April 8, 2010 - School of Journalism

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April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
Translators Ease Medical Woes
By Zach Simon
Annual Mariachi
Conference
The International
Mariachi Conference
returns to Tucson for
the 28th year.
...see page 2
Towns Fight for
State Parks
Arizona communities
step forward to stop
State Park closures.
...see page 6
Tucson medical facilities have
taken a number of steps to provide
translation services to Spanishspeaking patients.
Although there is no requirement in Pima County for medical
facilities to provide human interpreters, devices such as CyraCom
and volunteer medical students
from the University of Arizona and
Pima Community College help
with non-English-speaking patients.
Some speculate that because of
the county’s proximity to the
Mexican border, there is a higher
likelihood that nurses or doctors
will be Spanish speakers, therefore
eliminating the need for paid translators.
However, administrators at
Tucson Medical Center decided in
2003 to no longer take Spanishspeaking nurses or doctors away
from their duties but instead have
trained personnel deal with translation responsibilities, according to
Shawn Page, TMC administrator
of international services and relations.
“It’s very important that
patients understand what the
physicians are saying,” said Julia
Strange, vice president of community benefit at TMC. “These decisions are going to affect the rest of
their lives.”
TMC is the only major hospital
in Tucson that employs Spanish
translators on a consistent basis.
TMC’s international services
department also has a relationship
with the UA and allows students
who study foreign languages and
Photo
by
Zach Simon
Marco Duran, 22, a University of Arizona medical student, takes a stethoscope and blood
pressure equipment from the stock room to check patients’ vitals at Clinica Amistad on
South 10th Avenue.
are interested in careers as interpreters to shadow and observe professionals at TMC.
“TMC sees the Spanish-speaking community expanding, and we
are trying to meet those needs,”
Page said.
While there is a nationwide
program to train certified legal
translators, there are no programs
backed by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services to
train certified medical translators,
Strange said.
TUSD Arts Program Promotes Learning
Photo
by
Kaite Flynn
First-grade students sing a song with their teachers who are opera singers. The students
decide how to sing the song and combine it with body movements.
By Josh T. Saunders
Some Tucson schools are alive
with the sound of music.
Elementary and middle school
students in Tucson Unified School
District are benefiting from a program called Opening Minds
Through the Arts (OMA), which
uses the arts to teach math, science,
reading and writing basics.
OMA has grown from a pilotproject in three TUSD schools to a
nationally recognized program
over the last decade.
“OMA is a school reform program that utilizes the arts to boost
student academic achievement as
well as their social growth,” said schools reserved for gifted stuDr. Joan Ashcraft, the director of dents.
The program caters to schools
fine and performing arts for
with low-income families and stuTUSD.
Ashcraft said the program’s dents who speak English as a secgoal is to build resiliency, global ond language.
The interactive lesson plans and
perspective, collaboration, critical
thinking, problem solving and creative outlets help bridge these
language and social gaps, Ashcraft
innovation skills.
said.
The program
The proof lies
was created basin
improved test
ed on research on
Visit El Independiente
scores
and
the neurological
online to view OMA in
teacher effectivedevelopment of
action at Van Buskirk
ness throughout
children, which
Elementary School:
OMA schools,
found significant
according
to
connections bewww.elindenews.com
research.
tween brain devThirteen TUelopment
and
SD schools have
music, Ashcraft
implemented the
said.
The curriculum is a full-scale program and reached “OMA Gold”
collaboration between the class- status. Four more have shown
room teacher, the school’s Art interest as well as countless school
Integration Specialist, the teaching throughout the state.
“We are at a tipping point,”
artist and the student. Local artists
and teachers use instrumental Ashcraft said, in terms of growth.
She said OMA is extremely
music, opera, dance, theater and
visual arts to engage students in a concerned about state education
full-on creative learning experi- funding.
OMA is funded federally and
ence.
“OMA is for every single privately, with support from Title I
child,” Ashcraft said, which sepa- grants and fundraising from the
rates it from programs in other non-profit OMA Foundation.
That meant TMC had to create
its own program.
Spanish is the most common
language translated, Page said, but
Farsi, Arabic and Russian are other
popular languages that need translating.
That’s why TMC also uses
CyraCom, which translates more
than 100 languages.
CyraCom is a device where two
phones are connected to a base.
The health care provider picks up
one and the patient the other. The
patient speaks into the phone in
any language. The call is then
directed to a translator in
CyraCom’s call center. The translator from the call center speaks
the English version of what the
patient said into the phone for
health care workers.
The average CyraCom translation takes seven minutes, Page said.
Although CyraCom is an efficient way of translating quick
questions or comments between
patients and doctors, it’s used more
as a backup device at TMC. Their
international service department
prefers to schedule face-to-face
sessions with patients when dealing with more serious medical situations, Page says.
“Even English-speaking patients sometimes don’t understand
the
discharge
instructions,”
Strange said. “We do anything we
can to make sure they understand,
because if you don’t understand,
there’s a high likelihood you’ll be
readmitted, and that spikes health
care costs, or even worse.”
‘Hospitals’/see page 6
‘Parents as
Teachers’
Expanding
By Marissa Hopkins
Sunnyside Unified School District’s
Parents as Teachers, an early childdevelopment and parenting program, received two grants in the last
year totaling $235,000.
Parents as Teachers is a national voluntary program designed to
teach and support parents with
children from prenatal care to
when they begin kindergarten. It’s
offered to any family living within
the district.
First Things First, which funds
early childhood programs through
a state tobacco tax, awarded the
program $160,000 over three
years. Parents as Teachers used
the grant to hire three new staff
members.
The second grant, $75,000 over
three years, came from Social
Venture Partners Greater Tucson, a
fund of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
The program also receives
$295,000 in federal Title I funding
‘Parenting’/see page 6
El INDEPENDIENTE
Page / Página 2
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
International Mariachi Mariachi y música
Conference in Tucson celebrada en Tucsón
made in advance, call 838-3908.TCC, 5 p.m.
By Ashley Ralston-Alvarez
The annual Tucson International Mariachi
Conference will be in town for its 28th appearance April 20 through 24.
Each year La
Frontera looks to
inspire youth to continue Mariachi and
baile folklórico traditions with each day’s
events.
Student
Workshops, April
21-23
Espectacular Concert, April 23
Los Camperos de Nati Cano, the conference’s
lead Mariachi group, will perform. Lila
Downs, Mariachi Cobre and Los Arrieros will
also perform.
Tickets are on sale
and start at $48.
Tickets can be purchased at www.ticket
master.com, by calling 838-3908 or at the
convention center’s
ticket office.
TCC, 7:30 p.m
Mariachi and baile
folklórico classes for
beginning to advanced students.
Participants will
Photo courteSy oF Kevin van renSSelaer
perform at the Thurs- Los Camperos de Nati Cano.
day showcase.
Ave., 9 a.m.
Particpant Showcase, April 22
Students will perform following their workshops.
Tickets are $10. Children 12 and under are
free. Tucson Convention Center, 7 p.m.
Serenata y Cena, April 23
Guests will be treated to a Mexican meal and
Mariachi music prior to the Espectacular
Concert.
Tickets are $40 and reservations must be
South Tucson’s Bilingual Newspaper
El Independiente encourages letters from all its readers, but reserves the
right to edit correspondence for grammar, style, clarity and length.
www.elindenews.com
UA Journalism
P.O. Box 210158B
Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone: 621-3618
[email protected]
Adviser
Maggy Zanger
Graphics and Layout Adviser
John deDios
News Editor
Shelby Hill
Spanish Editor
Copy Editors
Anthony Hasan
Brett Booen
Heather Rissi
Zach Simon
Jeff Feld
Nohemi Ramirez
Design Chief
Amy Kissinger
Photographers
Otto Ross
Tammara Crawford
Photo Editor
Designers
Kaite Flynn
Marissa Hopkins
Natalie Boras
Community Events Editor
Erica Nannini
Reporters
Nathan Mitchell
News Room Manager
Ashley Ralston-Alvarez
Copy Chief
Jessica Befort
Translators
Angélica Pozo-DesPortes
Dina Tyrrell
Lizette M. Pérez
Sathya Honey Victoria
Web Manager
Josh T. Saunders
Distribution Manager
Steve Ivanovics
Los Camperos de Nati
Cano will perform at
the Saturday mass at
St. Augustine’s Cathedral, 192 S. Stone
This day-long event will feature Mariachi and
baile folklórico performances, dancing, food
and arts and crafts. There is an entrance fee of
$5 per person and children 12 and under are
free.
DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center,
Reid Park, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
INDEPENDIENTE
Victoria Blute
Mariachi Mass,
April 24
Fiesta de Garibaldi, April 24
EL
Managing Editor
Por Ashley Ralston-Alvarez
Traducido por Lizette M. Pérez
Translation and Interpretation
Department
of Spanish and Portuguese
and Mexican American Studies
La conferencia anual del mariachi internacional celebrada en Tucsón tendrá su presentación número 28 en la ciudad del 20
al 24 de abril.
Cada año y con cada uno de sus eventos, La Frontera busca inspirar a jóvenes a
continuar las tradiciones del mariachi y el
baile folklórico.
3908.
Centro de convenciones de Tucsón, 5
p.m.
Espectacular concierto, 23 de
abril
Talleres estudiantiles, del 21 al
23 de abril
Los Camperos de Nati Cano, el conjunto
de mariachi que encabeza la conferencia,
dará su presentación.
Lila Downs, Mariachi Cobre y Los
Arrieros se unirán al conjunto de mariachi.
Las entradas están a la venta y
empiezan en $48.
Las entradas pueden comprarse en
www.ticketmaster.com, llamando al 8383908 o en la taquilla del centro de convenciones.
Centro de convenciones de Tucsón,
7:30 p.m.
Espectáculo con los participantes, 22 de abril
Misa con mariachi, 24 de abril
Clases de mariachi y baile folklórico para
estudiantes desde nivel principiante hasta
avanzado.
Los participantes se presentarán en el
espectáculo del jueves.
Los estudiantes se presentarán después de
sus talleres.
Las entradas cuestan $10. Niños de 12
años o menos entran gratis.
Centro de convenciones de Tucsón, 7
p.m.
Serenata y cena, 23 de abril
Los invitados disfrutarán de una comida
mexicana y la música mariachi antes de
pasar al espectacular concierto.
Las entradas cuestan $40. Se necesita
reservar por adelantado llamando al 838-
Los Camperos de Nati Cano tocarán el
sábado en misa de 9 a.m. de la catedral de
San Agustín, en 192 S. Stone Ave.
Fiesta de Garibaldi, 24 de abril
Este evento que se llevará a cabo todo
el día contara con presentaciones de mariachi, baile folklórico, comida, manualidades y artesanías.
El costo de entrada es de $5 por persona, y los niños de 12 años o menos
entran gratis.
DeMeester Outdoor Performance
Center, Reid Park, 10 a.m. a 10 p.m.
F-35 Too Loud for Arizonans?
By Tammy Crawford
Supporters of the F-35 fighter jet
that may find a home in Tucson are
working to inform Tucsonans
about the advantages of adding the
jet to the city’s collection.
The Air National Guard’s
162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson
International Airport is one of five
locations being considered to
house the plane.
Air Force bases in Florida, New
Mexico, Idaho and the Luke Air
Force Base in Glendale, Ariz., are
also being considered.
However, because some in
Tucson are against the jet coming
to Tucson, supporters are providing information to help dispel their
concerns.
“The biggest opposition would
be the noise,” said Tim Amalong,
president of the 162nd Fighter
Wing Minutemen Committee.
But John Lamb, a retired Air
Force pilot who flew for 27 years
said, “I’m not convinced that it’s
going to be any louder than planes
we’ve had here before.”
Amalong compares the noise
emitted by the F-35 to that of the
noise from the F-22 Raptor, which
flew in Tucson during the heritage
days in March. He said that the
F-35 is within two decibels of the
F-22.
Steve Sollenberg, a United
States Air Force retiree, said that
“the noise issue has been greatly
overblown.”
But Donna rae Watson of
Tucson Forward, a group against
the F-35s, disagrees. She says the
F-35 puts out 131 decibels compared to the 115 decibels usually
emitted at a rock concert.
“The sound of an F-35 is not a
pleasant, gentle roar like the F-16
either,” she said. “The F-35 emits a
wall-piercing shriek that cannot be
escaped.”
Sollenberger pointed out that
there are pluses and minuses to
something controversial like the
Photo
by
tammy crawFord
"The Boneyard" on Valencia Road houses planes no longer in service. The planes are
either called back into service or are used for parts. The F-35 could retire several others.
F-35 issue. But he thinks the pluses will outweigh the minuses.
One advantage is the boost it
would bring to Tucson’s economy.
“The National Guard unit is a
vital part to our economy and culture,” Lamb said. “If Tucson were
to lose its flying unit, it would lose
a lot of jobs.”
The Air National Guard unit in
Tucson employs approximately
1,000 full-time employees as well
as 400 to 500 people who work one
weekend per month, according to
Maj. Gabriel Johnson, public
affairs officer of the 162nd Fighter
Wing.
“If the F-35 comes, employment will be sustained for the
long-term,” he said.
A study conducted by the
Maguire Company showed that the
162nd Fighter Wing brought
Southern Arizona $280 million per
year.
But some Tucsonans are concerned about property values and
quality of life.
Sollenberger, who supports the
F-35 basing here, said that proper-
ty values always go down around
airports, but that the increase in
personnel who spend money and
buy houses will ultimately benefit
the community.
According to Johnson, in 2008
the Air National Guard unit at TIA
had a $106 million payroll rate.
Amalong and the Minutemen
Committee are trying to rally support for the F-35 with a campaign
called “Tucson Lightning.”
According to Amalong, 4,500
names are listed on their website in
support of the plane, including
Tucson Mayor Robert Walkup,
Gov. Jan Brewer and Rep.
Gabrielle Giffords.
Several meeting forums were
held in March to allow citizens of
Southern Arizona to voice their
concerns or support.
Watson said that the meetings
were a “one-sided affair” in support of the plane, but that about
200 citizens showed up to each
meeting to express their opposition.
The decision should be made on
basing the F-35 in early 2011.
El INDEPENDIENTE
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
Page / Página 3
Tucsonans Petition: Save Music in TUSD
By Erica Nannini
Tucsonans are trying to save elementary school arts programs in
response to Tucson Unified School
District budget cuts.
Dennis Bourret, chairman of
the ad hoc organization Citizens
for Arts Education, is circulating a
petition urging the TUSD School
Board and administration to allocate money for the arts.
At press time, Bourret estimated that he had more than 2,000 signatures.
Bourret worries that the number
of schools losing their music programs may signify the beginning
of a ripple effect. So far, 30of
TUSD’s 73 elementary schools
have lost music programs.
“It’s real scary, what’s going on
here,” he said. “A whole bunch of
districts could [eventually] skin it
down to bare bones with sports,
For More Information:
Contact Dennis Bourret at
465-1334
arts, theater, music—all on the
chopping block.”
Bourret said he has seen similar
budget cuts in school districts near
San Diego, and the result was a
“cultural wasteland.”
Bourret, who is also the director
of the Tucson Junior Strings, is also
pushing for Tucson voters to pass
Prop 100 in the statewide ballot on
May 18. Prop 100 is the proposed
temporary 1 cent sales tax increase
that would help stabilize the budget,
with a portion of the money earmarked for education. Bourret said
Tucsonans should look past partisan
politics in favor of young people.
“Nobody likes paying taxes, but
the alternative is worse,” he said.
County Cuts Funding for Parenting Program
By Nathan Mitchell
Funding has been cut for Father to
Father, a South Tucson program
aimed at training men to be better
fathers, said Margarito Casillas, the
family support specialist who ran it.
Father to Father was funded by
Pima County and put on by Child
and Family Resources. It was one of
few programs in the state that targeted fathers. Most are motherhoodtraining courses, Casillas said.
“I saw the need of the fathers
who were trying to take classes,”
he said. “(The class) really made a
lot of sense.”
The six-week program was a
responsible-parenting educational
workshop. Men with widely
diverse backgrounds would come
together to share stories. The work-
shop, designed to encourage
fathers to become more involved in
their children’s lives, helped pass
knowledge to young fathers.
There was a wide variety of
fathers who participated in the
course. Some lived in half-way
houses and others’ children had
been taken away by Child
Protective Services. Many took
advantage of the program because
it was open to the public, he said.
“It was a nice mixture,” he said.
“It helped a lot of young, as well as
old fathers.”
Casillas said these cuts will
mostly affect the fathers who
attended the program.
“I think it was a bad decision,”
he said. “At the end it’s going to be
those that need the help that will
suffer the most.”
Arizona State Legislature Briefs
By Victoria Blute
Arizonans have several state bills
to keep an eye on in the coming
months.
tain those that still exist.
Lawmakers instead adopted a voluntary donation. Visitors will have
the option to donate $10 upon registering their vehicles.
Illegal Immigration Issues:
SB 1070
Student Insurance: HB
2295
A House panel approved SB 1070,
a bill designed to implement
tougher federal immigration laws
and give police more power to
arrest suspected illegal immigrants
and charge them with crimes.
The bill would make an illegal
immigrant’s presence in the U.S. a
crime and create the charge of
“willful failure to complete or
carry an alien registration document.” The bill also makes it a
crime for illegal immigrants to
work or solicit work in Arizona.
