GLENDALE, AZ (January 15, 2004) – Arizona authors, Candace Ryan and Katreena Hayes-Wood announced Mary Ross and Kalab Wood the winners for their book cover art contest earlier this month.

"We had nearly 30 entries from the Phoenix metropolitan area, plus a few from out of state.” Says Ryan co-author of the book Dream Circles, how to make your dreams come true through the power of sharing, which is due to be released this spring.

“We wanted to make sure that we practiced what we preached in our book, which is to share our prosperity and good will and letting the kids help us design our book cover seemed like the perfect way to do that,” adds Hayes-Wood, co-author.

The winners are both residents of Glendale. Ross is a 14 year-old eighth-grader at Hillcrest Middle School and Wood is a freshman, at Mountain Ridge High School. Yolanda Ross, mother of the winner, a graphic artist herself says her daughter started free handing pictures at age four and hasn’t stopped since. Wood has also enjoyed drawing from an early age and has decided he wants to put his artistic ability to work as an architect.

The book cover art contest was open to youth through age 18. Contributions were voted for on-line at www.striveforstudents.com. “When it came time to pick the winner the top two selections were tough to choose from so we decided to pick both and somehow use them together on our book cover,” says Ryan.

“This whole project, from writing the book with Candy to having the kids help us design our cover has been a labor of love. We’re excited to see this finally happen,” continued Hayes-Wood about their new book, “These are great kids and we’re so thankful for their art.”

Ryan is the owner of Candy Apple Custom Cleaning a commercial and residential cleaning service, serving the Phoenix metropolitan area and co-owner of Touchdown Sportswear and Promotions, which she owns with husband Monte Ryan. Hayes-Wood is a motivational speaker and owner of STRIVE For Students a company devoted to helping kids discover career success.

For additional information about their book, or the winners of the art contest contact Katreena Hayes-Wood at 623-561-6838.

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Children’s Art Contest for Dream Circles Book Cover

GLENDALE, AZ---Authors Katreena Hayes-Wood and Candace Ryan are teaming up to write a new book and are sponsoring an art contest for the book’s cover. The contest is open to anyone under the age of 18, the winner will receive $100 and have their artwork featured on the cover of Dream Circles, How to Make Your Dreams Come True Through the Power of Sharing, to be released later this summer.

Hayes-Wood already an author of a career help book released last year knows how important it is to involve the community in her successes. “With my last book, Help! I Need A Job; I had a contest to name the book. I felt too close to the book and couldn’t think of a great title, so I let my friends and business associates help.”

Ryan, agrees with Hayes-Wood, “It’s always great to figure out ways to help others and asking kids for help is one of the best ways I can think of, besides, kids are so creative and we want to practice what we preach in our book: Helping others helps you too.”

The two Glendale business owners decided to write their book Dream Circles, How to Make Your Dreams Come True Through the Power of Sharing after attending a “Power Brunch,” with fellow American Business Women’s Association enthusiasts, when during their brunch is was clear that their group of business women were working hard to come up with ways to help one another become more successful in their businesses. Hayes-Wood says, “We were sitting there and I realized this is a Dream Circle. A Circle of women who have the intent of helping each another achieve their dreams. On the way home Candy and I decided we should write a book and share this dynamic concept with other people.”

Ryan adds, “Extending our belief that by helping others we also help ourselves, we decided to have the book cover art contest. We wanted to tap into the creative energy of kids, while at the same time helping ourselves design a neat book cover. Everyone wins.”

For more information about the Dream Circles Art Contest, visit: www.striveforstudents.com, or call 623-561-6838. Entries should be no larger than 8.5” X 11” and preferably in color; mail to: STRIVE For Students, 7942 West Bell Road, Glendale, AZ 85308. Deadline for entries has been extended to June 27, 2003.

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KEZ Radio Announces Katreena Hayes-Wood as Candidate for Woman of the Year

GLENDALE, AZ---KEZ Radio in conjunction with Schumacher Mercedes of Scottsdale announced on that Katreena Hayes-Wood was the June candidate for the Beth McDonald Woman of the Year. and Candace Ryan are teaming up to write a new book and are sponsoring an art contest for the book’s cover. The contest is open to anyone under the age of 18, the winner will receive $100 and have their artwork featured on the cover of Dream Circles, How to Make Your Dreams Come True Through the Power of Sharing, to be released later this summer.

