Students throughout the Diocese of Phoenix are showing their schools and community organizations that they have class and skill.
Annunciation Catholic School in Cave Creek earned the “Best Nonprofit” Award during the annual electric light parade in nearby Carefree. The prize came with a trophy and $500.
Guadalupe De la Rosa, an eighth-grader at St. Francis Xavier School, was recently named the first recipient of the Ted Novak Memorial Scholarship set up through the John F. Long Foundation. Novak’s family and friends set up the scholarship for a Spanish-speaking student in honor of Novak, an alumn and former Spanish teacher at the Jesuit school.
The foundation named De la Rosa the first recipient because she exemplified humility, kindness and a commitment to learning. She received a full-year tuition as a reward.
Thirty-one eighth-graders received notice from the Catholic Community Foundation that their exemplary community service and leadership earned them a Christian Service Award. The honor comes with an $8,000 scholarship spread out over each year they are enrolled in a local Catholic high school.
The full list is not yet public, but local elementary schools are sharing their list of recipients. Five of de la Rosa’s classmates were among the recipients. They are: Alex Fessler, Allison Scardello, Maddie Reinhart, Patrick Schramm and Tatiana Rosales. A trio of recipients from Ss. Simon and Jude are Tatym Bonheimer, Allisa Evans and Nicole Kusen.
Savannah Wix, a junior at Xavier College Preparatory, was crowned Miss Arizona Teen USA Dec. 1. She is the third diocesan student to wear the crown following Alexa and Emerald Zellers, sisters and Notre Dame Preparatory alumni. They bore the title in 2012 and 2006, respectively.
Claire Evans, a senior at Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler, earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award for completing 194.25 hours of community service — nearly twice the minimum — through the national Hugh O’Brian Youth’s Leadership for Service Program.
She donated time at Holy Cross Parish in Mesa where she sings in the youth choir, St. Mary’s Food Bank and Desert Rivers Audubon. She also attended leadership workshops, which strengthened her roles in Seton’s student council, Mentors Club and ambassador program.
Victoria Lyon, a fourth-grader at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Prescott, became the second student in as many years to earn fourth place in the NFL’s Punt, Pass and Kick Competition during the Dec. 8 Arizona Cardinals game. She competed in the 8-9-year-old girls category.
Schoolmate Riley Alexander earned a similar fete last year in the 10-11-year-old boys category. Each competitor had one chance to punt the football, kick if from a tee and throw a football.
