Dysart High News

Our PTO Committee has an amazing opportunity for YOU!!! Everything you need to know is provided below: 

Eligibility: Scholarship is for DHS seniors who plan on pursuing a secondary education ( a high school teacher) or attend a technical school. 

Assignment: In your own words, write a 500 word essay providing details about your time spent at DHS, showing your school spirit and support for Dysart High School. Explain in detail  why you believe you deserve this scholarship. Please have your essay endorsed by at least one teacher or coach. Any essay missing endorsements will be disqualified. Attach an extra page if needed. Your essay may be hand written or typed. Your job is to convince the PTO board to award the Cash scholarship to you. 

Deadline to submit application: April 15th, 2023 ( Turn your scholarship application in to the front office  Attn: PTO Scholarship)

Amount: $1000.00- to be awarded to 1st place 

$500.00 to be awarded to 2nd place

$250.00 to be awarded to 3rd place   

Number of Scholarships Available: 3 for 2023 applications 

Good Luck Dysart Demons!!! 

Attention DHS Families,

        Valley Vista high school will be hosting Dysart School's annual college 101 night on Friday, March 31 at 5:30pm-7:30pm

Topics of discussion will be as follows: 

-Paying for college 

-NCAA college athletic eligibility

-Attending all women's/men's colleges

-How to apply to a highly selective school 

-Attending an honors college 

-Service Academies and more 

This event is open to all Dysart District Students and their families!! 

Hope to see there. 

Grand Canyon University is offering the option for high school students across the country to earn college credits online anytime, any where!!! 

With this opportunity, our students  can graduate and enter the workforce sooner- Saving time and money as a college student.  

For more information click here to access flyer

There is no school on Monday, February 20, 2023. Schools and the district office will be closed in observance of President's Day. 

March 1, 2023, at 5:30 pm Room 4017

 Refreshment will  be served 

 Join Officer Hunter, Dysart High School SRO, to talk about the dangers of vaping and how it is affecting our community. 

The danger of vaping

Thursday, February 23rd from  7:30am -1:30pm 

All 12th graders  who have signed up and are passing all of their classes,  will have the opportunity to join their peers and our DHS staff at  GCU for a  college tour-Transportation and Lunch will be provided. 

If interested, Stop by our  counseling office to  pick up a field trip slip- submission deadline will be Friday, February 10th by 2pm 

For any further questions concerning the tour,  Ask for  Mrs. Whetstone ,our DHS Counselor in charge of this off campus event. 

Graduation Day will be here in no time and the most important thing all seniors need at this time is communication on what to expect as their very important day approaches. 

For more information on what seniors and their families need to know, leading up to graduation day. 

Click Here For Senior Timeline

Dysart is proud to congratulate the boys and girls basketball teams on winning the Black Canyon Region.

Go Demons! 

Dysart is hosting Hoopcoming on January 27th with both varsity teams playing at home. 

Come out and support our JV Girls at 4:00 p.m.; Varsity Girls at 5:30 p.m.; Varsity Boys Basketball at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available on GoFan or cash at the gate. 

Student Council will host the Hoopcoming Dance on January 28th in the old gym from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are available to be purchased at the basketball games on Jan. 27th, but will not be sold at the door.

If you are interested in testing out of Spanish 1-2 or 3-4 and you haven't tested out before, you are encouraged to sign up with Mrs. White in the counseling office.   For dates, times and locations view flyer below. 

Spanish Test Out Flyer

Students from Dysart High School and Shadow Ridge High School were recently honored at the DECA Western Region Leadership Conference hosted in Anaheim, California. The competition allows students to compete in various business and marketing events.

Trystan Wright from Dysart High School received 3rd place overall in his section for Marketing Communications in the Western Region.

The Shadow Ridge High School recognitions include: 

• Ellen-Marie MacKellar and Chloe Nowling- 1st Place Role Play 
• Elisa Gongaware and Lily McDaniel- 2nd Place Role Play
• Gavin Williams and Varish Yadav- 3rd Place Role Play 
• Stephen MacKellar and Cohen Peters- 3rd Place Test 
• Brooke Tantillo and Rebekah Vanzile- 4th Place DECA Garage

DECA conferences are targeted, highly-focused learning experiences for students and advisors that support National Curriculum Standards and the development of 21st Century Skills. DECA conferences bring members into the larger DECA community while providing unique opportunities to extend classroom learning. Each of DECA’s conferences connects with corporate professionals to engage students in learning industry-related trends and content.