Hayes-Wood already an author of a career help book released last year knows how important it is to involve the community in her successes. “With my last book, Help! I Need A Job; I had a contest to name the book. I felt too close to the book and couldn’t think of a great title, so I let my friends and business associates help.”

Ryan, agrees with Hayes-Wood, “It’s always great to figure out ways to help others and asking kids for help is one of the best ways I can think of, besides, kids are so creative and we want to practice what we preach in our book: Helping others helps you too.”

The two Glendale business owners decided to write their book Dream Circles, How to Make Your Dreams Come True Through the Power of Sharing after attending a “Power Brunch,” with fellow American Business Women’s Association enthusiasts, when during their brunch is was clear that their group of business women were working hard to come up with ways to help one another become more successful in their businesses. Hayes-Wood says, “We were sitting there and I realized this is a Dream Circle. A Circle of women who have the intent of helping each another achieve their dreams. On the way home Candy and I decided we should write a book and share this dynamic concept with other people.”

Ryan adds, “Extending our belief that by helping others we also help ourselves, we decided to have the book cover art contest. We wanted to tap into the creative energy of kids, while at the same time helping ourselves design a neat book cover. Everyone wins.”

For more information about the Dream Circles Art Contest, visit: www.striveforstudents.com, or call 623-561-6838. Entries should be no larger than 8.5” X 11” and preferably in color; mail to: STRIVE For Students, 7942 West Bell Road, Glendale, AZ 85308. Deadline for entries has been extended to June 27, 2003.

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Hayes-Wood Named Woman of the Year by American Business Women’s Association

GLENDALE, AZ---Katreena Hayes-Wood, awarded Woman of the Year by the Arrowhead Millennium Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association was honored at an awards banquet, on March 2, 2001 at Scottsdale’s Marriott Mountain Shadow Resort.

The prestigious "Woman of the Year" title is for an ABWA chapter member who is a leader, a team player, and who is an enthusiast about ABWA.

“The ABWA Woman of the Year program was designed so ABWA can annually recognize a member who had made notable contributions and outstanding achievements. It’s a great honor – a big pat on the back from ABWA,” says, Fran Mills, 32-year veteran of ABWA who has served as a National ABWA officer, as well as, past chapter president and Woman of the Year.

"I am thrilled, but so surprised, to be elected Woman of the Year," Hayes-Wood said. "I do what I do as an ABWA member and officer because I believe in the organization and what it stands for."

The Phoenix Metropolitan Council, the governing board for participating ABWA chapters, hosted the award banquet.

Hayes-Wood is also the co-founder of STRIVE For Students a career assessment and development program designed to assist high school students who lack career direction discover and build satisfying and successful careers. She is also the author of the book, Help! I need a job: The desktop guide to the perfect interview,” which is scheduled for release this spring.

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Finding Career Focus

GLENDALE, AZ---Research suggests that more than 80 percent of adults are unhappy in their current job. STRIVE For Students, a company dedicated to helping people find career direction and focus is offering a Successful Career Planning workshop on Tuesday, July 23 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel at I-17 and Union Hills.

The two-hour program is the follow up session to a 30-minute online assessment participants take before the workshop. The assessment helps attendees’ focus on their current employment situation and how it relates to what they would want in an ideal working environment. The assessment also details specific information, in a 26-page report, about each person based on their behavioral and communicative style, natural strengths and abilities, as well as, their career interests.

"People who don’t love their careers are constantly plagued with thoughts of what they would do if they made a complete career change and did something they actually enjoyed," Katreena Hayes-Wood, director of Marketing and Community Relations, explained.

Hayes-Wood, a career development specialist and speaker who has worked in the field for more than 17 years, and recently published a book called Help! I need a job, the desktop guide to the perfect interview, along with Mary James, an educator and administrator who holds a master’s degree in human relations and organizational behavior, developed the program.

"As the founders of STRIVE for Students, we firmly believe that every person deserves an opportunity to explore a career they enjoy," James said. "We have simply packaged the tools to assess people that will guide them based on their individual interests and strengths," James concluded.

