The Flinn Scholars from the Class of 2020 paid tribute during a virtual celebration last week to the educators who had the greatest impact on their academic and personal development.
The 2020 Flinn Scholars selected current educators, kindergarten and elementary-school teachers, and a college counselor who have taught the Scholars subjects ranging from robotics and English, to art and chemistry.
The 19 Flinn Scholars from the Class of 2020 honored their Distinguished Educators with heartfelt messages expressed in short videos.
The 2020 Distinguished Educators are:
Charlotte Ackerman
Robotics, Sunrise Drive Elementary School, TucsonScholar: Nikolas Gruber
Andrea Avery
English, Phoenix Country Day School, Paradise ValleyScholar: Mira Kaibara
Rabia Bithi
AP Calculus, AB, AP Calculus AB/BC, Hamilton High School, ChandlerScholar: Maxwell Bregman
Jessica Brierton
Biology, Red Mountain High School, MesaScholar: Roxanne Dyer
Stefani Chase
Earth Science, Lake Havasu High School, Lake Havasu CityScholar: Alexa Wiese
Michael Darrah
Algebra, Challenger Middle School, TucsonScholar: Isabella Espinoza
Daniel Darrow
AP Government, Washington High School, PhoenixScholar: Priscilla Villalobos Ixcotoyac
Irene Fabig
Psychology/Debate, Paradise Valley High School, PhoenixScholar: Julia Groman
Kevin Greene
English, Mohave High School, Bullhead CityScholar: Koda Benavidez
Josie Hammond
4th and 5th Grade, Knoles Elementary School, FlagstaffScholar: Dermot Louchart
Megan Hughes
GATE English 9, Sahuaro High School, TucsonScholar: Christina Niyigena
Rick Reeker
Kindergarten, Spirit of Hope Montessori, PeoriaScholar: Sofía Fencken
Karen Snyder
Elementary School, Desert Garden Montessori, PhoenixScholar: Anya Chaudhry
Lisa Sweet
College counselor, Red Mountain High School, MesaScholar: Heather Jensen
Jason Teague
Art, Mingus Union High School, CottonwoodScholar: Violet King
Amy Wall
AP World History, Gilbert Classical Academy, GilbertScholar: Ritisha “Risha” Das
Carol Willis
English Literature, Northland Preparatory Academy, FlagstaffScholar: Claire Gibson
Monique Winfield
English, Millennium High School, GoodyearScholar: Catherine Broski
Grazyna Zreda
Chemistry, Tanque Verde High School, TucsonScholar: Simon Fitch
In addition to honoring the 2020 Flinn Scholars and their Distinguished Educators, the May 14 virtual program also honored 19 outgoing Flinn Scholars from Arizona’s three public universities for their achievements both in the classroom and community.
The Flinn Scholars Program awarded each educator a $500 honorarium.
“Effective educators have a transformative impact on the lives of their students,” said Anne Lassen, Flinn Scholars Program director. “Each year we interview Arizona’s most talented students and hear first-hand accounts of the remarkable educators who influenced, inspired, and shaped them into life-long learners.”
The Class of 2020 Flinn Scholars were selected from more than 1,000 applications from high-achieving high-school seniors throughout the state. The 19 Scholars represent 18 different high schools. Ten Scholars were selected from the Phoenix metropolitan area, four from Tucson, two from Flagstaff, and one each from Camp Verde, Fort Mohave, and Lake Havasu City. There are now more than 650 current and alumni Scholars in the Flinn Scholars community.
The Flinn Scholarship is valued at more than $120,000 and covers the cost of tuition, fees, housing and meals at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona, as well as study-abroad opportunities and other benefits.
Learn more: Flinn Foundation selects top Arizona students for 35th class of Flinn Scholars