30 JANUARY 2023 By Mark Hays In 1972, Judy Pemberton chose to bring her ideas for enhanced education to the children of Arcadia. She believed that children benefited from independent learning that was specifically tailored to them, but felt that opportunities in the area were limited. “There were so many things that I wanted to do, that I believed in and felt,” Judy said. “And yet, there were so many restrictions and rules on how children should learn.” A mother of three, Judy’s experiences influenced her approach to education. She wanted to create a school suited to every child and worked tirelessly in pursuit of her goal. Her early foray into these endeavors came when Judy obtained her Montessori certification and rented a room at Shepherd of the Hills Church at 56 th Street and Lafayette. “I was a fish out of the water, just jumping in,” Judy said. This early school had only twelve students, six of whom were relatives who paid no tuition. But news of her dedication to quality education spread, and the small room soon needed a larger campus, which came in the form of a home at 5115 E. Virginia Avenue in Arcadia. fortunate to have some existing staff move over to the new campus to assist with a smooth opening.” Arcadia Montessori plans to renovate In the early days, the school not only hosted students but 75 animals as well, including a pony, chickens and goats. As Arcadia Montessori continued to grow, it held on to the principles that made it a success in the first place. The school has provided a tailored, quality education to thousands of children over its 50-year span. “Many things changed over the years, but we’ve been fortunate to have such longevity of staff and the ability to expand several times. One of our teachers has been with us for over 42 years. Me, my brother Josh and sister Holly even attended the school,” Ivan Pemberton, Judy’s son, said. Arcadia Montessori opened the second location near 52nd Street and Virginia Avenue in the fall, just half a mile from the main campus. It will educate up to 125 students, ranging from infants and toddlers to primary students. “We have an ever-growing waitlist and a passion for providing more children access to a quality Montessori program. When we first toured the building, we knew that its large outdoor space, courtyard, and spacious classrooms would be a good fit for our program,” Ivan said. “We have new students starting every week and were buildings at the original campus, including new outdoor equipment and storage for the classrooms. arcadiamontessori.com Arcadia Montessori celebrates 50 years Arcadia Montessori School’s new campus has garden beds to help students learn to grow and care for their own herbs and vegetables. PHOTOS COURTESY OF IVAN PEMBERTON On August 31, 1870, a woman was born in Chiaravalle, Italy, who would change the fabric of education worldwide. As a child, Maria Montessori was interested in education but studied medicine after briefly pursuing engineering. She graduated from the University of Rome in 1896 and started her career as one of the first female physicians in Italy. Her career, combined with her interest in education, led her to open a childcare facility in 1907. The center was the first of its kind in Italy and helped young children whose parents worked during the day. With this work, Maria developed her educational theories, studying how children learn as she cared for them. She found that children naturally enjoy learning and that trouble with education is usually caused by teaching methods that aren’t compatible with the student’s learning styles. Maria found that the children she watched learned by doing and needed to interact fully with their environment. She believed that given the right setting, children would teach themselves, an idea that she integrated into the Montessori curriculum. She eventually taught her techniques to others. Soon, schools using the Montessori Method began to spring up all over Europe. By the end of 1911, Montessori education had been officially adopted in public schools in Italy and Switzerland. In 1912, other European countries along with the United States had adopted her methods. The first school in the U.S. opened in October 1911 in Tarrytown, New York. By 1913, there were more than 100 Montessori schools in the country. In addition to her educational accomplishments, Maria was a prominent activist who campaigned for women’s right to vote. She lived in the turbulent times of world wars, but she used this experience as motivation to add peace education to her teaching curriculum. Maria died on May 6, 1956, at age 81, at a friend’s home. She left behind a legacy of educational excellence that continues today, with over 5,000 Montessori schools in the United States alone serving over one million students. Where did Montessori come from? Maria Montessori, whose teaching methods are available at schools nationally and internationally. FDI-1916M-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. AECSPAD > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC Bank-issued, FDIC-insured APY* % * Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 12/14/2022. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. 