1. The biggest time gap in Russia is SEVEN hours.
2. There are no high schools in Russia. All kids from the first to eleventh (senior) grade attend the same school.
3. Schoolchildren in Russia may not choose subjects to learn. We learn a lot of them (about 15), but we don’t have the same schedule every day.
4. September 1st is the first school day for every single school in Russia.
5. You can only drive at the age of 18 in Russia.
6. You can watch a lot of American movies and TV shows on Russian TV. All of them are translated to Russian. It’s fun to watch Terminator or House speaking Russian!
7. American music is popular in Russia too. We also have these huge crowds of Justin Bieber fans (yeah!)
8. The life in big Russian cities sometimes looks like life in American cities. People eat in McDonalds, drink coffee in Starbucks and shop in Target.
9. In the towns people usually walk to places or use the public transportation: buses, trolleybuses or the subway. Some families do not even have cars.
10. There are a lot of small corner shops in Russia. You only need to walk for a couple of minutes to buy food. Parents start sending their kids to go shopping at the age of 10-12.
11. It’s really cold in Russia! In winter the temperature drops to under 0°F. Your winter in Arizona is our summer.
12. Most people in Russia live in apartments rather than in separate houses. Apartments usually consist of 3-4 rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.
13. Russians drink a lot of hot tea. Sometimes, they put lemon and sugar into it.
14. In Russian movie theaters, when you buy a ticket, your seat is written on it and you cannot change it.
15. «Хорошего дня!» (horoshego dnya) means “Have a good day” in Russian.

Хорошего дня!

Over 100 people attended, and although it was warm outside, it was crowded on the dance floor. Those who just wanted to hang out socialized and enjoyed the twinkling lights in the shady trees. For dancers with the munchies, Ms. Jones provided snacks at the student store and Student Council sold water for a dollar.

After two hours packed with blaring music and high energy, the DJ announced the Homecoming Royalty. Homecoming Queen and King were Katherine Wilson and her charismatic date, DJ Joe. For Prince and Princess, Devaughn Rufus and the bubbly Shelby Pastore were the winners. The main attraction was the black and white balloon arch where Kelsey Haasch was busily taking photos for Facebook fans.

The dance ended soon after the royalty was announced and the clean up began. Unfortunately, the pride of Student Council, the cardboard box city buildings, had to be thrown away. Ms. Fieman managed to save one, however, and it stands to this day in her class room next to the world map, a remembrance of that starry night.

For all those who attended, a warm thank you from Student Council. All proceeds go to future dances, so if you though that Homecoming was fabulous, you will be pleasantly surprised at Winter Formal!

Becky Almeida, a 2004 DHHS graduate, has been serving with the U.S. Army for three years, and is currently stationed with her husband outside of Kabul, Afghanistan.

In the spring, Becky contacted Desert Hills Business Instructor Jaci Jones, explaining that she needed help supplying sports equipment to children in the Kabul region.

“We are working out of Bagram Air Field, which is the main American base,” she wrote. “While working at one of the hospital gates, my husband saw the conditions the kids were playing in and noticed that they could use some help with their soccer field.”

The couple worked with the Desert Hills FBLA chapter to raise money to buy soccer balls and other equipment for the children in an area adjacent to Bagram Field.

“I have met some amazing Afghanis,” wrote Almeida. “One elder almost brought me to tears when he thanked me for being here and said it’s because of us that the Taliban have left his village.”

“Also, the children here are so smart,” she wrote. “A lot of them speak English nearly fluently and can read and write in four languages. Needless to say, I’d love to get this project together and at least give these kids something as simple as a decent soccer field.”

To make this project happen, the DHHS Future Business Leaders of America chapter coordinated a school fundraiser in order to pay for the soccer equipment, in coordination with Soccer Shack and Sports in Gilbert.

“Working with a former student  on this project really helps to personalize the struggle in Afghanistan for our current students,” said  FBLA advisor Jones. “It’s important for the teenagers in our country to realize what’s going on over there, and to have a chance to be involved in a effort like this is invaluable.”

For more information on this project, contact the Desert Hills school office at 480-813-1151.

Mr. Boyle, a new English instructor at Desert Hills, is a graduate of Desert Vista High School, and received his Bachelor’s degrees in English and Creative Writing, as well as a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

In his freshman year in college, he decided to become a teacher. “I did so primarily out of an interest in the material,” he says. “I absolutely adored the discussion of English literature and believed that I would lead a happy life if I could only continue to engage in these discussions. In the last few years, I have become similarly enamored with the nuts and bolts of teaching.”

In his spare time, Mr. Boyle enjoys watching movies and football, listening to alternative music and, of course, reading. His favorite book is “The Great Gatsby.”

“I strongly encourage everyone to read it at least once,” he says. “I am a very proud nerd, and all of my students will come to realize this very soon.”

Which staff member  hopes to attend UCLA?

Which staff member likes to plays soccer?

Which staff member likes to read Agatha Christie mysteries ?

Which staff member aspires to get her degree in Marine Mammal Science and later become a Dolphin trainer?

What former DHHS graduate student has been leading the charge for soccer in Afghanistan?

Here are a few notes from FFA adviser Randall Kirby’s journal of the event:

“Yesterday was check-in day. We are showing two pigs, one goat and three pygmy goats. All of them made weight and are resting comfortably in their new (temporary) homes. The pigs are usually a headache at check-in, but not this year. We had no problem unloading, weighing and walking them to their pens.

“Daniel’s goat was another story. He might have been the only student at the fair carrying around his 80 pound goat. We’ve discovered that this a very social animal. She does not like to be left along or leave her new found friends next to her pen. It took Daniel an hour to get his goat from the pen to the scale. He did have to carry her, and she got even by head-butting him. These goats today!!

“ The pygmys have a different kind of excitement going on. It looks like we showed up at the fair with three goats, and we’ll be leaving with five. Alexis found out after registering for the fair that her goat is pregnant. Apparently the male got out one night, and now we know where he went.

“Today, Austin and Bree have their first show with the pigs. Austin has done this a time or two, but this is Bree’s first time showing a pig. Keep your fingers crossed!”

Students in Desert Hills’ FFA program raise a variety of animals and show them at fairs throughout the year. For more information about Desert Hills’ FFA program, contact the school offices at 480-813-1151.

After graduating from Desert Hills, Laurel originally attended Azusa Bible College in California but, missing her family, returned to Arizona and ASU after being accepted into the university’s Honors College.

She now plans to teach English in the Philippines for up to a year, and then will move on to teach in Thailand. Laurel is the second DHHS Valedictorian to graduate Summa Cum Laude from an Arizona University. Kristen Lullo, Desert Hills’ 2005 Valedictorian, graduated from Northern Arizona University last May.