Sam Hughes Elementary School is at 700 N. Wilson Ave. Tucson, 85719, in the Sam Hughes Neighborhood.

The students of today are our leaders, community members and work force of tomorrow….
and they need your help!

The “Toast” History:
In 2010, a small group of Tucson parents and community members gathered together to form a grassroots effort to raise much needed funds for our public schools. Due to the fact that many of these people lived in Sam Hughes neighborhood or had children at Sam Hughes Elementary, we decided to start with Sam Hughes Elementary. When asked what was needed most, the teachers and administration identified technology as the largest deficit. There were very few, very old computers in the classrooms, no real technical support and a painfully slow network system that rendered these archaic machines virtually useless as a learning tool.

So, October 2010, we hosted our first annual Toast to Technology party, which was huge success- raising over $15,000 for Sam Hughes Elementary technology improvements. We created a brand new16 unit computer lab in our library (with the help of the PTA), a new server for school to speed up the network … and we asked Raytheon to donate 10 used computers to our classrooms. Fall 2011, we held our 2nd annual party and raised over $24,000 towards further technology improvements at Sam Hughes. We purchased document camera sets for nearly every classroom and educational computer programs for our students. We also received an additional 10 used computers for our classrooms, donated by Raytheon. With these technology improvements, TUSD saw that we were “on a mission”. Showing dedication and momentum, Sam Hughes Elementary was put at the top of the list for a TUSD network upgrade and TUSD pledged to support our new equipment. None of this would have happened without the community’s support!

Our Committee realizes the importance and value of a quality education for the future of our children, and our community. Our goal is to provide the funds to support and develop a school environment where each child is given the opportunity to blossom academically, discover and develop skills and hidden talents and to foster a love of learning.

Our committee will host our third annual event, “Toast to Teachers” October 22, 2012 at Feast Restaurant from 6-11pm. Cost: $100 per person. Dinner will be served and several local Arizona wineries & Plaza Liquor will provide tastings. This year we’ll have dancing too! This will be a private, fun-filled, adult evening, bringing friends together to further improve the resources at our school. We have come a long way, but are still far from completion. Some of the potential projects we are: a mobile 30-laptop computer lab that will service an entire class at once, the remaining 5 document camera sets we couldn’t afford last year, IT training for our teachers and staff, improved acoustical treatments in Tallmadge Hall, Teacher’s Aides…and we are looking for more ideas!

All event tickets & donations are tax deductible!

We sincerely appreciate your support and generosity! Thank you!
Karin Shelby – Committee Member
karins@gainbroadband.com (520-235-1477 cell)

Free Movie in the Park and Science & Technology Festival for Kids and
Families

Science is the theme of the 2nd Annual Movie in the Park with Cox
Communications. Co-sponsors include Arizona Technology Council, City
Councilor Regina Romero and City Council Member Richard Fimbres. To help
educate our youngest workforce about the benefits of science and
technology, the event features a festival with science-based fun
attractions for young people.

What: Free Family Fun Movie and Festival in the Park – Kennedy Park
Fiesta Area
Where: 3700 S. La Cholla Blvd – Take I-19 to Ajo, head west
to La Cholla, north on La Cholla and take first left into the Fiesta
Area, which is on the left
When: Saturday, October 1, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Movie starts at 7 p.m.
Festival 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Cox will be showing “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” where a
young girl learns the importance of science and making a difference in
our world. In the animated film, young people investigate how weather
can affect people, plants, and animals.

Volunteers with the non-profit International Council on Systems
Engineering (INCOSE), Raytheon, U of A and The Physics Factory are among
the groups providing a variety of science experiments. Experiments
include making a ping pong ball float. Can you control a ping pong ball
as it floats above a hair dryer? Put your hand-eye coordination skills
to the test while learning about gravity and air pressure. Kids can also
have fun making a dry ice bubble that will grow and grow as it fills
with fog. How big will it get before it bursts? Give it a try and find
out! Non-profit organizations El Rio Health Center Foundation and
Chicanos Por La Causa will be tabling at the event as well as the
Mission Library and others.

The event is free and open to the public. Food will be available for
purchase at the event. You may want to bring a blanket or lawn chair for
the grassy area to watch the film on the big screen under the stars. You
can also bring an ice chest with food and drinks but no alcohol is
allowed. Please call Regina Romero’s Ward 1 City Council office at
(520) 791-4040 for more information and speak with Diana Rhodes, Council Aide.

The next Movie in the Park with Cox will be October 22 at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Park.

On March 3 I reported that the Pan Asian Community Alliance is sponsoring a half day conference at Pima Community College West campus: the 2011 Southern Arizona Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Conference (click here.) It will be on Sat. March 19, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here’s a listing of some of the diverse, interesting workshops on health, immigration, culture, etc. for youth & adults.

You can get the registration form online at www.panasiancommunityalliance.org and still mail it in with your registration fee. And you don’t have to be an Asian American or Pacific Islander to attend, all are welcome.

SESSION “A” 9:00 to 9:50 a.m.

