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Club Honors Students

ROTARY CLUB OF GOODYEAR PEBBLECREEK HONORS STUDENTS

The Rotary Club of Goodyear PebbleCreek recognized and celebrated 16 students from the Agua Fria Union High School District for Outstanding Excellence of Achievement in the 2024-2025 school year. Superintendent Mark Yslas selected Millennium (M) and Desert Edge (DE) High Schools as the recipients of the awards. Rotary Youth Services Chair, Karen Gimse, worked together with advisors Carissa Harvey (M) and Colleen Koblinski (DE) to present awards monthly to students that excelled in a variety of subject and service areas. Students were nominated by their teachers and one student from each school was selected in the category for that particular month.

A culminating reception was held in their honor on April 23, 2025 at the district office. Parents and nominating teachers were in attendance to join the students in meeting their fellow recipients. September Leadership awards went to Madison Mendoza (M) and Agasne Bragado (DE). October Music awards went to Julia Goto (M) and Ilker Aguilar (DE). November Community Outreach awards went to Erin Ortiz (M) and Delissia Fierro (DE). December Overcoming Adversity awards went to Samantha Kramer (M) and Travion Dixson (DE). January Science awards went to Kyle Van Patton (M) and Autumn Shanahan (DE). February CTE/VOC awards went to Ashley Zaragoza (M) and Gianna Craycroft (DE). March Fine Arts awards went to Lola Roseland (M) and Brielle Garcia (DE). April Academic Excellence awards went to Nicholas Lee (M) and Kordillia Bailey (DE).

In addition to receiving the award, each student has a Watts of Love solar light donated in their name to a recipient in Kenya. Watts of Love is a non-profit organization that provides vulnerable communities with solar lights and a financial literacy program that empowers families to break out of poverty. These outstanding “star” students are already letting their light “shine in darkness”!

To learn more about the solar light program you can visit www.//wattsoflove.org. The Rotary Club of Goodyear PebbleCreek https://www.goodyearrotary.org/ meets every Wednesday morning (September – June) at 7:00 am at Eagles Nest. Visitors and Rotarians are always welcome.

Rotary FY 25/26 Induction of Officers

Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club Induction of Officers for FY 25-26

The Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club held their annual induction ceremony on May 7th. The Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club celebrated and honored club officers for their year of service. Honored were Mary Kay Utecht, President; Letha Zook, Secretary; Lulu Zamora, Treasurer and Avenues of Service Chairs Betsy Hargrove, Karen Gimse, Colleen Malany, Alden Meulenberg, Linda Babcock and Julie Frentz.

Inducted as new officers were Jim Frey, President; Letha Zook, Secretary; Lulu Zamora, Treasurer and Avenues of Service Chairs Barbara MacFarlane, Mary Kay Utecht, Charlie Miller, Linda Babcock and Letha Zook. District 5495 Governor Jim Schmidt swore in all new officers and chairs.

The evening events also included recognizing six Paul Harris Fellows. A Paul Harris Fellow is a Rotarian recognized for donating $1,000 to Rotary International. A Rotarian can become a Paul Harris Fellow through donations they made or they can use their donation points to honor or support a fellow Rotarian. The following Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotarians received Paul Harris recognition: Jim Frey, Julie Frentz, Karen Gisme, Mary Kay Utecht, Alden Muelenberg and Bernie Kagen.

It was a wonderful celebration of the past and present members of the Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club. In attendance were their six past presidents!

The Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club serves the West Valley by supporting West Valley schools and promoting community service programs and non-profit agencies in the West Valley. They meet weekly at 7:00 a.m. at the PebbleCreek Eagles Nest Clubhouse and everyone is welcome to attend on Wednesdays through June. They will be on summer break until the first Wednesday in September.

Rotary PebbleCreek Food Drive Successful!

The Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary would like to thank all PebbleCreek residents for contributing to the April 22 – 29 Food Drive. Over 930 pounds of food items were collected at our 3 collection sites: Tuscany Club House, Eagles Nest Club House and Kare Bears. All items were donated to the Agua Fria Food & Clothing Bank, who expressed their sincere gratitude. The Agua Fria Food & Clothing Bank supports families in the West Valley and welcomes donations of food, clothing or cash throughout the year. Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club is grateful to PebbleCreek residents for helping us support the Agua Fria Food & Clothing Bank.

Desert Edge Student of the Month April

Desert Edge High School selects 12th grader Kordillia Bailey for Outstanding Achievement in Academic Excellence.

Kordillia was nominated by her teacher Mr. Bryce Wright, with this narrative:

Kordillia Bailey has demonstrated exceptional academic dedication throughout her high school career, maintaining a 4.0 GPA—or close to it—since beginning her studies at Desert Edge in her sophomore year. According to her English teacher, Miss Gergus, Kordillia is "one of the brightest students" she has ever had the pleasure of teaching. Kordillia takes her education seriously, consistently choosing to enroll in rigorous courses that go above and beyond standard expectations.

