Alicia Venter

6 days ago | peoriatimes.com | Alicia Venter

National Merit Scholars are selected for their academic excellence and personal achievements. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation selects about 7,500 high schoolers each year as finalists based on their PSAT scores and an application, awarding them a $2,500 scholarship and a highly recognizable achievement when applying for colleges.

1 week ago | westvalleyview.com | Alicia Venter

Less than 1% of students earn a perfect score on the ACT each year. Daniel Jian, an 11th grade student at Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center (AAEC)-Estrella Mountain Campus has beaten those odds, getting a 36 on his ACT — while simultaneously earning a bachelor’s degree before graduating high school. “Getting this perfect score opens a few possibilities in terms of scholarship options. It expands what I have,” Jian said.

1 week ago | westvalleyview.com | Alicia Venter

Cinnabon and Carvel have combined forces, bringing the nation’s first Cinnabon Swirl to Peoria on May 23. Located at the Lake Pleasant Crossing Shopping Center, Cinnabon Swirl offers unique mashup dessert items unavailable anywhere else. It is the first in the nation, opening in Peoria due to the city’s projected growth and the community-oriented environment the current residents create, according to Vice President of Cinnabon Swirl Operations John Hensley.

1 week ago | glendalestar.com | Alicia Venter

Midwestern University is moving forward with its $95 million investment into a student housing project on its Glendale campus. The project is a 256-unit complex across eight two-story buildings on 12 acres of land. The investment addresses a major housing shortage for students at the private, nonprofit university.

1 week ago | westvalleyview.com | Alicia Venter

Anyone driving in Downtown Buckeye knows changes are underway along Monroe Avenue. Last year, the city began Stage 1 of an extensive improvement plan in the neighborhood, restriping Monroe Avenue from a four-lane configuration to a two-lane configuration from Miller Road to Narramore Avenue. The city’s Downtown Specific Area Plan envisions downtown as a walkable, welcoming community. Now, the city council is deciding what might be next.