Eight's 'Be More Awards' winners announced

May 20, 2010

Winners of Eight’s third annual Be More Awards were announced at the Eight, Arizona PBS studios in downtown Phoenix on May 20. Nearly 200 guests attended the event honoring the outstanding achievements of Arizona’s nonprofit organizations.<separator></separator>“We are proud to recognize Arizona’s nonprofit organization leaders who continue to improve the lives of their fellow Arizonans, and are happy that Eight’s Be More Awards showcase their good work," said Eight’s General Manager Kelly McCullough. "Their efforts and stories are incredibly inspiring, as are their dedication and enthusiasm.”<separator></separator>Award categories ranged from outstanding marketing initiatives, exceptional educational outreach, innovative organization endeavors, extraordinary fundraising and event efforts, and commitment to arts and cultural awareness.  The award winners will be presented in Eight’s Be More Awards television special airing at 7:30 p.m., June 30 on Eight HD.<separator></separator>The event also included a Hall of Heroes, giving each of the award finalists an opportunity to showcase their organization. Exhibits included: Back to School Clothing Drive, Gabriel’s Dream, Treasures 4 Teachers, Arizona Hemophilia Association, Goodwill of Central Arizona, Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk, Arizona Saves, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, ICAN, Arizona Community Action Association, Duet: Partners in Health & Aging, Girls Scouts-Arizona Cactus Pine Council Inc., Del E. Webb Center for Performing Arts, Rosie’s House, Valley Youth Theatre, St. Mary’s Food Bank, 100 Club of Arizona, Detour Company Theatre and Fresh Start Community Service.<separator></separator>Applications for the Be More Awards were evaluated by an independent panel of 15 impartial judges ranging from community volunteers to business leaders from throughout the Apache, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal, Yavapai and Yuma area.<separator></separator>The awards presented were:<separator></separator>BE MORE ... BRILLIANT Outstanding Achievement in Innovation  Presented by The Phoenix Philanthropy Group<separator></separator> Winner: Treasures 4 Teachers Treasures 4 Teachers was created to provide vital materials to educators and students through proactive, environmentally-friendly programs. Treasures 4 Teachers actively seeks out and collects unwanted, but reusable materials throughout the community. Turning the “disposable” into “purposeful,” these “treasures” are put into the hands of educators and students across Arizona. In the past year, Treasures 4 Teachers provided more than 25,000 students with educational materials and diverted more than 200,000 cubic feet of material from Arizona landfills. Website: <a href="http://www.treasures4teachers.org/  ">http://www.treasures4teachers.org/ </a><separator></separator>BE MORE ... ENTERTAINING Outstanding Achievement in Special Events  Presented by Greenberg Traurig<separator></separator>Winner: Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk transforms the lives of at-risk youth by providing a foundation of mentoring and curriculum that helps them build positive, goal-oriented futures. With the worst high school dropout rate in the nation, the third worst teen pregnancy rate, and more than 7,000 Phoenix-area gang members, Arizona's future is in jeopardy. Organizations such as Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk help to improve all our futures by changing the life of a young person in need of direction.<separator></separator>BE MORE ... KNOWLEDGEABLE Outstanding Achievement in Educational Outreach  Presented by APS<separator></separator>Winner: ICAN ICAN was founded in 1991 in response to the growing gang and juvenile delinquency issues occurring in the Chandler Redevelopment Area. Since that time, ICAN’s programs have developed key social skills in youth, proven effective in preventing substance abuse, gang involvement and violence. ICAN builds these critical social skills through out-of-school time programs, family and parenting programs, and community outreach and education. ICAN’s programs are also provided entirely free of charge to participating youth and families.<separator></separator> BE MORE ... INFORMED Outstanding Achievement in Marketing<separator></separator>Winner: Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus Pine Council Inc. The mission of Girl Scouts is to create girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Girl Scouting provides girls troop, group and individual experiences that develop self-worth, strong values, community responsibility and prepare them to be tomorrow’s leaders.  Website: <a href="http://girlscoutsaz.org/">http://girlscoutsaz.org/</a><separator></… MORE ... CREATIVE Outstanding Achievement in Arts & Culture  Presented by Wells Fargo<separator></separator>Winner: Rosie’s House The mission of Rosie’s House is to provide the underserved youth of Great Phoenix with the gift of music which enhances their daily life by offering direction, stability and tools for future success. Rosie’s House provides a tuition-free music instruction program and free loaned instruments to youth ages 5-18 who primarily reside in south and central Phoenix. The goal of our program is to provide music education and its life-changing benefits to children who would otherwise not have the opportunity due to their economic situation and the limitations of their schools. Rosie’s House works to break the cycle of poverty and develop the next generation of arts aware, creative and productive citizens.  Rosie’s House currently provides 317 music lessons a week – a total of 9,510 lessons a year.  Website: <a href="http://www.rosieshouse.org/">http://www.rosieshouse.org/</a><separa… MORE ... HUMBLE The People's Choice Award<separator></separator>Winner: Treasures 4 Teachers Treasures 4 Teachers was created to provide vital materials to educators and students through proactive, environmentally-friendly programs. Treasures 4 Teachers actively seeks out and collects unwanted, but reusable materials throughout the community. Turning the “disposable” into “purposeful,” these “treasures” are put into the hands of educators and students across Arizona.  In the past year, Treasures 4 Teachers provided more than 25,000 students with educational materials and diverted more than 200,000 cubic feet of material from Arizona landfills. Website: <a href="http://www.treasures4teachers.org/">http://www.treasures4teachers.org/<…; BE MORE ... ENCOURAGED The Judges' Choice Award<separator></separator>Winner: Detour Company Theatre The Mission of Detour Company Theatre is to provide quality and authentic arts education and performance opportunities for adults with developmental and other challenges (including deafness, blindness, and autism) through the magic and the miracle of theater. Detour provides people with special needs a unique, creative performance experience enabling personal growth while breaking down stereotypes related to disabilities within the community at large. Detour Company Theatre was founded in 2000 in Phoenix, Arizona. In Spring of 2009, Detour presented its 18th musical, Beauty and the Beast.  Website: <a href="http://detourcompanytheatre.org">http://detourcompanytheatre.org</a></p… more information about the Be More Awards, visit <a href="http://www.azpbs.org/bemore">www.azpbs.org/bemore</a>.<separator></… Eight, Arizona PBS Eight, Arizona PBS specializes in the education of children, in-depth news and public affairs, lifelong learning, and the celebration of arts and culture — utilizing the power of noncommercial television, the Internet, educational outreach services, and community-based initiatives. The PBS station began broadcasting from the campus of Arizona State University on January 30, 1961. Now more than 80 percent of Arizonans receive the signal through a network of translators, cable and satellite systems. With more than 1.3 million viewers each week, Eight consistently ranks among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the country. Arizonans provide more than 60 percent of the station’s annual budget. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.azpbs.org">www.azpbs.org</a>.<separator></separator>E… is a member-supported service of Arizona State University.

Grants / Awards