Public Relations

Trilogy residents donate to Higley Schools children, families
This holiday season, 140 children from families in the Higley Unified School District will receive special surprises thanks to the love and care of Trilogy residents.

Higley's Ty Robinson signs with Nebraska Cornhuskers
As Ty Robinson signed his letter of intent with Nebraska on Wednesday, Gilbert Higley football coach Eddy Zubey said, "Get ready Lincoln, you're getting a beast."The transformation of Robinson, moving from tight end to defensive end to defensive tackle, packing on muscle, during his Higley football career, was amazing. He grew into an NFL body at 6-foot-6, 285 pounds with more room to grow, and into a player Zubey called, "the best defensive lineman in the nation," during the Early Signing Day ceremony at the school's performing arts center.

 

Four-star DE commits to Nebraska
The four-star defensive end from Gilbert (Ariz.) Higley announced his commitment to the Cornhuskers during a ceremony at his school on Wednesday, picking the Big Ten program over finalists Alabama, Oregon and USC and giving head coach Scott Frost a huge win on the recruiting trail on the first day of the early signing period.

Nick Saban visited Nebraska's top recruiting target. Then Nebraska went all out.
How badly do the Nebraska Cornhuskers want Higley High School (Gilbert, Arizona) defensive lineman Ty Robinson?
They sent 11 coaches to his home Thursday on the last night coaches were allowed to make home visits."You have 11 full-time coaches who are allowed to come out (to recruit)," Higley coach Eddy Zubey said. "They all came by the school and hung out with Ty all night."

Williams Field athlete Tierra Brandt excels in soccer but is a rising star in Muay Thai
Tierra Brandt is a top soccer player but is also regarded as one of the nation’s best female boxers. She's also considered one of the top Muay Thai fighter in the world for her age.

Four-star DB Noa Pola-Gates ready to make impact at All-American Bowl
Williams Field High School (Gilbert, Ariz.) four-star safety Noa Pola-Gates received his All-American Bowl jersey Thursday at his school as part of the All-American Bowl Selection Tour presented by American Family Insurance.

 

Williams Field students raises 12,000 pounds of food donations
Williams Field High School students unpacked more than 12,000 pounds of food Monday, Nov. 19 at United Food Bank that will soon become meals for families in need. The effort was the culmination of the eighth annual Stuff the Bus Food Drive. Students from the Gilbert school spent more than four weeks gathering the food and donations at events, grocery stores, football games and in their classrooms. The result was enough food and money (more than $4,000) to provide 31,420 meals, according to a press release.

 

CENTENNIAL SHOWCASES 5TH-GRADE EARTH AND SPACE PROJECTS
Fifth graders at Centennial Elementary in the Higley Unified School District displayed their learning through research, STEM activities, creativity, and curiosity on all topics related to Earth and space science during the school’s second Earth and Space Independent Study Showcase.

Casteel, Higley athletes earn Doherty Medallions
The Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club has announced the recipients of the Ed Doherty Award Week 10 Performance Medallions, which features athletes from Casteel and Higley High Schools. Of 14 players recognized for outstanding play during their respective games on Friday, Oct. 26, Zach Nelson of Casteel and Coleman Owen made the list, according to a press release.

It’s been a banner year for Gilbert-area high school football
Take Williams Field, Casteel, Higley, Campo Verde and Gilbert. Add their 6A big brothers, Perry and Highland, and Mesquite of 4A to that slew of successful 5A programs and it becomes one of the best years ever in Gilbert-area high school football. East Valley schools continued their dominance of the rankings in state’s two largest divisions.

 

See the Valley's top school districts ranked by 2016 SAT scores
These Phoenix-area districts had the best average SAT scores in 2016, the most recent data available.

 

Williams Field QB Zack Shepherd taking humble road to success
As a freshman, Zack Shepherd and his Williams Field High football teammates visited Chaparral Elementary in Gilbert. A woman approached and asked if he would push her grandson around the track in his wheelchair during a fun run. Shepherd gladly obliged, not realizing the friendship that would grow with the boy, Zach Zuerlein. “Little Zach,” Shepherd said with a smile. “Since his name is Zach we made an instant connection. We got to talking and his favorite quarterback is Peyton Manning and that’s my favorite quarterback, so we just hit it off.”

 

Williams Field hangs on at Campo Verde
It was a rough night for offense as Williams Field High edged Campo Verde, 17-14, in Class 5A high school football in Gilbert. The Black Hawks have had sporadic moments when their highly-skilled offense has had trouble moving the ball. Friday was one of those. Williams Field completed just seven passes and struggled to block in the running game

 

Higley’s Maxwell earns Week 9 Doherty Award medallion
The Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club has announced the recipients of the Ed Doherty Award Week 9 Performance Medallions and a Higley football player made the cut. Logan Maxwell was one of six players who were recognized for outstanding play during their respective games Friday, Oct. 19, according to a press release.

 

Knights’ senior teaching game to unified team
Higley High is off to a 4-1 start with quarterback Spencer Brasch and the offense scoring touchdowns at a record rate. Brasch leads the state with 22 touchdown passes and could eclipse Bryce Perkins' 5A record of 46 TD passes by season’s end. Spencer hopes to leave his mark with a state championship his senior season at Higley. How he plays on Friday nights will only be part of his story. Brasch spends Tuesdays helping out Unified Team. It’s a group of special needs students who play football. On the night the Arizona's Family camera followed Spencer, he pushed his friend Jake’s wheelchair. He also worked with his friends Ziggy on throwing and Jerry on catching.