Kordillia's drive, discipline, and intellectual curiosity set her apart from her peers. She is on track to graduate near the top of her class and is undoubtedly deserving of recognition for her outstanding academic achievements. Kordillia is a student with limitless potential and will excel in whatever path she pursues.

MIlennium Student of the Month April

Millennium High School selects 11th grader Nicholas Lee for Outstanding Achievement in Academic Excellence.

Nicholas was nominated by his teacher David Wirth with the following narrative:

"It is with great pride that we nominate Nicholas Lee for The Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Club Student of the Month in the category of Academic Excellence. Nicholas, currently an 11th-grade student, is on track to graduate early—a testament to his exceptional work ethic, dedication, and commitment to rigorous coursework. Most recently, he earned 2nd place in the Arizona Science Fair, showcasing not only his academic talent but also his passion for scientific inquiry and innovation. Teachers consistently praise Nick as an incredibly intelligent, driven, and gifted student who stands out among his peers. His accomplishments and character make him truly deserving of this recognition."

David Simmer visits from Rotary International

Today, the Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek had an inspiring presentation by David Zimmer on the workings of Rotary International. We were all reminded of the many tears of commitment that Rotary International has in providing service in every corner of the world. From Polio Irradiation to clean water projects to providing solar lighting in Africa, Rotary is the hands and hearts of many of those projects. It is through our service to the international communities that Rotary provides a "heavy lift" with peacekeeping through acts of service. Thank you, David, for that inspiring reminder of the extent of our work and service.

Desert Edge March Student of the Month

Desert Edge student Brielle Garcia has been selected the March 2025 Student of the Month for Outstanding Achievement in Fine Arts.

Brielle was nominated by her teacher Mr. Ryan Williams who shared this narrative:

Brielle Garcia completed AP Studio Art and passed as a sophomore, completed a paid summer internship with a professional artist from Tucson, has art installed at the new Goodyear Fire Station, attended Maine School of Arts and Design for summer camp, and represented DE at the annual Shemer Art Center Valley High School Exhibition. She is a dynamic artist. She draws, paints, and sculpts at a professional level. Her creativity level is exceptional. If you need a problem solved, go to Brielle.

Visit by District Governor Michelle Holcomb

District Governor Michelle Holcomb emphasized refocusing on business networking to drive membership growth

District Governor's Address:

Rotary is about business.

District Governor encouraged the following:

Inviting local business owners to meetings to share with them the networking
possibilities to drive membership growth.
Have members regularly share about their professions during club meetings
Encouraged clubs to invite 1-2 local business owners to each meeting
Promoted Rotary license plate program ($17 of $25 fee goes to district)
Requested all members add photos to club database for better connections
Reminded about upcoming District Conference on May 2 and 3, 2025.

Millennium March Student of the Month

Millennium High School 11th Grader Lola Roseland has been selected the March Rotarian recipient for Outstanding Achievement in Fine Arts.

Lola was nominated by 2 teachers, Ms. Carrie Gabbert and Abigail Eckert, with these narratives:

"Lola Roseland is an extremely accomplished arts student. She is dedicated to singing with Millennium Voices and leading her section, they received a Superior rating this year. Many people look up to her gorgeous voice and musicianship. She is starring in the school musical, Mean Girls, as the lead Regina George. She is a theater officer and has worked with marketing for the musical, and leading the cast of Fright Night in October. She continues to have a rigorous academic schedule with all IB & AP classes on top of everything and has straight A's. I would love for her to be recognized for her hard work and dedication to both academics and the arts. " Ms. Abigail Eckert

"Lola is such a team player and leader in Theatre. She is treasurer of Drama Club/Thespians and a lead (Regina George) in Mean Girls. She is always the first person to help out another and bring excitement and energy to class and rehearsals. Not only is she such a lovely person, but also extremely talented. This year she has gotten a Superior Rating at the Thespy competition that qualifies her for the national competition for both her solo event and duet event. She brings passion to everything she does." Ms. Carrie Gabbert

AFHSD - Performing Arts High School

The Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek was pleased to welcome Julie Jones, Megan Griego and Mark Yslas to our club meeting. The team from Agua Fria Union High School District were visiting to share the good news about our new performing arts high school and our new performance arts theatre. As of March 5th, the new school has a name, "The Hilltop School of the Arts." The school will be next door to the performing arts theatre and will be an intergal part of the students' education. The auditoriumn will become a place where quality performances will come to the west valley, elminating the need to drive long distances for plays, music or lectures. The project will break ground in May and will open August 2027. The school will start with an enrollment of 400 students and the auditoriumn will seat 700.

Both venues will be a welcome addition to our communties.

