>>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON THE LATEST IS STATE OF THE AIR REPORT FROM THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION.

ALSO TONIGHT'S, A LOOK AT ARIZONA'S GROWING SPACE INDUSTRY.

AND A STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN AIMS TO ENCOURAGE MORE CHILDREN TO READ AT A YOUNGER AGE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON ""ARIZONA HORIZON"."

>>> GOOD EVENING WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON" I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S ELECTION DAY IN CANADA, WITH VOTERS CHOOSING A NEW NATIONAL LEADER AND PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATIVES.

THE ELECTION COMES AMID STRAINED RELATIONS WITH THE U.S.

WHICH IS PUSHING CANADA'S LIBERAL PARTY AND PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY TO A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE IN PRE-ELECTION POLLS.

CONSERVATIVES ONCE HAD A 25 PERCENTAGE POINTS LEAD IN OPINION SURVEYS BUT THAT WAS BEFORE U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S TARIFFS AND SOVEREIGNTY THREATS.

THE VOTE NOW IS EXPECT BACKGROUND TO CLOSE WITH THE LEADER OF THE PARTY THAT WINS THE MOST PARLIAMENTARY SEATS BECOMING PRIME MINISTER.

PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY OF TODAY'S VOTE TO GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND CAMPAIGN FOR CANADA'S CONSERVATIVE PARTY, AND TO ONCE AGAIN PUSH FOR THE COUNTRY TO BECOME "THE CHERISHED 51st U.S. STATE.

>>> THE PRESIDENT TODAY IS EXPECTED TO SIGN TWO MORE EXECUTIVE ORDERS INVOLVING IMMIGRATION.

ONE OF THE ORDERS GOES AFTER LOCAL MINUTES TALL -- MUNICIPALS ON DEPORTATION, THE SECOND ORDER ADDRESSES MILITARY EQUIPMENT FOR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

IT ALSO ENHANCES LEGAL SUPPORT FOR OFFICERS ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL ACTIONS INVOLVING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.

THIS COMES AS LAWYERS AND ADVOCACY GROUPS SAY THAT THREE CHILDREN WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS WERE DEPORTED LAST WEEK WITH THEIR MOTHER'S TO HONDURAS.

THE GROUP INCLUDED A FOUR-YEAR-OLD RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR METASTATIC CANCER.

RESPONSE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BORDER CZAR.

>> IF YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE A U.S. CHILD KNOWING YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION.

YOU PUT YOUR FAMILY IN THAT POSITION.

WHAT WE DID IS REMOVE CHILDREN WITH THE MOTHERS WHO REQUESTED THE CHILDREN DEPART WITH THEM THOSE ARE THE PARENTAL DECISIONS.

PARENTING 101.

THE MOTHER'S MADE THAT CHOICE.

>> BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE ACCORDING TO ATTORNEYS FOR THE TWO WOMEN.

THE ATTORNEYS SAY THAT THE WOMEN WANTED THEIR CHILDREN, INCLUDING THE CHILD WITH CANCER, TO REMAIN WITH FAMILY IN THE U.S. >>> THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL STATE OF THE AIR REPORT SHOWS THAT ONCE AGAIN MARICOPA AND PINAL COUNTIES HAVE SOME OF THE MOST POLLUTED AIR IN THE COUNTRY WITH FAILING GRADE.

TO LEARN MORE WE WELCOME JOANNA STRUTHERS AT THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION RIGHT HERE IN ARIZONA.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO, THANK YOU.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF AIR REPORT, WHAT, THIS IS AN ANNUAL REPORT, CORRECT?

>> YEAH.

THIS IS ONE OF THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATIONS SIGNATURE REPORT ON AIR QUALITY.

SO WE LOOK AT AIR QUALITY MONITORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

HERE IN ARIZONA WE LOOK AT OZONE AND PARTICLE POLLUTION BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO OF THE MOST DANGEROUS AND WIDESPREAD AIR POLLUTANTS.

>> WHEN YOU TAKE THESE MURMS HOW ARE THEY DONE -- MEASUREMENTS HOW ARE THEY DONE?

>> THEY ARE U.S. AIR QUALITY MONITORS THAT ARE PLACED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY STATES, BY TRIBAL LANDS BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THEY'RE OWNED BY STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS TRIBAL.

