Inside Mesa

Education is sometimes taken for granted and so are supplemental programs - like the Accelerated Reader program.It seems we’re forgetting those that need more attention in obtaining the basic skills to read. Everyone deserves a chance to excel and it starts at the lowest level - bringing a student up to speed so they to can be successful. Reading is necessary throughout one’s academic career. Next year the AR program will have to come from the students free time. This could lead to a new skill - motivation, active learning initiated by the student. Sounds like a good idea to me. Teachers are important in instilling the desire to learn and then focusing on the student to help achieve that. That desire to do something on their own can be one of the best things a child can learn, which will also bring confidence - a good asset in life.

The Tribune’s front page Wednesday shows another view of suffering because of inadequate roads leading to the Queen Creek area.During rush hour in the morning and evening, when there’s a long line of cars waiting to get home of waiting to get to work, drivers are finding creative ways to take shortcuts through farmers land and small dirt roads they use to access their fields. It’s not only a problem — it’s cutting down on the potential best growth of their crops.Who’s responsible for these roads? The county, city, or the state? I just don’t understand why these roads are not widened to accommodate traffic. What are we waiting for — an accident — heaven forbid! Why isn’t somebody asking some questions?

Whose responsiblity is it that students come to school in a healthy state of physical and mental ability so they are ready to learn? With state and federal requirements placed on schools to offer healthy food choices, what’s to say about the requirements on parents to provide their children good mental health so they are able to learn and retain information that will assist them down a positive academic career path? Many of us already know that the mind and body go hand in hand when a person is at an optimum level for learning. In today’s schools, teachers are faced with more than delivering innovative learning experiences. Teachers have become social workers, counselors, medical professionals, and physical motivators.Parents… provide healthy meals for breakfast and dinner. Pack healthy snacks in school lunches. Get out and exercise in the afternoon. Play soccer, take a walk or run around with your kids. The more you focus on your children’s overall health will result in healthy minds giving kids the ability to cope with life’s challenges. These kids are our future. Handle with care.

The Vent on Monday quoted a senior’s comment that I can relate to…"Speaking of seniors, I used to think we were a dime a dozen. Then I reduced that to a nickle. Now I do feel we are just unwanted surplus."I see this not only in the world in general (although some countries and cultures hold their seniors in high regard - we could learn from them), but in the Valley, in Mesa, and in my personal life as well. It’s as if I’ve become invisible - I’m sure some of you know what I mean.It’s perplexing on two counts:- Seniors are a good portion of our population with the baby boomers, sandwich generation, and post war era, it seems there is a lot of great minds, experience, and guidance that could be used for some very worthwhile reasons - everyone has a need to be valued and wanted - seniors are no different and in my opinion deserve respect and honor as they forged their future, which is today. After all, they may know something and make contributions far greater than one might think - but then it’s the younger generation making those decisions, so where and who will realize this wisdom?- Seniors have varied interests and are interesting! They now have the time to explore their interests - not to mention the purchasing power although somewhat limited as income stabilizes to a norm and doesn’t really increase to make a difference; they are still a market. Areas like the new retirement thinking is geared toward activity and contribution, continued education, part-time employment, a second home usually in a climate like ours, travel, community service, cultural and entertainment venues, the list can go on and on.The point is seniors are worth far greater than any monetary value; we are so wrapped up in the next generation (which is important), but we miss the work and energy of the last - all that went into making this generation what it is today.

Monday’s "The Vent" had two vents I totally agree with! The first…"Will somebody please take over and build Ellsworth Road and complete it and allow everybody to flow freely. Two hours of travel time a day on Ellsworth Road is killing me."I find this very frustrating as well - not only Ellsworth but Ironwood Road. The traffic on both roads are increasingly getting more crowded. Ellsworth is in Maricopa County to the town of Queen Creek - Ironwood is in Pinal County and carries as much if not more traffic with vehicles traveling from Copper Canyon, Johnson Ranch, Del Webb planned development, and the whole outlying area known as ‘Queen Creek’ in Pinal County.I know there are "dark sky" areas because of an ordinance, but on crowded highways? It’s scary traveling at night when all you see is head lights and can barely make out the two-lane road in front of you.Why isn’t this being developed? Cars will increase and have been since I started traveling those roads on occasion for the last 7 years.What’s going on in the way of road development on these roads?

There’s been a lot of criticism of the Cardinals Stadium being named "University of Phoenix Stadium", but in a related subject, have you seen some of the names of the upcoming bowl games?A few examples are as follows:PapaJohns.com Bowl - New Orleans, LaPetroSun Independence Bowl - Shrevport, LaBrut Sun Bowl - El Paso, TxMeineke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte, NCChick Fil-A Bowl - Atlanta, GaI’m not writing this to be critical of the naming of stadiums or bowl games, but maybe the "University of Phoenix" isn’t that bad.Additiona comments welcome.