32 JUNE 2022 By Luke Chatham For Camelback East Little League players, the chance to play on a brand-new field this season came when a national organization called Ball Park Buns brought their Ball Parks of Dreams initiative to town. The program began last year with a focus on helping little league clubs renovate playing fields to provide safe conditions for the teams. Ball Park Buns had worked with leagues in Detroit and Tampa and figured it was time to bring some support to Phoenix. The Camelback East Little League’s Promise Field (located at 48 th St. and Willetta) received fresh dirt – to take care of divots – new sod, and a new outfield fence. Ball Park continued their efforts in sustainability and planted a tree next to the field to provide shade for fans, something they do at every renovation. The update only took four weeks to complete, but the process itself was a lengthy one. Ball Park Buns started planning the project in November 2021. There was much to be decided as they worked with Camelback Little League’s president to determine what was needed. “Sitting down with the president to understand, get pictures of the field conditions, etc., took a long time. But once we align on the project and coordinate the contractors, it takes about four weeks to do the physical work,” Alexandra McDade, brand manager for Ball Park, said. “Thankfully, the project was straightforward and ran smoothly. Once everything was set up, there were no real issues or challenges.” McDade explained that what made the project fun was that Ball Park was able to help a community that was in “their own backyard.” They enjoyed providing for the kids that play on the field and seeing the reactions of all those who participate and support the little league. At the end of the project, the company threw a celebration for the unveiling. Ball Park provided free hot dogs and hamburgers and the “World Series Experience,” where kids made their own baseball cards. McDade said the event was meant to show little leaguers what the World Series is like and provide them with some fun before their upcoming season. Additionally, Ball Park Buns plans to aid 20 additional Little League programs across the country through sponsorships, signs and coupons so that there will be enough buns and rolls to stock concession stands for an entire season. “We felt so much pride from these kids,” McDade said. “You could see they felt like they were professional baseball players.” ballparkbuns.com Promise Field’s new look is a home run for little leaguers PHOTOS: TOCINO FILMS By Luke Chatham For most ten-year-olds, the chance to speak to someone famous might seem like an impossibility. That is unless you happen to be Echo Canyon student Miles Rogers. Miles was selected as one of five students to have a 30-minute virtual conversation with author J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter series author, thanks to the Scholastic Super Reader Program. Echo Canyon Principal Kat Hughes explained that she was having a conversation with a friend who mentioned Scholastic was looking for Title I schools to participate in the Super Reader program. Hughes said at the same time, Echo Canyon had been looking for an opportunity where they, along with the Scottsdale Unified School District, could participate in a nationwide program. It almost seemed like magic was at play. To participate in the program, teachers nominate their classrooms by demonstrating how and why students believe reading is important. With this nomination, two Echo Canyon scholars were chosen as Super Readers – a sixth-grader from Mrs. Chasse’s class, and Miles. Thanks to third-grade teacher Mrs. Strom’s nomination – and Miles’ love of reading – Scholastic donated 3,000 books to the school, who then donated 2,000 of them to programs through Valleywise Health, including the Family Learning Center. The school also distributed one thousand books to its students. “Our goal with this donation is to teach our students to be socially responsible and how to take care of each other,” Hughes said. As a bonus, winners were given a chance to speak with Rowling through an audition process. Strom said that she nominated Miles because he’s continually expanding his knowledge with books. Paige Rogers’, Miles’ mom, said that the family has always prioritized reading time during the day. “Miles is very inquisitive and loves to learn,” Strom said. “He’s so kind and has a genuine heart.” After competing for the virtual meeting with 25 other students from across the nation, Miles became one of five students chosen to speak with Rowling. Miles said they talked about his love of reading and his favorite part of her newest book, The Christmas Pig . “It felt like…I can’t believe I got this far. How am I doing this,” he laughed. Miles said that the best part about speaking with Rowling was sharing his favorite part of the book. He said that she enjoyed his perspective on the ending and that after hearing it, “she was super emotional.” Miles received a signed copy of The Christmas Pig and has grown even more from this experience. “I hope he gained confidence,” Paige said, “and gained a realization of how wonderful he is. The challenge was how much attention he was getting from the win, but I think it was a good experience for him to understand how to manage that.” “For Miles to be selected to speak with the author of one of the most magical series I have ever read…it just gave our community such a huge opportunity, and I couldn’t be more proud,” Hughes said. No magic needed; this third grader just really loves to read Kat Hughes, Suzanne Strom and Miles Rogers. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAIGE ROGERS Our goal with this donation is to teach our students to be socially responsible and how to take care of each other. The field is located at 48th Street and Willetta – just south of McDowell.

Phoenix Country Day School Celebrates the Class of 2022 We are so proud of our PCDS Seniors and can’t wait to see the wonderful things they do next. Our 71 graduating seniors will be attending 48 different colleges and universities across 22 states. This year’s graduating class includes 6 NCAA college athletes and 14 “lifers” who began their PCDS journey in either pre-k or kindergarten. Congratulations, Seniors! We are so proud of you!