SCV35 News

The 2025 District Spelling Bee took place on January 14. Participants in the event included elementary site bee winners and runner-ups. We are so proud of the intelligence, critical thinking, sportsmanship, determination, and dedication shown by all of our students across the District. Congratulations to first place winner Shulamithy Battu from CtMS, second place winner Kevin Duran from MVE, and third place winner Danielle Inda Romo from CK8! The County Spelling Bee will take place on February 7 at the VFW in Nogales at 9 am. Good luck to our SCV35 students!

January is School Board Appreciation Month in the United States. This month is one where we recognize and celebrate the time, dedication, and tremendous efforts put forth by our School Board into our school district. Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 expresses its gratitude to Ms. Lourdes Vasquez, Mr. Brad Beach, Mrs. Susan Faubion, Mr. René Ramírez, and Mr. Ben Guerrero for their leadership and commitment to providing our youth with a great education. We look forward to continuing to work with you all and ensuring our students and community continue to succeed and flourish!

Congratulations to the Rico Rico Rotary Staff of the Month, Monica Salas, and Rio Rico Rotary Student of the Month, Jaylene Samaniego! Ms. Salas is an individual who always strives for greatness and always prioritizes her students. She is a role model to not only her class, but her fellow faculty and staff members as well. Jaylene is a student who is always ready to learn and help out her fellow classmates when possible.

The University of Arizona SCC Cooperative Extension SNAP-Ed program hosted their first Curious Quails event on January 25, 2025 with great community participation! Curious Quails is a fun program for families with young kids (ages 0-5). We help families learn, play, and explore outside. We find great places for families to be active, host fun outdoor events where kids can move and make friends, and help families discover nature in their own neighborhoods. We also work with local groups to make it all happen. Join us next time for exciting outdoor adventures and enjoy learning and playing together!

The Future Farmers of America, is a dynamic youth organization that prepares middle and high school students for leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. FFA is not limited to students aspiring to be farmers; it welcomes those interested in various career paths, including science, business, education, and technology. According to Mr. Bernal, FFA advisor at CtMS, FFA provides students with opportunities to participate in hands-on experiences, competitions, and leadership development activities.

CtMS students participate in various activities throughout the year. This includes representation at the Sonoita Fair, and most recently students participated in livestock selecting competition at Tanque Verde High School at Tucson. According to Mr. Bernal, “our students develop skills in selecting: livestock, dairy, and horses while developing skills in Leadership such as how to do public speaking and how to manage meetings, perform our skills at regional, state, and national competitions and teach team work and collaboration.”

The organization's motto, "Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve," reflects its commitment to hands-on learning and community involvement. FFA aims to develop students’ potential by fostering leadership skills, promoting personal growth, and preparing them for career success in agriculture and related fields.

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Congratulations to our student artists that were recognized at this week's board meeting! 📸🎨 These students submitted art pieces to Liberty Utilities' first ever Smart Water Use Art Contest, and were selected to have their art be printed in a 12-month calendar. 🗓️We are so proud of all of our student participants who let their creativity shine and recognized the importance of water conservation. All together, they turned in 135 pieces to the contest! Parents, students, and community members can pick up a calendar at the front desk of the District Office while supplies last. We are thankful to Liberty Utilities for providing our students with this opportunity and recognizing their incredible submissions and talent! 🧑‍🎨

Student winners: Elyzah Penelope Mattes, Jocelyn Lopez, Kimberly Pacheco, Gia Sanchez, Ruthisabella Velasquez Rivas, Mateo Lara Gonzalez, Emma Delgado, Janney Cruz, Analy Armenta, Kaleb Martinez, Sophia Zamudio, McKenzie Leon.

On January 22, a stunning new addition graced the halls of San Cayetano Elementary School as parents, teachers, and community members came together to assemble a Ben’s Bells “Be Kind” mural. The project was a collaborative effort of the school’s community resulting in a heartwarming display of teamwork and creativity.

The impressive mural features a saguaro cactus, an iconic symbol of the Arizona desert landscape. The mural was strategically placed on an interior wall at the very entrance of the school. It stands as a daily reminder for students, teachers, and visitors to spread kindness and be mindful of their words and actions.

The project was hailed a complete success and is evidence of how strong the community spirit is of the San Cayetano Cheetahs. The volunteers that came together for this project lent their time and skills to bring this vision to life. Their collective work has left the school with a visual display that is both meaningful and aesthetically appealing. Best of all, it will inspire current students and future generations of cheetahs that enter San Cayetano’s doors.

The project was made possible through the generous sponsorship of the County Fair White Elephant. Their support demonstrates the organization’s commitment to supporting spreading kindness through symbolic art in school communities.

The Ben’s Bells “Be Kind” mural at San Cayetano is more than just a piece of art, rather it serves as a symbol of what a strong community working together can produce and serves as a daily reminder of the importance of spreading kindness.

This year, Interact members bought more gifts than ever before for children in Huépac, Mexico–a total of 22 children. Thank you to our very thoughtful, generous members! We are very happy to be part of this fun-filled holiday event that Virginia Garayzar, Calabasas Senior Secretary, and her family and friends have been orchestrating for 14 years.

Deadline is January 31. Email Maria Pena or Molly Johnson for more information.