>> SO WHEN WE SAY THE PHOENIX AREAS LET'S TALK MARICOPA COUNTY HERE IN PARTICULAR IT'S BAD FOR, WE'LL GET TO THE NUMBERS HERE IN A SECOND.

HOW MANY DEVICES WERE PUT IN HOW MANY DIFFERENT PLACES TO GET THAT MEASUREMENTO -- MEASUREMENT?

>> THERE'S A LACK OF AIR QUALITY MONITORS.

ABOUT ACTUALLY ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE COUNTRY HAS AIR QUALITY MONITORS.

SO VERY FEW, UNFORTUNATELY.

SOME OF THOSE AIR QUALITY MONITORS DON'T MONITOR ALL AIR POLLUTANTS SOME WILL MONITOR OZONE, SOME WILL MONITOR PARTICLE POLLUTION.

BUT CLEARLY, THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT ENOUGH AIR QUALITY MONITORS.

>> BUT DO YOU HAVE A ROUGH NUMBER?

ARE THERE 10, 15, THREE, HOW MANY DO YOU THINK ARE IN MARICOPA, NOT SURE?

>> UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE A ROUGH NUMBER.

>> OK, SO THE PHOENIX METRO AREA FOURTH WORST IN OZONE POLLUTION.

IS THAT A SURPRISE?

>> IT IS A LITTLE BIT.

SO IN THIS YEAR'S REPORT WE SAW MORE DAYS WHEN AIR REACHED UNHEALTHY LEVELS FOR OZONE IN PHOENIX NOW RANKING FOURTH MOST OZONE POLLUTED CITY IN THE COUNTRY.

LAST YEAR WE WERE FIFTH.

SO WE ARE GETTING UP THOSE RANKINGS.

>> WHAT IS OZONE?

DEFINE OZONE FOR ME?

>> ZONE ARE ALSO KNOWN AS SMOG IS VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS MIXED WITH NITROUS OBJECTION SIDE -- OXIDE WHFNLT THOSE TWO COME IN COMBINATION WITH SUNLIGHT AND HEAT, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT HERE IN ARIZONA THAT FORMS OZONE.

>> BASICALLY OZONE HITS IF IF YOU ARE WALKING YOU CAN BE EXPERIENCE THIS.

IT'S JUST LIKE SMOG.

>> IT IS.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T SEE IT SOMETIMES YOU DO IT'S THAT GRAY CLOUD THAT YOU CAN SEE BUT OZONE ACTS LIKE A SUNBURN TO THE LUNGS AND CAN CAUSE A VARIETY OF HEALTH IMPACTS.

>> INTERESTING.

>> SO IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THE LUNG ASSOCIATION IS CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

>> YEAH, I HAVE NEVER HEARD, THAT THAT'S AN INTERESTING WAY TO PUT IT.

>> MARICOPA COUNTIES WE'RE FOURTH, WE'RE FIFTH, WE'RE BAD.

WHY?

>> WE'RE BAD.

SO HERE WE SIT IN A VALLEY.

SO WE SEE THOSE WEATHER INVERSIONS HAPPENING.

WE'RE COMING INTO OUR SUMMER OZONE SEASON.

WE ALSO HAVE A WINTER OZONE SEASON.

WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IN THE VALLEY IS THAT COOL AIR WILL GET TRAPPED INTO THE VALLEY AND CAN BECOME STAGNANT, WARM AIR TRAPS IT ON TOP.

WHEN THE AIR QUALITY IS BAD, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SENSITIVE GROUPS, THE AIR CAN STAY STAGNANT FOR DAYS, SOMETIMES LONGER.

SO CAUSING GREAT HEALTH IMPACTS.

>> AND GETTING -- GETTING WORSE?

I MEAN, FIVE TO FOUR IS NOT MUCH BUT IT'S WORSE.

>> CLIMATE ROLE WE'RE SEEING EXTREME HEAT, DROUGHT, WILDFIRES ALL OF THAT HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE OVER THE YEARS.

>> SPEAKING OF WILDFIRES, LET'S TALK ABOUT PARTICLE POLLUTION.

PHOENIX AREA RANKED 28th WORST IN THE U.S. WHERE WAS IT LAST YEAR?

>> YEAH, WE ACTUALLY DID A LITTLE BIT BETTER ON PARTICLES.

WE ACTUALLY SAW SOME OF THAT MOSTLY IN THE SOUTHWEST AND THEN HERE IN ARIZONA WE IMPROVED.