DECA is a Career and Technical Student Organization specifically for students enrolled in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. To learn more about CTE programs in the district, visit dysart.org/CTE.

The end of first semester of 2022 will be December 20, 2022. 

Final exam schedules are listed below and school is released at 10:30 A.M. each day.

• DHS Newsletter 11-2022

Click here to learn about an upcoming event you don't want to miss.

We had 12 teams participate in this inaugural "The Battle of the 303 Soccer Tournament'. 

This tournament concludes Friday, December 2nd. The semifinals are hosted at Shadow Ridge HS and the finals are hosted at Dysart HS. 

Semi-final schedule @ SRHS: 

11 AM Shadow (home) vs Dysart (away) 

 12:45 PM Verrado (home) vs Youngker (away) 

 Finals schedule @ DHS: 

 5 PM 3rd Place game 

 6:45 PM Championship game

Tickets are available here: GoFan.

Come out and support your varsity boys soccer team! Go Demons!! 

Students entering high school in the 2023-2024 academic year, and their parents, are invited to attend an incoming freshman meeting on Monday, December 5 to learn about high school expectations, unique programs, and the process for registration and class selection. These meetings are designed to provide incoming freshmen with an overview of the academic programs available at Dysart Unified School District’s four high schools and explain the process of registering for ninth-grade classes.   

Future Freshman Nights are scheduled as follows on Monday, December 5:   

Dysart High School - 5:30 PM at 11425 N. Dysart Road, El Mirage  

Shadow Ridge High School - 6:00 PM at 10909 N. Perryville Road, Surprise 

Valley Vista High School - 5:30 PM at 15550 N. Parkview Place, Surprise  

Willow Canyon High School - 5:00 PM at 17901 W. Lundberg Street, Surprise  

Students and parents will learn about high school classes, course selection, unique and career-related programs, core curriculum, and graduation requirements. Attending Future Freshman Night motivates eighth graders to remain focused on their true academic goal – completing high school and beyond.     

Dysart offers four top-rated high schools to the community and is home to two top 50 high schools in Arizona. Three of our four high schools are “A” rated, and two out-rank all local counterparts. Visit Dysart.org to learn more about our high schools academics, arts and athletics. To view school locations and residential attendance boundaries, visit Dysart.org/Boundaries. 

School Schools and District office will be closed November 21-25 In observance of Thanksgiving break.

Order cap and gown

Dysart High School is hosting Future Freshman Night on December 5th, from 5:30pm to 7pm. All incoming freshman for the 2023-24 school year are welcome to attend with their parents. Opportunities to visit our CTE, Fine Arts, JROTC classrooms to learn more about these programs. The cafeteria will host our core area and world language teachers, as well as information on our each of our clubs and sports offered at DHS.

Stop by the counseling office during lunch to schedule an appointment with your counselor to get started. 

The DHS Athletic Department will host the winter sports parent meeting on November 14, at 6 P.M., in the auditorium. 

Winter programs will then have a sport specific parent meeting with coaches in separate locations.

Athletic Director: Mr. J. Wilke

Boys Basketball: Coach K. Cook

Girls Basketball: Coach E. Ganados

Boys Soccer: Coach P. Partida

Girls Soccer: Coach F. Urbina

Boys Wrestling: Coach B. Bloom

Girls Wrestling: Coach I. Carson

DHS Newsletter

Want to order your yearbook at a great price? You have 14 Days until November Discount offers are gone!! 

Get started at Jostens

DHS would like to thank our veterans in the community for their service and sacrifice. 

Reminder, there is no school on November 11th, in observation of Veterans Day. 

 Dysart Unified School District invites parents and students to a Career and College Expo on Wednesday, October 26 from 5:30 - 7:30pm at the Dysart District Office, located at 15802 N. Parkview Place in Surprise.  

The expo showcases Dysart's Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, West-MEC, colleges and universities, and military representatives so families can explore opportunities to pursue in and after high school. This is a great way for 5th through 11th grade students and their parents to get hands-on with all of the career pathway classes and programs offered at Dysart Schools. The event is free and open to the public. Details can be found at www.dysart.org/CTEexpo. 