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31 JANUARY 2023 By Jennifer Marshall The Camelback League of Boys Team Charity (BTC) worked hard throughout the holiday season, spreading joy and cheer to those in need. In their efforts to help their community, they hosted a Thanksgiving food drive, volunteered with the #LovePup organization and built an outdoor space for a Valley group home. “Boys Team Charity is a volunteer service organization dedicated to developing an altruistic spirit in young men through active participation of parents and sons in philanthropic projects in their communities,” Camelback League President Victoria Canada said. BTC dates back to 2001 when local moms and co-founders Anne Czerwinski and Lucia Marusiak went on a quest to find a way for young boys to be able to give back and support their local community through charitable acts. They had six sons between them, and wanted to instill this love of serving their community in them. When their research yielded no organizations, BTC was created. The organization is open to students in seventh through 12th grade. “These boys and their families provide community service in their local neighborhoods,” Canada said. “We also strive to promote personal growth, strengthen family relationships, develop team skills and provide educational opportunities.” One of these opportunities was for the members of BTC to work with the Feeding Students USA Thanksgiving Food Drive. “For over ten years, Feeding Students USA has helped over 100,000 children and their families – 20,000 in the last year alone – in the Scottsdale, Creighton, Washington and Balsz school districts,” BTC member Ashley Staples said. Feeding Students brings community resources together to provide food sources for families with insecurities in the Valley. The organization hosts its annual food drive for Thanksgiving, bringing traditional meals to around 1,200 families. The package includes a turkey with all the typical fixings and fresh produce, packed and ready to prepare at home. “We look forward to this annual tradition that we do with our close friends every year,” brothers Will and Luke Staples said. “We have served families for seven years, and our favorite part is hearing and seeing their gratitude for the food they wouldn’t normally have on Thanksgiving.” For the last three years, BTC has helped to collect, sort and fill the donation packages. Their time, contribution and hard work amounts to about 25 percent of the total food donations. “As I was helping move and count Thanksgiving food bags, I was reminded of two things: I am grateful for always having enough to eat, and grateful to live in a community of helpers and that I can be one of them,” member James Richardson said. #LovePup is another organization that benefited from BTC’s hard work and generosity, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year. “LovePup is a local dog rescue that we partner with to offer weekly help and also help with events,” BTC member Heidi Richardson said. “Volunteers walk, feed, groom, clean up after and play with the cute, furry residents.” Members also volunteered to work #LovePup’s annual Cars and Canines Event, which consists of a car auction and dog adoption. “BTC provides a wonderful forum for young men and their parents to serve others in our community. Living here in Arcadia, I feel very blessed. As such, I have a responsibility to give back and support broader communities in need,” member Andrew Nickle said. boysteamcharity.org A shining leader in community and connection One of the many charitable acts within BTC is helping out local shelter dogs. PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIE LAMBERT PLAY LOCAL. PLAY BALL. REGISTER online for the 2020 Spring BASEBALL and SOFTBALL Season – Boys & Girls Ages 4-14 PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER TODAY www.ArcadiaLittleLeague.com Mandatory player evaluations for upper divisions will be held Saturday, January 18, and Saturday, January 25 at Ingleside Middle School Practices Begin February 1 – Spring Season Runs Early March through End of May Take advantage of EARLY BIRD PRICING through December 31, 2019 Re gister at www. ArcadiaLittleLeague.com PLAY LOCAL. PLAY BALL. REGISTER online for the 2020 Spring BASEBALL and SOFTBALL Season – Boys & Girls Ages 4-14 PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER TODAY www.ArcadiaLittleLeague.com Mandatory player evaluations for upper divisions will be held Saturday, January 18, and Saturday, January 25 at Ingleside Middle School Practices Begin February 1 – Spring Season Runs Early March through End of May Take advantage of EARLY BIRD PRICING through December 31, 2019 Re gister at www. ArcadiaLittleLeague.com REGISTRATION NOW OPEN • BASEBALL SOFTBALL TEE-BALL • Boys & Girls Ages 4-12 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER TODAY www.arcadialittleleague.com Registration closes on Feb 4. SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR BOUNDARY INCLUDE Archway Veritas, Biltmore Preparatory Academy, Desert View Learning Center, Echo Canyon, Hopi, Ingleside, Phoenix Country Day, Tavan Placement evaluations are mandatory for upper Baseball and Softball divisions. Practice will begin in February. Season runs from early March until May.