Weekly News 6/16/23

High School Awards
HS AWARDS PHOTO ALBUM

Senior Awards: Kimberly Ellsworth
George Washington – Outstanding Achievement, Character, and Service: Tanner Webster

Abraham Lincoln – Outstanding Male Scholar: Fisher Ormond

Dolly Madison – Outstanding Female Scholar: Sadie Titus

Benjamin Franklin – Outstanding Improvement and Persistence: Sam Coates

Spirit of Heritage Awards: Kim Ellsworth
9^th Grade Scholar: Regan Leslie
10^th Grade Scholar: Kimberly Holmes
11^th Grade Scholar: Karsten Bogle
12^th Grade Scholar: Sadie Titus

Athlete of the Year Awards: Jeff Miller
Male Scholar: Christian Mylek
Female Scholar: Valerie Camacho

English Department: Christy Pepper,  Jennifer Andres, Emily Brems
Scholar 1: Rose Hall
Scholar 2: Kimberly Holmes
Scholar 3: Avory Ooshuizen

English Department – Yearbook: Kasey Turik
Scholar 1: Baily Martinez

English Department – Creative Writing: Robin Daniels  
Scholar 1: Javier Juarez

Foreign Language: Siria Contreras Salazar, Enrique Rivera, Sherrie Licon
Scholar 1: Spanish – Peter Trast
Scholar 2: French- Janyah Parker
Scholar 3: ASL- Lucas Adams

Science Department: Joe Klepfer, Matthew Ormand, Gaby Garza, Shannon Hilsinger  
Scholar 1: Jackie Oram
Scholar 2: Lily Panter
Scholar 3: Jaemin Hill

Math Department: Tanner Carpenter, Colin Comerford, Danielle Steelman, Marcus Taylor
Scholar 1: Gavin Carr
Scholar 2: Tyler Trimmer
Scholar 3: Sachia Cloran

History Department: Lyle Hamblin, David Hettinger, Marin Fairbanks, David O’Barr
Scholar 1: Reagan Leslie
Scholar 2: Elise Reed
Scholar 3: Kim Daniels

Computers/Typing: Jennifer Ford  
Scholar 1: Brandon Maki
Scholar 2: Madison Martin

Performing Arts – Drama: Parker Ellsworth  
Scholar 1: Sadie Titus
Scholar 2: Tanner Webster

Performing Arts – Film Production: David Hettinger
Collaborative Award: Sebastian Gralian, Grayson Nelson, and Tanner Webster

Performing Arts – Choir: Nephi Bunker
Scholar 1: Ryah Wilkinson
Scholar 2: Christian Morgan

Performing Arts – Band/Orchestra: Taylor Hughes
Scholar 1: Josh Cordero
Scholar 2: Benjamin Taylor

Performing Arts – Dance: Ashley Smith
Scholar 1: Delaney Jacobs
Scholar 2: Oliver Croxford

Fine Arts Department – Art: Carlos Jimenez
Most improved artist: Amare Arney
Artist of the year: Abigail Panter

Fine Arts – Photography: Sally Huff   
Scholar 1: Jacob Thomas

Martial Arts: Lee Feiles 
Scholar 1: Summer Knight
Scholar 2: Samuel Johnson

Physical Education: Robin Daniels, Derek Zappa, Carrie Ormond
Scholar 1: Rudy Valadez
Scholar 2: Marley Love

HS STRAIGHT A’S
Chloe Adams
Dane Adams
Felicity Adams
Lorelei Adams
Lucas Adams
Jailin Agre
Anthony Aquino
Karsten Bogle
Keira Burch
Sidnee Burrow
Dexton Bushman
Dayanha Caceres
Valerie Camacho
Gavin Carr
Adam Carroll
Sharon Carter
Tirza Cortes
Kimberly Daniels
Luey Diaz
Abigail Dirks
Zachary Dirks
Isabella Edgecomb
Riley Geron
Taylor Girard
Aurora Graham
Nathaniel Gray
Lily Hall
Rose Hall
Brayden Hill
Jaden Hill
Talyssa Hoffman
Sophia Holguin
Kimberly Holmes
Megan Houser
Madelyn Huffaker
Jaden Hutson
Jadyn Infiesto
Mia Irizarry
Alexis Ivers
Delaney Jacobs
Everett Jones
Jackson Ketcham
Summer Knight
Angela Lawson
Regan Leslie
Kaylee Lewis
Andrew Lissy
Justin Maas
Hannah Marney
Kayla Marney
Grace Martin
Madison Martin
Baily Martinez
Patrick McGrory
Chloe Mehaffey
Dalin Mikac
Carleigh Mrosko
Christian Mylek
Audree Nelson
Tommy Nguyen
Abigail O’Barr
Avory Oosthuizen
Jayden Pacheco
Camylle Palmer
Lily Panter
Alben Polacek
Lilyana Sabo
Jayla Santa Cruz
Olivia Santiago
Angelina See
Logan Shiley
Rachel Skousen
Seth Skousen
Hailey Stanley
Aliviah Steen
Benjamin Taylor
Cameron Thompson
Abigail Trimmer
Tyler Trimmer
Jaylie Turcott
Cienna West
Andrew Wong