SB 1070 would require officers
to ask the immigration status of anyone they come across during regular
police activity. Those who knowingly hide, assist or ignore individuals who are known illegal immigrants would also face criminal
charges.
Initial approval by the House of
Representatives has pushed a bill
forward that will help full-time
students apply for unemployment
insurance. HB 2295 would stop the
Department of Economic Security
from rejecting full-time students’
claims based on the belief that they
cannot hold a full-time job and
also be a full-time student.
As it exists now, benefits are
offered to those who can show they
are available to work full time,
they worked a specific number of
hours in a year, and they were “let
go” from a job and not fired.
State Parks Bill: HB 2599
Despite recent turmoil surrounding
the closure of state parks, lawmakers shot down a proposed measure
that would allow the Arizona State
Parks Board to charge a car registration fee in order to gain money
to re-open closed parks and main-
Sales Tax Hike: Proposition
100
Arizonans will vote whether to
provisionally increase the state
sales tax on the May 18 special
election ballot. Proposition 100
would raise the state sales tax from
5.6 percent to 6.6 percent, an
increase of one penny on every
dollar spent. Legislators proposed
the initiative as a possible solution
to Arizona’s growing deficit, now
at more than $3 billion. The proposition could yield $1 billion a year.
Photo
by
roxana vaSqueZ
Right, Sofia Torres and her niece Sandra Torres gather at San Juan Bosco migrant shelter. Migrants are provided with shelter for 3 days.
Economy Pushes Women to
Journey Across the Border By Nohemi Ramirez
members who would help them find jobs. Angeles
was headed to Oregon, where her son lives.
They say they have seen that the people in their
They struggled through the spiny desert, felt the
harshness of the winter cold and saw the darkness of hometowns who had lived, or do live, in the United
the night, accompanied only by the sound of their States, have prospered significantly.
“I see that a lot of our friends have crossed,” Sofia
hushed steps and the howling of coyotes.
Sofia Torres, 36, her niece Sandra Torres, 20, and says. “They have their houses. They have built houses
Aurora Angeles, 45, experienced all this and more for their parents. They have progressed.”
Although they had seen successes, they had also
when they attempted to cross the U.S./Mexico border
heard stories about the dangers of crossing the desert.
illegally.
“The ones who love us really say how things are,
They now sit disappointed in a shelter in Nogales,
Sonora, after getting caught by U.S. Border Patrol and but the ones who don’t, say amazing things,” Angeles
says, referring to the stories they would hear about
sent back.
They are not the only women who try to cross to the how easy it is to cross the desert illegally.
Hilda Loureiro, founder of the San Juan Bosco
U.S. through the Sonoran desert. The number of women border crossers jumped 37 percent from 1994 to migrant shelter in Nogales, Sonora, says that the number of women in the shelter has
1998, according to a continuing
increased in recent years.
study by University of Arizona
“A lot more women,” she
anthropologist Anna Ochoa
says. “I think since three years
O’Leary.
ago.”
She also points to a 2006
Her shelter has helped deportstudy which shows that 48 pered migrants for 28 years. They
cent of the people who move to
offer dinner and breakfast, beds
or who try to cross the border
to sleep in, and showers for men,
illegally through Nogales,
women and children who find the
Sonora, are women. She cites
shelter, Loureiro says.
the decline in the Mexican
They serve about 40 women
economy and says that it all
and 100 men a day.
seemed to begin with the North
For women who cross the
American
Free
Trade
desert, the risks are enormous.
Agreement.
“They can get hurt. They can
“With NAFTA they disruptdie. They can get attacked. They
ed a lot of the economies in
can be sexually assaulted,”
rural and impoverished parts of
O’Leary says. “Even if they don’t
Mexico,” she says.
die of thirst, they can cause damSo women increasingly
age to the organs.”
cross into the United States to
Women are 2.7 times more
try to earn money to survive.
likely to die in the desert than
Standing next to a bunk bed
men, she says.
inside the girl’s room of San
Apart from the risks associatJuan Bosco migrant shelter in
Photo by roxana vaSqueZ ed with hiking across miles of
Nogales, Sonora, the women—
all from the Mexican state of Hilda Loureiro is the founder of the San Juan Bosco unforgiving desert, the women
may be mistreated by Border
Hidalgo — say they were aware migrant shelter.
Patrol agents.
of the difficulties they might enAngeles says she was kicked in the stomach by one
counter crossing into the United States, but the prospect
of the agents.
of jobs was too enticing.
“He kicked me, but with those thick shoes,” she
“It’s because in Mexico (it’s) the minimum (wage),
and with the minimum people can’t live,” Sofia Torres says. “They took out the air from me.”
The three women also accuse agents of not controlexplains. “I wanted to earn more to give the best to my
ling their horses appropriately and causing them to
children.”
Sofia Torres, made the 35-hour bus trip with her kick and hurt a couple of the people in their group.
Jose de Jesus Gomez, an immigrant at the shelter,
niece Sandra to Sonoita, Sonora, where they were to
meet the coyote who would smuggle them into says he believes it is more dangerous for women to
cross the desert because they are exposed to abuse that
Arizona. This was their first attempt.
While traveling, they met Angeles who had the same men don’t have to worry about.
“It’s very dangerous because they can get raped,”
plan. They say they were three of the five women that
Gomez said. “The majority of the smugglers use drugs
tried to cross with a group of about 35 men.
They do not know what happened to the other two and when someone is on drugs and they see a woman,
the first thing they think about is you know what.”
women.
Despite the risks, women still attempt to cross into
“We were in the wilderness; there were a lot of
branches,” Angeles says when describing her trip the United States in search of a better life. Many of
through the desert. “I had gloves and a hat because my them try again and again.
As for the Torres women and Angeles, they are
son told me the desert is dangerous because the
waiting for their families to send them money so they
branches hit you in the face.”
After walking a couple of hours in the desert, they can return home. The $400 each of them saved to
stopped to wait for the smuggler to provide directions make their trip, is gone.
“Thank God we are here to talk about it; not like
and that’s when the Border Patrol found them.
The Torres women were planning to go to others” Sofia said. “We are now returning to our
Oakland, Calif., where they were to meet with family towns.”
El INDEPENDIENTE
Page / Página 4
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
School Offers Prep Education Without Price
By Victoria Blute
Tough economic times have not
stopped Imago Dei Middle School
from continuing to provide a solid,
tuition-free prep-school education to
more than 50 low-income students.
The school has survived when
other schools have failed.
Imago Dei Middle School, 639
N. Sixth Ave., was founded in
2006 by the Revs. Anne Sawyer
and Susan Anderson-Smith, both
graduates of the Harvard Divinity
School.
“Truthfully, it had been a journey of faith from the get-go,” she
says. “While many nonprofits were
having to freeze budgets and cut
budgets in order to operate, over
the past four years we’ve had to
grow a budget.”
The school has added one grade
each year, which requires a larger
budget over time, Sawyer says.
Further, it costs roughly $15,000
per child per year to attend the
school, she says—money that parents of students never pay as part
of a tuition-free institution for lowincome families.
Last year’s national average
cost per year per student was
$18,300, according to the National
Association for Independent
Schools. Imago Dei tries to keep
their costs low.
“It takes resources to staff a
program and offer a small class
size and a low student-teacher
ratio,” Sawyer says. She emphasizes that their model isn’t compli-
Photo courteSy
oF
Karima white
Students in an Imago Dei language arts class listen intently to their teacher.
cated—but sticking to it is vital.
“When we were identifying
ways to cut costs, our options were
to shorten the day, increase the
class size and thus decrease the
student-teacher ratio. In doing so,
we [would be] taking away the
strength from the program and our
ability to affect change.”
The school depends on individual and corporate donations and
foundation funding to continue
affecting change.
“Most of our donors, in addition to paying Arizona state tax,
give to support education,” she
says. “They believe in education.
They know that education is a
powerful tool.”
Parents Luis and Linda Cruz are
pleased with the education that
Imago Dei has provided for their
eighth-grade son.
“There’s so much extra time
that they’re here during the day—
three hours on a Saturday—you
don’t get that kind of education
somewhere else,” Luis Cruz says.
“I wish I’d had a school like this
when I was going to school.”
With a ten-hour school day, five
days a week and three hours on
Saturdays, for 11 months a year,
Imago Dei Middle School students
get a lot of time with their teachers.
Seventh grader Dandre Yancey
says he didn’t fully appreciate going
to school at Imago Dei until recently.
“I’m starting to like it,” he says.
“I didn’t really like it at first…I go
to school longer than my mom
goes to work.”
Yancey enjoys math and some
of the activities the school offers.