Dysart Schools currently offer 17 CTE programs at four high schools (Dysart High School, Shadow Ridge High School, Valley Vista High School, and Willow Canyon High School.) Program options include Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts, Digital Animation, Digital Photography, Education Professions, Engineering, Film and TV Production, Fire Science, Graphic Design, Laboratory Assisting, Law and Public Safety, Marketing, Nursing Services, Software and App Design, Sports Medicine, Stagecraft Design and Production and Technology Device Maintenance. Learn more at www.dysart.org/CTE. 

The DHS Counseling department will host the Demon Education/Expo in the Commons and Rooms 4017, 5104, 5106, & 5107. This event is on October 19th from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. This event is to educate our students and families about our community partnerships and resources including: 

• Family Outreach Program 4017
• Financial Aid, Scholarships & College Application 5104 
• WEST-Mec 5106
• AP & Duel Enrollment  5107

The DHS Counseling department will host a FAFSA Night on November 9th, from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., in Room 4017. This event is for seniors and their parents. Counselors, Be a Leader Foundation and Gear Up will be available to assist in the process. 

Saturday, September 10, the Dysart Demons JROTC Raider team competed at Red Mountain HS for the 2022 Fitness Challenge. Ten teams competed in a grueling 20 event course that tested their mental and physical toughness. There was one start time, and the clock continued to run until they crossed the finish line. Events included litter carry, tires, 1-rope bridge, low crawl, crab walk, flutter kicks, push-ups, sit-ups, tire drag, tire flips, telephone pole run, 5 gallon water can carry, ammo can 30-50lbs carry, and  many more. The Demons were prepared and ready for the challenge, led by their team captain Janessa Tovar. 

After the dust settled Dysart had a time of 32:02, and secured a 1st place victory. 

Dysart High School Football battled and fell to Fountain Hills on Friday night at home, 22-14.  It was their second game of the season in 3A action as Dysart moves to 1-1 on the season.  The Demons jumped out to quick 7-0 lead in the first quarter after a touchdown from Kye Brown to Senior Dillon Grant.  Quarterback Kye Brown followed it up in the second quarter with a touchdown pass to Senior, Taesean Allen to increase the lead to 14-0.  

Fountain Hills responded with two touchdowns near the end of the second quarter to tie the game going into halftime.  

After a scoreless third quarter, Fountain Hills took the lead with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 8 minutes left in the game.  That ended up being the last score of the game as the Demons came up short trying to tie it up.

The Demons are home again this week again Cortez at 7pm on Friday September 2, 2022.

Look your best Demons! 9-11th grade students, will have their yearbook and ID pictures taken. 12th grade students will have their ID picture taken. Attention Seniors- Grads Photography is taking appointments for your yearbook photo. Deadline for your Senior yearbook picture is October 31st!

Tryouts for fall sports start the week of August 8th. Student must be cleared through the athletic office to tryout. 

For specific tryout information, such as dates and times, please contact the coach directly.  

Badminton: CoachAnderson: michael.anderson@dysart.org 

Cross Country Boys: Coach Carson:  ivory.carson@dysart.org;   

Cross Country Girls: Coach Partida jose.partida@dysart.org

Golf Boys: Coach Vesey: thomas.vesey@dysart.org 

Golf Girls: Coach Schlinger: kenneth.schlinger@dysart.org 

Football: Coach Ganados: john.ganados@dysart.org 

Spiritline: Cheer: Coach Bowen:hannah.bowen@dysart.org 

                   Pom: Coach Welsh:maleigha.welsh@dysart.org 

Swim/Dive Boys: CoachFox: alora.fox@dysart.org 

Swim/Dive Girls: Coach Carleton: jennifer.carleton@dysart.org 

Volleyball: Coach Shaw: larissa.diaz@dysart.org

Please visit our athletic page for more information.

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! Here is some helpful information to start the year.

Still need to enroll? There's still time to get your children enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year! Parents and guardians can complete the necessary registration information online at Dysart.org/enroll at any time.  Please note that in order to finalize registration the following documents will be required: government issued photo identification; birth certificate; proof of residency; and immunization records. For additional assistance with student registration, families are welcome to contact our front office.  