HS HONOR ROLL 3.75+
Chloe Adams
Dane Adams
Felicity Adams
Lorelei Adams
Lucas Adams
Jailin Agre
Aubree Anderson
Brooke Anderson
Anthony Aquino
Guadalupe Arreola Perez
Romina Arteaga
Gavyn Baker
Jack Barnum
Logan Bates
Layla Benson
Ajay Blakes
Jada Blanton
Karsten Bogle
Caydence Brown
Keira Burch
Paul Burke
Laila Burrow
Sidnee Burrow
Dexton Bushman
Dayanha Caceres
Valerie Camacho
Gavin Carr
Matthew Carr
Adam Carroll
Sharon Carter
Jordan Chamness
Mary Champley
Sachia Cloran
Kella Connelly
Tirza Cortes
Lily Cottam
Samantha Cottam
Oliver Croxford
Janelle Cutajar
Benjamin Daniels
Kimberly Daniels
Elise Densmore
Lily Devine
Luey Diaz
Kailynn DiCicco
Abigail Dirks
Zachary Dirks
Payton Duncan
Isabella Edgecomb
Madilyn Ellsworth
Remember Erhart
Jade Evans
Maleiya Gaddy
Mikaylah Gaddy
Riley Geron
Sarah Gillies
Taylor Girard
Aurora Graham
Nathaniel Gray
Lily Hall
Rose Hall
Autumn Hardy
Takaru Harris
Gavin Hayes
Brayden Hill
Jaden Hill
Jaemin Hill
Berkely Hoffman
Talyssa Hoffman
Sophia Holguin
Kimberly Holmes
Megan Houser
Jaxson Howell
Robert Huff
Emma Huffaker
Madelyn Huffaker
Jayden Hunt
Jaden Hutson
Jadyn Infiesto
Mia Irizarry
Alexis Ivers
Delaney Jacobs
Grayson Jacobs
Benjamin James
Camryn Janssen
Samuel Johnson
Yaizah Johnson
Everett Jones
Amor Juarez
Jackson Ketcham
Kaitlyn Kientzler
Summer Knight
Angela Lawson
Brysia Leon Lucero
Regan Leslie
Kaylee Lewis
Andrew Lissy
Nevaeh Long
Justin Maas
Brandon Maki
Tate Malan
Hannah Marney
Kayla Marney
Sayuri Marquez
Ethan Martin
Grace Martin
Madison Martin
Matthew Martin
Baily Martinez
Patrick McGrory
Naomi Medina
Chloe Mehaffey
Dalin Mikac
Carleigh Mrosko
Alexander Mylek
Christian Mylek
Audree Nelson
Tommy Nguyen
Enrique Nunez-Prieto
Abigail OBarr
Avory Oosthuizen
Jaclyn Oram
Jayden Pacheco
Ronare Padua
Camylle Palmer
Abigail Panter
Lily Panter
Gabriel Pfeiffer
Lily Piper
Alben Polacek
Charles Rodriquez
Sophia Rubi
Lilyana Sabo
Jessica Sanchez
Jayla Santa Cruz
Olivia Santiago
Trevor Schroeder
Angelina See
Christopher Senne
Logan Shiley
Kierlan Shull
Rachel Skousen
Seth Skousen
Athena Smith
Catalina Springstroh
Alina Stack
Hailey Stanley
Aliviah Steen
Brooklyn Stoker
Benjamin Taylor
Jacob Thomas
Cameron Thompson
Abigail Trimmer
Tyler Trimmer
Jaylie Turcott
Johnathan Turcott
Sarah Turik
Ruby Valadez
Emilee Voils
Michael Watson
Tanner Webster
Cienna West
MacKenzie Weyrauch
Ryah Wilkinson
Breanna Williams
Athena Wilson
Andrew Wong
Cavan Ziccardi