SO WE DIDN'T SEE THOSE PARTICLES REACHING THOSE UNHEALTHY LEVELS WHICH IS GREAT.

SOMETIMES THAT IS, AGAIN, HEAT DROUGHT, BUT WILDFIRES PLAY A HUGE PART OF THAT.

>> FOR PARTICLES, I WOULD IMAGINE IN PLACES LIKE MARICOPA COUNTY, PINAL COUNTY, PIMA COUNTY IT WOULD ALWAYS BE BAD IT'S DUSTY.

IT'S DESERT.

>> IT'S DUSTY DUST IS PM10 WHAT WE LOOK AT IS PM2.5 WHICH IT'S A MUCH FINER PARTICLE.

>> IT'S TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, REFINERIES, THE WILDFIRES A LOT OF THAT IS WHAT PRODUCES PM2.5.

>> SO WITH THAT IN MIND HOW DO WE IMPROVE THESE NUMBERS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

>> SURE, THERE'S A LOT OF POLICY AND ACTIONS THAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO CLEANING UP THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IS ONE OF THE MOST POLLUTING SECTORS HERE IN ARIZONA.

SO LOOKING AT ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES, FLEETS, ALL OF THAT WILL HELP TO CURB AIR POLLUTION.

WE HAVE ALMOST SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE.

SO COMBINING RIDES, TELECOMMUTING, TAKING RIDE SHARES WILL DEFINITELY HELP TO CLEAN UP SOME OF THAT AIR POLLUTION.

>> AND THE VIABILITY OF THESE ALTERNATIVES?

ARE THESE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.

IF THE WILL HAS GOT TO BE THERE, I MEAN, FIRST, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT FOREVER.

BUT IS IT VIABLE TO MAKE THESE CHANGES TO GET THOSE NUMBERS IMPROVED?

>> IT IS.

IT IS.

WE'VE SEEN STATES DO IT AND WE'VE SEEN NUMBERS IMPROVE.

SO WE HAVE TO DO MORE.

WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS GREAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MADE HUGE IMPACTS TO REDUCE CLIMATE POLLUTION.

WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THOSE PROJECTS COMING INTO ARIZONA AND THE MORE WE CAN DO AND IMPLEMENT THESE PROJECTS THE BETTER OUR AIR WILL BE HERE.

>> YOU KNOW, AREAS LIKE PHOENIX PROVING OZONE WERE PART SOMEHOW OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS COMING UP FROM MEXICO, COMING ALL THE WAY OVER FROM ASIA THEN SETTLING HERE.

THE E.P.A.

HAS NEVER BEEN ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THE NEW E.P.A.

SEEMS MORE INTERESTED IN THAT AND PERHAPS WE'RE SENDING SOME AIR POLLUTION GUIDANCE.

DOES THAT CONCERN YOU?

>> IT DOES.

IT REALLY DOES CONCERN US.

THE E.P.A.

IS VITAL TO SOME OF THE WORK WE DO.

IT'S VITAL THEIR STAFF AND THEIR PROGRAMS.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THE E.P.A.

AND PROGRAMS WE WON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE AIR THAT WE'RE BREATHING.

>> YEAH, YEAH, SO WHAT DO WE WATCH OUT -- HOW DO WE KNOW WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN TERMS OF GETTING THESE NUMBERS BETTER?

>> YEAH, I THINK JUST PUTTING POLICY INTO ACTION.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.

WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DECADES OF WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO REALLY COMBAT OUR CLIMATE POLLUTION THAT WE HAVE HERE.

>> ALL RIGHT, JOANNA TRUTHER.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES MUST MAKE YOU AWFULLY HAPPY.

>> ELECTRIC VEHICLES WAY TO GO.

DEFINITELY HELPS TO CURB AIR POLLUTION.

>> JOANNA STRUTHER RIGHT HERE IN ARIZONA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS IS AMAZING.

>>> ARIZONA IS A GROWING HUB FOR SPACE INNOVATION.

CAN THE STATE RANKS FIFTH LARGEST EMPLOYER FOR AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE MANUFACTURING.

THEY HOSTED A SPACE SUMMIT TO HELP KEEP ARIZONA ON THE SPACE INDUSTRY MAP.

JOINING US NOW IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ASU INTERPLANETARY COMMISSION.

>> THIS IS THE RECENT FOCUS OF THIS SUMMIT, OR THE FOCUS OF THIS RECENT, WE'LL GET IT RIGHT EVENTUALLY, WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT?

