RELAY FOR LIFE

Last weekend thirty-eight participants from New Vistas School gathered at Basha High School's track field, pitched their tents on the infield, and began an all-night relay race to raise dollars for the American Cancer Society.  Their early goal was to raise a modest $1000.  By the day of the event, the team raised nearly six times that amount earning them a gold medal for Chandler team participants.

Team captains, both teachers at New Vistas, Dawnmarie Shipley and Stacey Trepanier, led their team to victory inspired by one of their own student's courageous testimony about her mother's bout with cancer this year.  Sixth grader, Hayley Benson, who now hopes to one day to become an oncologist, says that "If we find a cure for cancer it means celebrating more birthdays."  "Such a happy event for such a serious cause." says Trepanier, herself a cancer survivor who makes her participation an annual event.   "I was so proud to have been their teacher-sponsor team captain.  The respect, energy, responsibility, creativity, good sportsmanship, and support could not have been choreographed better."

The Relay opened with the Survivors Lap where survivors led the way around the track while being honored and applauded by all participants.  Being a part of the Survivors Lap allowed survivors to celebrate what they overcame while inspiring and motivating those in attendance to fight on for a cure.

One of the most moving parts of the Relay for Life was the Luminaria Ceremony.  Timed with the setting sun, luminaire lit; each bag bearing the name of someone who battled cancer.   Some present celebrated cancer survivors they know, while others honor loved ones who lost their battle with the disease.  All represented someone special affected by cancer and the family and friends who continue to fight back in their honor.

Team New Vistas chose a "'60's" theme with the children wearing tie-dyed shirts bearing the words:  "Love, Peace, and A Cure."   They gathered at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon and completed their laps at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.  At 4 a.m., sixth grader Aryasp Nejat said "It was hard to stay awake but we put our heads together and created themes for a lot of the laps...like the crazy hats lap, the bubble wrap lap, duct tape lap, teddy bear lap, snuggy lap.  It was really fun." 

DISNEY ... HERE WE COME!

On May 10^th, New Vistas Sixth Graders traveled to Disneyland in Anaheim, California to undergo Leadership Training with their acclaimed Youth Education Series:  The Pursuit of Excellence:  Leadership in Action.

The Disney Youth Education Series programs are accredited by Northwest Association of Accredited Schools who have established a list of core Academic National Standards for the program.  Each student was coached on the same character and leadership traits exhibited in the life of Walt Disney himself.   Disney credited these life lessons, instilled in him as a child, as the catalysts for his own success.

The students were then given a project to be completed on site utilizing concepts of teamwork, creativity, innovation, problem solving, analytics, persistence, courage, trust, and focus on the final goal.
Upon completion of the course each individual student learned to understand their own personal leadership strengths and weaknesses and how they could best apply them to a team setting.  They learned that although they come from diverse backgrounds and experiences there is power in their differences when building effective teams.  Respect was a key component in all activities.  The students learned that "goal setting" and "accomplishing goals" are vastly different and more easily achieved when ideas are brainstormed and each idea weighed carefully for efficiency, thoroughness and excellence.

Way to go!!!  We are so proud of you.

ANIMALS, FUN, CLASSMATES AND SUN

Field trips are so much fun and what better way to have fun than to go visit the Phoenix Zoo during our fabulous weather with your classmates, teachers and many dedicated moms! 

Our first grade classes did just that.  The students had an assignment coming due to write a report about an animal of their choice.  They were watchful to find their animal throughout the zoo as they completed an Amazing Animal tour and visited all the zoo exhibits. 

As you can see, the students really enjoyed themselves.