Adventures in Lifelong Learning Classes, lectures, speakers, travel and adventures for people “50 & better” EncoreUniv.org 8:30 a.m. 6947 East McDonald Drive Tickets: $25 Paradise Valley AZ 85253 On the campus of Valley Presbyterian Church 480-991-6424 ext. 165 Keynote Speaker Breakfast Saturday, November 14 Policy Making & Politics Robert Robb The Arizona Republic, Editorial Columnist Jon Kyl Former U.S. Senator It’s easy to recognize and nominate your favorite teacher for Teachers We Love! Nominate a teacher online at www.arcadianews.com . Winning teachers will receive special gift certificates to Salon Sandoval and local restaurants! It’s easy to recognize and nominate your favorite teacher for Teachers We Love! Nominate a teacher online at www.arcadianews.com . Winning teachers will receive special gift certificates to Salon Sandoval and local restaurants! Do you know a teacher who really makes a difference? Page 16 November 2015 University, a friend asked her to do some volunteer work with middle school and high school students. Her friend was impressed by the rapport she built with the students in a short period of time and remarked about it. “I think being honest and open with [students] helps them feel comfortable and we build this great rapport,” said Nuñez. “Every day there is something new I learn from my students. And every day I give them something that they can take with them.” “She is a great teacher, but she is a really wonderful person. That’s ultimately why I nominated her,” Cooper said. Nuñez’s compassionate nature is evidenced by her decision to adopt her daughter. It was early in her teaching career, while working at a West Valley middle school, that she watched the movie Blindside and was inspired to adopt one of her first year students. When Nuñez was asked about her daughter, Elizabeth, she said, “[Elizabeth] came from a really bad home. I knew that she was a good kid. Everyone else thought she was a bad kid…I took her out of a bad place and put her in a better place. My family opened their arms to her.” Elizabeth is now 31 and pursuing a Ph.D. in education from California State University, Long Beach. “I have such a passion for teaching, I can’t not be in the classroom,” said Nuñez. “It’s who I am and what I do. I love it.” By Christina Surrano For Gina Nuñez, passion for teaching is in her blood. Her father, two brothers, sister and great-grandmother all chose careers in education. This is her 19th year of teaching and her sixth year at Xavier College Preparatory. She currently teaches three levels of freshman world history: college prep, honors and advanced placement. “I am a hard teacher,” said Nuñez. “My expectations are really high and the girls know that from day one. But at the same time, I like to build a rapport with the students…But the point isn’t to make the students like me, it is to make them want to learn history.” According to senior student, Hannah Cooper and freshman student, Nika Volfson, the students do like her. They both nominated Nuñez for the Arcadia News Teachers We Love Award. “Miss Nuñez is a very popular teacher. She is definitely a favorite on campus,” Cooper shared. Volfson explained, “I think Miss Nuñez’s general disposition can lift anybody’s mood and leave a positive impact for the rest of that day. Just the way she interacts with her students makes them leave happier and knowing they have learned many new things.” Cooper said that Miss Nuñez is willing to listen to and debate with students. She added, “I learned a lot from her class, but I think I learned more from her in a sense of everyday application, like how to formulate effective arguments.” Miss Nuñez recalled that because she came from a family of teachers, she didn’t want to follow the family tradition and become a teacher. She remembered her father’s response when she told him she changed her mind: “He laughed and said, ‘Yea’ I kinda’ figured you would.’” “I’m 51. I went to school late, Nuñez said. “I was going to travel the world and [serve] women’s issues in low income, poverty- stricken areas. But then I got the teaching bug.” While attending Northern Arizona Connecting with the kids TEACHERS WE LOVE Hannah Cooper, Miss Nuñez and Nika Volfson. Teachers chosen for the Arcadia News Teachers We Love Award receive an Arcadia News tote and T-shirt, a $125.00 gift certificate from Salon Sandoval, a gift certificate for dinner for two at a local restaurant and an invitation to an end of the year luncheon for the year’s winner. To nominate the teacher you love, go to arcadianews.com.

Page 17 November 2015 By Olivia Davila In a community with a large family population and innumerable college students, providing a one-stop babysitting shop seemed like a practical business move. Noticing this opportunity, longtime Arcadia resident Amanda Belinger launched a locally run babysitting business, which allows parents to book sitters who come with references and past childcare experience. Amanda’s goal was to connect families of the Valley with sitters and “develop a network to strengthen the local community through childhood services.” Since launching in May 2014, Busy Bees Babysitting has gone from servicing roughly 40 families to over 400. “We knew in the beginning that [BBB] was something that would grow quickly, but the growth that we have seen on both the family as well as the sitter side has been more than we imagined,” said Amanda. At age 13, Amanda first developed her skills as a sitter when her parents came home with her baby sister. “As a middle school kid I began learning how to take care of a baby. As a senior at [Arcadia High School] I would drive my sister to kindergarten at Hopi Elementary and drop her off every morning.” Early exposure to infants like her sister, along with growing up in the Arcadia neighborhood aided in Amanda’s success. Amanda found ample babysitting opportunities in the area and realized quickly that childcare was something she deeply enjoyed. Spending much of her high school and college years as a sitter, Amanda formed lasting relationships with multiple families and carries those relationships through Busy Bees. “Busy Bees has grown completely from connections within this community,” she said. In fact, her connections reached farther than the families she babysat for in the past. Amanda has a habit of setting Young Life – a non- denominational Christian ministry that reaches out to adolescents through volunteers, staff, club meetings and camps by building meaningful relationships – friends up with families who needed childcare. As a result, she quickly gained a reputation among local parents as an individual who provided reliable babysitters that upheld a high level of quality and safety. When recalling the network of babysitters and friends, Amanda said, “If one of us couldn’t [babysit as planned], we would call one another to make sure it was covered. The parents appreciated that we found suitable replacements and felt confident in our recommendations because we all knew one another so well. We took on the responsibility of training each other on the details and The bee’s knees of Arcadia babysitting BEHIND THE BUSINESS routines of each unique family.” While Amanda continued to gain her own experiences, she felt that connections she made as a result of babysitting – such as meeting new families and working with kids – were ones that many other girls could benefit from as well. “We always tell the girls, ‘Relationships are real’.” Amanda said the company reminds babysitters that if they focus on the children and do their best, they may be surprised at the outcome. “We’ve been there. We’ve lived it. And we are happy to help facilitate the opportunities to connect both families and sitters. It’s so much more than babysitting.” Though Amanda is the founder of Busy Bees Babysitting, she is quick to shine all of her company’s success back to her friends and family. “I would say my 15 years in youth leadership in the area gave me important credibility,” said Amanda. “However, the friends of Busy Bees are the ones that gave us the wings to grow beyond a small group to the thriving hive of over 400 families we have today.” With overflowing success in a short amount of time, Amanda hopes that Busy Bees will eventually expand into surrounding neighborhoods across Arizona. Until then, Amanda remains busy in Arcadia, volunteering as a Young Life leader and growing and perfecting her hive. To find out more about Busy Bees Babysitting go to busybeesbabysitting.com. Amanda Belinger