As the 20 Flinn Scholars from the Class of 2019 walked onto the stage during the program’s annual Recognition Luncheon, they spoke not of themselves but rather the one person from high school—or earlier—who had the greatest impact on their academic and personal development.
The Distinguished Educators honored during the May 4 event at the Paradise Valley Country Club included classroom instructors, counselors, advisers, an assistant principal and even a second-grade teacher.
The 2019 Flinn Scholars selected educators who taught them subjects such as Comparative Government, Psychology, Chemistry, Orchestra and Mariachi, Agriscience, Logic, Literature, and Computer Science.
Liam Wilson, a senior at Westwood High School in Mesa, recognized Rebecca Patrick, his Academic Decathlon adviser.
“Mrs. Patrick’s most prevalent influences have been through encouraging pure intellectual curiosity, emphasizing the value of perseverance in the face of adversity, and promoting a cognizance of everyone around me,” Wilson said.
Katie Pascavis of Basha High School in Chandler honored Michael McKelvy, who taught her AP Chemistry, Honors Science Research, and a course he created called Science is Fun.
“Dr. McKelvy has shown me how I can empower the next generation to pursue STEM and make a difference by solving world problems through science,” Pascavis said.
Wilson and Pascavis were two students selected from nearly 900 applicants for the 34th class of Flinn Scholars, comprised of 20 Arizona high-school seniors representing 19 high schools from the Phoenix metropolitan area, Tucson, Prescott, and Pinal County. There are now nearly 650 current and alumni Flinn Scholars.
The Flinn Scholarship, valued at more than $120,000, covers the cost of tuition, fees, housing and meals at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, or the University of Arizona; provides funding for at least two study-abroad experiences; and offers other benefits.
During the Recognition Luncheon, 20 outgoing Flinn Scholars were also recognized for their achievements both in the classroom and beyond at Arizona’s public universities.
The 2019 Distinguished Educators are:
Amy Andelora
AP English Language and Composition, Mesa High School
Scholar: Nathaniel Ross
Laurie Barden
Counselor, Glendale High School
Scholar: Andrea Ramirez
Ricki Cassutt
Counselor, Mountain Pointe High School, Phoenix
Scholar: Emma Mason
Ian Curtis
IB English and Literature, Ironwood High School, Glendale
Scholar: Joe Thomas
Jeff Davis
Comparative Government, Mountain View High School, Mesa
Scholar: Jordan Harb
Alex Dodt
AP U.S. History, Logic, and Philosophy, Gilbert Classical Academy High School
Scholar: Amanda Schuerman
Miles Hansen
Biology, BASIS Prescott
Scholar: Griffin Sherwood
Theoden Humphrey
English, Sonoran Science Academy, Tucson
Scholar: Finlay Parsons
Danielle Jurgens
Assistant Principal, Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center-Estrella Mountain, Avondale
Scholar: Sarah Wilson
Courtney Kemp
IB Psychology, Chandler High School
Scholar: Anna Lee Iverson
Janet Lottman
Second grade, Sequoya Elementary School, Scottsdale
Scholar: Kyle Polen
Theodore Manno, Ph.D.
AP Biology, Biotechnology, and AP Capstone Research, Catalina Foothills High School, Tucson
Scholar: Zoe Benson
Michael McKelvy, Ph.D.
AP Chemistry, Honors Science Research, and Science is Fun, Basha High School, Chandler
Scholar: Katie Pascavis
Jennifer Morgan
Counselor, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe
Scholar: Amanda Abdelsamad
Jill Osborne
Orchestra and Mariachi, Tempe High School
Scholar: Jason Bautista Pejay
Rebecca Patrick
Academic Decathlon, Westwood High School, Mesa
Scholar: Liam Wilson
Bernadette Russoniello
Counselor, Maricopa High School
Scholar: Chandler Chang
Cheryl Sawyer
Agriscience and CTE internship, Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center-Estrella Mountain, Avondale
Scholar: Cameron Decker
Catherine Wyman
Computer Science, Xavier College Preparatory, Phoenix
Scholar: Caroline Hyland
Chris Yetman
Academic Decathlon and Calculus, Canyon del Oro High School, Oro Valley
Scholar: Kailee Savage
For more information:
Arizona excellence: The 2019 Flinn Scholars have been named