Surprise, AZ News blog

Congratulations to all Dysart students who have been chosen to participate in the 2008 Arizona All-State Band Festival. These sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students were nominated based on their talent, work ethic and positive attitudes in band classes. They will be performing challenging musical selections along with other outstanding students at Higley High School in Gilbert on March 15. They are:

• Canyon Ridge School: Brandon Himes, Derek Lowe and Alvin Thai.

• Cimarron Springs Elementary School: Christopher Bagley and Kristin Day.

• Countryside Elementary School: Alyssa Kelley and Micaella Flores.

• El Mirage Elementary School: Samantha Chase and Francisco Brito.

• Kingswood Elementary School: George Alessi and Alexiss Mailloux.

• Mountain View School: Jake Jenson.

• Parkview Elementary School: Gabriel Amato, Angela Osborn, Felicia Cain and Rachel Bieschke.

• Rancho Gabriela Elementary School: Renee Kanuri, Madison Fleming, Anjelica Dichitang, Andrew Wagner and Cheyenne Pruett.

• Sonoran Heights Elementary School: Taylor Napodano, Isaiah Maderas, Isaiah Garrett and Abby Gladnick.

• Sunset Hills Elementary School: Ariana Johnson, Martha Cheff and Angelica Santella.

• Thompson Ranch Elementary School: Emily Anderson, Robyn Finley, Christian Soto and Priscilla Molina.

• West Point Elementary School: Tayler Fish, Kirtis Mabe, Samantha Topham, Alyssa Madrid and Erik Jensen.

• Western Peaks Elementary School: Michelle Morales, Garrett Rollins and Katya Penrose.

Congratulations to the students from Cimarron Springs who were selected to participate in the Arizona All-State Choir Festival March 22 at Higley High School. Music teacher Danae Marinelle will accompany Madison Wilkins, Nathan LeNguyen, Chelsea Fleming, Taylor Davenport, Dalton Gibbons, Jim Dingman, Alexia Bivens, Bree Moffitt, Mariah Easley and Christian Tanious.

The Sun City West Rotary Club recently distributed 1,264 dictionaries to third-graders across the district, a donation they have made for the past few years. The dictionaries contain sections on weights and measures, the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, maps and more.