Page 14 January 2015 Passion leads to a career By Christina Surrano This month’s Arcadia News Teachers We Love award goes to a teacher whose destiny in education unfolded as a natural progression. Cindy Farmer, dean of girls and sixth-grade English literature and composition teacher of six years, currently at Veritas Preparatory Academy, began by teaching her own children. When Cindy Farmer made the statement that she believes learning is a shared project best done as a community, she was not just paying lip service. Farmer has dedicated the past 10 years to being an active member of the Great Hearts Classical Education community. She home-schooled her children until about junior high and when they started school outside the home, her personal dedication to their education continued. She became a volunteer: Parent Organization president and speech and debate team coach. When all of her children were in school outside of the home, her involvement in education took a professional turn. She was offered a position as an assistant, which quickly led to a position as a teacher, assistant headmaster and now dean of girls at Veritas. During all six of the years she has held professional positions with the Great Hearts schools. She has taught literature, for which she holds a profound love. “Teaching is an extension of what I have been doing. I’m dedicated to my children’s education. I love teaching. I love literature, and now I [teach] for more children than just mine,” Farmer shared. Former student, Kylie Carwitz and her mother nominated Mrs. Farmer for the award. Kylie’s mother, Debbie, who is also a teacher, noticed how the interest that Farmer took in her students as people, not              toward the subject being taught, creating enthusiasm that was not there before. She describes Farmer’s passion for teaching literature as infectious and feels that she delves deeply into exploration while still making the concepts digestible for her students. Farmer hopes her students take away the ability, “to be bold, unafraid to ask questions, look higher and deeper, unafraid to pursue what makes things hard or simple but still worthy.” Teachers chosen for the Arcadia News Teachers We Love Award receive a $125                      and an invitation to an end of the year     Veritas Prep. teacher Mrs. Farmer began her teaching career when she home schooled her own children. Teacher of the Month 602-840-0010 x200 5001 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018 www.stcs.us ATTEND THESE INFORMATIVE SESSIONS: OPEN HOUSE (Preschool – grade 8) Sunday, January 25, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tour the campus, meet our exceptional faculty, and learn why generations of families continue to choose STCS to prepare their children for high school and life. Parent and student ambassadors will also be on hand to answer questions. MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHT (Grade 6 – 8) Wed, January 28, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Father Feeney Hall Presentation on preparing grade school students for success in high school, college and beyond, with a focus on preparing graduates to excel in the Catholic high school of their choice. PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN NIGHT Wednesday, January 28, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Preschool); 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Kindergarten) in the Early Childhood Center-Extended Care Room Join us for grade-specific presentations on the curriculum and methods for achieving objectives that prepare each student for the next level of learning. • 2010 National Blue Ribbon School • Catholic Faith and Family-Centered Community • Technology-Supported Learning Environment • Athletic, Fine Arts, and Extracurricular Programs • Extended Care Before and After School and Bus Service SAINT THERESA CATHOLIC SCHOOL SAINT THERESA CATHOLIC SCHOOL Faith Knowledge Values Success in high school starts with a solid foundation at the preschool and elementary level. St. Theresa offers a rigorous, faith-based program that prepares students spiritually, academically, and socially for the future. Preschool through Grade 8. St. Theresa is accredited by Western Catholic Education Association PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

Page 15 January 2015 Behind the Business By Mallory Gleich If you’re looking for Beth Goldwater, owner of Bertha’s Café in Arcadia,     cooking up a batch of cupcakes. Currently, she’s working on carrot cake cupcakes for a guest. You can see the passion in her eyes as she mixes the batter and adds the       and arms. Goldwater has always been passionate about cooking, even at an early age. “I was the one with the Easy Bake Oven. I had a little kid’s cookbook with easy recipes that a kid could do, pancakes and stuff like that. I mean, I always baked as a young kid, but I never thought that it was a career choice,” said Goldwater. At the beginning of her college career, Goldwater went to Arizona State University for architecture. It wasn’t until she visited her brother in Chicago that Goldwater realized that being in the service industry was her calling.            restaurant job at a small café in Chicago, where she worked learning customer service and customer experience. When she returned to Phoenix, she decided to pursue a restaurant career and got a job working as a pastry chef. “I had absolutely no experience with pastries, but they hired me as their pastry person. They were like, ‘Oh, you know how to bake?’” said Goldwater. This would      At this point, Goldwater had moved to Tucson and started school at the University of Arizona. “It was a lot easier to adjust down there. I moved in with my twin sister and started pursuing my education in restaurant management,” said Goldwater. She continued her education at U of A for a bit longer, but ended up graduating from Northern Arizona University, which has an extended program for restaurant management. Originally, Goldwater wanted to open up her own bakery, but then decided a full- menu café was the better option. !   "   #$     NOW OPEN: urbAna 5027 N 44th St. Camelback Flowers 4108 E Indian School Rd Lelli Kolibri 4204 E Indian School Rd CONGRATS!!! Courtesy Chevrolet celebrates 60th anniversary Manuel’s Mexican Food celebrates 50th anniversary Shemer Art Center celebrates 30th anniversary 40th Street and Thomas Road but was eventually moved to its current location. !$  %   “A lot of my inspiration for the café comes from back East,” said Goldwater, who is originally from New York. So how did the name “Bertha” come about? “I think it was a typo that happened, but my sister told everyone to call me Bertha and that became my nickname all throughout high school,” said Goldwater. Apparently the name has stuck! Bertha’s Café is located on Indian School Road and is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on the weekends from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. NEVER STOP BEING YOU. The Terraces of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona, is managed by ABHOW, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation. ABHOW is a nonsectarian corporation, serving seniors through quality retirement housing since 1949. Looking for a community where you can create your own beat? You’ve found it. Live worry-free with friendly folks who want the same things: happiness and security without pretense. It’s easy. It’s The Terraces. Welcome home. 7550 N. 16th Street Phoenix, AZ 85020 ExperienceTOP.com Call 1-888-817-9169 to schedule a visit. A childhood disciple of the Easy-Bake Oven movement, Beth Goldwater discovered her passion for baking early on.