EDUCATION
Where Inspired Learning Creates Confident Students
From left: Abigail Barba, Jaaziel Dominguez and Nathan Alarcon are among the first graduating seniors at Desert Sunrise High School.
NO COST GRADES K–8
Lessons in Class, Lessons in Life Legacy builds a strong foundation so students can discover their strengths and pursue them with confidence. •Accelerated academics paired with personalized support from teachers and staff. •A well-rounded education that includes art, PE, and music. • Frequent events and strong parent involvement to help your family feel right at home. •Truly affordabl e Pre-K programs that will spark curiosity and grow passion. A Traditional Approach to the Future of Learning
What it means to be first Voices from Desert Sunrise High School’s inaugural graduating class BY DAVID IVERSEN
I
cycle cohort, and for many of these students the experience has been both formative and unforgettable. “It’s almost like breathing in new air,” said Jaaziel Dominguez, a senior who moved from Texas in 2023. “Everything here is way newer, way more modern. My old school was built in the 1940s. It was cracking, falling apart. Coming here, it felt like I could just focus and grow.” Dominguez is one of 166 students who walked across the stage last month. Though he’s only been a part of the Desert Sunrise community for two years, he described its impact as lasting. His favorite class, Chemistry 130, left him inspired to pursue civil engineering at Arizona State University, with dreams of becoming a project manager and eventually launching his own company. The sentiment of forging a new path resonates throughout the class. With
T HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE IN 1959. Then, last month, it happened again. In a rapidly growing city, it was only a matter of time before a second public high school would celebrate its first graduating class. Desert Sunrise High School, which opened its doors in 2022, graduated its inaugural seniors in May. They’re a group of unwitting trailblazers, plucked by the cosmos to graduate high school at this time in this place. And now they’re the first. Hoisted on their shoulders is the responsibility of shaping the very identity of a school still finding its rhythm. Nestled on Maricopa’s ever expanding east side, Desert Sunrise stands as a symbol of Maricopa’s widening footprint. Designed to accommodate up to 1,600 students, the campus opened originally to only ninth and tenth graders and has since grown year by year. The class of 2025 marks the school’s first full-
With purposeful technology integrated into daily learning, your student will gain the skills they need to succeed in high school and beyond .
Start the enrollment process!
Everything here is way newer, way more modern. My old school was built in the 1940s. It was cracking, falling apart. Coming here, it felt like I could just focus and grow.” JAAZIEL DOMINGUEZ, DSHS SENIOR
Empower your child’s journey towards life-long success. Visit legacytraditional.org
InMaricopa.com | June 2025
22
Powered by FlippingBook