School Glance
Yuma High student wins state commercial contest
Yuma High School junior Mariella Rodriguez has won the SkoolLive commercial contest for the state of Arizona.
SkoolLive, a company which provides in-school interactive kiosk systems that serve as a digital bulletin board, invited students across Arizona to create and submit original 10-second commercials for a product of their choosing. Winners were awarded with scholarships from $50-$1,000.
“I was honestly so surprised,” said Rodriguez, who submitted a commercial for her favorite soft drink, Sprite. “It was really fun to make, but I didn’t think I would win.”
Yuma High juniors Isabellah Ortega, Jwliannah Ortega, and Anthony Nunez also submitted commercials to the contest.
KHS Art Program visits ASU Institute of Design and Arts
Kofa High School students were invited on a trip to visit the Arizona State University Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts, paid for through tax credit contributed to the KHS Art Program.
Students participated in a tour of the ASU School of Art, the Ceramics Research Center and the ASU Art Museum.
“I had a few purposes in mind when organizing the trip to the ASU Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts,” KHS art instructor Amy Seeley said. “For one, it has been a personal goal to interact and collaborate with our in-state public institutions of higher learning more often.”
Before going on the trip, students were able to interact with the institute using video conferencing. Students spent time working with presenters and professors at the institute for the day. This trip was made possible through the use of tax credits given by members of the community.
To make a tax credit donation to any Yuma Union High School District school, please visit the Arizona Tax Credits page on yumaunion.org or your campus website’s homepage.
Gila Ridge FFA awarded America’s Farmers Grow Communities donation
Yuma County farmer Colin Mellon directed a $2,500 donation to Gila Ridge FFA as part of the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.
As part of their mission Gila Ridge FFA will use the funds to rebuild their outdoor planter area for students to continue to grow produce.
“It is with the utmost gratitude that our chapter has been selected for this grant,” GRHS FFA Adviser and agriculture teacher Shelby Stoner said. “The Gila Ridge FFA chapter will utilize these funds in our ongoing program to provide our members with the tools needed to cultivate young minds in agriculture. We thank Colin Mellon for the gracious continuous support for our chapter.”
Grow Communities has given more than $29 million to farming communities since 2010, including more than $3 million in 2018. Each year, farmers enter for a chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit they care about
in their community.
AWC committee working with local tribes to increase college-going culture
The Arizona Western College Innovation Fund Committee for Native Indian Student Success has partnered with local tribes to plan three upcoming College Success events to help increase the college-going culture in Yuma and La Paz counties.
The committee has been working in collaboration with tribal leaders and education departments from Cocopah, Quechan, and Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) to put on these events as a way to encourage more students to consider higher education.
The project is one of 12 that were approved through the 2018 Innovation Fund, where staff presented proposals in hopes of winning funds to make their initiatives a reality.
College Success event is set for May 31 — College Success Day @ AWC Yuma Campus (Cocopah), 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Laura Shepherd at laura. shepherd@azwetern.edu or (928) 344-7761.