The Sunnyside Community Insider
By an educator. For the community. Independent & free.
Craycroft & Summit View Neighborhoods
A Note from Eddie
Welcome to the very first issue of The Insider. My wife Danielle and I have a deep, lifelong investment in the Sunnyside Unified School District. We walked these halls from 1st through 12th grade, and now we have the privilege of teaching your 2nd and 6th graders at Craycroft Elementary and Summit View.
After years in the classroom, I've realized that a school is only as strong as the neighborhood surrounding it. We are building a living laboratory here — from bringing 4,000 years of agricultural history to our school gardens, to fighting for better pedestrian safety and youth sports facilities at our local parks. Every child in our district deserves a rich life, both inside and outside the classroom. Let's build it together.
Grassroots Spotlight: Summit FC & The Academy Model
The Community Need: The demand for youth soccer is exploding. We've seen the bright green posters at local markets looking for 7–9 year olds for Summit FC, led by community coach Jesus.
The Action: We are actively working with the Pima County Health Department and Parks & Recreation to install permanent soccer goal boxes at the Summit Park outfield to support this incredible community initiative.
The Legacy: We know this works. Over at Summit View Elementary, our soccer team just celebrated a regular-season co-championship, keeping a robust 23-player roster active and engaged under our "Academy Model." Summit FC is the next step in keeping our kids active year-round.
Community Health & Infrastructure Updates
Decoded news on how our neighborhoods are physically improving.
Park Upgrades: Have you noticed the new signage at Summit Park? In partnership with Christina Flores at the Pima County Health Department (via the CDC REACH Grant), a new "Walking & Jogging Path" node has been officially installed on the park rules pole.
We are currently advocating with the Pima County Transportation Division to install high-visibility, solar-powered flashing crosswalks (RRFBs) connecting Summit View Elementary directly to the park.
Campus Heritage & Healing: The Living Memorial
If you visit the Summit View campus, you will see a newly planted, beautiful Ash tree. Donated by Les Shipley of Civano Nursery, this tree serves as a living memorial for a beloved 1st-grade student who passed away unexpectedly this year.
This planting was the culmination of a broader community remembrance and Holocaust education project led by our 6th graders, in partnership with Dr. Leonard Hammer and funded by the H.S. Lopez Foundation. We were honored to have State Representatives Consuelo and Alma Hernandez join us for the dedication. It is a powerful reminder of how we can use our physical campus to foster community healing and resilience.
Craycroft Corner: The Power of Words
A massive thank you to State Representative Consuelo Hernandez for visiting our 2nd-grade Hawks at Craycroft Elementary! She spoke directly to our students about the "Power of Words," perfectly reinforcing the vocabulary acquisition skills we have been working on all year.
Summer Ag-Literacy
Connecting reading to our 4,000-year desert heritage.
- June Pick: The Seed Keeper (adapted concepts for younger readers)
- Local Connection: Our Craycroft and Summit View campus gardens are connected to a 4,000-year history of farming in the Santa Cruz Valley — in partnership with Mission Garden and Native Seeds/SEARCH.
- Summer Action: Grab a book about desert ecology from the Pima County Public Library and take your kids to visit Mission Garden downtown to see the history come to life!