 

Higley quarterback putting up Brasch numbers
Higley High quarterback Spencer Brasch left the field defeated in both score and spirit last Nov. 17 after a 37-31 overtime loss to Saguaro in the 4A football state semifinals. Brasch, then a junior, led the Knights to an 11-2 record with 33 touchdown passes and more than 1,900 passing yards. He threw for just 58 yards and suffered four interceptions in that season-ending game.

 

On Monday, Sept. 10, the bell rang at Williams Field High School, signaling the end of classes for the day. A group of students gathered in the school’s courtyard as the sun’s blaze echoed off the surrounding pavement. Packages were opened and small flags were distributed. Students tenderly placed American flags into the soil, one at a time.

 

SOSSAMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER USES FUN TO TEACH LAB SAFETY
How best to teach an “old” lesson to “new” students? Design a puzzle room lesson! To teach lab safety, Sossaman Middle School Teacher Nancy Foote designed the fun, interactive lesson for her eighth-grade science students at the Higley Unified School District school in Queen Creek. “It’s interesting to see the kids’ reactions. The kids who tend to be introverted and don’t want to volunteer are getting very into it. The other kids are getting very into it,” she said.

 

Campus-wide program connects freshmen with upperclassmen in Higley Unified School District
The transition from middle school to high school can be daunting for students as they try to juggle new responsibilities and pressures, but the Higley Unified School District’s Link Crew program at Williams Field and Higley high schools in Gilbert helps alleviate the stress.

 

Unified Robotics offers inclusion and competition at Higley high schools
This year, both Higley and Williams Field High School will offer Unified Robotics.
The program brings together typical students with peers who have unique learning styles for an extracurricular activity that engages all in the competitive sport of robotics, according to a press release.

 

I have been playing for around five years now. I began playing because I would watch my sister play it and at every game. I would be at the edge of my seat and never want to see the game end. I then knew that I would want to be the person that creates that feeling for others

 

Higley Unified School District recognizes its Teachers of the Year
Higley Unified School District honored its 2018 Teachers of the Year Thursday, Aug. 16, which included 14 honorees from each of the district’s campus as well as the preschools.

 

Meet the Teacher: Danny K. Alltop serves students in Air Force Junior ROTC
Why you chose to work in the district: The Higley Unified School District is the “best kept secret in Arizona.” Teamwork is tremendous and the commitment to kids is unrivaled.

 

The Higley Unified School District still has spots available in its preschool program, which offer a plethora of programs for young children.

 

The makeup of most East Valley school boards will be changing next January after current members decided not to seek another term and newcomers threw their hat in the ring. Last Wednesday, Aug. 8, was the last day for candidates to file petitions to get on the Nov. 6 ballot, setting up election contests in virtually every district except Higley and Queen Creek, where just enough candidates filed for the number of board vacancies.

 

Williams Field's Steve Campbell returns to football roots planted by his dad at Norco
Steve Campbell is going home, but he said his trip next week to Norco, Calif., isn't about him, but Gilbert Williams Field and everybody he ever coached at the school since it began playing varsity games 10 years ago. On Aug. 17, when the season opens, it will mark the first time the Black Hawks have ever played a football game outside of Arizona. It's the mark of an established, elite program, to travel out of state for games. Two years ago, Campbell led Williams Field to its first state championship, taking down mighty Peoria Centennial in the final.

 

Jim Beall, who laid Higley High School football foundation, dies at 65
Jim Beall won his three state championships, before he stepped foot at Gilbert Higley in 2001. Even though he didn't win another title, he left an imprint in the football community that will never be forgotten. On Wednesday night, Beall lost his battle to cancer at age of 65.

Gilbert Higley QB Spencer Brasch commits to California
Gilbert Higley quarterback Spencer Brasch committed to California on Tuesday after finishing his official visit in Berkeley. Cal was Brasch's only Pac-12 offer

 

Higley seniors earned more than $31 million in scholarships
More than 900 Higley Unified School District students picked up their diplomas last week as Higley and Williams Field high schools hailed the Class of 2018.With total scholarship earnings of $16.3 million, 410 seniors from Higley High graduated while Williams Field High bid adieu to 415 grads, who earned $15.1 million in scholarship offers.

 

Higley holds off Queen Creek American Leadership for 5A boys volleyball crown
The noise never let up. The students never stopped standing. And Gilbert Higley's boys volleyball players never stopped believing. After Queen Creek American Leadership twice fought back from one-set deficits, Higley, powered by middle blocker Dreyson Cattani, finally put it away in the fifth set to take its first 5A championship at an overflow Gilbert Mesquite gym on Friday night.

Red Mountain among four Arizona high schools creating new way to attract college football recruiters
Gilbert Williams Field coach Steve Campbell instantly fell in love with the idea when Mesa Red Mountain approached him about having his school be part of four programs in one location during one day in spring football. Williams Field, Queen Creek and Queen Creek Casteel will be at Red Mountain on May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m., for a spring practice. The Arizona Interscholastic Association signed off on it, as long as the teams didn't practice against each other. They have to practice separately.

 

A variety of early learning programs in Higley Unified are giving kids a bright start
A certified teacher in every class. Kids learning Spanish and practicing Mandarin. Specialty programs for gifted youth. Higley Unified School District has gone well beyond traditional early learning settings with their specialty preschools.

 

How Gilbert Williams Field's Noa Pola-Gates suddenly became one of nation's hottest recruits
Free safety Noa Pola-Gates this week picked up an Oregon football offer, just the latest in a sudden burst of offers that he described as, "Crazy."
That was before the Gilbert Williams Field junior picked up three more Pac-12 offers -- Washington, Utah and Colorado.

 

(includes feature of Blackhawks’s Lacee Jenkins, as well as the boys basketball team) This episode includes Best Moments, an interview with Black Hawk Lacee Jenkis and Basketball Round Up with the boy’s Black Hawk basketball team).