The American Cancer Society is inviting North Central residents to give someone the ride of their life by becoming a driver for its Road to Recovery program. This unique program is designed to provide transportation for area cancer patients to and from their medical appointments or cancer treatments.

    Because of the increasing number of requests for rides from area cancer patients, the American Cancer Society currently is seeking additional volunteer drivers for the program. Road to Recovery volunteer drivers offer both their time and vehicles to the cancer patients, many of whom have no other means of getting to their lifesaving treatments and appointments. Every cancer patient has unique needs and many require daily or weekly treatments over the course of several months. The American Cancer Society considers its volunteer drivers to be essential members of each patient’s medical team.

    For more information about serving as an American Cancer Society Road to Recovery driver, call 800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org and click on “Get Involved.”

Weisberg wins humor competition
    Joking about three topics in 5-and-a-half minutes, Jodi Weisberg won first place in the inaugural John O’Connor Humor Competition, sponsored by the Rotary 100 Club. The contest was open only to attorneys and law students.
    Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, along with two of her sons, was there to celebrate the occasion, and present the winning awards. John, her husband and a past president of the Rotary 100 Club, “had a wonderful sense of humor and was always telling stories,” according to Justice O’Connor. “He was a master at using many different accents and dialects, and was a very funny storyteller! We wanted this competition to be a way to honor him and his memory.”
    It’s not every day a lawyer gets to perform comedy for a former U.S. Supreme Court Justice. “It was such a thrill and an honor to perform for Justice O’Connor and her sons,” said Weisberg. “It was wonderful to see her smile and laugh, and she seemed to really enjoy my set.”
    Weisberg took top honors, receiving a plaque and a check for $3,000.

Reed inducted into collegiate scholar society
    Jackson Reed, a sophomore at Northern Arizona University and graduate of the Madison Elementary School District and Sunnyslope High School, has been awarded membership and inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Membership is by invitation only to the interdisciplinary honors organization for first- and second-year college students. It is based on grade point average and class standing.
    At Sunnyslope, Reed held a 3.95 GPA and was awarded a Dean’s Scholarship to NAU. He was junior class vice president, lettered in varsity basketball, was a member of the National Honor Society and participated in several community service projects.
    Reed is pursuing exercise sciences with a degree in physical therapy, and also is training for a “natural” body building competition in 2012. He is the son of Phoenix residents Jeannie Swindle and Geoff Reed.

Woldebruk named a ‘Youth of the Year’
    Beylul Woldebruk was named the Youth of the Year for the Harry & Sandy Rosenzweig Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. She now advances to compete against 11 other outstanding Valley youth vying to become the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix Youth of the Year.
    Woldebruk, 17, began attending the Harry & Sandy Rosenzweig Branch almost daily when she was 12 years old. Initially, she was looking for a safe place in her neighborhood where she could meet new people.
    Woldebruk is president of the Keystone Club at her branch. The Keystone Club is a leadership and community service club for teens. Woldebruk plans community service events for her club and leads fellow teens in the importance of giving back to the community.
    The Valley “Youth of the Year” will be announced on Feb. 18, during the “Today’s Kids, Tomorrow’s Stars” event sponsored by UTI. The event will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Arizona Biltmore Resort, 2400 E. Missouri Ave. In addition to crowning the 2012 Youth of the Year, the evening includes a dinner, and silent and live auctions featuring some of the most exclusive items available. Tickets, priced at $600, and more information regarding the event are available by calling 602-954-8182 or by visiting www.stars2012.org.

Cullum breaks record in volleyball at ULM
    North Central resident Alannah Cullum, a freshman at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, a Division 1 school in the Sunbelt Conference, recently broke her school’s volleyball record on block assists against the University of Denver.
    She finished the match with 12 blocks, which broke the previous record of 11 block assists set in 1991. The ULM Warhawks finished their volleyball season with 10 wins and 16 losses, which was a significant improvement over the previous season of no wins and 25 losses.
    Cullum is a 2011 graduate of Sunnyslope High School, where she played volleyball her senior year. She previously attended Shadow Mountain and Veritas Prep, where she played volleyball as well. She also played on the volleyball clubs of Arizona Storm and Arizona United.
    Cullum currently is studying kinesiology at ULM.

Morris honored by Girl Scouts
    Make new friends, but keep the old. Lyrics from a popular Girl Scout song, Paulina Vazquez Morris said these words run through her mind often. A leader in the community and a proud Girl Scout alumna, Morris was selected to receive the Leadership Award as part of the Girl Scouts Women & Young Women of Distinction: World Awards.
    Morris, a resident of North Central Phoenix, said that she desired to be a Girl Scout because of the camaraderie and credits Girl Scouts for who she is today.
    “It’s unlike any experience you will have,” she said. “Girl Scouts teaches you how to be a good citizen, and how to work in a team environment. It’s about learning about the world and those lessons that last a lifetime.”
    She said that Girl Scouts laid the foundation for who she is, her interests and current career involvement. As part of her many accolades, Morris has served as general counsel for the Arizona Department of Administration, has run for political office and served as legal counsel for the Arizona Board of Regents.
    Morris said receiving the leadership award has a special place in her heart. “I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout and it meant so much to me. I have had so many incredible women mentors and I hope to inspire one girl out there.”
    For more information about the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, visit www.girlscoutsaz.org.

By Jim Alauria, Master Mechanic

    Which type of gas is right for your car? Well, it depends on what kind of car you drive. Each grade of fuel has a purpose and most people are completely shocked when they find out the truth behind the numbers 87, 89 or 93, which are the Octane ratings of the most common fuels found at the pump.

    The reason why there are different types of fuel is because there are different types of engines. Twenty years ago when somebody said they had a 4-cylinder engine in their car you might think of great fuel economy but poor acceleration and performance. In today’s world that is not the case. In fact, a vehicle that had a 6-cylinder in it 20 years ago would likely have a 4-cylinder in the same model today without compromising any performance.

The new Hannelly One Stop Enrollment Center and the new Student Union at Phoenix College were officially launched during a special ceremony on Jan. 26.

    Phoenix College, located at 1202 W. Thomas Road, is the oldest campus among all Maricopa Community College schools. The new One Stop Enrollment Center has everything students  need to experience a streamlined registration process: Financial Aid, Admissions and Records, Advisement, Recruitment & Retention, International Education, Cashiers Office and the NAU/ASU Transfer Offices. There will be personnel on hand to assist students as well as 15 my.maricopa.edu self-serve computers available for student use.

    A new high-tech queuing system will provide students with notification of their place in line on numerous monitors located in campus buildings. They will also receive texts to their mobile phones indicating  their turn is coming up.