The mass exodus the last two seasons has people wondering about the level of talent remaining in the Desert Vista football program.

Desert Vista High School students this week presented a near-complete application for teacher evaluations to be rolled out in the fall, a project more than a year in the making.

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.

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to the women of Mesa Arizona Hermosa Vista Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My Sisters’ Place recently received 60 beautiful handbags filled with an assortment of makeup, jewelry, lotion, perfume and notes filled with love and encouragement for the women in our shelter.

For the past two years, Desert Vista High School teacher Debra Benedict has seen her students grow in writing, leadership and in their understanding of the issues within education.

The Mountain Pointe boys volleyball team, the Desert Vista baseball team, and the Thunder softball program had their seasons come to an end Saturday.

“Hi, Mike? I am so glad I got a hold of you. My computer is running so slowly that I turn it on, make coffee, take the dog for a walk, and bake a few dozen cookies then maybe; just maybe the website will be fully loaded. This computer is running terrible! Can you help?”

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the Desert Vista High School band car wash at Sonic on April 20, they raised more than $750 to donate to the music program at Bay Head school in New Jersey that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Anyone who would like to make additional contributions can contact the band boosters at dvmb.fundraising@gmail.com.

J’ontar Coleman wanted what he felt was rightfully his all along.

Students in Kevin Willis’ brief calculus class are learning more than just numbers this year.

Their masks may conceal their eyes but it does not impair their vision.

Q: I would like to print from my Gmail account on my iPhone or iPad to my printer, but it doesn’t come up in Apple’s print option on either (device). Any suggestions? — Daryl

Jake Connell gave up lacrosse and golf since moving here from New York State.

Students from the Tempe Union High School District cannot only earn their high school diploma while in school, but also an associate’s degree.

"There’s a sucker born every minute” was originally coined by David Hannum, but we all associate it with P.T. Barnum, which proves the point that anyone can be a victim of scams and hoaxes if the line is made believable enough and the person being scammed wants to believe it. Such is the case with a scam currently being run by a group claiming to be from Microsoft but who are, in reality, salespeople.

The transition to a new coach is never as simple as the athletic director and principal introducing the new leader of the program to the players.

Spreading a message to teens about the consequences of underage drinking, the Phoenix Police Department started a Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest for high school students around the Valley.

Darcy Frear, a Desert Vista High graduate and biomedical engineering major in Arizona State’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and Barrett, the Honors College, has won the Greater Phoenix Area 2013 Outstanding Engineering Student award.

Old shoes could mean the world to a family going through cancer.

Sharon Lagas still remembers the “tragedy” that shook her family more than a decade ago.

With a little bit of a lull during spring break, I had a chance to get some down time and poke around about several topics.

Sitting in a wing catty-corner from the front office at Desert Vista High School, nestled behind an outdoor play area, Thunder Tykes preschool has catered to children of school staff and other local residents since 1996.

Q: I use Microsoft Security Essentials as my “seatbelt” for protection, plus I am as careful as possible. Is this enough or should I get Trend Micro. Not both, right? — Jonathan

Even though Stan Luketich manicures the Desert Vista baseball field so much he probably has a name for every grain of dirt that covers the infield and has coached just about every inning since the program’s inception in 1997, the thing he might be most proud of is something he has no involvement in.

Many ions ago, as some will recall, a duet from England called Chad and Jeremy recorded a song called “Yesterday’s Gone.” A section of the lyrics went like this; “that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone…” It was about a lost love between two young people but the words brought to mind something that happens a lot with software and in particular, protective software.