Tucson Values Teachers honored five educators for Teacher Appreciation Week. They are, from left: Lauren Ochoa, Jim Mentz, Mayra Ruiz, Ganesh Tiwari and Kylie Baker.

Local nonprofit Tucson Values Teachers awarded five educators with Teacher Excellence Awards in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

The winning teachers are Nogales High School science teacher Ganesh Tiwari, Catalina Foothills’ Manzanita Elementary kindergarten teacher Kylie Baker, TUSD’s Hollinger K-8 second-grade teacher Mayra Ruiz, TUSD’s Palo Verde High PE teacher Jim Mentz and Marana Unified’s Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 eighth-grade science teacher Lauren Ochoa.

Winning teachers received flowers, $250 cash courtesy of Helios Education Foundation, a $100 gift card to Office Depot and other prizes.

For more information on the winning teachers and the student-submitted video nominations, go to tucne.ws/1hlk.

For more information about the Teacher Excellence Award or to nominate a teacher, go to tucsonvaluesteachers.org.

Tucson seniors earn scholarship

Graduating seniors Zayonna West of Catalina High School in TUSD and Cesar Valencia Montaño of Sunnyside High School earned the the Marge Christensen Gould Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship provides $1,500 toward each student’s college education that is renewable for a second year.

Applications for next year’s award will open in January at cfsaz.org/what/scholarships.

Engineering class for teens

Arizona high school juniors and seniors can create transportation systems projects and attend virtual field trips in an online summer course by the U.S. Department of Transportation, offered through Arizona State University.

Students will participate in projects and virtual field trips that demonstrate how engineers plan and maintain systems of transportation around the state. Students will have an opportunity to interact with Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering faculty members and students to complete several hands-on projects.

Students will also be provided with a TI-Nspire graphing calculator and learn to use the software through an online workshop offered by Texas Instruments. They also will receive materials to build and test an Arduino-based autonomous robot — at no cost to the students.

Workforce development training, such as the OSHA 10 safety course, is part of the program, which could help students qualify for future jobs and internships.

Students can register for one of two sessions by May 22. The sessions are June 28 to July 2 and July 12 to July 16.

For more information or to register, go to tucne.ws/1hln or call 480-965-2272.


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Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara