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TUSD Celebrates Arizona's 100th Birthday
During February 2012, schools throughout the district will host a variety of birthday celebrations for Arizona's centennial.
Did you know? Tucson Unified School District has been educating Tucson's children since 1867! That's 45 years before Arizona became a state!
Centennial Celebrations at Our Schools
Boy Scouts at the camporee, 1943
Banks Elementary School, 3200 S Lead Flower Ave.
Activities: "This Day in Arizona History"
and Arizona's 100th Honorary Quilt
Date: Daily throughout February
Participants: Students and teachers
Special details: As part of the daily announcement throughout February, "This Day in Arizona History" from the AZ Star or a fun fact about our state will be shared. In addition, each class will contribute a paper quilt which will be combined with others to create the Banks Elementary Honors Arizona's 100th Quilt.
Booth-Fickett Math/Science Magnet School, 450 S. Montego
Activity: Arizona Post Cards at Mega Night
Date: February 16
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Participants: Students, teachers, parents, and the public
Special details: Students will create pictures, poems, or facts about the state of Arizona that will be posted on an outline of the state for display during our Math & Science Mega Night.
Carrillo K-5 Magnet School, 440 S Main Ave.
Event: Birthday Bash
Date: February 14
Participants: Students and teachers
Special details: Students will make birthday cards and posters to highlight each decade of Arizona's life. These will be displayed throughout the school.
Cholla High Magnet School, 2001 W Starr Pass Blvd.
Event: Naturalization Ceremony
Date: February 14
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Cholla High Auditorium
Participants: New U.S. citizens from 29 countries
Special details: On the 100th anniversary of Arizona statehood, Cholla High will host a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens that come from 29 countries. The event features the posting of the colors by the Cholla ROTC Color Guard, songs by the school choir, and closing remarks by Honorable Charles R. Pyle.
Printable Program (in PDF)
Dodge Middle Magnet School, 5831 E. Pima St.
Event: Tree Planting and Fence Decoration
Date: February 14
Participants: Students, teachers, parents
Special details: Sixth grade students will select and plant a tree to celebrate Arizona’s Centennial. We will also decorate our fence with a birthday message using ribbons.
Drachman (K-6) Montessori Magnet School, 1085 S 10th Ave.
Activity: The Fiddle Club will perform at Old Tucson's Arizona birthday celebration.
Date: February 14
Location: Old Tucson Studios, 201 S. Kinney Rd.
Participants: Drachman Fiddle Club
Special details: The performance will be recorded and available on CD.
In line at the cafeteria
Ford Elementary, 8001 E Stella Rd.
Activity: Arizona Travel Brochures
Date: Throughout February
Participants: A fourth grade class
Special details: Students create travel brochures for the towns and cities in Arizona which they have researched.
Fruchthendler Elementary, 7470 E Cloud Rd.
Activity: Field trip to Arizona Historical Society
Date: February 14
Participants: Fourth grade students and teachers
Special details: Fourth graders will visit the Arizona Historical Society on Arizona's 100th anniversary of statehood.
Gale Elementary, 678 S Gollob Rd.
Activities: Arizona Posters, School Assembly, Time Capsule
Date: February 14
Participants: Students, teachers, and Palo Verde football players
Special details: Students in each class will create posters which compare and contrast different elements of the lifestyles of 1922 and 2012. Students will sign the back of the posters and provide some information about themselves. At the school assembly on February 14, each class will present the class poster. Copies of the posters will then be placed into a time capsule and deposited into a hole dug by members of the Palo Verde football team.
Old Congress Street School
Henry Elementary, 650 N Igo Way
Activities: Arizona Wiki and online research
Participants: Students and teachers
Special details: Students created a wiki where Henry the Gila Monster celebrates Arizona's 100th birthday. Third through 5th grade students will use online web sites and databases to learn about Arizona.
Hohokam Middle School, 7400 S Settler Ave.
Activities: Arizona History Information Scavenger Hunt
Participants: Eighth Grade Language Arts and Librarian
Special details: As the culminating activity for a short unit on using print reference, students completed an information scavenger hunt to answer questions about Arizona history, plants, animals, geography, and more.
Lineweaver Elementary, 461 S Bryant Ave.
Activity: Family celebration of Arizona's 100th birthday
Date: February 7
Time: 7 p.m.
Participants: Students, teachers, and families
Special details: The birthday celebration features Navajo flute musical selections played by students on authentic Navajo flutes, violin selections played by each class, and state-themed songs. The songs include "Arizona Rocks" and "Found a County, a song about the counties in our state, sung by all fourth grade classes. In addition, students will perform a Native American dance, recite poetry about Arizona and 100 facts about Arizona. The celebration will close with the lighting of 100 candles and singing "Happy Birthday" to Arizona.
Mexican Plate Dance
Mansfeld Middle School, 1300 E 6th St.
Event: Celebration of Citizenship in Arizona's Past, Present, and Future
Date: February 14
Participants: Students
Special details: In conjunction with Citizenship Counts, special speakers will address the topics of Good Citizenship in Arizona's Past and Present. Mansfeld students will then speak on Good Citizenship in Arizona's Present.