 Don't forget to make sure you have access to the Parent Portal to keep up with your child’s academic progress throughout the year! Sign up or access the site online at Dysart.org/parentportal or via the Campus Parent app. 

Bus Route Information

Bus Stop Locator

Morning Drop off Information

Drop off map

School Nutrition Information

To apply for the Free /Reduced Lunch program, visit Schoolcafe. We encourage all families to apply for the program. If students are approved, they would receive reduced cost for certain athletic and academic fees.

The Demons welcomed the Freshman class on August 1 during orientation.  The students got a welcome from administration, toured the school and walked their schedule in order to prepare for the school year.  Check out the photo gallery from the event below. 

August 2, 2022 from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. We look forward to seeing all our students and families. Follow us on Facebook - Dysart High School (OFFICIAL) #onceademonalwaysademon

August 2, 2022 from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. We look forward to seeing all our students and families. Follow us on Facebook - Dysart High School (OFFICIAL) #onceademonalwaysademon

We can't wait to see everyone back for the first day of school on August 3! Make sure you mark your calendars for event and activity dates and keep an eye on our new website for important information as the start of school approaches. 

Our Open House will be on August 2 from 5:30-7:00pm. Freshman Orientation will be August 2 beginning at 7:15am. Please join us to see the campus, meet your child's teachers, and get information on what to expect this year.  

Still need to enroll? There's still time to get your children enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year! Parents and guardians can complete the necessary registration information online at Dysart.org/enroll at any time.  Please note that in order to finalize registration the following documents will be required: government issued photo identification; birth certificate; proof of residency; and immunization records. For additional assistance with student registration, families are welcome to contact our front office. 

Don't forget to make sure you have access to the Parent Portal to keep up with your child’s academic progress throughout the year! Sign up or access the site online at Dysart.org/parentportal or via the Campus Parent app. 

Dysart Schools have many opportunities for the community to assist schools in providing an amazing educational experience to each and every student. Volunteers help to enrich children’s learning opportunities, provide individual attention to children who need one-on-one assistance, promote a school-home-community partnership for quality education, provide staff members with more time to work with students, and assist staff members and support personnel with non-instructional tasks.

Where is Help Needed?

• Classroom and teacher support 
• One-on-one student assistance 
• Event help (preparations, setup, operations, tear-down)  
• Guest speakers (experts or retirees in various fields) 
• Front office assistance

How to Become a Volunteer:

1. Review the volunteer handbook and complete the volunteer application at Dysart.org/Volunteer 
2. Make an appointment for your volunteer orientation 
3. Coordinate your schedule through the school office 
4. Put on your volunteer badge and have fun!

Who Should Apply to Volunteer?

Anyone who cares about children and education is a potential volunteer. Parents, grandparents and community members 18 years of age or older who want to make a difference in the lives of children and support educators are encouraged to apply to become a volunteer with Dysart Unified School District. Volunteers are welcome in all of our schools and prior teaching experience is not necessary.

Learn more or apply here.

Dysart Nutrition Services ensures that students at all schools have fresh, wholesome and nutritious breakfast and lunch options to support their education and focus in class. Learn more about Nutrition Services at Dysart.org/Nutrition. Menus and nutritional information may be viewed at Dysart.Nutrislice.com.

Apply for Free and Reduced Meals

Beginning July 1, 2022 the USDA is returning to income eligibility guidelines for free or reduced meals. All families should complete a Free and Reduced Lunch Application at SchoolCafe.com to help maintain school funding and make sure that qualified families receive this and other benefits. Only one application is required per family, and may be completed at SchoolCafe.com.

How to Add Meal Funds to an Account

Cash and checks are accepted for meal purchases, or families may utilize SchoolCafe.com to prepay for meals online, view their balances, or place restrictions on purchases. Online payments take 24 hours to post to student accounts.  

Meal Prices 

• Elementary Lunch $2.60, Reduced $.40, Adult $3.50  
• Elementary Breakfast $1.25, Reduced $.30, Adult $1.75  High School Lunch $2.85, Reduced $.40, Adult $3.50  
• High School Breakfast $1.25, Reduced $.30, Adult $1.75 

A la carte and snack items are available for purchase on each campus, and additional meals are available for an added charge. Parents are always welcome to dine with their child, but please be sure to call in advance and check-in at the school office. Adult meals may be purchased for $1.75 for breakfast or $3.50 for lunch. 