>> IT'S OUR THIRD SUMMIT AND THE SUMMIT HAS BEEN GROWING YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN HOSTING.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SUMMIT IS ALWAYS TO BRING TOGETHER LEADERS FROM INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA AND GOVERNMENT TO WORK TOGETHER MORE CLOSELY AND DETERMINE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND TO BUILD ON THE GREAT LEGACY THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE GREAT COMPANIES HERE IN AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE AS YOU MENTION FIFTH LARGEST EMPLOYER.

BUT THE SPACE ECONOMY IS BOOMING WE WANT TO BE DRIVING THAT AND WANT THOSE BENEFITS TO COME BACK TO ARIZONA.

SO WE COME TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND BE COMPETITIVE.

>> DID I SEE THAT WE STILL TRAIL PLACES LIKE CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, AND TEXAS WE KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT COLORADO AND ALABAMA ARE THEY KIND OF A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF US IN THIS RACE?

>> THEY HAVE SOME ADVANTAGES, CERTAINLY.

BUT WE HAVE A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ASSETS HERE IN ARIZONA.

PROBABLY THAT'S NOT AS KNOWN AS IT SHOULD BE.

SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER IS BETTER ADVOCACY FOR THE GREAT ASSETS AND UNIQUE ADVANTAGES FOR COMPANIES TO COME AND DO BUSINESS HERE AND SET UP THEIR HEADQUARTERS HERE.

>> AND APPARENTLY ALREADY AM I GETTING THIS RIGHT 1250 SUPPLY CONTRIBUTORS ALREADY HERE?

>> YES, AND CERTAINLY THE GROWTH OF THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY HAS CERTAINLY HELPS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE GROWTH.

>> LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

IS THAT GOING TO BE A MAJOR PLAYER IN SPACE GROWTH?

>> SO THIS SUMMIT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE ELEVATED THIS CONVERSATION.

SO WE HAD A PANEL TO DISCUSS HOW THESE TWO HIGH GROWTH SECTORS CAN WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER.

SO THE ANSWER IS YES, THERE ARE ENERGIES AROUND WORKFORCE, THERE ARE ENERGIES AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, AND OF COURSE SUPPLY CHAIN.

YOU KNOW, CHIPS AND THE MICROELECTRONICS THAT ARE BEING BUILT BY THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ARE THE BRAINS BEHIND THE SPACECRAFT, RIGHT SO THEY ARE VENDORS TO OUR SPACECOMS, AND THE SPACE INDUSTRY IS A MARKET FOR OUR SEMICONDUCTOR BUSINESSES.

BUT THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE INNOVATION.

SO, TO COMPLAIN THIS, WE -- SPACE COMPANIES TYPICALLY USE PRETTY LEGACY ELECTRONICS IN THEIR SPACECRAFT.

WHY?

BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF REGULATIONS AND A LOT OF STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE TECHNOLOGIES TO WORK IN SPACE.

HUGE VARIATIONS OF TEMPERATURE THAT ARE VERY EXTREME.

SO TYPICALLY SPACE COMPANIES WILL USE OLDER GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES, NOT THE MORE RECENT ELECTRONICS THAT ARE USED FOR TERRESTRIAL MARKETS.

NOW WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, TWO YEARS AGO, ASU RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH THE SOUTHWEST ADVANCE PROTOTYPING HUB WHICH MEANS WE CAN DO THE MANUFACTURING WITH ALL THE INTELS THAT ARE HERE BUT NOW WE HAVE GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO R&D, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEED, THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE SPACE SECTOR, RIGHT, TO NOT ONLY HAVE DURABLE SOLUTIONS IN SPACE BUT MORE HIGHER PERFORMING SOLUTIONS IN SPACE.

SO NOW YOU CAN HAVE FOLKS FROM BOTH INDUSTRIES WORKING WITH OUR RESEARCHERS AND OUR STUDENTS TO INNOVATE.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU PUT THE ELECTRONICS TOGETHER, AND YOU PACKAGE THEM, YOU NEED TO HAVE PERHAPS DIFFERENT KIND OF MATERIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MORE DURABLE IN SPACE AND CAN PERFORM IN BETTER WAYS.

SO HOW WE COMBINE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES SENSORS, POWER SYSTEMS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE SPACE SECTOR WE NOW CAN DO THIS HERE IN TEMPE.

WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO INNOVATE AND WE HAVE THE TALENT TO DO THAT.

