Top row: Lisa Marie Barrett, Jessica Marie Garcia, Jaimei Zhang, Shea Sullivan, Ho-Young Ahn, Rachel Hyneman
Row 2: Prateek Tiwari, Laura Tichacek, Aaron Webb, Courtney Whidden, Mackyla Patterson, Meaghan Shaw, Cassidy Kahle.
Row 3: Christen Nguyen, Abby Goreham, Mary Ngugi, Aidan Clevinger, Nicolas Martino, Laeth George
DESERT RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation: 4 p.m. Wednesday, ASU Wells Fargo Arena.
Total graduates: 660.
Total scholarships earned: $4.6 million.
Valedictorian: Lisa Marie Barrett, 18, with a GPA grade-point average of 4.65, describes herself as a performer, artist and volunteer. She performs with Queen Creek Community Theater, and sings and plays guitar for her church; volunteers with Angel Acres, Inc., helping disabled and disadvantaged children through horse therapy; and paints.
“I am a strong believer in ‘actions speak louder than words,’ and in dreaming big. This is what has brought me to this point and will push me further in the future,” she said.
She has won a $1,500 scholarship from the Optimist International Oratorical competition, and is waiting word on other scholarships, and is hoping to study architecture at California State Polytechnic University.
Salutatorian: Jessica Marie Garcia, 18, with a GPA of 4.62, said, “I am not an environmentalist, I am an Earth Warrior! Most people would say they know me as a tree-hugger, and that’s because I am. It helps that I have been the Ecology Club president all four years of high school.” An honors student, she is a track and cross-country athlete. She earned an AIMS Scholarship for full tuition and a Presidential Scholarship to Northern Arizona University, where she plans to major in conservation biology.
Distinguished students:
Award-winning athletes: Talia Jones, Lexi Crist, Scott Hoffman, Ryan Hathcock, Taylor Aungst, Nathan Burch, Sam Papa, Dallas Doane, Brie’el Wiles, Gabby Washington and Jasmine Zaker.
Brendan Murphy, National Merit Scholarship winner.
Jacob Watts, U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Other notable students: Kiara Chapple and Dallas Doane.