At a virtual celebration last week, the Flinn Scholars from the Class of 2021 expressed their appreciation and gratitude to educators who have had the greatest impact on them, both in and outside of the classroom.
The educators highlighted by their students in short videos during the Flinn Scholars Recognition Celebration included current teachers, a counselor, a writing specialist, and an elementary-school principal and teacher. The subjects they taught the Scholars ranged from calculus and English to engineering and culinary.
The 2021 Distinguished Educators are:
Marcela Berumen Campbell
Biology, Tempe High School
Scholar: Maya Steinberg
Mary Catherine Boatright
Spanish, Mountain Pointe High School, Phoenix
Scholar: Mitch Zakocs
Justin Davis
Engineering, MET Professional Academy, Peoria
Scholar: Sylvia Lopez
Dyson Ellis
History, BASIS Ahwatukee, Phoenix
Scholar: Jordyn Hitzeman
Yolanda Flores
Chemistry I and IB Chemistry I & II, Navajo Preparatory School, Farmington, New Mexico
Scholar: Kiera Charley
Zulema Fragoso
Counselor, Nogales High School
Scholar: Ivan Carrillo
Tiffany Fritz
English and AP Seminar, Catalina Foothills High School, Tucson
Scholar: Josh Tint
Marissa Gurtler
AP English Language and AP Seminar, BASIS Ahwatukee, Phoenix
Scholar: Surabhi Sajith
Amy Kidd
English Language Arts, Granville Elementary School, Prescott Valley
Scholar: Brinlee Kidd
Karen Maas
Mathematics, Gilbert Classical Academy
Scholar: Eugenia Trakal
Clarice Miller
AP English Language and AP English Literature, Westview High School, Avondale
Scholar: Netia Unger
Lori Minor
Writing Support Specialist, University High School, Tucson
Scholar: Makenna Ley
Nicole Mohr
Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus BC, Arizona College Prep, Chandler
Scholar: Ananya Lakhotia
Larissa Peru
Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus, Desert View High School, Tucson
Scholar: Maleka Abdi
Sister Raphael Quinn
Principal, SS. Simon & Jude Cathedral School, Phoenix
Scholar: Benjamin Aguilar
Amanda Scheeler
Math, Vista Grande High School, Casa Grande
Scholar: Evan Chaparro
Brooke Shapiro-Heisel
English, Bioscience High School, Phoenix
Scholar: Sakina Lord
Wyatt Swinton
Culinary, Page High School
Scholar: Parris Adams
Elise Villescaz
English and Creative Writing, Gilbert Classical Academy
Scholar: Sophia Hammer
The May 8 event introducing the newest Flinn Scholars and their educators also honored the 19 Flinn Scholars graduating from Arizona’s public universities this year.
In addition, the Flinn Scholars Program awarded each educator a $500 honorarium.
Now in its 36th year, the Flinn Scholars Program is supported by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation in partnership with Arizona’s three state universities. The merit-based scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, mandatory fees, housing, meals, study abroad, and many other exclusive opportunities—a package valued at more than $120,000.
The 2021 Flinn Scholars, who were selected from 951 Arizona high-school seniors, plan to study biochemistry, computer-systems engineering, finance, nursing, English, hotel-and-restaurant management, applied physics, computer science, law and policy, economics, and physiology and medical sciences this fall at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona.
Meet the 2021 Flinn Scholars