AFN Class of 2021

Horizon Honors High School Mountain Pointe High School

Desert Vista High School

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GRADUATION SPECIAL

Congratulations Class of 2021!

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | MAY 26, 2021

Proud Sponsor of the Annual Graduation Section

MAY 26, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

s r o n o H n o z i Hor HIGH SCHOOL

NUMBER OF GRADS: 89 TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS: $2.5 MILLION

BOUND FOR HIGHER ED: 83 -TOTAL WITH GPAS 4.0 OR HIGHER: 41

VALEDICTORIAN:

Elisabeth Fear

Parents: Dean and Ranee Fear GPA: 4.85 College/Major: Case Western Reserve University, accepted to combined Bachelor’s & Doctor of Medicine Program Total Scholarships: $30,000 per year.

Extracurriculars: National Honor Society president (2020-21), National Charity League, vice president for 2020-21 and secretary in 2017-18, International Thespian Society secretary/treasurer (2019-2020), Horizon Honors Choir Council treasurer (2019-20), Phoenix Children’s Hospital junior patient transporter

GRADUATION SPECIAL

SALUTATORIAN 2019-2020, Governor’s Youth Council 2019-2020, Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) Research Internship 2020, Horizon Honors Theatre Arts, Varsity Swim & Dive, Kindness Krew and student orientation guide.

Awards: AP National Scholar Award, The College Board; Arizona Musicfest Young Musicians Competition, Vocal Performance, second place 2019; Eagle Award, Horizon Honors Swim & Dive 2019; Thespian President’s List Scholar Distinction, International Thespian Society 2020.

Damon Jung

Parents: Melvin Jung, IV and Audrey Jung.

GPA: 4.78 College/Major: ASU Barrett, The Honors College Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, computer systems engineering.

Extracurriculars: Horizon Honors’ E-Sports Team, AI Research Club, National Honors Society, Key Club, Jewish Student Union, Chick-Fil-A Leader Academy, medical records clerk, math tutor, Temple Emanuel of Tempe confirmation and post confirmation class, assistant instructor at Sandoval Freestyle Karate.

Awards: College Board AP Scholar with Distinction, College Board National Recognition Program: Hispanic Scholar, varsity letter in E-Sports

Once a Kyrene Kid, Always a Kyrene Kid. Congratulations Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista Graduates.

You are already making history.

L E A R N I N G. L E A D I N G. A C H I E V I N G.

www.kyrene.org • 480-541-1000 • Now Enrolling for 2021-22

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GRADUATION SPECIAL

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | MAY 26, 2021

a t s i V t r e s e D

HIGH SCHOOL

TOTAL GRADUATES: 693

TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS: $21.3 MILLION

STUDENTS WITH 4.0 GPA OR HIGHER: 255 COMMUNITY SERVICE: 94 percent of Thunder grads completed community service hours above and beyond the school requirement of 10 hours.

MAJOR AWARDS U.S. West Point Academy: Christian Agnick ASU Leadership: Ariella Golden Flinn Scholarship semifinalist: Shirley Wang Dorrance Scholarship: Bryan Groom

National Merit Scholars: Andy Lin and Holly Kiesel American Legion School Award: Shanti Oza and Martin Fuller

VALEDICTORIANS:

Hailey Dawson

Casey Drew Morris

Sahil Khan

Rhea Rungta

Parents: Amy and Cory Dawson College/major: Arizona State University, nursing with minor in Women and Gender Studies.

Extracurriculars: Speech and Debate, Science Olympiad, Rho Kappa and Young Democrats.

Parents: Saba and Shazir Khan College/major: Georgia Institute of Technology, computer science Extracurriculars: Speech and Debate, Peer Tutoring, Programming Club, NHS, Rho Kappa. Off-campus: Self-published “The Potential of Physics” and cofounder of Visionarium

Jia Yin Leong

Parents: CY Leong and SC Goh College/major: Vanderbilt University, computer science Extracurriculars: Science National Honor Society, National Chinese Honor Society, Model United Nations, Asian Student Interactive Association, Link Crew, Peer Tutoring, Musical Instrument Museum, viola, hackathons, programming

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES

Parents: Alex & Heather Morris College/major: University of Arizona School of Business Extracurriculars: Desert Vista Men’s Soccer Team Captain. Regional Offensive Player of the Year. 6A All-Conference 2nd Team.

Parents: Sanjay and Archana Rungta College/major: Rice University, neuroscience Extracurriculars: Desert Vista Peer Tutor, Rho Kappa, NHS, Speech and Debate, the Diversity Assembly and Because WeCan. Plays piano and supports orphaned women in India through an organization called CORD.