Junior High Awards
JH AWARDS PHOTO ALBUM

Spirit of Heritage Awards: Kim Ellsworth
6^th Grade Scholar: Rylie Yardley
7^th Grade Scholar: Abbi Sims
8^th Grade Scholar: Noah Hettinger

Athlete of the Year Awards: Jeff Miller
Male Scholar: Cullen Bogle
Female Scholar: Amaya Green

English Department: Alan Daniels, Joe Lawless, John Hill, Marci Hoellwarth
6^th Grade Award:  Summer Mather
7^th Grade Award: Jamie Judkins
8^th Grade Award: Milena Saspe

Science Department: , Misti Oosthuizen, Melissa Sims, Audrey Wilson  
6^th Grade Award: Alexis Hicks
7^th Grade Award: Oliver Schultz
8^th Grade Award: Andrew Dahl

Math Department: Michele Boccinfuso, Christina Sorenson, Stephanie Hill 
6^th Grade Award: Ian Kennedy
7^th Grade Award:  Lucas Owens
8^th Grade Award: Derek Robinson

History Department: Alethea Allen, Jan Schmidgall-Petroff, Tabri Hicks
6^th Grade Award: Easton Bunker
7^th Grade Award: Justin Callaghan
8^th Grade Award: Lily Mather

Foreign Language: JeanFrancois Romanek, Kim Miller, James Creighton  
6^th Grade Award: Rylie Yardley
7^th Grade Award: Gabriel Girard
8^th Grade Award: Jude Chammakhi

Computers/Typing: Jennifer Ford  
Scholar 1: Raul Silva
Scholar 2: Elena Holguin

Performing Arts – Drama: Parker Ellsworth
Scholar 1: Bella Adams
Scholar 2: Max Hlebasko

Performing Arts – Choir: Nephi Bunker, Samantha Wilson
Scholar 1: Clarissa Burgoyne
Scholar 2: Gavin Dugay

Performing Arts – Band/Orchestra: Taylor Hughes, Samantha Wilson
Scholar 1: Layla Seamons
Scholar 2: Nelson Brock

Performing Arts – Dance: Ashley Smith
Scholar 1: Amaya Blakes
Scholar 2: Sofia Harris

Fine Arts Department – Art: Carlos Jimenez
Most improved artist: Andre Bissette
Artist of the year: Alexis Hicks

Martial Arts: Lee Feiles  
Scholar 1: Obbie Cardenas
Scholar 2: Maiya Aneses

Physical Education: Crystal O’Barr, Robin Daniels, Derek Zappa
Scholar 1: Mya Pacheco
Scholar 2: Andrew Dahl

8th Grade Promotion

Caleb Adams
Amber Archuleta
Daniela Arreola Perez
Elena Arvizu
Chloe Avila
Sadie Bailin
Victoria Ball
Kassidy Bargo
Analisa Barillas
Cadence Baugher
Braden Bauman
Oakley Bealer
Gavan Beamish
Alivia Bell
Andre Bissette
Amaya Blakes
Brylee Bleil
Cullen Bogle
Anna Brems
Nelson Brock
Dion Buckley
Bridger Bunker
Brandon Burrow
Elizabeth Bynum
Yazmine Caceres Garcia
Addison Campbell
Sloane Campbell
Connor Carpenter
Gianna Casas
Jude Chammakhi
Jayme Christianson
Denali Corrales
Parker Crean
Paxton Crean
Luna Cruz
Andrew Dahl
MacKenzie Daly
Kash Dayley
Edward Densmore
Natalia Diaz-Garza
Brennan Doscher
Gavin Duguay
Jackson Dum
Tyson Duncan
Madelyn Fiedler
Kailyn Galindo
Fidel Galvez
Levi Garcia-Amodio
Matthew Gentilella
Isabella Gomez
Macey Goncalves
DeAnna Gonzalez
Eduardo Gralian
Amaya Green
Carrie Greer
Aleia Griego
Ava Guaderrama
Kevin Guarin
David Hall
Weston Hardy
Abigail Hay
Alex Hayes
Noah Hettinger
Carter Hill
Christopher Hilsinger
Lily Hirsch
Maxsen Hlebasko
Elena Holguin
Dylan Hollingsworth
Kennedy Howard
Charlotte Hunt
Emma Hutson
Kolton Infiesto
Emma Ireland
Sofia Jicha
Sydney Jimenez
Nicholas Johnson
Jillian Jones
Sophia King
Rida Lawson
Stevon Lester
Jonathan Lewis
Vanessa Llaguno-Martinez
Tasiana Lloyd
Adrian Lopez Beltran
Adriana Luz
Jacob Maas
Kenneth Marinakis
Froylan Martin Cruz
Sabrina Martinez
Lilly Mather
Ewalani Matsunaga
Hailey Mattson
Adysyn Meegan
Essek Meighan
Enoch Miller
Jack Mooney
Luke Mrosko
James Newman
Thomas Nguyen
Bella Noyes
Alexander Ormond
Alexis Oropeza
Sarah Panter
Taylor Park
My’ala Pettaway
McKenna Pierce
Carson Polonus
Ezra Powell
Shawn Ramey
Sylvia Rameyer
Natalie Ramos
Riley Reiss
Brent Renfro
Isela Ridnour
Marreon Risper
Savannah Robb
Nevaeh Rodarte
Beau Rueda Harper
Milena Saspe
Arianna Sclafani
Lyliana Scott
Levi Senne
Nylah Shumpert-Hall
Emily Sibley
Raul Silva
Gavin Smith
Brady Snitker
Matthew Solis
Xalin Stack
Logan Staff
Joshua Rhuiz Taniajura
Christopher Taylor
Sahara Walker
Tatum Waters
Zoey Wheaton
Cameron Whitaker
Presley Wilkins
Cole Williams
River Williford
Hannah Wilson
Savannah Wilson
Blake Woods
NaKyhia Yarber
Kalani Young