Dysart is the largest employer in both the cities of Surprise and El Mirage with over 2,700 employees. Dysart Schools offer highly competitive salaries, full benefits and an inviting school-year calendar with holidays and weekends off for most positions. 

With a wide-variety of positions ranging from groundskeeper, to mechanic, to office staff, and teachers, we’re always looking for great people to join our Dysart team!

Current High Need Areas: 

•  Bus Drivers and Aides
•  Childcare and Preschool Aides
•  Paraprofessionals
•  Behavioral Technicians 
•  Speech and Language Pathologists 
•  Special Education Teachers 
•  Math Teachers 
•  Science Teachers 
•  ASL Teachers 
•  Health Services Assistants 
•  Crossing Guards 
•  Maintenance Workers and Plant Managers 
•  Social Workers

Check out our current openings at Dysart.org/Careers and apply today!

The Parent Portal is a great tool to stay informed 24/7 about your child’s academic progress. Grades, attendance, assignments and more are viewable in real time online or via the app, Campus Parent. A single login allows parents with multiple students to access information for all of their children in one place. Learn more at Dysart.org/ParentPortal.

Update Your Communication Preferences and Contact Info

To make sure that we can keep you informed in emergency situations, please ensure that your contact information is current in the Parent Portal. You are also able to adjust your communication preferences (phone, text, and/or email) at Dysart.org/ParentPortal or on the Campus Parent app to ensure you are getting the various message types in the way that you would like. Remember that if you select more than one type of communication per category, you will receive the message multiple times via each of those avenues.

It was a busy season for Career and Technical Education (CTE)  students throughout the district who competed at state and international level in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and SkillsUSA state conferences, and the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) International Career Development Conference.

The FCCLA State Leadership Conference was held on March 28-30, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona.  The competition allows students to compete in over 30 different events, meet the current State Executive Council and State Officer Candidates, qualify for the National Leadership Conference in San Diego, and network with members across Arizona.  

Valley Vista High School students received the following recognitions: Olivia Black earned a gold medal and a perfect score in Chicken Fabrication, Megan Gatz and Sierra Painter both won silver in Culinary Arts, and Joselyn Villegas won bronze in Food Innovations.

FCCLA offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life - planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication - all necessary within the home and workplace. FCCLA is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run by members.

The FBLA State Leadership conference was held on April 4-6 in Tucson, Arizona. The event gives students the opportunity to advance to the national conference, compete in a variety of competitions, participate in workshops, and run for state office for FBLA. 

Dysart High School students Jared Wilson, Ryan Maisano, Bryan Naiuli, Damien Cordero, and Devonte Reed placed in the top five for Parliamentary Procedures. Valley High School students Lilly Smith and Raven Cardosi placed second in 3D Animation.

FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences.

Students from all four district high schools competed in the SkillsUSA State Competition hosted April 19-20, 2022 in Phoenix.  This event is the premier showcase for Arizona’s trade, technology and service high school and college students. This annual championship features over 75 skills and leadership competitions that determine who will represent Arizona at the national SkillsUSA Championships.  

Gage Fuentes from Dysart High School earned the Silver medal in Auto Tech Basic.  Several students from Shadow Ridge High School earned medals including Jordyn Jones who earned a gold medal in T-Shirt Design and a Silver medal in Advertising Design.  Alysa Horton received a gold medal for Stage Coach Interview Skills.  Zachary Hampton and  Joseph Holm earned second Place Web Development & Design.  Jacob Bacome and Brian Bucsi won gold in 3D Visualization, and Tyler Winter and Tyler Cain won a bronze medal in Additive Manufacturing.  Willow Canyon High School students Allison Kotzbauer, Eli Hernandez, and Morgan West won gold in Career Pathways Showcase: Arts and Communication and the club was named a gold Chapter of Excellence.

SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Education partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development by building and reinforcing self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service (including health) occupations.