THE SECTORS NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER'S NEEDS.

>> IS THERE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL HELP GET THESE SECTORS TO COME TOGETHER AND GET CLOSER?

>> TEMPE IS WAY OVER HERE, CHANDLER, HOW DO THE TWEEN MEET?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE NEED TO FIND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERSATION, FOR DIALOGUE, FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND THEN FINDING RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE.

I'LL SHARE ONE EXAMPLE.

JUST IN THE FALL OF ASU RECEIVED IN THE SWAP HUBS SPECIFICALLY RECEIVED ALMOST $6 MILLION TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF SATELLITES USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

SO THAT SATELLITES CAN SEE OBJECTS THAT ARE LESS VISIBLE OR MOVING FASTER.

SO THESE ARE THE KIND OF INNOVATIONS THAT WILL NOT ONLY ADVANTAGE THOSE SPACE COMPANIES THAT ARE HERE IN ARIZONA BUT REALLY THE INDUSTRY AT LARGE.

SO WE CAN BE THE DRIVER OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS FOR FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS.

>> AGAIN THE FUTURE IS NOT NECESSARILY AS YOU REFERRED TO EARLIER THE TRIED AND TRUE IT'S BRAND NEW STUFF.

IT'S INNOVATION, IT'S THE TRIED AND TRUE MIGHT PASS CERTAIN REGULATIONS IN THE PATH NOT ANYMORE.

>> THERE'S A TECHNOLOGY GAP.

WE ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO ADDRESS THAT TECHNOLOGY GAP NOT JUST FOR THIS SPACE SECTOR HERE IN ARIZONA OR THE U.S.

BUT REALLY THE GLOBAL.

>> GEOGRAPHY AND LANDSCAPE IN ARIZONA THAT'S GOT TO BE A BIG FACTOR, TOO?

>> AN ADVANTAGE, YOU MEAN?

>> YES, YES.

WE HAVE CLEAR SKIES WE HAVE LOTS OF LAND AVAILABLE FOR TESTING AND FOR R&D.

WE HAVE A SPACEPORT IN DEVELOPMENT IN YUMA, AS WELL AS HERE IN VISTA THAT IS ATTRACTING A LOT OF ATTENTION.

THAT IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENTIATOR FOR ECONOMICS AND ELEMENTS NO DOUBT.

>> DID I READ THAT VIRGIN GAPLAN -- GALACTIC IS BUILDING HERE?

>> YES.

THEY ARE DOING SIGNIFICANT WORK AND HIRING SIGNIFICANT WORKFORCE FROM AS, AND YOU OUR OTHER GREAT UNIVERSITIES.

SPACE TOURISM, NEW KIND OF SATELLITES.

THERE'S A COMPANY CALLED BLACK STAR ORBITAL FOR EXAMPLE N SIERRA VISTA INNOVATING WITH THESE REUSABLE SORT OF HYBRID LAUNCH VEHICLES AND SATELLITES.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO BRING VERY INNOVATIVE COMPANIES HERE AVERAGING THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE.

>> SO LAST QUESTION, FROM THE SUMMIT WHAT DID YOU WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE FROM THAT SUM EXPIT WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> -- SUMMIT AND WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> WE HAD A GREAT ENERGY AT THE SUMMIT IN PART BECAUSE OF THE NEW ARIZONA SPACE COMMISSION THAT WAS, THE 13 COMMISSIONERS WERE ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A GROUP, A BODY THAT WE CAN BRING RECOMMENDATIONS TOO.

AT EVERY SUMMIT WE PUBLISH A REPORT.

LOOK FOR IT IN THE FALL.

IN THAT REPORT WE ALWAYS HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND TAKE ACTION.

NOW WE HAVE A COMMISSION THAT CAN TAKE THOSE INTO ADVISEMENT AND BUILD A ROADMAP JUST LIKE OUR NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR ECONOMY ROADMAP TO BUILD SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR SPACE.

>> WELL, VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT JESSICA.

ASU INTERPLANETARY INITIATIVE.

THAT'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON SHE WE DO.

IT'S GREAT.

>> THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> PRESIDENT TRUMP FURTHER CRACKS DOWN ON IMMIGRATION.

AS HE NEARS 100 DAYS INTO HIS SECOND TERM.

THAT'S AT 6:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> A STATEWIDE EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE RECENTLY LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO HELP IMPROVE READING SKILLS FOR KIDS.