“Right now we’re working on a
lot,” he says. “We’re making a garden to put up so that we can help
the environment. It’s a lot of native
plants. Last week we built water
harvesting tanks.”
Luis Cruz is hopeful that the
school will continue to provide education to underserved students in
Tucson.
“This school is unique,” Cruz
says. “They’ve sought help when
they needed it. They’ve said, ‘Let’s
grab these reigns and get the funding we need to make this happen.’”
Sawyer hopes that awareness
about Imago Dei will encourage
people to donate.
“The issue of sustainability is
critical and a topic of ongoing discussion,” she says. “More and
more folks will begin to know
about us and hopefully respond.”
For the time being, the school’s
future looks bright. Biosphere creator John Wesley Miller has
offered to put together a committee
to actually build a “sustainable
school of the future” designed by
Imago Dei students that won in a
national competition.
Sawyer says the accomplishment is proof that if students are
given love, support and a solid
education, they can achieve anything. However, the benefits don’t
stop there.
“If they were able to build the
school, they would be giving back
to the community,” she says. “The
school itself would serve as an
inspiration and reminder of the
power of education, and what
young people can accomplish and
how they can impact the community for a good.”
Libraries Lend a Hand With Free GED Assistance
By Steve Ivanovics
Photo by otto roSS
Jose Colchado, left, teaches math to a student.
With the job market growing increasingly
tight, local libraries are offering free classes
for the General Equivalency Diploma Test.
The Pima County Public Library has
offered a preparation and tutoring program
for the GED Test since fall 2007. The program started at a couple locations but has
expanded recently.
Its continuation has allowed more people to use the program, some with the hope
of being better able to compete in the job
market.
Fred Walker, 41, attends a GED Test class
at the Sam Lena-South Tucson Branch
Library. He says that similar classes at Pima
Community College have long waiting lists
and the library’s classes were his only option.
Though Walker has been able to find
work without a high school diploma, he says
it has become increasingly difficult over the
last decade. Most employers want to see a
GED at the minimum.
For More Information
go to “Library Services News” at
www.library.pima.
gov/services/
People like Walker are the key to improving the nation’s current economic situation,
said Jose Colchado, GED Test instructor at
the Valencia Branch Library.
“With all the budgetary problems this
state has, we need to create taxpayers, not tax
users, to pull ourselves out,” Colchado said.
Maria Acevedo, an instructor at Sam
Lena, has been teaching GED Test preparation since 1974. She said she believes that
South Tucson can greatly benefit from adult
education.
“I was excited when I was assigned here
a couple years ago, because this area, more
than others, has a clearer need for improving
education,” Acevedo said.
According to an article written by Roy
Flores, PCC chancellor, 18 percent of
Arizona diplomas awarded between 2008
and 2009 were GEDs. He also said that the
Alliance for Excellent Education reported an
estimated 3,300 students dropped out of
high school in the Tucson metropolitan area
in 2008 alone.
Some of these former students now look
to the library’s program to catch up on the
education they missed.
Chris Celix, 20, dropped out of school in
eighth grade. He now attends Acevedo’s class.
“I just want to do it for myself, because I
knew I could have done it the first time,”
Celix said.
The success of the program has left the
program’s coordinator, Dawn Gardner, feeling encouraged.
Gardner, a librarian with the Pima County
Public Library, said that a survey given to the
exiting students in fall 2009 showed that 98
percent felt more prepared for the GED
examination.
Proyectos de ley para arizonenses
Por Victoria Blute
Traducido por Dina Tyrrell
Los arizonenses tienen varios proyectos de ley en la mira
en los meses venideros.
Asuntos de inmigración ilegal: SB 1070
El panel de la Cámara de Representantes aprobó SB 1070,
un proyecto de ley designado para implementar leyes federales de inmigración más rígidas y darle a la policía más
autoridad para arrestar a personas sospechosas de ser
inmigrantes ilegales y acusarles de un delito.
El proyecto de ley hará que la presencia de un inmigrante ilegal en los EE.UU. sea ilegal y se creará la
acusación de “incumplimiento voluntario de completar o
portar un documento de registro de extranjero”. El proyecto también hace que sea un delito para los inmigrantes ilegales el trabajar o solicitar empleo en Arizona.
SB 1070 exigirá que los agentes pregunten acerca del
estado migratorio de cualquier persona que se les cruce en
su camino durante sus actividades policiacas regulares.
Además, aquellos que a sabiendas se escondan, ayuden
o sin importarles ignoren a individuos que se sabe que son
inmigrantes ilegales también se enfrentarán a acusaciones
penales.
Proyecto de ley de los parques estatales: HB
2599
A pesar de la reciente confusión acerca del cierre de parques estatales, los legisladores rechazaron una propuesta
que permitiría al Consejo de Parques cobrar una cuota por
registro de automóviles y así recaudar fondos para volver
a abrir los parques cerrados y mantener los que todavía
existen. En lugar de eso, los legisladores adoptaron una
medida de donaciones voluntarias para los parques. Los
visitantes tendrán la opción de donar $10 al momento de
registrar sus vehículos. La aprobación inicial por la
Cámara de Representantes ha empujado hacia adelante un
proyecto de ley que ayudará a los estudiantes de tiempo
completo solicitar aseguranza de desempleo.
La aseguranza de estudiantes: HB 2295
HB 2295 impedirá que el Departamento de Seguridad
Económica, la institución responsable de repartir beneficios como la aseguranza de desempleo, rechace a los estudiantes de tiempo completo basados en la creencia que no
pueden mantener un empleo de tiempo completo y ser
estudiantes de tiempo completo también.
Actualmente, se ofrecen beneficios a aquellos que
demuestran estar disponibles para trabajar tiempo completo, que trabajan un número específico de horas al año, y
que fueron “recortados” de un trabajo pero no despedidos.
Alza en los impuestos a la venta:
Proposición 100
El 18 de mayo en la boleta de elecciones especiales, los
arizonenses votarán si hay que aumentar provisionalmente
o no los impuestos a la venta.
La Proposición 100 incrementará el impuesto a la venta
de 5.6 por ciento a 6.6 por ciento, un aumento de un centavo por cada dólar gastado.
Los legisladores propusieron la iniciativa como una
posible solución para el cada vez mayor déficit de
Arizona, ahora a más de $3 billones. La proposición arrojará ganancias de $1 billón al año.
El INDEPENDIENTE
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
Page / Página 5
Future Still Uncertain for Mexican Gray Wolf
By Kaite Flynn
Mexican wolf F521 was born in
captivity at the Cheyenne Mountain
Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo., in
1997 as part of the Mexican Wolf
Recovery Program managed by
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Later, F521 was brought to a
wildlife refuge pre-release facility
in New Mexico. She was paired
with a male, M507. The wolves
bred in captivity and were released
into the wild with a litter in 2002.
The Bluestem Pack was born
and became one of the most prolific packs in Mexican wolf recovery.
Reintroduction has had its success stories like F521 and her
Bluestem Pack, but the recovery
program is still struggling.
Currently, the Blue Range Wolf
Recovery Area, which stretches
from New Mexico into Arizona, is
the only area authorized to carry out
recovery, said Michael Robinson, a
conservation advocate with the
Center for Biological Diversity.
Until reintroduction began,
there were no Mexican wolves
anywhere in the wild and they
were considered extinct, he said.
The larger grouping – the gray
wolf – has been protected under
the Endangered Species Act since
1973. But in 2009 the Center for
Biological Diversity started a petition to separately list the Mexican
wolf, a subspecies of the gray
wolf, as endangered.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
will review the petition and see if
the listing of the species is warranted, said Maggie Dwire, assistant recovery coordinator.
Robinson said that despite federal protection of the gray wolf, the
Mexican wolf is possibly the most
Photo
by
Kaite Flynn
A Mexican gray wolf paces in its enclosure at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
endangered animal in North
America.
There are 42 Mexican wolves in
the wild, 15 in New Mexico and 27
in Arizona, with only two breeding
pairs, Robinson said. There are,
however, breeding facilities with
about 330 wolves waiting to be
reintroduced, Robinson said.
The decline in Mexican wolf
population has numerous causes,
including targeted killing, disease
and genetic problems.
In 1915 the Bureau of
Biological Survey, later renamed
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
started to systematically poison,
trap and shoot Mexican wolves on
domestic lands, Robinson said.
With decades of trapping and
killing, the population has
declined, he said. Because of the
decline, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and other agencies have
switched gears and are now working to recover the species.
Reintroduction began in 1998,
but research by the Center for
Biological Diversity shows the wolf
population continues to decline. In
1999, there were 21 new releases.
The number plunged to zero in 2007.
In 2009, release of captive
wolves became impossible when a
nasal tumor resulted in the death of
the pack’s alpha male, said Susan
Dicks, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service biologist. The puppies in
the pack also died, and the female
was moved to New York where she
will remain in captivity for the rest
of her life, Dicks said.