GRADUATION SPECIAL

MAY 26, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Ottawa gave him a passion for learning

BY SCOTT ALBRIGHT Ottawa University

F

loyd Daniels lost his job unexpectedly in 2013, when his employer closed its Phoenix office. He was 39, had worked his way up to management level with only a high-school education and was now at a crossroads.

He realized that education needed to be his priority, so he decided to pursue an associate’s degree in business administration and enrolled in Everest College.

Nearly two years later, with only two courses left to complete his degree, Everest filed for bankruptcy in 2015 and closed all its campuses nationwide.

“Needless to say, I was devastated and discouraged – I just felt hopeless,” Daniels said “This is when I was introduced to Ottawa University’s Arizona campuses. I remember meeting with an Ottawa admissions representative, who encouraged me by saying: ‘It’s not over. Let me help you complete your degree.’

“I was defeated at the time, thinking maybe I wasn’t meant for school, so that’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

Daniels took the information shared with him about Ottawa’s flexible, online adult education offerings, which included an opportunity to finish his two outstanding associate’s degree courses and a transfer opportunity to get his bachelor’s degree from Ottawa.

Though he thought of taking a break, he received a call from the admissions department at Ottawa University-Arizona asking if he was ready to finish his education.

“Even though I wasn’t yet convinced about my plan of action, something made me say, ‘Yes, let’s do it.’ By the summer of 2015, I was enrolled and taking my first class at OUAZ’s Phoenix campus.”

Now 41, Daniels was on his way to earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was also working

degree and working around many that did make me feel inadequate.

This frame of mind really motivated me to push forward.”

In 2017, Daniels experienced what he says was “one of the proudest moments of my life:” He walked the commencement stage after completing his bachelor’s degree.

“I can remember saying, ‘God, please let me get through this,’ and with his Ottawa University has instilled Floyd Albright with a passion for grace I did,” Daniels education. (Couresy Ottawa University) said.

There was something inspiring about again full-time, putting in a minimum 55 the accomplishment and his experience at hours per week.

“There were many times I wanted to Ottawa: he wanted more.

“I never would have thought I’d consider quit,” Daniels said. “I figured I made good money, so why did I need to continue? pursuing another degree after what it took I came to the realization that this was to get my bachelor’s,” Daniels said. “But not about the money. It was something that’s exactly what I did. In 2018, at the I needed to do for myself. Not having a age of 44, I decided to take the leap once

Ottawa University’s Surprise campus has grown to more than 800 students since it opened in August 2017. (Special to AFN)

more and get my master’s in leadership from Ottawa.”

Daniels completed his masters in 2019.

He could have just move on to the next chapter in his life.

But he wasn’t quite finished yet.

“The strangest thing happened, I enrolled yet again!” Daniels said. “This time, I am pursuing a second master’s in human resources. I’m currently in my last two classes which I will complete at the end of April 2021 at the age of 46.

“I won’t say this time that I’m done because, obviously, I have developed a passion for continuing my education. Ottawa instilled that passion in me, and really changed my life.”

Daniels is the first and only member of his immediate family of eight to have completed any type of degree. He said he will be forever grateful that “Ottawa took a chance on me and allowed me to live up to my potential.”

“It has truly been an honor, and I sing Ottawa’s praises every opportunity I get,” Daniels said.

Founded in 1865, Ottawa University has grown from a single building in Ottawa, Kansas, into a comprehensive educational institution serving more than 5,000 students through its residential campuses in Kansas and Arizona, its adult campuses in those two states and Wisconsin, and online.

Ottawa-University-Arizona (OUAZ) in Surprise opened in August 2017 and since then has grown to more than 800 students.

With its adult campus in Phoenix, Ottawa University has had a footprint in Metro Phoenix since 1977 with more than 8,000 alumni. Nationwide, the university has more than 22,000 graduates.

To learn more about Ottawa University’s Arizona campuses in Phoenix and Surprise, visit ottawa.edu/ouaz or contact an enrollment advisor at 855-546-1342 or ouazadmiss@ottawa.edu to set-up an advisory session. 

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GRADUATION SPECIAL

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | MAY 26, 2021

e t n i o P n i a Mount HIGH SCHOOL

TOTAL GRADUATES: 579

STUDENTS WITH 4.0 GPA OR HIGHER: 23 TOTAL COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS: 1,523.

Advanced STEM diplomas: Grace Ostrop, Caitlyn Bolibol, Skylar Mace and Samantha Kool.

Rio Salado degree earners: Madilyn Balmes, Caitlyn Bolibol, Erin Greenfield, Faith Hernandez, Tayden McDonald, Samantha Mendoza, Grace Phillips, Shayla Pollard, Kaeley Rice, Kaedance Rice, Marcos Smith and Azucena Wetherington.