JH STRAIGHT A’S
Maiya Aneses
Daniela Arreola Perez
Kassidy Bargo
Analisa Barillas
Braelyn Bates
Braden Bauman
Gavan Beamish
Amaya Blakes
Ava Boger
Cullen Bogle
Nelson Brock
Liam Broeders
Savannah Brown
Arabella Bryan
Emery Burgoyne
Reese Bushman
Yazmine Caceres Garcia
Justin Callaghan
Katara Calloway
Savannah Campbell
Colton Carpenter
Connor Carpenter
Jude Chammakhi
Lexis Christianson
Brock Coronado
Alexandra Cruz
Andrew Dahl
Gavin Duguay
Gwendolyn Duguay
Rosalind Duguay
Jackson Dum
Brady Ellsworth
Andrei Joshua Estrella
Gabriel Girard
Kaio Gleason
Carrie Greer
Sofia Harris
Tadashi Harris
Alexis Hicks
Carter Hill
Elena Holguin
Joseph Holguin
Brooke Holmes
Charity Horner
Charlotte Hunt
Sienna Hunt
Emma Ireland
Sofia Jicha
Jillian Jones
Jamie Judkins
Ian Kennedy
Audrey Ketcham
Haylee Laurent
Kiersten Leslie
Stevon Lester
Vanessa Llaguno-Martinez
Lilly Mather
Summer Mather
Hailey Mattson
Melanie Mireles
Luke Mrosko
Alexis Oropeza
Levi Owens
Lucas Owens
Mya Pacheco
Claire Palmer
Tyler Parady
Jaxon Pavlich
Carson Polonus
Kellen Polonus
Adrienne Raper
Isabella Raper
Isabella Raudales
Riley Reiss
Raelynn Rivera
Derek Robinson
Jasmine Ruegamer
Adamari Saspe
Milena Saspe
Emily Sibley
Kylie Sibley
Esther Skousen
Brady Snitker
Logan Staff
Ryleigh Staff
Britton Taylor
Kiana Trinidad
J’antre VanBuren
Isabelle Wagner
Sahara Walker
Zabrina Weber
Jonah Wood
Rylie Yardley
Jayden Zamora
Alma Daniela Zavala Gallegos