Another obstacle could be
genetic issues, Dicks said.
Biologists are closely monitoring
genetics to determine which
wolves to release, she said.
Ranchers on public lands are
another problem, said Dave
Parsons, a conservation advocate
and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service employee.
“Up until just recently, they’ve
put way too much focus and priority on resolving conflicts in a way
that wolves always pay the price,”
Parsons said. When a conflict arose
in the past, the solution was to take
wolves out of the picture, he said.
In 2005, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service policy was to remove any
wolf that attacked three cattle per
year. This continued until 2008.
Another problem is illegal
shootings. Since 1998, there have
been 33 reported illegal killings in
the Southwest, Parsons said. There
are limited circumstances when
someone can shoot a wolf. But, the
law currently states that if a wolf is
on private land and in the act of
killing livestock, the landowner
can shoot and kill it, Dwire said.
Ranchers and farmers with livestock still have concerns.
“Those who depend on livestock for income, you know, aren’t
going to be too concerned if they
perform an illegal act against an
endangered species,” said Nick
Robbs, a University of Arizona
student whose family owns and
operates Robbs Farm in Wilcox.
“If it’s eating your income,
you’ll kill it and bury it,” he said.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
said it will be working to facilitate
more releases and build public tolerance for wolves in the wild,
Dicks said.
A primary focus for U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service is to develop
a revised recovery plan that
includes wolves.
The original goal was to have
100 Mexican wolves in the wild by
2006. The program is still working
on hitting the mark, Dicks said.
But without a new recovery
plan there is no deadline. However,
Dwire said she’s optimistic. She
said she hopes to reconvene a
recovery team within the next year.
For now, plans for the number of
wolves U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service wants in the wild are still on
hold. But the success of F521 shows
that recovery is possible, she said.
Towns and Local Organizations Step Up to Keep Parks Open
By Marissa Hopkins
Following the closure of state parks that
started Feb. 22, some Arizona communities
are stepping in to keep their parks open.
The Arizona State Parks Board voted
March 18 to allow four state parks to enter
into management agreements with outside
groups, said Ellen Bilbrey, public information officer.
Management agreements are pending for
the town of Camp Verde to keep Fort Verde
State Historic Park open for one year, and
the city of Yuma has proposed to manage
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
for three years.
Also, the city of Tombstone would keep
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
running for three years.
The fourth, Riordan Mansion State
Historic Park in Flagstaff, would be kept
open for three years by the Arizona
Historical Society, Bilbrey said.
It has already been approved that the
town of Payson will lend financial assistance
to keep Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
open until September 27. Also, pending
approval, the Arizona Game and Fish
Department will financially assist to keep
Roper Lake State Park near Safford open
until June 3, Bilbrey said.
Three parks already closed due to previous
budget cuts will remain closed – McFarland
State Historic Park, Jerome State Historic
Community Leader Dies at 63 By Nathan Mitchell
Community leader Mary Alice
Eckstrom died March 29 of lymphoma. She was 63 years old.
Alice Eckstrom, as she was
known, served her community
through the League of MexicanAmerican
Women,
Catholic
Community Services and St.
Ambrose Catholic School, among
other organizations. She was the
mother of Jennifer Eckstrom, South
Tucson’s Mayor, and the wife of
Dan Eckstrom, former mayor.
Alice Eckstrom was known for
working behind the scenes. She
was an “unheralded” person who
supported a family committed to
public services. At the funeral the
community came together to share
stories about her, said Enrique
Serna, South Tucson city manager.
“She generated a lot of goodwill
among a lot of people,” Serna said.
“It was a real blessing to attend the
funeral. We get to pay that forward.”
Photo
courteSy oF
Park and San Rafael Ranch State Park.
The closures were approved by the
Arizona State Parks Board in January following budget cuts of $8.6 million, Bilbrey
said.
It is important for communities near the
parks to keep them open because of the revenue it brings to their local economies,
Bilbrey said.
Further, the state parks hold cultural
importance, such as the Tombstone
Courthouse, said Tombstone Mayor Dusty
Escapule.
“It is one of the oldest courthouses in the
state of Arizona and it’s got thousands of
artifacts that residents should be able to
visit,” Escapule said.
If you go
Already Closed:
•Homolovi Ruins State Park in Winslow
•Lyman Lake State Park in St. Johns
•Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Closing June 3:
•Alamo Lake State Park in Wenden
•Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache
Junction
•Picacho Peak State Park
•Red Rock State Park in Sedona
•Roper Lake State Park in Safford
Closing September 27:
•Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Smiles Abound at So. Tucson Barber Shop
carrillo'S tucSon mortuary
Serna had the good fortune of
forming a personal relationship
with Eckstrom that was based in
spirituality. Many people formed
relationships with her, he said.
“I know her family will continue to nurture these relationships.”
In addition to her husband and
daughter, Eckstrom is survived by
her son Daniel Eckstrom.
Her family could not be reached
for comment.
Photo
by
otto roSS
Barber Hector Cruz cuts a South Tucson man's hair while his nephew Steven Cruz looks on at
Grand Central Barber Shop.
El INDEPENDIENTE
Page / Página 6
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
CyraCom Offers Easy Translation
‘Hospitals’ Continued from page 1
Photo
by
otto roSS
Richard Sanchez, Sunnyside High School Athletic Director and head football coach.
Athletics Improve
Student Success
By Jeff Feld
money. Concession sales have also
helped.
Sunnyside High School’s tradiThough the community has
tion-rich athletics program won its consistently supported the school,
13th consecutive state wrestling no contribution has been as large
title in February and has ranked in as the Sunnyside Foundation’s
the top two in Arizona wrestling Blue Devils Football Golf
for 31 straight years. Sunnyside Tournament, an annual community
has found a way to use athletics to event that Sanchez started.
promote academic and personal
Two years ago, retired police
success with students despite ris- sergeant Gene Gonzales and his
ing expenses and fees.
brother, Rick Gonzales, volun“This is an institution for aca- teered to handle the cost and
demics,” said Richard Sanchez, organization to help Sanchez.
Sunnyside athletic director and
“Both of us being alum of the
assistant principal. “Our athletics high school and knowing how
give our kids a sense of pride and much Richard (Sanchez) does for
ownership of their teams, but our the program really made it somejob as educators is to put our kids in thing that we wanted to help out
the best position to be successful.”
with as much as we could,” Gene
However, funding 13 boys and Gonzales said.
girls sports and more than 20
The golf tournament, held at
extracurricular school-sponsored Starr Pass this August for the sevclubs and activities is no easy task. enth consecutive year, is a nonAt the beginning of each school profit fundraiser held specifically
year, Sunnyside Unified School for the football program.
District allots each school an equal
Each player pays $150 for a
amount of monround of golf,
ey for extracurfood and a gift.
ricular activities,
But local corpoOur athletics give our
including sports.
rate sponsors offer
The principal of
the biggest contrikids a sense of pride
each school then
bution.
and ownership of
divvies up the
After expensfunds.The allotes, the tournament
their teams.
ted funds are not
brings in as much
–Richard Sanchez
always enough
as $20,000.
Sunnyside Athletic Director
to support stu“Our goal is to
dent athletics,
help give the stuSanchez said.
dents everything
At Sunnyside, students pay a they need in order to be successful
$25 fee per sport, which is capped and be able to compete with other
at $50 per student regardless of schools in the state,” Sanchez said.
how many sports they play. The
Throughout his efforts to keep
fees go toward equipment, travel, the athletic department afloat,
staff and officials. However, the Sanchez has not lost sight of the
actual costs can be hundreds more importance of students being sucthan the student fees collected.
cessful in the classroom.
From August to December
He is responsible for creating
2009, the cost of paying officials the Academic Compliance Office
and referees was close to $11,000 at Sunnyside, which requires stuat Sunnyside, Sanchez said. For dents to maintain a certain grade
football alone, required equipment point average in order to particisuch as helmets and shoulder pads pate in athletics.
cost more than $200 per player.
“We really do everything we
“You can’t cut corners with that can to make sure our students are
stuff because it is a safety issue,” not only able to succeed in athletSanchez said. “It’s not a wish list, ics but also become exceptional
but what’s needed to participate.”
students and people who can go on
Sunnyside does not make to get a college degree after gradumoney from athletic competition ating,” Sanchez said.
aside from football ticket and conSunnyside has a 75.4 percent
cession sales. The lack of addition- graduation rate as of 2008, accordal funds leaves Sanchez and his ing to SUSD’s official statistics,
coaches in a difficult position.
and higher than the district’s 69.3
Sanchez said one football trip percent average. Sanchez said he
to San Diego cost $16,000.
knows the success of the athletics
“That meant that we weren’t program directly impacts the stuable to give our athletes as much dents on a higher level, making it a
gear and equipment as they had critical component of the students’
gotten in years past,” he said.
success.