Cost for the assessment and two-hour workshop, which is offered Tuesday evening, July 23 is $75. To allow for one-on-one counseling, attendance is limited.

For additional information or to review the agenda, contact Katreena Hayes-Wood at 623/561-6838.

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STRIVE For Students to Help Find Career Direction

GLENDALE, AZ (June 16, 2002) -- STRIVE For Students, a company dedicated to helping people find career direction and focus, is offering a Successful Career Planning workshop on Tuesday, July 23 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel at I-17 and Union Hills.

The two-hour program is the follow up session to a 30-minute online assessment each participant takes before the workshop. The assessment helps attendees focus on their current employment situation and how it relates to what they would want in an ideal working environment. The assessment also details specific information in a 26-page report about each person based on behavioral and communicative style, natural strengths and abilities and career interests.

"Research suggests that more than 80 percent of adults are unhappy in their current jobs. People who don’t love their careers are constantly plagued with thoughts of what they would do if they made a complete career change and did something they actually enjoyed," states Katreena Hayes-Wood, director of Marketing and Community Relations.

Hayes-Wood, a career development specialist and speaker who has worked in the employment field for more than 17 years, recently published a book called Help! I Need a Job: the Desktop Guide to the Perfect Interview. She wrote in tandem with Mary James, who developed the program. James is an educator and administrator who holds a master’s degree in human relations and organizational behavior.

"As the founders of STRIVE for Students we firmly believe that every person deserves an opportunity to explore a career they enjoy," James says. "We have simply packaged the tools to assess people that will guide them based on their individual interests and strengths.”

Cost for the assessment and two-hour workshop offered Tuesday evening, July 23 is $75. To allow for one-on-one counseling, attendance is limited.

For additional information or to review the agenda, contact Katreena Hayes-Wood at 623-561-6838.

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Students Benefit at Career Camp, Find Focus

GLENDALE, AZ---Research suggests that more than 80 percent of adults are unhappy in their current job. STRIVE For Students, a new program designed to help students who lack career direction, discover their ideal job match and build satisfying and successful careers, hopes to help high school students make career decisions that will affect them positively for a lifetime. Career help comes by means of a five-part Discovery Career Camp, which will begin, Monday, April 22 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel at I-17 and Union Hills.

The 10-hour, two-day camp begins with an individualized Successful Career Planning assessment on Monday, April 22 followed with presentations and tips on career development; industry and job market exploration and career planning offered at an all-day workshop the following Saturday, April 27.

"Our goal is to assist students in determining an ideal career early in their lives and providing them with the career development tools they’ll need to get ahead in today’s workforce," Katreena Hayes-Wood, director of Marketing and Community Relations, explained.

The Discovery Career Camp is specifically designed for those high school students who are uncertain what career direction they want to take after graduation; are not sure what they have to offer prospective employers; know what they enjoy, but not sure how to find a job doing what they like and those who need the tools, such as resume assistance and interviewing skills, to obtain their goals.

Hayes-Wood, a successful job placement professional who has worked in the field for more than 17 years, and recently published a book entitled Help! I need a job, the desktop guide to the perfect interview, along with Mary James, an educator and administrator who holds a master’s degree in human relations and organizational behavior, developed the program.

"As the founders of STRIVE for Students, we firmly believe that every student deserves an opportunity to explore a career they enjoy," James said. "We have simply packaged the tools to assess students and developed a program that will guide them based on their individual interests and strengths," James concluded.

Cost for the 10-hour camp, being offered Monday evening, April 22 and concluding with an all-day workshop on Saturday, April 27, is $199. Scholarships, discounts for groups, multiple family members, and referrals are also available. To allow for one-on-one counseling, attendance is limited.

Along with the April Discovery Career Camp a May camp is planned, as well, also at the Wyndham Garden Hotel at I-17 and Union Hills. The May program begins Monday, May 13 and concludes on Saturday, May 18.

Students may also take any one of the four individual camp workshops for $49.99 per session, or register to take an on-line Successful Career Planning assessment for $74.99. For additional information or to review the agenda, contact Katreena Hayes-Wood at 623/561-6838.

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