JH HONOR ROLL 3.75+
Bella Adams
Caleb Adams
Damya Adell-Oneal
Maiya Aneses
Ariella Arrambide
Daniela Arreola Perez
Camila Arteaga
Shayne Baker-DeBolt
Kassidy Bargo
Analisa Barillas
Braelyn Bates
Braden Bauman
Gavan Beamish
Alivia Bell
Amaya Blakes
Nathan Blaskey
Ava Boger
Cullen Bogle
Wisdom Bond
Claire Boyce
Nelson Brock
Liam Broeders
Savannah Brown
Arabella Bryan
Dion Buckley
Easton Bunker
Clarissa Burgoyne
Emery Burgoyne
Reese Bushman
Yazmine Caceres Garcia
Justin Callaghan
Katara Calloway
Addison Campbell
Juliana Campbell
Savannah Campbell
Sloane Campbell
Obbie Cardenas
Colton Carpenter
Connor Carpenter
Jazlyn Carpenter
Gianna Casas
Jude Chammakhi
Jayme Christianson
Lexis Christianson
Brock Coronado
McKenzie Crudup
Alexandra Cruz
Luna Cruz
Andrew Dahl
MacKenzie Daly
Zachary Daniels
Micah David
Emmalyn DiCicco
Van Donwen
Gavin Duguay
Gwendolyn Duguay
Rosalind Duguay
Cody Dum
Jackson Dum
Ruby Duncan
Tyson Duncan
Brady Ellsworth
Andrei Joshua Estrella
Gianna Evans
Lorenzo Garcia
Tessa Garlick
Matthew Gentilella
Semra Gentilella
Hunter Geron
Gracelyn Ghee
Addaleigh Gillespie
Gabriel Girard
Kaio Gleason
Macey Goncalves
Carrie Greer
David Hamblin
Bailey Hardy
Sofia Harris
Tadashi Harris
Alexis Hicks
Carter Hill
Elena Holguin
Joseph Holguin
Brooke Holmes
Logan Holmes
Charity Horner
Neo Horst
Charlotte Hunt
Leah Hunt
Sienna Hunt
Emma Ireland
Sofia Jicha
Nicholas Johnson
Jillian Jones
Jamie Judkins
Xian Kelly
Ana Kennedy
Ian Kennedy
Audrey Ketcham
Kendall Keturakat
Kamryn LaBounty
Haylee Laurent
Rida Lawson
Kiersten Leslie
Stevon Lester
Jonathan Lewis
Camila Llaguno-Martinez
Vanessa Llaguno-Martinez
Timothy Long
Lilly Mather
Summer Mather
Hailey Mattson
Elias Miller
Melanie Mireles
Ashton Morgan
Luke Mrosko
Ryder Munoz
Bethany Newman
James Newman
Jazlynn Norice
Bella Noyes
Imani Oliver
Alissah Orantes
Alexis Oropeza
Levi Owens
Lucas Owens
Mya Pacheco
Ezra Shay Pacpaco
Claire Palmer
Sarah Panter
Tyler Parady
Jaxon Pavlich
Daisy Phillips
Carson Polonus
Kellen Polonus
Cassidy Price
Mason Pumphrey
Shawn Ramey
Adrienne Raper
Isabella Raper
Isabella Raudales
Riley Reiss
Belen Reyes
Andrew Rivas
Raelynn Rivera
Savannah Robb
Makenlee Robertson
Derek Robinson
Vivian Rodriguez
Midori Roundtree
Jasmine Ruegamer
Adamari Saspe
Milena Saspe
Arianna Sclafani
Layla Seamons
Aiden Sheehan
Emily Sibley
Kylie Sibley
Raul Silva
Abbi Sims
Esther Skousen
Brady Snitker
Dominick Solis
Logan Staff
Ryleigh Staff
Britton Taylor
Christopher Taylor
Logan Taylor
Cienna Thatcher
Greysen Tomaszewski
Kiana Trinidad
Alyson Uribe
J’antre VanBuren
Samuel Vernon
Hudson Wade
Isabelle Wagner
Sahara Walker
Zabrina Weber
Madison Webster
Presley Wilkins
Jayce Wilkinson
River Williford
Savannah Wilson
Jonah Wood
Rylie Yardley
Jayden Zamora
Alma Daniela Zavala Gallegos
Maria Jose Zavala Gallegos

CONGRATULATIONS SCHOLARS!!  JOB WELL DONE!!  

CLASS OF 2023 GRADUATES
GRADUATION PHOTO ALBUM

Lucas Adams – Valedictorian

Cienna West – Co – Salutatorian

Ruby Valadez – Co – Salutatorian

Lucas Adams, Logan Duran, Maleiya Gaddy and Baily Martinez – Graduated with Associates from Central Arizona College

