Announcements:
 
Dan:  Texas Hold’em in coming April 10th and we need some players so call your friends send the flyer out…. What ever you can do to help.
Randy: Will be doing another fundraiser for the Africa Trip at Nana’s Kitchen April 18th from 6-8.
Mary:  Will be holding a fundraiser at her house for the Africa Trip April 28th, more information to come.
 
MCAT Student of the Month:  Denise told us about the Student of the Month. Justice Fierce he has been with MCAT for about a year and half.  He came to MCAT as he put it “because he wasn’t interested in school”.  Denise said since he has been with MCAT he has been a student leader.  He is very respectfully with staff and meets with the superintendent on a regularly bases to learn about what the students think.  A typical student with MCAT will pass three to four classes a quarter; Justice has passed seven on his own. And is now fully on tract to graduate. 
 
Mr. DeCarlo said this is a big deal for the Rotary to support the MCAT Students.    He said that Justice had a interest in Social Studies and is destine for a comedy club with his amazing sense of humor.  He has blown the lid off his learning as Mr. DeCarlo said,  he is always early and ready to learn.    He quoted Ben Franklin “With perseverance and determination any obstacle can be overcome” and this young man exemplifies that.
 
Justice praised his parents for helping him to make the choice to turn his life around and take interest in school.
 
I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I love when our MCAT Students come.  Denise you are an amazing leader.
 
Dr. Wilson, Marana School District Superintendent; was our speaker today and said education is important it helps kids overcome obstacles.  If you want to know why education is important and about perseverance and grit go sit in on one of the MCAT classes it’s pretty incredible.  He has been the superintendent of schools for seven years in Marana. 
He said that he often drives his staff crazy with ideas some not great~some great.  His latest idea is taking form; a school lunch bus for the summer.   Last fall they started talking about what they are doing at Desert Winds with the summer lunch program.  The kids can eat breakfast and lunch there as long as they can get there.   One thing that is known is that kids in poverty need nutrition.  It’s a critical piece for the kids to do well in school and succeed.     The trade in value for a bus in about $4000  so he said let’s keep a couple and make them a traveling lunch bus. The buses will travel around to different rural areas and serve lunch to about 30-40 kids at a time.
 
Not only will lunch be provide, but an education piece will be on the bus as well and he is talking to some vendors about providing some great prizes for the kids that make particular benchmarks.  The staff is meeting with Marana Health Care to see if they will partner with them to provide  well kid check, immunizations and maybe even some dental services.