THE MAJOR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE MAJOR READING LEVELS BY THE END OF THE THIRD GRADE WHICH IS A CRITICAL POINT IN THE CHILD'S EDUCATION.

TERRY PARK -- CLARK JOINS US NOW IS THE STATE'S LITERACY DIRECTOR.

>> LET'S START WITH READ ON ARIZONA, WHAT IS THAT?

>> SURE.

IT'S OUR STATEWIDE EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE.

IT'S FOCUSED ON EARLY LEARNING AND THIRD GRADE READING.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY GETTING MORE PLAYERS TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE AND ALIGN SO WE DO MORE OF WHAT WORKS FOR THE YOUNGEST LEARNERS THAT WE HAVE.

>> NOW THE LITERACY IS THE KEY PROGRAM, THAT IS PART OF READ ON ARIZONA OR CONJUNCTION W HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A CAMPAIGN FROM READ ON ARIZONA AND IT'S FOCUSED ON BUILDING AND INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CRITICAL LITERACY IS TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND FRANKLY TO ARIZONA'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS.

WE'VE KIND OF FORGOTTEN READING IS NOT A NICE TO HAVE IT'S A MUST HAVE.

>> YEAH, AND READING IS SO DIFFICULT THESE DAYS BECAUSE KIDS ARE ON MACHINES AND LOOKING AT THINGS BUT NOT LOOKING AT THEM FOR VERY LONG AND NOT FOCUSING AND CONCENTRATING LIKE WE USED TO DO WITH BOOKS, TRUE?

>> TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

BUT I'M TELLING YOU READING IS BACK, BABY.

>> OH, GOOD.

>> IT'S A READING RENAISSANCE, SOCIAL MEDIA HAS A LITTLE BIT TO PLAY WITH THAT BUT I AGREE WITH YOU.

THE SCIENCE IS PRETTY CLEAR ON THIS, READING AND -- AN OLD-FASHIONED BOOK AND LONGER TEXT IS HOW THEY BUILD THOSE INDEPENDENT READING SKILLS.

WE ARE JUST TRYING TO ENSURE PARENTS AND SCHOOLS MAKE THAT EASY FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO READ.

>> AT THE END OF THIRD GRADE THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT HAS BEEN A BENCHMARK FOR A WHILE HERE.

WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?

>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT REALLY IS THAT CRITICAL MILESTONE.

IT IS ONE OF THE BEST PREDICTERS OF HOW A STUDENT WILL DO IN THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

SO READING BY THIRD GRADE MEANS THEY'RE FOUR TIMES LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

>> WOW.

I ALSO SEE FEWER THAN ARIZONA OF ARIZONA THIRD GRADERS ARE AT THAT LEVEL.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> WELL, LEARNING TO READ IS COMPLICATED.

IT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THE BRAIN HAS TO BE TAUGHT TO DO.

IT HAS TO BE ALMOST REWIRED.

IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY KNOW HOW TO -- WE KNOW HOW TO PROCESS AND LEARN LANGUAGE BUT WE DON'T KNOW.

SOME KIDS COME TO IT EASILY AND SOME KIDS IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE, YOU KNOW, REALLY INTENSIVE INSTRUCTION.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THIS LITERACY IS THE KEY CAMPAIGN IS TRYING TO DO IS REALLY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS NEED EVERY TOOL IN THAT TOOLBOX SO THAT WHEN THEY HAVE A CLASSROOM FULL OF STRUGGLING READERS THAT MIGHT HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT THEY CAN PULL OUT SOME OF THAT WHAT'S BACK BY EVIDENCE AND SCIENCE THAT HELPS THAT STUDENT LEARN TO READ BUT WE ALSO NEED CONSISTENCY, AND AN URGENCY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KIND OF MAKE YOU KNOW PUT OUR FOOT ON THE GAS AND GET MOVING ON THIS.

>> THE EVIDENCE IN SCIENCE THAT YOU REFER TO IS THAT CHANGING, IS THAT GROWING, IS THAT HELPING?

>> IT'S DEFINITELY HELPING.

AND IT IS CHANGING IN A WAY THAT WE NOW KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS TO READ THAN EVER BEFORE.

SO IN SOME WAYS I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE ENCOURAGED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT WORKS.