AWARD WINNERS

Top 5 percent: Benjamin Ciccarelli, Christian Coker, Ella Were, Grace Urbinato, David Dong, Marcos Smith, Christian Nunez, Mia Yanez, Jack Piorkowski, Clayton Diggs, Natalie Stevens, Mitchell Zakocs, Euan Blackstone, Matthew Diaz, Ryan Nguyen, Anaya Williams, Amanda Peng, Azucena Wetherington, Sydney Anderson, Jacob Harrison, Terrell Shirley, John Kelso, Nicholas Schauer, Jayanti Bunton, Shayla Pollard, Tyler Kearney and Ethan Aslamy.

Flinn Scholarship: Mitch Zakocs Hoop of Learning: Malik Moore, Tayden McDonald, Kaedance Rice and Kaely Rice.

Dorrance Scholarship: David Dong National Hispanic Scholars: Christian Coker, Marcos Smith and Christian Nunez

VALEDICTORIAN:

Benjamin Ciccarelli

Parents: Leigh Anne and Dan Ciccarelli GPA: 4.0 College/Major: Arizona State University, finance.

Extracurriculars: Chess, Mu Alpha Theta, Prides Peak, Robotics.

SALUTATORIAN:

Christian Coker

Parents: James and Maria Coker GPA: 3.93 College/major: ASU, computer science Extracurriculars: Language Honor Society, Basketball, National Honor Society, Prides Peak.

FLINN SCHOLAR:

Mitch Zakocs is one of two 2021 winners of the prestigious Flinn Scholarship in Tempe Union High School District and Mountain Pointe High School’s first Flinn Scholar since 2019. A Tempe High senior was the district’s other Flinn recipient. Tempe Union was one of only two districts in the state to have two Flinn Scholars this year.

The son of Nikki and Justin Zakocs, who moved to Ahwatukee three years ago from Charlotte, North Carolina, Mitch is heading to Arizona State University’s Barrett, The Honors College to study computer science.

“I’ve been tinkering with computers and electronics my entire life and I’m glad to finally take my interests to a higher level,” he said.

He plans to focus on both software engineering and cybersecurity with an eye toward getting “a job at one of the top-ranking tech companies working on important and complex software.”

“I love working on software that helps and influences tons of people and these companies are the ones creating it,” he explained.

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021

MAY 26, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Prom 2021

GRADUATION SPECIAL

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Thanks to the efforts ot Ahwatukee resident Kim Horn and some other parents as well as a group of students led by Desert Vista Class of 2021 member Michael Adamick, seniors in Tempe Union District had a chance to have a real prom at Arizona Grand Resort’s ballroom. Last year, seniors in Ahwatukee and Arizona generally had no prom because of the pandemic and Horn felt that with falling COVID-19 cases and health protocols,.this year’s seniors were going to get a chance at the big dance. These photos were submitted by Horn and were taken by attendees on their cell phones. All IDs are left to right

Mountain Pointe seniors Sydney Racine, Katie Flanking Danny Korkis are Kinda Khoury, Ladwig and Lindsey Logan. left, and Sophia Koury.

Desert Vista students Sophia Koury, Peyton Glover, Jenna Weible, Joseph Ramos, Jessica McCabe and Lexsie Butler.

Mountain Pointe seniors Marcos Smith Brenna Wallen and Alexis Ricks are part of Mountain Pointe’s Aleks Hostler Lindsey Logan and Tyler Ke- Izzy Navin and Alexa Horn. the Desert Vista Class of 2021. and Tyler Kearney. and Desert Vista’s Alexa Horn. arney, both Mountain Pointe.

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GRADUATION SPECIAL

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | MAY 26, 2021

To the Class of 2021

Cade Cunningham It’s hard to believe that just four years ago you entered Desert Vista and suddenly it’s time to watch you take a whole new path in life upon graduation. As a gifted athlete, you were awarded the “Ironman Award” for D/V’s freshman football team and well on your way to placing at State at 185# in wrestling when multiple spinal fractures ended all sports. But you didn’t let those setbacks stop you from “getting off the mat.” You have focused in a new direction with your entry into ASU’s Pathway Agreement with Mesa Community College for a Mechanical Engineering degree from Arizona State University in 2025.

Your Grandy said it best -we love you to the moon and back.”

Love – Papa Cunningham

CHAD CHADDERTON

“The original Ahwatukee Realtor”

Class of 1973

May the Happiest Days of Your Past Be the Saddest Days of your Future

Congratulations!

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We congratulate our extraordinary grads who excelled during a challenging year!

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