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Chandler Traditional Academy - Independence student honored by Intel
International tech company Intel honored nine-year-old Chandler Traditional Academy- Independence student Lavin Bhat during a surprise celebration on Friday, August 12, 2022. Lavin received a laptop, customized gear, and an ice cream party for his school after winning a “Name the Crane” contest.
Less than a mile away from a $30 million LR 13000 crane at Intel’s Ocotillo campus in Chandler, children at Chandler Unified School District’s CTA - Independence can see the massive machinery.
Near the end of the 2021-2022 school year, then third-grader Lavin won the contest with the name “Skyreacher” which was one of 34 names submitted for a schoolwide vote.
“Intel always appreciates the opportunity to be involved in our local communities in any capacity possible. Involving students at Chandler Traditional Academy-Independence Campus in the decision of naming the crane was a fun opportunity to educate local students about what is going on in their city,” said Liz Shipley, Public Affairs Director at Intel Arizona.
In addition to the laptop, Intel surprised Lavin in Taylor Lutostanski’s fourth-grade class with a vest, a poster of “Skyreacher,” and a hard hat with the name of the crane printed on the side. Students in his class also received lanyards and stickers, and Lutostanski received a hard hat that students eagerly asked her to try on. Third-grade teacher Toni Kyle, Lavin’s teacher during the contest, and his parents also joined in the festivities.
Students asked Intel representatives several inquisitive questions about the crane, including how much it weighs, how it was built and how it might affect a ship’s buoyancy on its international journey to the United States.
“I want to thank Intel for their strong partnership with Chandler Unified School District and in their support of education,” CUSD Superintendent Franklin R. Narducci said. “The partnership has spanned over three decades and quality cities and schools depend on reciprocal partners like Intel. As you can see from the questions they asked, our students’ in-depth curiosity will lead them to be our future engineers, doctors, or whatever they choose to excel at in their profession.”
The crane
According to an Intel press release, the Buckner HeavyLift Cranes’ Liebherr Model conventional crawler crane is one of six on Earth. After it was manufactured in Germany, it was broken down and transported across seas and highways to Los Angeles, then Arizona. Assembling all the parts took about a month, and the crane can lift to 3,000 tons – the weight of about 428 large adult male elephants.
More intel partnerships
In January, Intel and Dell Technologies joined forces with Chandler Unified to focus on educational technology as a service model and made it possible for Chandler High School to implement a 1:1 technology initiative, ensuring all students have a high-powered computer to bridge the digital divide and accelerate student learning.
School district leadership, executives from Intel and Dell, local and state VIPs, and student leaders were invited to celebrate this partnership and launch the device distribution event on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.
Intel also hosts drives for several Chandler Unified schools, including a book drive for Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary School.
Interested in learning more about our schools? Visit cusd80.com/enroll.