WE JUST HAVE TO BE COMMITTED ENOUGH AND BE STRATEGIC ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SCALING WHAT WORKS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL SO THAT ALL KIDS, NOW MATTER WHERE THEY'RE AT IN ARIZONA, IN WHATEVER CLASSROOM, HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION FROM A TEACHER THAT IS VERY WELL VERSED IN THE SCIENCE OF READING.

>> AND YOU KIND OF REFERRED TO THIS BUT WHAT DOES WORK?

>> WHAT ARE THE EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES, WHAT CAN SCHOOLS IN ARIZONA TEACHERS IN ARIZONA, PARENTS IN ARIZONA, DO?

>> SO, WHAT TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS GOOD NEWS IS WHAT TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS CAN DO IS SOME OF WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.

THEY JUST NEED TO BE MORE CONSISTENT AND STAY FOCUSED.

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO IS REALLY TALK WITH THE TEACHER, FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THEN FIND OUT WHAT ACTIVITIES THEY CAN DO AT HOME TO SUPPORT THAT CHILD AND WHATEVER SKILL THEY'RE LEARNING.

THE THING I ALWAYS TRY TO REMIND FOLKS ABOUT, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE I KNOW HOW TO READ SO EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN.

READING IT TAKES EIGHT YEARS TO BUILD A READER.

IT STARTS FROM DAY ONE WHEN YOU'RE LEARNING AND HEARING LANGUAGE.

THEN WHEN YOU ENTER KINDERGARTEN YOU HAVE TO ACCUMULATE A NUMBER OF SKILLS AND YOU CAN'T SKIP OVER ANY SKILLS OR YOU WILL NOT GET TO THAT COMPREHENSION, WHICH IS THE MAIN FOCUS AND REASON AND WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY SOMEONE IS LITERATE.

>> FOR PARENTS I WOULD IMAGINE AS WELL, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT HOW KIDS AREN'T RETURNING TO SCHOOL LIKE THEY SHOULD, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID.

I WOULD THINK A MAJOR FACTOR FOR PARENTS IS MAKE SURE THE KID IS AT SCHOOL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO CHRONIC ABSENCE IS A BIG ISSUE, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS THAT I SAY IS REALLY NOT HELPING US GAIN OUR TRACTION ON IMPROVING READING AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE CLASSROOM THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT CRITICAL LITERACY INSTRUCTION THAT THEY NEED TO BECOME THAT PROFICIENT READER BUT THEN THEY GO ON TO SCHOOL SUCCESS THEN THEY GO ON TO LIFE SUCCESS.

>> LAWMAKERS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS, LEADERS ARE THEY GETTING THE MESSAGE AS FAR AS READING IS CONCERNED ARE YOU SEEING FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING OUT HERE?

>> WE'RE SEEING YES IT'S IMPORTANT AND THERE HAS BEEN ARIZONA HAS STRONG READING POLICIES ON THE BOOKS AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME FUNDING THAT IS THERE.

I THINK THAT WE WANT TO SEE MORE FOCUS ON WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM SO THAT WE ENSURE EVERY CHILD HAS ACCESS.

>> REAL QUICKLY, LAST QUESTION.

YOU HEAR ABOUT PARENTS TEACHING THEIR KIDS HOW TO READ WHEN THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY YOUNG AND THEY ARE LEARNING THIS AND LEARNING THAT, CAN YOU OVERDUE IT?

CAN YOU OVERDUE WHEN IT THEY'RE TOO LONG?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I USE THE WORD OVERDUE BUT READING SHOULD ALWAYS BE FUN.

READING SHOULD AILS BE FUN.

YOU CAN MAKE IT FUN AT HOME.

THEY WILL GET THE LITERACY SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN THEY GET TO KLATCHES BUT MAKE IT FUN.

LET THEM PICK THE BOOK.

TELL THEM A STORY THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR A NUMBER OF TIMES.

THEY'RE GETTING VOCABULARY EVERY OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE AROUND YOUR HOUSE, AND IN THE WORLD IS A CHANCE TO INCREASE VOCABULARY AND INCREASE THEIR READING POTENTIAL.

ALL RIGHT TERRY CLARK GOOD HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

Support for Arizona.

PBS comes from viewers like you and from I love working at Arizona PBS for many reasons.

The people, I'm fortunate to wor with, some really talented individuals -I was shocked, Like I was going to work for the place that produced Sesame Street.

I love that we have such a strong community impact.

Because I get to tell the stories of Arizona.

Really, there's no job more fulfilling than using your skills and talents and abilities to enrich your communities.

The creativity and the passion of my colleagues