Students from Dysart High School, Shadow Ridge High School, and Willow Canyon High School competed in the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) on April 23-26 in Atlanta, Georgia.  The event allows students to compete with more than 10,000 DECA students from across the country.  Students participated in the Emerging Leaders Series in order to attain 21st Century Skills in the areas of collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity.  Students also network with hundreds of representatives in the college and career exhibits as they plan for their future.

Shadow Ridge High School student Jamie Springer was a top ten finalist in Project Management Community Awareness event, and Noah Axelson, Lily McDaniel, Kloey Garcia earned 6th place in the Virtual Business Restaurant. 

Irene Silva, Bethanie Lopez-Draeger and Servando Lopez from Dysart High School won a gold medal in the Small Business Enterprise Food Operations Competition.  Dysart High students Lorenzo Roman and Dawn Jones took fourth place in the Business Law and Ethics Competition. 

DECA is a premier student organization that supports the development of marketing and management skills in career areas such as hospitality, finance, sales and service, business administration, and entrepreneurship.  DECA is one of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities offered to prepare students for the academic and vocational skills necessary to successfully enter the workforce. Learn more at dysart.org/cte.

Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) students from Dysart High School, Willow Canyon High School, and Shadow Ridge High School competed in the HOSA State Leadership Conference held in Tucson March 30 - April 1. 

HOSA is a student-led organization that seeks to empower students to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. The HOSA State Leadership conference provides students the opportunity to use the skills they have learned in their Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses and apply them to a competitive events program. 

Students had the opportunity to compete in multiple different events, participate in workshops, and network with current healthcare professionals as well as other students from across the state. 

Congratulations to the following students for their achievements in their respective events. 

Willow Canyon student Alyssa Morris placed second in Medical Terminology, Tyrah Davis placed fifth in Prepared Speaking, Kenna Moore placed fifth in Medical Law & Ethics, Hailey Amos placed fourth in Nursing Assisting, Kristin Anderson placed third in Human Growth & Development, and Melody Holland, Kenna Moore, Lauren Buseman, Elizabeth Wood and McKenna Moreno placed top eight in the Anatomage Competition. In addition, Kennedy Wilson and Isabella Buoscio qualified for the International Leadership Conference for their performance in the Healthcare Issues event. 

Dysart High School student Lindy Pottle placed first in Medical Reading, Maeve Shapera, Charity Sumner, Amaya Menjivar, Denice Calderon, Alyssa Blandford, and Alicia Parra placed first in MRC Partnership, Eden Mussleman, Sarah Weller, Victoria Mather, and Dora Mazariego placed third in Medical Innovations, Shayne Vasquez and Makenzie Maloof placed fourth in Medical Innovations, Abbigail Kizer and Ruben Jimenez placed fifth in Health Education, and Lane Vazquez Luna placed fifth in Epidemiology. Additionally, Marisol Trejo, Alejandro Arevalo and Briana Torres received the Barbara James Service Award, and Lane Vazquez Luna and Lindy Pottle were the recipients of HOSA scholarships in the amounts of $500 and $2,000. Overall, Dysart High School had 17 students qualify to compete in the International Conference.

The HOSA International Leadership Conference will take place on June 22-25, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. 

HOSA is a student-led Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) specifically for students enrolled in CTE programs. The mission of HOSA is to promote career opportunities in the healthcare industry. HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary and collegiate students interested in a career in health care. 

Congratulations to Robert Blanco, Jennifer Olague Carranza and Jesus Izaguirre from the Dysart High School Class of 2021 who were named members of the Million Dollar Club for earning scholarships through the support of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.  

Each year, the AVID cohorts are challenged to earn a certain amount of scholarship and grant money.  In order to do this, they must apply to different colleges and universities as well as complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Their original goal was to earn 4.5 million dollars in scholarships and so far, the cohort led by Mr. Keegan Cook, has earned 6.2 million in scholarships. 

The AVID students have made Demon history this year by earning this high honor and each have decided on a major. Robert is planning to become a Physical Therapist (M.D), Jesus strives to become a Civil Engineer, and Jenny plans to become a Biomedical Engineer. Last year, Ren Dickson from the class of 2020, was the first AVID student at Dysart High School to earn over a million dollars in scholarship offers. 

