Tax Credit Close-up (A work in Progress) We are putting together information about the various school district clubs, groups, and activities that are eligible for tax credit dollars. If you wish to participate in the tax credit program, but are not sure where you would like your dollars to go (and it is up to you), we hope this menu will help you decide. There may also be a contact person listed in case you want more information about an activity. Of course, if you have a child, grandchild, or friend who is in an approved club, group, or activity, you should support their interests. Smoketree Elementary Student Council- Smoketree Student Council is a group of fourth and fifth grade students who are elected by their classmates. Each classroom elects four students as their representatives. This organization sponsors spirit days, two fundraisers, purchases supplies for our Cougar store, works the Cougar store, sells pencils every Friday, sponsors collections for local and national charities, and provides services for school sponsored events. The fundraisers provide our library with additional funding to purchase books. Tax credit would be devoted to providing our library with these additional learning tools. As new fiction comes out and old reference books go out of date, a school library always needs more books for students to use. Cougar Keyboarding Club- This club is an organization of second and third grade Smoketree Elementary students who will explore their interest in music through the use of keyboard and other percussion instruments. It aims to Provide a venue for learning the fundamentals of playing keyboard and percussion instruments. Encourage the setting and achieving of personal musical goals. Strengthen the correlation between music and other academic subjects, specifically music. Provide a positive learning atmosphere. Provide the opportunity for students to showcase what they have accomplished. Contact Lisa Young. Havasupai Elementary Starline Elementary Arts Advantage- Starline has an after school art program called Arts Advantage. The idea behind the program is to give students various art experiences from dance, music, public speaking, video, acting, published arts like background business etc.
and concentrated art areas like drawing or pottery. Presently we are working on video production, from the development of the program through props and characters. The students are given the opportunity to create their own part in the production. We will introduce jobs in the video production and each student will participate. Students are allowed to sign up at the beginning of the year and each 9 weeks we work on a different section advancing towards the finished product. The tax credit program allows us to get supplies needed for our program and provides funds needed to teach the program through on site teachers and invited presenters or other professionals. Students are excited to participate; the program provides them with information that gives a broader knowledge of what art is and the many different areas in which art is a part of our lives. Contact Cynthia Steele. After-School Reading Club- The After-School Reading Club at Starline Elementary is a needs-based after-school reading tutoring program in which the students are given small group instruction by highly qualified instructors. Students are first recommended by their teachers as needing the extra help in reading based upon DIBELS scores and classroom performance. We focus on improving the students reading skills through hands-on activities in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary. We also work together to improve the application of these skills as well as develop fluency and comprehension. The tax credit funds are applied to provide the small group instruction and allow more students to participate. Funds are also used to purchase hands-on reading materials. Contact Nancy Blythe. Nautilus Elementary Nautilus Elementary asks that all tax credit money for that school be designated for Nautilus, All Programs, No Preference so money may be directed to where it is most needed. Oro Grande Elementary Oro Grande Art Club- Art Club is an after school activity that allows 5th grade students additional time to do more challenging art projects. The additional art class allows the young artists to focus on developing their art skills and talents. The students work as a team to complete group projects as well as individual art work. Some of the past art club s favorite projects have been fish printing, making hand made paper from various recycled papers, and beautifying our school grounds by painting works of art on the trash cans. The tax credit money is used to purchase most of the materials since they are not available through the district warehouse. Contact Ann Gauger. Oro Grande Roadrunner Homework Club- The Oro Grande Roadrunner Homework Club is designed to help students experiencing academic difficulties. Students from Kindergarten to 5th grade, struggling with independent assignments, can take advantage of a tutor through the hours of 7:25 to 7:55. Here the students
receive one-on-one instruction from a teacher. The advantage of the Homework Club is that students are able to finish assignments accurately, boosting academic scoring and self-esteem. Learners are able to receive extra attention and support that is not always available in a busy, regular classroom. It also relieves stress from parents who are not always able to help their child because of work or the difficulty of the assignment. With the support of tax credit, we can ensure that students are receiving support from qualified educators. It also allows the program to purchase equipment to aid students in the learning process, such as white boards, counting blocks, dictionaries, and thesauruses. Contact Timothy Hauenstein. Oro Grande Publishing Club- The Oro Grande Elementary School Publishing Club brings together students with an interest in journalism. The club puts out a monthly school newsletter that is distributed to students and parents called Grande Gazette. The newsletter is full of articles about school events, books, and movies. The club is open to 4th and 5th graders who are recommended by their teacher. The club has a regular monthly lunchtime meeting, plus occasional after school meetings as needed. During meetings they talk about ideas for future stories, put together the newsletter, and learn tricks of the trade like how to write a good story. Tax credit money has helped buy a laptop computer and digital camera for the club and a flash drive for each club member so they can easily bring their files from home to school. Members develop many skills including interviewing, writing, photography, computer use, and teamwork. Contact Chrystal Lewis. Pictured- Members of Oro Grande Publishing Club and club sponsors Chrystal Lewis and Carol Perkins. Jamaica Elementary School Jamaica Elementary asks that all tax credit money for that school be designated for Jamaica, All Programs, No Preference so money may be directed to where it is most needed. Thunderbolt Middle School Thunderbolt Middle School asks that all tax credit money for that school be designated for Thunderbolt, All Programs, No Preference so money may be directed to where it is most needed.
