements of the classic tale: farm boy, beans, giants, etc. But along for the ride is a new character, Princess Isabelle, played by Eleanor Tomlinson.

From “Snow White and the Huntsmen,” to “Mirror Mirror,” to “Hansel and Gretle: Witch Hunters,” to “Red Riding Hood,” the film industry has really been banking on adult-oriented fairytales as of late. Television has additionally gotten in on this fairytale fad with ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” NBC’s “Grimm,” and, to a lesser extent, the CW’s “Beauty and Beast.” So what’s been causing this recent outbreak of fairytale reinterpretations aimed at grown-up audiences? Perhaps it can be attributed to the concept of nostalgia. Since fairytales are typically the first stories ever introduced to us, everybody identifies with them. By giving these timeless tales a PG-13 spin, they can appeal to our inner child while also satisfying our desire for something more mature. “Jack the Giant Slayer” comes close to working as a fun fantasy adventure for childish adults and sophisticated kids. If only the familiar story had more of a twist to it.

"Snitch” is a movie that knows what it wants to say, but fails to get its message across in a non conventional fashion. The film is loosely based on a “Frontline” documentary about Joey Settembrino, an 18-year-old who was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison for selling LSD. The government offered Settembrino a reduced sentence in exchange for the names of drug dealers high up on the totem pole.

If you had told me a month ago that my Oscar predictions would look anything like this, I probably would have advised you to go do a little more research. “Argo” poised for the Best Picture win sans a Best Director nod? Unthinkable. Emmanuelle Riva and Naomi Watts as viable Best Actress contenders against youthful powerhouses like Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain? You’re pulling my leg.

Packed into the school’s gymnasium Friday morning, students at Mountain Pointe High School celebrated diversity, culture, and Black History Month awareness with a series of assemblies for upper and lower classmen.

The Kyrene School District Governing Board focused on results of a recent district-wide Gallup Poll of its schools during its monthly meeting Tuesday evening.

Gov. Jan Brewer has announced the appointment of Mitchell C. Laird to the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission. Laird is a successful business owner and attorney with more than 30 years of experience practicing law in Phoenix.

Valentine’s Day hastens toward us and while most people wait until the last minute to purchase a token of affection for their heart’s true love, you can get ahead of the game by scheduling a singing telegram with the East Valley’s own Copperstar Repertory Company.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Elizabeth Whitesell was honored at the Tempe Martin Luther King brunch on Jan. 21, where she received the MLK Diversity Education Award.