The Tucson Kino Rotary Club is honoring seven high school students with biannual character awards for serving as role models at their schools through community service.
The spring award recipients are Travis Campillo from Baboquivari High School, Alexis Hansen from PPEP TEC High School, Valeria Mendoza from Sunnyside High School, Kassandra Miranda from Star Academic High School, Maria Orduno from Desert View High School, Jennifer Rascon from Alta Vista High School and Reyanna Robles from Pueblo Magnet High School.
Each recipient will receive a certificate, a $50 gift card and a $25 donation to a charity of their choice.
For more information about Tucson Kino Rotary, go to kinorotary.org.
Marana student earns $40,000 scholarship
"We're tough as saguaros," editorial cartoonist David Fitzsimmons says. He says he saw a video made for the people of Detroit and became inspired to do his own take for Tucson.
A Mountain View High School student earned a $40,000 scholarship from the College Board Opportunity Scholarships program.
Sunshine Falkoff was the only student in the state to earn the honor given to 25 students across the country.
To find out more about the program or to apply for future scholarships, go to pages.collegeboard.org/complete-journey-winners.
Five Tucson students receive credit union scholarship
Five Tucson high school seniors are each receiving a $2,000 Hughes Federal Credit Union scholarship.
Sabino’s Dallin Chipman, Empire’s Jonathan Hasenstab, Salpointe’s Lauren Graffam and home-schooled students Ethan Kessel and Justin Offolter were selected based on scholastic excellence, extracurricular commitments and community service.
“We’re excited to help students ease the financial burden associated with higher education,” said Hughes marketing manager Dani Gomez.
Amphitheater district receives award for green bus fleet
Amphitheater Public Schools earned the Green Leadership Fleet award for its use of propane-powered buses.
The award is presented by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Propane Education and Research Council’s Valley of the Sun Clean Cities.
Twenty-five of the district’s 125 buses are propane-based and were introduced about five years ago through federal grants to reduce costs and toxic emissions, a news release said.
Public-private partnership is expanding Wi-Fi options
"We're tough as saguaros," editorial cartoonist David Fitzsimmons says. He says he saw a video made for the people of Detroit and became inspired to do his own take for Tucson.
A Pima County library branch is getting expanded Wi-Fi as part of a public-private partnership to expand internet access in high-need areas, allowing more students to access online learning during the school closures.
The Mission Library, 3770 S. Mission Road, is one of five in Arizona where tech company Cisco is partnering with the state to install external hotspots for Wi-Fi access from outside the building.
“Access to reliable internet is crucial for our rural areas and communities in need,” said Gov. Doug Ducey. “Expanding Wi-Fi access will enable more students to take part in distance learning and facilitate access to resources for those without reliable internet at home.”
The initiative is funded through Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration Program, which is providing support to digital infrastructure during the pandemic, a news release said.
Cisco partner ConvergeOne is providing support for the initiative.
Additionally, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Department of Education are collecting donated hotspots for students who lack adequate internet access at home. So far, 200 hotspots have been distributed in rural districts throughout the state.