Senior to Senior - Read Across America

Read Across America Day - March 5th 2025

"Read Across America Day" is one of the favorite Senior 2 Senior activities of the year. Today, in celebration of Dr. Suess, sixty community Seniors and high school seniors stopped by Elsieo Felix Elementary School to share stories and read with the elementary students.

For most high school students, it was their first trip back to an elementary school. They were nervous but quickly found how excited the elementary students were to spend time with them. It was a great experience for our high schoolers as well as the adults.

Our pictures from today's activities, lets everyone know how truly special this day of reading has become. Never underestimate the power of stories to change people's lives.

Thank you to the staff at Elsieo FelixElementary School for being such a great host and for sharing your students with us.

Thank you to all who participated today and for supporting the Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek's in its literacy initiatives.

Millennium February Student of the Month

Millennium High School selects 10th grader Ashley Zaragoza for Outstanding Achievement in CTE/VOC for her work in our Live Entertainment Productions (Stagecraft) class.

Ashley was nominated by her teacher Ms. Carrie Gabbert who, as well as some of her other teachers, wrote:

"Ashley Zaragoza is a sophomore student who is very active in the Millennium Community. She is the President of our CTSO Stagecraft Squad. She is always up for a challenge and spreads positivity through class and rehearsal. She is always thinking ahead and helps those around her. In addition to being President of our CTSO Stagecraft Squad, she is also assistant stage manager of Mean Girls, and managed the Swim Team this year. Even though I have only had her in class this year, I know she is always up for a challenge and spreads positivity through each class and rehearsal. She is always thinking ahead by thinking of solutions to potential problems- such as creating prop lists without being asked during our read through. She is also passionate about Live Entertainment Productions (Stagecraft) and has been recruiting students from all around campus to help build sets and props for the show."

Desert Edge February Student of the Month

Desert Edge High School selects 12th grader Gianna Craycroft for Outstanding Achievement in CTE/VOC.

Gianna was nominated by her teacher Ms. Goebel, who wrote about Gianna:

I am thrilled to recommend Gianna Craycroft for CTE Student of the Month for Leadership. As Vice President of FBLA, she exemplifies dedication, initiative, and a strong commitment to professional growth. Her passion for graphic design is evident not only in her coursework but also in her real-world experience—she currently works as a graphic design intern and takes on freelance projects in her free time. Her ability to balance leadership responsibilities with hands-on industry experience showcases her drive and readiness to excel in the field after high school. Gianna is a true leader who inspires her peers and represents the values of CTE with excellence.

Superpbowl 2024 Pool

The build up to the SuperBowl is always such a fun time for sports fans. This year The Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek joined the fun and ran their own Super Bowl Pool. The last quarter of the game saw three changes to who could possibly win the money. But at the end of the day our lucky winners are Gary Lucas and Denny Buchanan. Each of them celebrated by being $250.00 richer than when the game began.

Congrats to the Philadelphia players and all the "Bird" fans. It was a great game and we had a lot of fun watching who was going to win the money. Also,The Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek wants to thank everyone who paid their dollars to join the pool and support the service work of our Rotary. Much appreciated!

8th Annual Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Foundation
Golf Tournament & Ball Drop

8^th Annual Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Foundation Golf Tournament and Ball Drop

ARE YOU READY?….The sun is shining, the sky is powder blue, the palm trees are swaying in the distance and you are standing with friends and business associates ready to tee off!

2025 Rotary Golf Tournament Signup Form (PDF)

Desert Edge January Student of the Month

Desert Edge High School selects 12th grader Autumn Shanahan to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award in Science.

Autumn was nominated by her Science teacher Mr. Carroll:

I would like to nominate Autumn Shanahan. She has excelled in all science classes that she has taken including AP. What makes her even more special is her passion for science and sustainability. She has a wealth of information that she has learned in and outside of school. During class, she has great insight and wonderful questions. I have learned some things by listening to her answers. One of her areas of interest is in Agricultural Science. She has been involved in Agricultural Sciences since her freshman year, been involved in FFA and has competed in the state competitions. She has taken on projects outside the classroom such as her black soldier fly larvae feeding system. This is where food scraps that would normally be thrown away can be given to black soldier fly larvae and then those larvae can be fed to chicken hens. This will turn waste into food for humans. Autumn is a model student and a human being in general. Having her here at DE has been great for our school and everyone around her.

Millennium January Student of the Month

Millennium High School selects 9th grader Kyle Van Patton to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award in Science.

Kyle was nominated by Science teacher, Mr. Nettles:

It is with great enthusiasm that the science department nominates Kyle Van Patton. As a 9th grader, Kyle has already distinguished himself through his exceptional mechanical skills and leadership abilities. A key member of the school’s robotics club, Kyle has taken on a leadership role, guiding his peers in designing and constructing innovative robotic systems. His dedication, problem-solving mindset, and ability to collaborate effectively have made a significant impact on the success of the club's projects. Kyle's enthusiasm for learning and his willingness to mentor others reflect his strong character and commitment to excellence. He is not only a talented individual but also an inspiring role model for his peers. Kyle's contributions to our school community make him a deserving recipient of this honor.