Mary Meredith K-12, 755 N Magnolia Ave.
Activity: State History Presentations
Date: February 22
Participants: Students
Special details: Each classroom is preparing a presentation about the State of Arizona. These presentations will be displayed at the Rodeo Barbeque on February 22.
Rincon High School, 421 N Arcadia Blvd.
Event: School Assembly
Participants: Students and Staff
Special details: Rincon is hosting a School Wide Assembly during Advisory Period to initiate a Kind Kids Campus Program sponsored by Ben's Bells. Rincon will acknowledge the centennial during this assembly.
Roskruge Bilingual Middle Magnet School, 501 E 6th St.
Event: Roskruge Celebrates Arizona's Birthday
Location: Southside of school building, facing 6th St.
Date: Last three weeks of February
Participants: Students
Special details: Students will create two banners to hang from southside of school to face 6th St. Students in our after-school program will create Happy Birthday Arizona cards to be sent to Gov. Brewer.
A proud drum majorette
Robins K-8, 3939 N Magnetite Ln.
Event: Musical Performance
Location: School Multi-Purpose Room
Date: February 14
Time: 6 p.m.
Participants: Fourth Grade Students
Special details: Fourth graders will perform a musical selection to celebrate the anniversary of statehood. The performance includes songs written by students that incorporate information learned through researching the state's history.
Safford K-8 Magnet, 200 E 13th St.
Event: Centennial Clang at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum at Tucson's Historic Depot
Location: Southern Arizona Transportation Depot Museum, 414 N. Toole Ave.
Date: February 14
Time: 8 a.m.
Participants: Students, Teachers, and Principal
Special Details: Ninety-nine Safford students, 11 from each grade, kindergarten through 8th, dressed in school colors, and Principal Theresa Tenace will join in this city-wide bell ringing ceremony commemorating 100 years of Arizona's statehood. Each student and the principal will each ring the bell. Each student will be given a certificate for participating.
Sahuaro High School, 545 N Camino Seco
Activities: Book display, marketing project, study of minerals and mining in Arizona history, multicultural feast
Dates: Throughout February
Participants: Students
Special Details: School library will host a book display and non- fiction material that highlight Arizona history. The hospitality class will engage in a project called Market Arizona which includes a portfolio featuring Arizona tourist attractions, recreational locations, national forests, parks and monument, events of interest for travelers, and famous Arizonans from the past or the present. The earth science class will explore the importance of minerals and mining in Arizona history with a representative of the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. The multicultural literature class will host a multicultural feast to celebrate the birthday.
Santa Rita High School, 3951 S Pantano Rd.
Event: Arizona Centennial Fair
Location: Santa Rita High School
Date: February 11
Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Participants: Open to the community
Printable Flier (in PDF)
Special details: Join the Santa Rita Eagles for a huge birthday bash for everyone! This free celebration for the community includes great food, entertainment, and activities throughout the day. Live music will be provided by the following local groups: Sky Dancers, Nancy Cowen, Frankie Lopez, Greg Savant. Activities include include displays from Department of Public Safety, the Marines, the Army, the Air Force, the DM Honor Guard, Tucson Police Department (with the Kids ID Kit), Tucson Fire Foundation, Northwest Fire, the Arizona Rangers, K9 demonstrations, Fish and Game (with wildlife and boats), Marshalls, the Border Patrol, a classic car show, vendors, and food booths. More info...
Tolson Elementary, 1000 S Greasewood Rd.
Activity: Week-long celebration
Dates: February 13-17
Participants: Students, teachers, and staff
Special details: The school will celebrate Arizona's 100th Birthday throughout the week of February 13 with special events at the library, the cooking of Native American foods, and a school assembly on February 14. The assembly includes student performances, students reading reports, and timelines of Arizona’s history. On Tuesday morning, we will raise the 48 Star Flag. Throughout the week, staff will wearing historical costumes.
Students with Piñata, 1944
Vail Middle School, 5350 E 16th St.
Activities: Arizona Trivia Contest
Dates: January 9 through February 14
Participants: Each class in the school
Special details: In this all-school competition, two Arizona trivia questions are asked each day. Classes submit correct answers to qualify for a drawing to be held on February 14. The trivia questions came from AAA Magazine.
Vesey Elementary, 5005 S Butts Rd.
Activities: Class projects
Dates: Throughout February
Participants: Students and teachers
Special details: Kindergartners through fifth graders will work on grade-level projects. Kindergarten ers will paint sunsets. First graders will create posters on the theme "What We Love About Arizona." Second graders will learn about Arizona landmarks and make an Arizona class book. Third graders will create an "A for Arizona Alphabet Book." Fourth graders will made t-shirts with 100 candles. Fifth graders will participate in various art activities.
Tucson High Choir
Wheeler Elementary, 1818 S Avenida del Sol
Activity: "What We Love About Arizona" Rattlesnake
Dates: Throughout February
Participants: Students, staff, parents, and visitors
Special details: Each student, staff, parent, and visitor will write a 3x3 card his or her favorite thing about Arizona. These cards will be put together in the form of a rattlesnake to hang in the school hall.