Afterschool Awards of Excellence

The Individual, Program and Leadership award winners each received a trophy, a $500 cash award, a
K – 6 Science and Social Studies Library on Wheels donated by Pearson Education, a $50 gift certificate from Lakeshore Learning, free registration for this year’s The Whole Child, The Whole World conference, a one-year membership in the Center for Afterschool Excellence, and a one year subscription to School-Age NOTES.

We again want to express our thanks to the luncheon sponsors, The Steele Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank, Unisource Energy Corporation and the Arizona Education Association, as well as our table sponsors, Art Chapa, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Brecon Group, Pima County JTED, SCF Arizona, Ruth Solomon, Southwest Gas, Triadvocates, Carolyn Warner, and Chas Wirken for their generous support of the Center, this year’s awards winners and the afterschool movement.

Steve Benson, syndicated editorial cartoonist, was incredible in designing a unique and personal award for this year’s Afterschool Champions, Eddie and Nadine Basha.  Thank you, Steve.

We also want to thank the afterschool programs whose students made creative and fun lamps as centerpieces for the luncheon.  Thanks to the Tempe Kid Zone, Show Low DEAL, Valley of the Sun YMCA-Virginia G. Piper Branch, and City of Phoenix PAC.   The Girls Scouts Arizona Cactus Pine Council added still another special touch to the luncheon with their donation of ever popular Girl Scout cookies as table favors for each of our guests.

Finally, the awards luncheon would not have been the success that it was without the hard work of the luncheon committee.  Thanks to Nancy Campbell, Pete Flocken, Chasidy Gray, Jeremy King, Marcia Leach, Ruth Solomon and Stefan Wehnau for the hours of planning and effort you all put into making the luncheon memorable for award winners and guests alike.