2023 Graduates

Adams, Lucas
Anderson, Brooke
Blanton, Jada
Burch, Brianna
Burrow, Sidnee
Camacho, Valerie
Carpenter III, William
Carr, Matthew
Carter, Jeremiah
Casas, Jesus
Castaneda, Alexia
Castanedo Avilez, Melina
Chambliss, Karly
Chammakhi, Ian
Chamness, Jordan
Champley, Brylinn
Coates, Winston
Cottam, Samantha
Cottrell, Andi
Dominguez, Ysabelle
Duran, Logan
Erhart, Remember
Fonner, Christian
Gaddy, Maleiya
Graham, Aurora
Gralian, Sebastian
Guzman Sandoval, Salma
Hall, Lily
Hall, Rose
Holguin, Sophia
Huff, Robert
Hughes, Logan
Irizarry, Mia
Jacobs, Delaney
Juarez, Amor
Lissy, William
Love, Marley
Lundstrom, Harlee
Martin, Grace
Martinez, Baily
McDorman, Alyssa
Montaño, Jasmin
Nelson, Grayson
OBarr, Abigail
Oram, Jaclyn
Ormond, Fisher
Ortiz, Andrea
Ortiz, Andres
Padua, Jayden
Panter, Abigail
Perez Palomares, Isabella
Pfeiffer, Gabriel
Rochin De La Hoya, Carlos
Rubi, Sophia
Rumbo, Rodi
Sanchez, Jessica
Springstroh, Catalina
Stoker, Joshua
Titus, Sadie
Trast, Peter
Valadez, Ruby
Watts, Ethan
Webster, Tanner
West, Cienna
Wilkinson, Ryah
Young, Kincade
Maria Jose Zavala Gallegos

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!!  

Here is pie in your eye Mrs. Ellsworth.

A tear-filled good-bye while Mrs. Ellsworth walked the halls of school during a school wide “Clap-Out”.  We’ll miss you!

*** Sports Announcements***

DON’T FORGET – Please update your scholar’s grade level with MyHotLunchbox. 

A Last Shot, A Found Path

By John Hill

Senior Kincade Young saw a lot of firsts as a 4-year student at Heritage Academy Maricopa. The first day the school opened its doors 4 years ago, she walked in. The first dance show the school held, she performed. The first girls’ varsity basketball game that was played, she was on the court. During her senior year that culminated last Thursday night at the school’s graduation, all these first eventually became lasts. A last dance. A last game. A last day walking through the doors of the school as a high school student.

Among all these firsts leading to inevitable lasts, however, there is one bookend moment that stands out – her last shot in basketball.

The story behind the last shot is as unlikely as it is memorable. Kincade suffered a serious knee injury as a junior that kept her off the court for her senior season. But despite not being on the court, she remained a valuable part of the team in attending every practice and every game. She helped her younger teammates and served as a role model.

The payoff was on senior night when head coach Kim Miller and the coach for the opposing team agreed to do something special – play Kincade for one play to start her final game and allow her to have one last shot. The only way it would work was if there was no defense. The girls for both teams were told to stand back after the ball was passed to Kincade at the opening tip. At first, Kincade was surprised and hesitated. But when she saw the path open up in front of her, she did what came naturally and drove to the basket for a shot. She laid the ball up against the glass and into the hoop as tears flooded. It was a perfect shot.

“It was an emotional thing because I knew it was my last shot,” remembered Kincade. “My team made me feel wanted and made me feel I could do it.” She added: “Before the injury, I knew basketball, but I did not know myself. Being out injured, I learned there is a greater purpose in basketball than just playing the game. I feel that sitting out was part of God’s plan for me to find that purpose.”

What is that purpose? For Kincade, it is to help other people, to change people’s lives, and to have her injury and successful recovery be a testimony to others of the power of faith and finding your own purpose in life.

“I made my last shot, and I was emotional, but in that moment I was okay because I knew there was more to come.” And whether that “more to come” is a positive experience or a hardship, Kincade Young knows it is a path that is part of her purpose.

The last shot on the court might have been a “last,” but it symbolizes the transition to firsts and the promise of “more to come.” It is a reminder that in all lasts we can find firsts; we can find new beginnings.

“I feel like after graduation I have to start over again,” reflected Kincade. But armed now with the perspective that comes with life experience, and her last shot, she now knows that whatever path she starts out on, regardless of where that first step begins, it will have an ending that is meant to be.

With each or our “lasts” in life, we can always find opportunities for the “firsts” that lie ahead. We can find a new path. A path with a purpose.

Kincade Young is a graduate of Heritage Academy Maricopa. Her start on a new path (with a purpose) began this week.

John Hill is a Dual Enrollment English teacher and basketball coach at Heritage Academy Maricopa. He coached Kincade in club basketball. Wherever Kincade’s path leads her, coach Hill will always proudly consider her one of his own.

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