The third round of winners in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship of $2,500 include 13 students in Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
The Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ winners include: Anika Jaxine Mazeika from Sahuarita High School; Grayson L. Agrella, Ana Sofia Boiangiu, Grace A. Driskill, Elliot E. Hagyard, Aryaman Nath and Kayla M. Gerber from University High School; Nikolas J. Gruber and Unai A. Urreiztieta from Catalina Foothills High; Audrey R. Mason from BASIS School Oro Valley; Kennedy K. Warrilow from BASIS School ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥; Andrew D. Nix from Rincon High; and Diana L. Rodee from Empire High.
The winners were selected from a pool of 15,000 finalists nationwide based on having the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies, a news release said.
This year more than $30 million in scholarships will be awarded to about 7,600 students.
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The final round of winners will be announced on July 13.
2 Salpointe students receive ASU alumni scholarships
Two ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ students have earned the ASU Alumni Association Awards Medallion Scholarship, worth $14,400.
Garbiella Lopez and Bridget Tucker, both graduating from Salpointe Catholic High School, were among 39 recipients statewide.
The Medallion Scholarship Program is one of the ASU Alumni Association’s signature scholarship initiatives, which includes $14,400 over the course of four years and a comprehensive program that focuses on leadership and community service, a news release said.
For more information about the scholarship or to become a donor, go to .
1,800+ watch virtual high school musical theater awards
More than 1,800 people watched this year’s Monte Awards for high school musical theater students, gone virtual due to COVID-19.
Sullivan Bushell from Rincon University won the producer’s award for demonstrating outstanding leadership in producing a musical.
Cassie Miller from Empire High and Kendall Hicks from Ironwood Ridge High tied for best actress. Preston Hatch from Tanque Verde High won best actor.
Lydia Chandler from Ironwood Ridge High won best up-and-coming actress. Justin Cheung from Desert Christian High won the actor nod award.
The Monte Awards are produced by Arts Express in partnership with Broadway in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and are a division of the National High School Musical Theater Awards.
The livestream, which was held at Total Lighting Support’s studio, was produced with support by the new streaming project No Audience Live and funded by a GoFundMe campaign, launched when Arts Express lost its usual sponsors due to COVID-19.
Casas Adobes Rotary Club awards nearly $40K to seniors
Casas Adobes Rotary Club awarded $38,500 in scholarships to 11 graduating seniors who were previously recognized as Rotary eighth-grade honor students back in 2016.
Among those who received scholarships of $2,000 to $5,000 were: Concettina Giallanza and Mason Whitaker from Ironwood Ridge High; Jenna Frazier from Marana High; Henry J. Newman and Emmanuel Carral from Pusch Ridge Christian Academy; Alexis Tretschok and Elizabeth Brundhuber from Catalina Foothills High; Ashley Ellerd from Canyon del Oro High; Daniel Hernandez from Immaculate Heart High; Marcus Chavez from Flowing Wells High; and Brandon Rhode from Mountain View High.
The club has awarded $400,000 in scholarship over 30 years, a news release said.
“We are grateful to all the individuals who contributed to the scholarship fund, and we are most encouraged by the recipients’ stated goals of making a difference in the lives of others,†said scholarship committee chair Willis Horak. “What a blessing during these uncertain and difficult times.â€
Walden Grove students among winners in civics contest
A student team from Walden Grove High School in Sahuarita is among the winners in a civics contest sponsored by the U.S. District Court for the District of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Theodore Lowell, Abrielle Millet and Christian Vasquez won second place in the video competition.
The contest is part of the 2020 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest, which offered prizes of $1,000, $500 and $250 for the top three finishers in both the essay and video competitions.
High school students were asked to write an essay or produce a short video with a prompt about voting rights and the barriers that persist today.
“Students found themselves in the midst of transitioning to remote learning and yet still made the effort to focus on the legal issues posed by the contest,†said U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino, who sat on the judging committee. “Despite these challenging circumstances, this year’s contest did not disappoint. ... Students examined legal principles, made thoughtful analyses, and exhibited insights into our legal system and our constitutional democracy.â€
Friends of Oro Valley Public Library deliver books to schoolsThe Friends of the Oro Valley Public Library delivered books to 87 schools across five ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ school districts that serve underprivileged children.
The Books for Teachers Literacy Program, in its sixth year, delivers new books from Scholastic as well as grants to promote reading.
The organization chose 904 teachers to receive books in their classrooms and awarded literacy grants to 42 schools, reaching nearly 44,000 students, a news release said.
The all-volunteer nonprofit raised $72,000 this year to support the program through donations from private donors, Hughes Federal Credit Union donation and foundation grants.
For information on donating or volunteering, go to .