Workshop 1: Youth Track – “Get Involved!”
Learn how to become involved with your school, your community and your heritage through various public programs that will help you grow and give you much community service experience.
Presenter: Margaret Pasquet, TUSD Pan Asian Studies

Workshop 2: 2010 Census Computer Lab – Instructor led hands-on workshop looking at the 2010 Census findings, especially the AAPI distribution, and how that information can help schools, businesses, et al.
Presenter: Pamela Lucero, Denver Regional Census Center

Workshop 3: Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) Overview – Two graduates of this program talk about what is taught in the week long workshop, how it ties into our Asian roots, and how it helps individuals grow in their careers. Speakers reflect the engineering and university/college disciplines. LEAP brochures will be available for interested parties.
Presenters: Patricia Summers (Raytheon Company) and Daisy Rodriguez Pitel, Ph.D. (Pima Community College)

Workshop 4: Mixed Race – A popular 2009 workshop returning this year. The presenter will talk about how she and others grew up as mixed race children, how the experiences shaped her adult professional life, how to grow positively with the lessons learned, and how they integrate into society.
Presenter: M. Craig, Japan-America Society of Tucson

Workshop 5: Secrets of Successful Asians – This workshop will address one of the more recent controversies of “Tiger Moms” (and Dads) as discussed by Author Amy Chua. Successful local Asians nurtured by “Tiger Moms” will share their stories. Come learn and share your thoughts.
Presenters: Lily Sanford

SESSION “B” 10:00 to 10:50 am

Workshop 1: Youth Track – “Let’s Talk About Race!”
Insight on racism and anti-Asian sentiment as the youth see it in schools and in their close knit communities. Young attendees will be encouraged to talk about personal experiences; workshop will also look at some ways to resolve these type of problems
Presenter: Daisy Rodriguez Pitel Ph.D., Pima Community College

Workshop 2: 2010 Census Computer Lab – See write-up in Session A, Workshop 1

Workshop 3: Employment Tools Workshop – An overview about the job seeking process … the new trends of scannable resumes, dangers of social networks, age discrimination, making your resume “talk” about the exciting you, networking tips, and so much more. Workshop will touch on the important points. Follow up is encouraged. There will be handouts and a list of places where one can get free professional help. A concurrent Youth Employment Workshop will also be held.
Presenter: Bob Millner (Department of Employment Security)

Workshop 4: Asian Immigration – An overview of Asian immigration, why it differs from other US immigration policies, and a look at current day immigration activities of APIs. Follow up is encouraged. Handouts and points of contact will be available.
Presenter: Jennifer Huang J.D. and James Stoller J.D.

Workshop 5 (updated from website): “Paper Sons” is about the Chinese Exclusion Act, the “paper sons” and their detention at Angel island in the San Francisco Bay area. Dr. Gee presents the story of his father (and countless others) as part of the Chinese American immigration experience.
Presenter: Paul Gee, M.D.

SESSION “C” 11:00 to 11:50 am

Workshop 1: Youth Track – “Get a Job!”
Tools and tips to prepare one’s self to look for work; learn the importance of a good education and career planning, goal setting, the value of community service, how to network, the good and bad of social networks and more.
Presenter: Lily Sanford, LDS Employment Resources

Workshop 2: 2010 Census Computer Lab – See write-up In Session A, Workshop 1

Workshop 3: Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Issues – A distinguished professor from the University of Arizona will go over the issues of AAPI health…how language barriers, folk medicine, diet, lifestyles, professions, and distrust make it a very difficult group to educate and treat
Presenter: Howard W. Eng, Ph.D., Southern Arizona AAPI Health Coalition

Workshop 4: Generation GAPS – This highly interactive workshop will explore generational differences in a fun way and how they impact our relationships and opportunities at home, work, and in the community. Learn about your peers, your “elders”, your children, and siblings. Extremely fun workshop.
Presenter: Michael S. Bellotti, Linda Taylor, Eric Stapp

Workshop 5: Growing Up Asian – Best told by two examples of APIs who grew up in the United States….a Japanese woman brought up in Hawaii and an East Indian woman brought up in the northeast (Massachusetts).
Presenters: Carolyn Classen J.D. and Cheryl Biagini

Come listen to me relate what it was like to grow up Asian in a Hawaiian, multi-cultural world. And more importantly, attend this conference to listen & learn from the keynote speaker Rear Admiral Colin Chinn.

Conference sponsors are the Pan Asian Community Alliance, Raytheon, Pima Community College, Chinese American Citizens League.

Pima Community College, West Campus
2202 W. Anklam Road, Tucson 85709

Keynote speaker: Rear Admiral Colin G. Chinn, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy Director – Tricare Regional Office (West). Chinn is one of the highest ranking Asian Americans in the military. For bio/photo of Chinn, click here.

Workshops: special youth track, hands-on computer lab on the AAPI Census, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) overview, new AZ AAPI Health Coalition, immigration, anti-Asian sentiment, Growing up Asian, Mixed-race, more.

Registration fee $40 up to March 4, 2011, thereafter $50, and $10 for all students (middle, high school & college). Registration fee includes breakfast snack, workshops & lunch.

The purpose of the conference is to bring together community members, business owners, students, and employers to share common goals, life/work experiences, history and commitment ,and to power individuals to build a healthy & productive community.

The first Southern Arizona AAPI conference was held in April, 2009 at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, with financial guru Robert Kiyosaki as the keynote speaker.

Registration form online at Pan Asian Community Allliance (PACA), www.panasiancommuntyalliance.org , or call Dorothy Lew at 520-512-0144, or email info@panasiancommunityalliance.org.

Sponsored by Raytheon, PACA, and Pima Community College.

And Happy Girl’s Day today to all girls & women, which is part of my Japanese-American culture. Enjoy sushi.