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CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION 2016
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Communi t y Highl ights
years ago. His latest project was an art show at
his church to display the work of the top 90 fifth
and sixth grade Manzanita students.
Business Partners
• Kelly Kinworthy, Field Marketing
Specialist at Peter Piper Pizza, sat at the
Alta Vista Elementary School table. She
says, “Each school is a unique situation.
We customize our partnerships with each
school.” She explains that at Alta Vista
we are talking about how to get families
more engaged at Family Fun Nights,
about teacher recognition, achievement
awards, fundraisers, etc. Their sponsorship
ranges from donations to feed teachers
at conference and teacher appreciation
nights to providing food at a discount. She
shared that her company last year fed all the
newly hired teachers at a District buffet in
mid-July and fed all the principals at one of
their meetings. Their managers and team
members also participate in the annual Read
Across America program.
• In 2011 Roadrunner School won a
competitive grant to have the first in
the nation and the first in Arizona,
environmentally sustainable “green”
schoolhouse building. It was constructed
with donated design, materials and labor on
the school campus. Jane McNeil, Alliance
Bank Vice President, Senior Executive
Administrative Officer, says, “We’re one of
the original business partners and donors for
the Green Schoolhouse.” Their support has
continued in various ways. They helped the
school fill its pantry with food for hungry
families. They supported the Art and Music
reception last year and will do so again this
year. For four years they have participated
in the “Adopt-A-Family” program at the
holidays as well as Back-to-School Drives
for several years. Even the bank’s employees
contribute money to help fund school events.
• Bobby Rodriguez is the CEO/GM of the
Arizona Scorpions, a professional basketball
team and a member of the American
Basketball Association. He recalled, “When
I was young, I was on the streets, and
basketball saved me.” Now he wants to
offer that opportunity to kids all over the
Valley, both boys and girls. “I want to be
out in the community to help them build
their skills and invite them to our Scorpion
games.” He is currently working with five
WESD schools: Acacia, Cactus Wren, Cholla,
Manzanita, and Ocotillo. Recently he invited
the Acacia and Manzanita boys teams to
attend a Scorpion game and had them play
at half-time. He also conducted a basketball
clinic at Cholla Middle School with 20 girls’
teams. His dream? “My goal is to teach kids
who can’t afford to go to a Junior Scorpion
Basketball Camp,” he says. “We’ll just teach
the kids how to play basketball. We will
provide uniforms, shoes, etc. eventually
at these schools. We will have to do
fundraisers, but right now, we are building
relationships.”
Government Partners
• Also sitting at the Alta Vista table was
Wendy Resnik, Children and Teen Service
Coordinator at the Phoenix Library. She said,
“We realize that we need to be out in our
communities. We have to listen. What do the
schools and the people want? If you listen
you can find out how you can help. You need
everyone coming around common goals.” As
a result she is working on a STEM grant to
create communities of learning for schools
located close to branch libraries.
Principals
• Darby Estrada is in her first year as principal
at Manzanita Elementary School. She said
that the CAFE program at her school is
building a school culture to help teachers
help the kids more. Her current partners
include the Be Kind People Project who
donated bookmarks to Literary Night for
the kids to decorate, one for themselves and
one for a friend. Be Kind is meeting with her
to explore their relationship and what the
organization has to offer. Another partner
is Fire Pal Dave, a retired firefighter and
acclaimed fire educator, who is scheduled to
do a puppet show for a school assembly. She
said optimistically, “I’m new here, just trying
to build these partnerships.”
• Paula McWhirter, Roadrunner Elementary
School principal, says, “I love seeing the kids
grow and change from beginning to end.
We’re working so hard to turn them into
good citizens and good community members
in a safe, happy, and healthy setting. We put
the kids at the center. These partnerships
help us accomplish these goals. We’re
building long lasting relationships.”
Next Steps
• Paul Stanton, WESD Superintendent,
stressed, “We will do CAFE over and over
again to help lift up our kids academically,
socially, and emotionally. We will celebrate
this process as much as the final product.”
Or as Mike Waters, principal of Mountain
View Elementary School, said that night
as he described his experience developing
CAFE partners, “It’s a marathon, not a
sprint.” Stanton, as a marathon runner
himself, couldn’t agree more!
Business Partners
Albertsons
Alliance Bank
Appreciation Insurance and Financial Services
Arizona Scorpions
Arrowhead Coldstone
Bookmans
Chasse Construction
Chick-Fil-A Peoria
Clearly Water
Costco
Gardner’s Book Service
Great Skate
Integrated Solutions
Lowe’s Home Improvement
Momentum Specialized Staffing
Moon Valley Country Club
PJs Flowers
Peter Piper Pizza
Re/Max
Safeway
Scramble Restaurant
Smart & Final
Starbucks
Subway
WinCo Foods
Education Partners
Arizona State University
Grand Canyon University
Washington Elementary School District
Glendale Union High School District
Faith Partners
Agape Church
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Community Church
Christ Community Church
First Christian Church
Ktizo United Church of Christ
North Hills Church
Northminster Church
Orangewood Church of the Nazarene
Palmcroft Church
Pure Heart Christian Fellowship
Shadow Rock United Church of Christ
Shepherd of the Valley
Medical Partners
Abrazo Health
Arthur Orthodontist
CORE Institute
Pain Stop Metro Clinic
Non-Profit/Volunteer Partners
Be Kind People Project
Fire Pal Dave
Hands On Greater Phoenix
Joy of Learning Foundation
Kiwanis Key Club
Moon Valley Block Watch
North Mountain Business Alliance
Phoenix Chamber of Commerce
Washington Neighborhood Association
Government
City of Phoenix Community Prosecutor’s Office
City of Phoenix Library Department