Rotarians today got a lessons on Dementia

Rotarians today got a lesson on what it is like to be a person with Dementia. Each of us was asked to dull our senses and complete some very simple tasks that each of us do daily with ease. But to heighten our empathy for the patients, we wore gloves, fought through static to hear, and wore dark glasses that distorted our vision and blocked our peripheral vision. Those everyday tasks, like putting on a shirt, were very difficult. Thus, our understanding levels for those suffering from dementia were heightened. Thank you, Helena Morgan, from Hospice of the Valley, for sharing your expertise and experience with us. Our great lesson....to help avoid dementia is 30 minutes of exercise daily and keep socially engaged to help prevent the onset of this disease. So join all Rotarians and get moving!

December Rotary Inductees

On December 18, 2024, the Rotary Club of Goodyear PebbleCreek welcomed William Marcum, Jr. (Bill) and R. Gregg Mitchell as new members.

Bill is a long time Rotarian, having initially joined in 1988 in Albany,Oregon. His most recent club was in Longview, Washington, Longview Early Edition Rotary Club. Bill’s classification is Newspaper Publisher and he is a Paul Harris Fellow. He and his wife Brenda moved to PebbleCreek from Longview, Washington and look forward to serving
our community through Rotary.

Gregg initially joined Rotary in 1983 with the Rotary Club of Millard Omaha.Gregg’s classification is Real Estate Appraiser. Gregg and his wife Donna moved to Goodyear, Arizona from Omaha and his membership is being transferred from Nebraska. Gregg is a Paul Harris Fellow and is looking forward to the many activities our club has to offer the community.

Rotary 2024 Holiday Food Boxes

On Dec.14th, The Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek, with friends from Avondale Toyota and Microsoft, loaded 80 food boxes with everything a family would need for a Christmas dinner. Rotary partners with Target on Yuma to ensure a good meal is available to those in need.

This activity happens because of the passion of Rotarian Charlie Miller. Charlie writes a grant that doubles our budget allowing us to reach 80 families. He works with Target employees to stretch the dollar as much as possible. He gathers his fellow Rotarians to pack the food boxes and gets them delivered to the doorsteps of the families! Thank you Charlie for your leadership and dedication to this important Rotary project.

Desert Edge December Student of the Month

Desert Edge High School selects 11th grader Travion Dixson to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award in Overcoming Adversity.

Travion was nominated by his football coach, Mr. Bryce Wright, who shared the following story:

Travion recently lost his mother who he was very close with. Most 16-17 year olds would struggle mightily with a loss of this magnitude and some may even give up on prior commitments. On top of that, Travion has not had the football season he may have predicted; however, he has shown up every single day ready to work and get better at his craft as a receiver. I truly admire the strength he has exhibited and his ability to show up consistently with the same effort each day. Travion has been a pivotal part of the football team and that is a testament to his willingness to battle through adversity.

Millennium December Student of the Month

Millennium High School selects 11th grader Samantha Kramer to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for Overcoming Adversity. She is currently on homebound instruction due to a medical condition that she is battling.

Samantha was nominated by three of her teachers:

Samantha has always shown exemplary work and a caring heart for others in need. Amidst her brief absence from school, she has continued to try to complete her work and strive towards excellence. Millennium is a better place because of students just like Samantha."--Mr. Sablan

She is a very intelligent and sweet young lady, that in spite of what life has thrown at her, she still has a positive attitude and smile.--Mrs. George

Sam shows exemplary follow-through, not only with her grades, but with her conceptual understanding. She is a disciplined learner who will achieve great results. I'm excited for her future!--Mrs. Wright.

Join Us for the Rotary Pebble Creek Rotary Casino Night

Click Here for More Info and to Buy Tickets

Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek hosts renowned chef Kevin Barko

Today the Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek hosted the renowned chef Kevin Barko of Meals of Joy and owner of Heritage Street Cooks. Kevin gave us a lively presentation on cooking an outstanding turkey while telling stories about kitchens across the country and famous TV chefs. According to Kevin, the kitchens of today are nothing like what we see on TV. The goal of kitchens today is one of mutual respect and support. Today's chefs want a happy kitchen with engaged and calm workers. Sounds like good advice for any employer today!

Thank you Chef Kevin for the wonderful presentation and the encouraging words you left for our young readers. Our club is donating a children's book in Kevin's name to our Rotary Lending Libraries. The message he left for our readers is good for all of us. Kevin wrote,"Remember the more you read, the more you will learn." So keep reading and keep cooking!