Heavy fundraising is needed to
“It’s about becoming an excepmake up for the gap between tional person here and going on to
money budgeted and the money be successful. We just have to give
needed for all athletic programs.
the kids the right opportunity, and
Students are mainly responsible in this case it’s athletics that allows
for fundraising. They hold bake us to do that.”
sales and car washes to raise
“
”
Although the majority of large
hospitals, including TMC, University Medical Center and St.
Mary’s Hospital, use CyraCom,
not all of Tucson’s smaller clinics
can afford such equipment.
That’s why doctors Tracy
Carroll, Alejandra Zapein and
Oscar Beita of the UA College of
Medicine started an EnglishSpanish medical translation class
for pre-medical students two years
ago through the Office of Outreach
and Multicultural Affairs.
In addition to class time, students are required to volunteer 30
hours per semester at clinics, usually smaller ones that do not use
CyraCom.
“It’s all about communication,”
Beita said. “Describing the symptoms, when they began – it’s all
vital.”
Earlier this year Carroll started
working at the University Physicians Healthcare Hospital at
Kino Campus. She said the pain
intensity scale and body chart
sheets at triage were not available
in Spanish, so she took copies of
the English versions and gave
them to her students to translate.
She then brought them back to
Kino.
“Wherever I work, the first
thing I see is that there are no
Spanish documents,” Carroll said.
“It’s so frustrating.”
Carroll said she has never met a
post-heart attack patient who didn’t have fear or depression.
As such, the class also trains
students about what to expect in
terms of emotions patients experience and how to reassure them by
being well-versed in background
information about recovery.
One of the clinics where stu-
dents volunteer is Clinica Amistad,
1631 S. 10th Ave. The clinic is
open Monday nights and doctor
visits are free. If medication needed is in stock, it is provided at no
cost. Otherwise, a prescription is
given that the patients can fill at a
pharmacy.
The clinic is funded by private
donations. Everyone who works
there is a volunteer, including doctors. But the clinic has been hurting financially, said Carole
Spackman, a volunteer coordinator.
A $10,000 grant they normally
receive from the Southern Arizona
Community Foundation did not
come through this year.
“We thought we were going to
have to close,” Spackman said.
“Doctors used to come every
week. Now they come once a
month because they’re too busy
with their own practices.”
Education Program Receives Grants
‘Parenting’ Continued from page 1
a year, said program coordinator
Joan Katz.
The program is based on the
belief that parents are their child’s
first teachers, Katz said. The goal
is to help parents give their children a solid foundation for school
success, she said. The Sunnyside
program currently has 306 families
with 393 children enrolled. Of the
families, 39 are teen parents and
20 are enrolled in Sunnyside high
schools, Katz said.
Parents as Teachers offers
weekly, biweekly or monthly personal visits to each family where
parent educators share age-appropriate learning activities with par-
ents. All parent educators are specially trained and certified.
The home visitations include
lessons to improve learning skills
that prepare children for school,
safety and health, Katz said, which
are key components of the program.
“Our goal is to teach the parents,” said Alma Alvorado, a parent educator. “You learn a lot, too.
Everyday is different.”
Alvorado said she educates 30 to
32 families at a time and visits
homes to work with parents and
children.
Group meetings are also
offered, such as library days,
where parents and children can
play, interact and learn and children can be screened for identifi-
cation of developmental delays or
health issues, Katz said.
Anna Riesgu has brought her son
and daughter to the program since
the school year began. Her son is
very shy but opens up more by the
end of each day’s activities.
Another program that the SUSD
chapter of Parents as Teachers started is Fathers Matter. This program
was created specifically to encourage fathers to be more involved in
their children’s early education,
Katz said. At least once a month,
fathers can bring their kids to an
evening learning and play time.
SUSD began its Parents as
Teachers program in 1995 and
more than 4,000 families and
4,500 children have participated.
Programa para padres recibe subsidios
Por Marissa Hopkins
Traducido por Sathya Honey Victoria
Parents as Teachers (Los padres son maestros), un programa de desarrollo infantil y educación para padres del
Sunnside Unified School District, recibió dos subsidios
el año pasado de un total de $235 mil.
Parents as Teachers es un programa nacional de voluntariado diseñado para proveer educación y apoyo a
padres con hijos, desde cuidado prenatal hasta que los
niños entran al jardín de niños. Está disponible para
cualquier familia que viva dentro del distrito.
First Things First (Primero lo primero), que se
ocupa de financiar programas para la niñez temprana
con el dinero recaudado de un impuesto estatal sobre
el tabaco, le otorgó $160 mil a lo largo de tres años.
Parents as Teachers usó ese subsidio para contratar a
tres nuevos miembros.
El segundo subsidio, de $75 mil a lo largo de tres
años, provino de Social Venture Partners Greater
Tucson (Socios para la inversión social del área metropolitana de Tucsón), un fondo de la Community
Foundation for Southern Arizona (Fundación comunitaria para el sur de Arizona). El programa también
recibe $295 mil al año a través de subsidios de acuerdo
al Título I, dijo la coordinadora del programa Joan Katz.
El programa se basa en la idea de que los padres
son los primeros maestros de sus hijos, dijo Katz.
Dijo también que la meta es ayudar a los padres a que
den a sus hijos una base sólida sobre la cual construir
su éxito académico.
Actualmente el programa tiene 306 familias con
393 niños inscritos. De las familias, 39 son padres
adolescentes y 20 de ellos están inscritos en preparatorias de Sunnyside, dijo Katz.
Parents as Teachers ofrece visitas personales a cada
familia donde los educadores enseñan a los padres
actividades educativas adecuadas para las edades de
sus hijos; las visitas pueden ser semanales, bisemanales o mensuales. Todos los educadores han
recibido entrenamiento y certificación.
Las visitas a casa incluyen lecciones para mejorar
las técnicas de aprendizaje de los niños en preparación
para la escuela, además de salud y seguridad, que son
partes importantes del programa, dijo Katz.
“Nuestra meta es enseñar a los padres,” dijo Alma
Alvorado, una educadora para padres. “Una aprende
mucho también. Cada día es diferente.”Alvorado dijo
Foto
Por
mariSSa hoPKinS
Marna Jan, una madre educadora, baila con una estudiante con
serpentinas.
que educa de 30 a 32 familias a la vez y visita casas para
trabajar con padres y con niños.
También se ofrecen sesiones grupales como “días
de biblioteca”, donde padres e hijos pueden jugar,
interactuar y aprender y donde se hacen pruebas a los
niños para verificar que no hay atraso en su desarrollo o problemas de salud, dijo Katz.
Anna Riesgu ha traído a su hijo e hija al programa
desde el principio del año escolar. Su hijo es muy
tímido pero que está más desenvuelto después de las
actividades de cada día.
Otro programa del Parents as Teachers de SUSD es
Fathers Matter (Los papás importan). Este programa
fue creado específicamente para alentar la participación activa de los padres en la educación temprana
de sus hijos, dijo Katz. Por lo menos una vez al mes,
los papás pueden llevar a sus hijos a una tarde de juegos y aprendizaje.
SUSD empezó su programa de Parents as Teachers
en 1995 y desde entonces más de 4 mil familias y
4.500 niños han participado en él.
El INDEPENDIENTE
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
Page / Página 7
Schools Go International
By Erica Nannini
Photo courteSy
oF
deSert view high School
Kyla Kemp, a student at Desert View High School, received a full scholarship to Stanford
University in California.
Student Conquers
Academics, Sports
By Brett Booen
How’s this for a resume?
Desert View High School senior
Kyla Kemp is valedictorian, a captain of the tennis team and a standout member in the community.
She plays five instruments in
the orchestra and her favorite subject is math.
Earlier this year she earned a
full-ride scholarship to one of the
nation’s leading universities and
her career dream is to work with
jet engines.
“It’s not hard to stay motivated
when you’re doing something you
love,” Kemp says. “It’s fun exploring every ‘atmosphere’ and every
region of knowledge.”
Kemp’s future is bright, but she
still has a little over a month of
school left at Desert View. Here
are the three “atmospheres” where
Kemp excels.
1. Academics
Kemp has a 4.289 grade-point
average, which ranks first out of a
class of 358. She is currently
enrolled in five advanced placement courses.
When asked which class was
her favorite, Kemp’s answer was
as impressive as it was immediate.
“Calculus,” she says. “It has the
foundation for just about everything I want to do in the future.”
Her academic prowess caught
the eye of Stanford, and last fall
she was awarded a full scholarship.
She says she wants to double
major in aeronautics and mechanical engineering and eventually
return to Tucson to work at
Raytheon Missile Systems.
“I want to develop better and
more efficient jet engines,” she
says confidently.
2. Athletics
Kemp captains the Desert View
tennis team alongside Cynthia
Ramirez. The duo has helped lead
the Jaguars to a 6-3 record. The
Jaguars are in the hunt for a 4A-I
playoff berth, which would be the
school’s first in three years.
Desert View tennis coach Stacy
Haines says Kemp’s on-court
smarts carry her during matches.
“You know, she’s not the greatest natural athlete,” Haines says.
“But she makes up for it with her
smarts. It amazes me how intelligent she is.”
3. Extracurricular
As if her workload wasn’t heavy
enough, Kemp is also a four-year
member of the Desert View
orchestra. She plays violin, but
also enjoys the piano, cello, bass
guitar and drums.
“Music is just as important to
me as those other things in my
life,” Kemp says.
But what impresses orchestra
teacher Neil McCallion most about
Kemp is not so much her playing
ability, but her leadership in class.
“She’s a real good kid,”
McCallion says “and a first-class
leader.”
Traditionalists may scoff upon
learning that students at Safford
Magnet Middle School build with
Legos in the classroom, but Sarah
Costello says this simple act puts
children ahead of the curve.
The toy-tinkering is part of the
beginning
stages
of
the
International Baccalaureate program at the middle school. The
program is a learning track that
adds to international core subjects
by giving students experience in
humanities, technology, engineering and more.
Costello, the IB coordinator at
Safford, says that the goal of the
new program is to educate students
for a global society and see connections between different areas of
learning.
What’s more, the students seem
to enjoy it.
“The sixth grade has been very
positive about it,” Costello says
“They love learning French, and
they love the technology classes
because they are hands-on.”
Safford is the second school in
Pima County to begin implementation of an IB program, coming on
the heels of the Cholla Magnet
High School, which implemented
the first IB Diploma Program in
Pima County in 2009.
The hands-on, Lego learning in
middle school translates into
beyond-the-classroom experience
in high school.
Throughout the two-year program at Cholla, spanning grades 11
and 12, students are required to
complete 150 hours of extracurricular community service-type experience, be it ballet folklórico performances or out-of-state exchanges.
When it comes to a second language, students have their choice
of Spanish, German, Arabic and
Chinese. French will soon be
added to the list.
Joyce Meyer, IB coordinator at
Cholla, says that the all-encom-
Fast Facts
Criteria for admission to the
IB Diploma Program (spring
of 10th grade year):
•GPA of 2.5 or better in
honors courses
•Enrollment in
Advancement Via
Individual Determination
(AVID) class
•Admissions essay
•Three core content area
teacher recommendations
•Proof of passing AIMS in
reading, writing and math
•Completion of the IB
Diploma Program application
passing nature of the IB program
has given Cholla students a thirst
for knowledge not often found in
the average high schooler.
“Five years ago, students
laughed if you wanted to go to
school,” she says. “There’s an attitude change in the culture here. I
see kids sitting down and having
intellectual conversations and talking about in-depth subjects.”
That new attitude has translated
into college readiness, which is the
ultimate goal of the program. In
addition to noticeable spikes in
SAT and ACT scores, Meyer has
watched her students in the program receive acceptance letters
from many choice colleges, sometimes with scholarship money
attached.
“Our kids are predominantly
[members of the] Hispanic population,” Meyer says. “They have
now seen that they have a chance
to go to college, and about half of
them are going out of state.”
The success of the IB program
inspired its introduction at Safford
Middle School. Meyer says Robbins Elementary School is next.
But the road to a successfully
certified IB program is a lengthy
one—for Cholla, it was a threeyear ordeal. Safford submitted its
application for feasibility last year,
which was approved by the IB
Organization.
This completes the first part of
the application, and Costello says
the second part, which includes a
formal examination of the program, should conclude within the
next year.
Costello says the current strand
of sixth graders going through the
program is like a test round, and
within the next three years she
hopes to have IB-certified strands
in all middle school grade levels.
One of the main challenges is
teacher education. Strict standards
require that teachers undergo rigorous training to ensure American
students are on par with international students.
Meyer says teacher expenses
take up the largest chunk of
Cholla’s $80,000 to $100,000
yearly budget for IB operations.
Students often have trouble
paying for the yearly exams that
are administered to measure
progress.
Cholla has tackled this problem
by using the TUSD post-unitary
plan to cover the cost of the exams
for those students on free or
reduced lunch, according to
Meyer. Two-thirds of Cholla’s
senior students are on free or
reduced lunch.
Safford’s decision to forge
ahead with the implementation
process suggests the program benefits outweigh the expenses.
To those students who are
reluctant to take part in a program
with so many demands, Costello
makes it clear that the program is
not “exclusive.”
“When you say ‘rigor’ it scares
people, but if you give them the
scaffolding to go along with it,
then they can succeed,” Costello
says.
At-Risk Families Subject of UA Grant
By Shelby Hill
A $2 million grant given to the
University of Arizona Department
of Agriculture will help teach families in Eloy and Nogales, Ariz.,
family and child-related skills with
the hope of creating a similar
statewide program.
Families with children age
three to five who are “high-risk” in
terms of poverty will receive training as part of the research done by
UA Associate Professor Angela
Taylor and her colleagues.
The training includes education
in effective discipline, communication, reducing conflicts, healthy
eating habits, physical education
and improving children’s readiness
for school, Taylor said.
The program will train families
while allowing researchers to
gauge the success of the training,
she said.
“Clearly we’re looking for significant gains following the program in each of those targeted
areas,” Taylor said.
Teaching family skills will be
the main focus, but researchers
also want to help support existing
family strengths, she said.
One possible benefit of the program may be the children’s ability
to climb out of poverty through the
education their families receive,
Taylor said.
“I think a very long-term goal
might be to see a lessened involvement in poverty situations,” Taylor
said.
The program will most likely
start working with selected families in January 2011.
The grant will cover two cycles
of training per year over a fiveyear period.
Local Author Miller Releases Latest in Literary Collection
oF
PhotoS courteSy
Local author Tom Miller’s “Revenge of the
Saguaro” hit shelves last month in what critics have called a “delightful and quirky”
account of the American Southwest.
Miller, a native of Washington, D.C.,
moved to Tucson at 21 and immediately
became fascinated with the culture, history
and lifestyle of the Southwest. Since then, he
has produced a number of works that chronicle life along the U.S.-Mexico border
region, Central America, and even South
America and Cuba.
“Revenge of the Saguaro” is an updated
and expanded version of “Jack Ruby’s
Kitchen Sink,” his previous work published
in 2000 by Adventure Press after being featured in National Geographic.
After nine years of publication, Cinco
Puntos Press decided to work with Miller
Jay rochlin
By Jeff Feld
Left: Miller’s new book, “Revenge of the Saguaro.”
Right: Tom Miller.
and update the book.
Cinco Puntos wanted to specifically feature the book’s most popular story as its own
chapter. Eventually, it became the name of
the refreshed work in “Revenge of the
Saguaro.”
The chapter “draws on the frightening
story of a double homicide in which a majestic 125-year-old saguaro kills its assassin,”
Miller’s website says.
This is just one of many stories featured
in the book that takes an untraditional
approach to the people and lifestyle of the
Southwest.
Unlike other travel books, Miller’s offers a
first-person account of his experience that
gives the reader an unfiltered perspective of
the people and culture he encounters.
“It’s a personal narrative, an accumulation of a lot of things I’ve experienced based
purely on observation over the years,”
Miller says.
“It’s about who’s in the kitchen, the camera shop, the cantina,” he says.
Miller aims to explain what sparked his
interests in the Southwest, which he says he
came upon coincidentally when he decided
to come to the desert.
“I jumped through the window of opportunity and landed here,” says Miller on his
move to Tucson. “Before I moved, the only
thing I knew about Arizona was that Barry
Goldwater and marijuana were from here.”
Miller says people who currently live in
the Southwest or are interested in moving or
traveling here should read his new book.
“I think people who already live here will
enjoy the stories that they can relate to or
never knew about. And people who are interested in visiting or moving here will read it
and either move here right away or stay
away forever,” he says.
Miller will be the opening act for The
Sisters Morales, a local music group, May
15, at Old Town Artisans in downtown
Tucson. He will speak and read passages
from his works, including “Revenge of the
Saguaro.”
?
Page / Página 8
By Erica Nannini
Traducido por Lizette M. Pérez
April 3 – April 24
El INDEPENDIENTE
qué PaSa?
Cesar Chavez March
Oasis Art Stories on Stage
“Chicago”
Broadway’s classic razzle-dazzle
musical featuring murder, fame
and jazz is coming to the Tucson
Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.
John O’Hurley stars as Billy
Flynn. Tickets range from about
$35 to more than $100, with discounts available for students and
seniors. Visit ticketmaster.com to
reserve seats and for showtimes.