The Dysart High School Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program has been a fixture at DHS since 2008 when it was first introduced to the district. AVID is a program that supports students in the academic middle who are motivated to attend post secondary education, but may not have all of the tools they need in order to be as successful as they can be in a college setting. A typical AVID student is one who has some motivation to be successful, is in the academic middle (2.5-3.5 GPA), possibly the first generation in the family to attend college, or has some other potential barrier to reaching post secondary education. Through the four year program, students are taught note taking skills, time management, test taking skills, collaboration and critical reading skills, and are supported as they tackle rigorous curriculum. 

“We are so proud of our AVID students and can’t wait to see what path they choose to pursue next year,” said Alesha Wisbey, Dysart High School AVID Teacher and Site Coordinator.  

Many teenagers would balk at a 4:00 a.m. wake up time, but Isabel Quintero Soria, cross country athlete at Dysart High School, laced up early to beat the heat each day and was committed to staying in shape and focused on the sport during the closures. 

 “It was difficult because of everything going on, but I made it my goal to run early everyday as the sun rose to make sure I did not lose focus,” said Quintero-Soria.

Isabel has been a member of the varsity cross country team since her freshman year.  She started her journey with the team when Ivory Carson, Math teacher and cross country coach,  encouraged her to try out.

“Coach told me about the team, and I tried out and was surprised at how fast I was and how much I enjoyed it,” said Quintero-Soria.

Coach Carson recognized her natural talent right away. 

“At the Sectional Meet in 2017, Isabel told me the time she would run before the race, which was well beyond her personal best. She ran faster than the time she quoted,” stated Carson. “That day verified something I felt. Isabel is that quiet leader who does what she says and says what she does.”

Isabel has grown as an athlete and member of the team. She was chosen as senior captain this year to lead her close-knit team. 

“My team is a family to me,” she said.  “I have a different mindset when I am with them.  We motivate one another and we just really just love to run together.”

Isabel not only looks to her team for strength but also her coach. 

“Coach Carson is a father figure, he keeps us on track not only in sports but also in class he helps everyone out,'' she said.  “He’s definitely the one to go if you need motivation or just someone to talk about life.”

Speaking of family, Isabel is the youngest of nine children and has a ton of support from her large household and her own personal cheering section at competitions. 

“It’s crazy. I have five brothers and three sisters.  It is awesome to hear them encouraging me from the sidelines during meets.”

Isabel competed in the AIA Division II State Cross Country Meet for the past three years and  established herself as the number seven cross country runner all-time at Dysart High School.  Her desire for her senior season is to move up the all-time list breaking the school record of 19:53.2 held by Gabriel Gomez. With a successful senior season, she will be inducted into the prestigious 100 mile club, an honor bestowed upon four year letter winners in cross country at Dysart High School.

“She inspires others to excellence,” said Carson.

In addition to cross country, Isabel ran track for the first time last season but it was cut short because of COVID-19. Even in the brief season she established herself as the two-mile specialist on the team placing sixth at the Richard Thompson South Mountain Invitational and earning fourth place running the lead-off leg in the 4x800 relay.

Isabel is working arduously to attain a cross country scholarship at an in-state college to major in Criminal Justice with the hope of becoming a lawyer or a detective. 

Dysart High School student, Andrea Soliz, was recently named to the SkillsUSA National Officer Team as the Region 5 Vice President. Previously, Andrea served as the SkillsUSA Region 5 President for the State of Arizona. As a National Officer, Andrea is provided the opportunity to represent SkillsUSA and its members. National Officers serve as communicators, advocates and facilitators in a variety of leadership roles, helping instill skills and career-readiness to fellow members.

The newly elected officers were announced at a virtual recognition ceremony on June 26, 2020.  Before being selected, candidates went through a rigorous application process including written exams, essays, interviews, and a speech. Andrea is one of ten high school students from across the country selected to serve on the 2020-21 SkillsUSA National Officer Team. Being a national officer is one of the highest honors a student can achieve within the SkillsUSA organization.

Andrea is entering her senior year at Dysart High School, and is a dedicated leader on campus. She has worked tirelessly to be an advocate, role model, and mentor to fellow classmates, as well as the community. Through SkillsUSA, she has been provided with many opportunities and experiences that continue to prepare her for her future.  

SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Education partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development by building and reinforcing self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service (including health) occupations.