Daytona Middle School Lake Havasu High School Close Up- Close Up is a national civic awareness program for teenagers. The club s goal is to raise civic awareness among students, the school, and the community. Each year students hold voter registration drives, volunteer with local political groups, and travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with national leaders to discuss current issues. Tax credit money is used to help defer the cost of the trip for students. Contact Jaime Festa-Daigle. Pictured- Close Up members in Washington, D.C. Educational Tour Group- The Educational Tour Group was founded in 1987. The main goal for this club is to expose our students to the beauty of other people and their cultures. Every year during the summer a group of students travel overseas discovering old and new places as well as getting to know the people, their charm and idiosyncrasies. The students and parents work very hard during the school year raising funds to help pay for their trip. We have visited Spain, Italy, France, Germany, England, Switzerland, Austria, The Netherlands, Ireland, and Costa Rica. This year we will be traveling to the country of Peru on a 10 day excursion leading to the exploration of places like the magnificent temple ruins of Machu Picchu and the pre-inca citadel of Piquillacta. The history, culture, and understanding we will acquire on our 10 day adventure is immeasurable. Tax credit money and donations are used to help defer the cost of the trip for students. Thank you for supporting our students in a journey to a greater education. Contact abiasiucci@havasu.k12.az.us Renaissance- Renaissance is a nationally recognized program that empowers students, parents, business and community to encourage academic improvement. The Lake Havasu High School Renaissance Council works on many projects and events throughout the school year in order to meet their goals of recognizing and rewarding students and staff for being and doing their best. The 06-07 school year is underway and over 800 students earned Renaissance Cards last quarter. That means our students are earning good grades, behaving in class, and maintaining good attendance and they deserve to be rewarded for their efforts and accomplishments. Incentives are designed to reward those who are doing well and motivate others to try harder. We want to make a positive impact on our school climate as well. Renaissance card earners are treated throughout the school year to Thursday Reward days, prize drawings, awards and other incentives that encourage the students to always strive for the best. Our Renaissance Card has evolved to not only have its rewards on campus, but in the community as well. The back of the card has
a list of discounts offered by local businesses. This is a great treat for the students. Without sponsors this program would be next to impossible to maintain at its current state. We are very thankful for the community support we receive. We are proud to say that Lake Havasu High School is a Renaissance school! Contact Cali George. SkillsUSA- The SkillsUSA club at Lake Havasu High School is getting excited about the upcoming season of competitions. The club competes in 10 different competitions at both the regional and state level. The club is made up of students from Auto s, Drafting, Building Trades, Media Productions, Computer Repair, and Industrial Tech. The LHHS SkillsUSA club competes against hundreds of students from other schools in mainly vocational competitions. The past three years have been very successful and we plan to keep up the tradition of winning numerous medals. Look for our results in the months to come. The tax credit money is used to offset the burden of school buses, hotels, and contest registration fees. It is also used to purchase consumable supplies that students use during preparation for their contests. Contact Brian Aranguena. Pictured- Members of SkillsUSA. We the People- We the People is a cocurricular team that competes against other schools on their knowledge and understanding of the U. S. constitution. The team participates in a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. LHHS s We the People team was established in 2003 and is consistently ranked one of the top ten teams in the state. We the People travels to Phoenix for the state competition every January to compete against other high schools. The winner of the state competition travels to Washington, D.C. for finals in April. Tax credit funds are used to help defer the cost of the trip and purchase study materials for students. Contact Jaime Festa-Daigle. Pictured- We The People members visit Thunderbolt Middle School. Round Table Program