|
|
Councilman Greg Stanton's
Arcadia News
August 2004
Arcadia High School, a gem in the community
Arcadia High School opened its doors to students for the first time in 1959; 45 years later it is surrounded by a thriving urban community and stands as a gem in the Scottsdale Unified School District, a district that educates many nearby Phoenix students.
A public school that maintains an excellent academic record within a diverse environment, Arcadia's class of 2004 included three National Merit Semi-Finalists and four National Merit Commended students. Over 50 percent of the students participate in athletics at the freshman or junior varsity level or on one of the 16 varsity teams. Several students participate in the fine arts programs including choral, instrumental music dance, visual arts, performing arts and technical theater both in and outside of school. Arcadia students are involved in more than 40 clubs on campus as well as numerous service opportunities in the community.
For several years, Arcadia High School has been known as a successful academic institution. The benefit of a successful school is far greater than just smarter kids and stronger families: Successful schools encourage children to be fully engaged in their education and in their community. Higher education achievement leads to greater economic productivity, a stronger tax base and a more attractive business climate.
When Craig Steblay moved to Arcadia, the area's outstanding education reputation helped him make his final decision to raise his family in Arcadia. "One of the main reasons I moved to Arcadia in 1980 was because of the schools," he said. He has watched his children graduate from Arcadia and now serves as president of the Arcadia Neighborhood Association. "The parents of the students of the school make it a gem; it's the parents that are involved-that's what makes the difference," Steblay added.
Although enrollment has declined in recent years, the value of the school in this community hasn't dimmed. "It's a neighborhood school with a long tradition and rich history," said mother of three Arcadia graduates Deborah Cookson. "We are learning to value historical things in Phoenix, the school is a plus to the neighborhood, but it would be nice to find a way to see Arcadia High School grow, one way to do that would be to add excellent educational programs," she said.
Our schools and the way the children are encouraged to develop and achieve has a long-term impact on our community and our economic development. As chairman of the City Council's Education Subcommittee, keeping gems like Arcadia High School shining bright in our community is a high priority.
If you have any questions about this or any other issue, as always, please feel free to call my office at 602-262-7491, send an e-mail to greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit my Web site at
www.phoenix.gov/district6.
Last modified on
|
|
|
| | |
| Related
Links |
 |
|
|