April 16, 17
Battle of the Bands
Bands compete for the chance to
win $1,000 worth of recording
time from OG7 Studios, gift certificates and cold, hard cash.
Doors open at The Rock, 136 N.
Park Ave., at 6:30 p.m. on April 16
and 6 p.m., April 17 for the
Wildcard to the Finals follow-up.
Tickets are $7 in advance and $9
at the door. Both shows are allages, with an I.D.-required bar.
Call 629-9211 or visit www.rocktucson.com for more information.
April 17
Club Crawl
Live music fills the streets of
downtown Tucson and Fourth
Avenue as bands perform on about
25 different stages during Spring
Club Crawl. The event is for ages
21 and up. Wristbands are $8 if
purchased in advance at Zia
Records and $10 at the door. A
tentative band lineup is available
through the Tucson Weekly at club
crawl.ning.com. For more information, call 795-1420.
April 18
Bike Swap
Tucson riders unite at the Greater
Arizona Bicycle Association
Swap Meet. Buy, sell and trade
18 de abril
Los ciclistas de Tucsón se reúnen
en Greater Arizona Bicycle
Association Swap Meet. Compre,
venda e intercambie uniformes de
ciclismo nuevos y usados en este
evento bianual celebrado en
Fourth Avenue entre las calles
Sixth y Ninth. El evento es gratuito y se llevará a cabo de 6 a.m. a
1 p.m. Los parquímetros y los
aparcamientos de la Universidad
de Arizona son gratuitos durante
los domingos. Para más información, llame al 624-5004 o visite
www.fourthavenue.org.
April 10
April 13 – April 18
Tucson Weekly en
clubcrawl.ning.com.
Intercambio ciclista
Spring has sprung and so has the
springtime exhibition at the
Conrad Wilde Gallery, 439 N.
Sixth Ave., #171. Featured is a
collection of tranquil, contemplative paintings by local and national artists. Visit the gallery for
some rest and relaxation on
Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Call
622-8997 or visit www.conradwildegallery.com for more information.
JoShua morgan
2 de mayo
by
Carrera del cinco de
mayo
Photo
Poet Francisco X. Alarcón’s
works come to life when actors
and puppeteers with the
University of Arizona’s Stories on
Stage present “Words and Other
Voices – Palabras y Otras Voces.”
The kid-friendly series of plays
will take place from 10:30 to
11:30 a.m. at Himmel Park
Branch Library, 1035 N. Treat
Ave. The event is free. Visit
www.library.pima.gov for a listing
of showtimes at other branch
libraries throughout April.
April 8 / 8 de abril 2010
Tucsonans Gather to Honor Cesar Chavez
Ana Valenzuela, left, director of the Arizona League of Latin American Citizens, starts to march
at Pueblo Magnet High School during the 10th annual Cesar Chavez March. The march took
place on March 27 and went from Pueblo Magnet High School to Rudy Garcia Park.
new and used riding gear at this
biannual event held on Fourth
Avenue between Sixth and Ninth
streets. The event is free and
runs 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parking
meters and University of Arizona
parking garages are free on
Sundays. For more information,
call 624-5004 or visit
www.fourthavenue.org.
May 2
Cinco de Mayo Run
the Sam Lena-South Tucson
Branch Library is hosting a cookoff in which teams of six battle to
create healthy Mexican entrees,
salsa and agua fresca. A panel of
local celebrities will judge the
competition, held 4:30 to 6:30
p.m. at John A. Valenzuela Youth
Center, 1550 S. Sixth Ave.
Contact the library at 594-5265 to
register for the contest.
Del 3 al 24 de abril
Arte Oasis
Tucson Heart Group invites you to
the 30th annual 10K walk/run on a
scenic mountain back road.
Participants meet at 7 a.m. at
Cholla High School, 2001 W. Starr
Pass Blvd., to begin the USATFcertified race winding through
Starr Pass, then finish with
refreshments, breakfast burritos,
mariachi music, games and more.
Registration costs between $25
and $35 and must be completed by
April 23. For registration details,
visit www.azroadrunners.org.
La primavera ha llegado y también
su exposición en la Galería
Conrad Wilde en el 439 N. Sixth
Ave., #171. Dicha colección esta
compuesta por pinturas de detalles
serenos y contemplativos pintadas
por artistas locales y nacionales.
Visite la galeria para así descansar
y relajarse de martes a sábado de
11 a.m. a 5 p.m. La entrada es gratuita. Para más información llame
al 622-8997 o visite www.conradwildegallery.com.
May 1
10 de abril
A Wealth of Health
Historias en el escenario
Bring the little ones to learn about
exercise, healthy eating and overall body care at the second annual
Health and Wellness Fair at the
Tucson Children’s Museum,
200 S. Sixth Ave. Participating
organizations will provide interactive fun, including a fire truck and
a computer-fingerprinting program. The event is from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. and admission is free.
Call 792-9985 for more information.
May 5
Teen Iron Chef
As part of a month-long celebration of YMCA Healthy Kids Day,
Las obras del poeta Francisco X.
Alarcón toman vida cuando los
actores y titiriteros, junto al programa Historias en el escenario de
la Universidad de Arizona, presentan Words and Other Voices
(Palabras y otras voces). La serie
de obras para toda la familia se
llevará a cabo de 10:30 a 11:30
a.m. en la biblioteca Himmel Park,
en 1035 N. Treat Ave. El evento es
gratuito. Para obtener una lista de
los horarios de las presentaciones
en diferentes bibliotecas durante el
mes de abril, visite
www.library.pima.gov.
Del 13 al 18 de abril
“Chicago”
El clásico musical callejero con
temas de muerte, fama y jazz llega
al Music Hall de Tucsón en 260 S.
Church Ave. John O’ Hurley personifica a Billy Flynn. Las
entradas van desde $35 a más de
$100, con descuentos para estudiantes y personas de la tercera
edad. Para reservar asientos y ver
los horarios visite www.ticketmaster.com.
16 y 17 de abril
Competición de bandas
Diferentes bandas compiten por la
oportunidad de ganar tiempo de
grabación en OG7 Studios equivalente a mil dólares, certificados de
regalo y dinero constante y
sonante. El evento será en The
Rock en 136 N. Park Ave. a las
6:30 p.m. el 16 de abril, y el 17 de
abril empezará a las 6 p.m. con
eliminaciones y después la final.
Las entradas cuestan $7 por adelantado y $9 en la puerta. Ambos
espectáculos son para todas las
edades mas se requerirá identificación en el bar. Para más información llame al 629-9211 o visite
www.rocktucson.com.
17 de abril
Club Crawl
La música en vivo de diferentes
grupos tocando en 25 escenarios
distintos llenará las calles del centro de Tucsón, así como la Fourth
Avenue durante el Spring Club
Crawl. El evento es para personas
de 21 años en adelante. Las
pulseras tendrán un costo de $8
por adelantado en Zia Records y
$10 en la entrada. Se puede obtener el plan provisional de los grupos participantes a través de
El Tucson Heart Group le invita a
su carrera/caminata anual número
30 de 10K en una ruta escénica
por las montañas. Los participantes se reunirán a las 7 a.m. en
Cholla High School en 2001 W.
Starr Pass Blvd. para así comenzar
la carrera certificada por USATF
serpenteando por Starr Pass, y
luego terminar con refrescos, burritos, mariachi, juegos y mucho
más. La inscripción cuesta entre
$25 y $35 y deberá completarse
antes del 23 de abril. Para detalles
de inscripción visite www.azroadrunners.org.
1 de mayo
La salud, una riqueza
Lleve a los niños a aprender sobre
el ejercicio, comer saludable y
cómo cuidar de su cuerpo en la
segunda feria anual de Health and
Wellness en el Children’s Museum
de Tucsón en 200 S. Sixth Ave.
Las organizaciones que participan
proveerán entretenimiento interactivo, incluyendo un camión de
bomberos y un programa computacional de huellas dactilares.
El evento es de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m. y
la entrada es gratuita. Para más
información llame al 792-9985.
5 de mayo
Iron Chef para adolescentes
Como parte de la celebración del
YMCA, Healthy Kids Day que dura
todo un mes, la biblioteca Sam
Lena-South de Tucsón está organizando un concurso de cocina, en el
que equipos de seis integrantes
lucharán para crear saludables
platos de comida, salsa y agua fresca. Un panel de celebridades
locales juzgará el concurso que será
de 4:30 a 6:30 p.m. en John A.
Valenzuela Youth Center, en 1550
S. Sixth Ave. Para inscribirse llame
a la biblioteca al 594-5265.
Upcoming community
events can be submitted to
El Independiente at
[email protected].
Events must be received at
least two weeks in
advance.