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DESERT SUNRISE HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION CLASS OF
2026
Presented by
Administration
Congratulations Class of 2026!
CONGRATS, CLASS OF 2026 No matter where life takes you, Maricopa goes with you.
PRINCIPAL Phillip Verdugo
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS Jim Bradford, Athletic Director Emily Maxwell, CTE Director Arlander McCarthy, Curriculum
DEAN OF STUDENTS Angele Blick
MISSION Empower students to become engaged learners, critical thinkers and compassionate leaders.
VISION Through innovative teaching methods, diverse opportunities and a commitment to community engagement, we aim to inspire our students to reach their full potential and become responsible global citizens who positively impact society.
SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Tracey Lopeman
GOVERNING BOARD PRESIDENT Patti Coutré
VICE PRESIDENT Carolyn Lopez
MEMBERS Lisa Garcia Ben Owens Shanté Rothschild
2 DSHS • Class of 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Congratulations Class of
Congratulations, Class of 2026!
You did not arrive at this moment by chance, but through effort, persistence, and resolve. You showed up, did the work, and pushed through the days that asked more of you than you thought you had. You are ready. Whether you were a state champion or the quiet kid with a dream and a plan, you found your way. Take the next step, again and again, and one day you will look back and realize you have gone further than you ever imagined. Because you are prepared, take your time. Build new friendships and hold on to the ones who have brought you this far. Seek joy and fulfillment. Apply what you have learned, and allow yourself to grow through the experiences and celebrate the journey. I am so proud of you. Truly. And I cannot wait to see where you go next. Onward!
Dr. Tracey Lopeman Superintendent, Maricopa Unified School District
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4 DSHS • Class of 2026
Congratulations Class of From all of us at Electrical District No. 3, we are proud to celebrate your hard work and achievements. As you step into your next chapter, remember you have the power to create something amazing. The future is yours to light up. 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Commencement
Thursday, May 21, 2026 7:30 p.m. Desert Sunrise High School Football Field
Class of 2026 Recognition Mr. Micah Braden | Choir Instructor
Processional “Pomp and Circumstance” | DSHS Band
Presentation of Colors Air Force JROTC Color Guard
National Anthem Kiyaani Richardson | DSHS Junior
Welcome Address Mr. Phillip Verdugo | DSHS Principal
Introduction of Speakers Mr. Phillip Verdugo | DSHS Principal
Superintendent Speech Dr. Tracey Lopeman | MUSD Superintendent
Salutatorian Address Isabel Mosca | Salutatorian
Valedictorian Address Andrew Wilson | Valedictorian
Military Honors Lt. Col. (Ret.) Allen E. Kirksey, Jr. Instructor, Air Force JROTC Program
Introduction of Graduates Connor Exline | Social Studies Department Chair Mayra Garcia | Academic Counselor - Seniors
Class Tribute Julian Alarcron | Graduate
Proclamation of Graduates Mr. Phillip Verdugo | DSHS Principal
At ED3, we’re proud to support local grads through scholarships and give back to the community that powers us.
Tassel Ceremony Jayda Kuehnl | Senior Class President
Class of 2026 • DSHS 7 520-424-9021 www.ed3online.org
6 DSHS • Class of 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Academic Awards and Honors
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Blue/Gold Cords Student inducted into the National Honor Society
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Honor Roll
Julian Alarcon Lyla Allen
Sonny A. Anguiano Julianna B. Barney Adriana V. Brizuela Neo Fassbaugh Benjamin M. Gaffney Gianna J. Gilbert Abbygale N. Harris Anita D. Irakoze Maya K. Johnson-Winfield Lillian M. Martin Serena Mejia Kevin M. Polewka
Christopher R. Brown Jocelyn R. Carpio
Matthew J. Allenby Chloe L. Armstrong Aliviyah M. Benion Jaeda L. Dansby Laniah K. Draper Nayeli C. Garcia Alexa Y. Gomez Fuller Tatiana Henderson Emmerson R. Jimenez Jonathan C. Jorgensen Haylie G. Keleman Isabel F. Kimball Azaria L. McDonald Sophie R. McKillop Kandyse D. Meighan
Annazteca E. Chavez Jenalee M. Coronado Gerardo Duran Jr. William O. Gac Anna V. Graff-Castro Jackson H. Jay Lamiya L. Jones Carol R. Kaloti Kaitlyn E. Kientzler Alexa R. Kudisheva Pichardo Sophie Lopez
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Gold Cord & Tassel
Students who earned a 4.0 unweighted GPA or a 4.0 weighted plus a 3.5 unweighted GPA for AP/Honor students for Semester 1 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT Silver Cord & Tassel Students who earned a 3.8-3.99 unweighted GPA or a 3.8-3.99 weighted plus a 3.0 unweighted GPA for AP/Honor students for Semester 1
Logan M. Riese Jiselle Shamoon
Digenaro T. Martinez Samantha E. Morgan Benjamin R. Navarrette Lily M. Nelson Ezekiel-Ryder C. Orian Soriyah T. Petty Giovanni Porporino Isaiah I. Ruiz Zebadiah A. Sagaya Jocelin M. Santos Lopez Ronin J. Spaulding Kadence H. Stansfield Clarichie V. Suwandy Mackenzie L. Venegas Angelica R. Villegas Jeffery E. Walker
Isabel V. Mosca Kade N. Norris Joseph E. Parten Nadia M. Porter Giselle U. Ramirez Perla Rangel Castro Leena R. Sabagh Mya R. Sohr Audrey R. Stout Chukwuma K. Ukwuoma Jr.
HONOR ROLL Silver Cord
Students who earned a 3.5 Unweighted GPA or a 3.5-3.78 weighted plus a 3.0 unweighted GPA unweighted for AP/Honor students for Semester 1
Jacelyn L. Williams Andrew O. Wilson
STUDENT COUNCIL Red & Black Cord Students elected to the Student Council
DECA Royal Blue Cord
Members of DECA, an organization dedicated to emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in the fields of marketing, management, hospitality and finance
Your Journey Starts NOW!
CAVIT Orange Cord
Students who graduated from a Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology program and received both high school and dual- enrollment credits while enrolled
FIND YOUR PATH AT CENTRALAZ.EDU
Photography by Victor Moreno
8 DSHS • Class of 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Empowering students to become engaged learners, critical thinkers, and compassionate leaders.
10 DSHS • Class of 2026
Class of 2026 • DSHS 11
CLASS OF 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Shaila M. Flores
Lilianni K. Franklin
William O. Gac
Benjamin M. Gaffney
Christian L. Gallardo
Mario K. Jr. Galvan
Aylin S. Galvez Coutino
Emiliano Aguilar Gamino
Ashley M. Aguilar
Nevaeh I. Aguilar
Maximiliano Aguirre
Julian Alarcon
Lluvia A. Alestri
Sydney A. Alexander
Wies A. Garcia-Binford
Nathaniel E. Garcia
Nayeli C. Garcia
Annabelle R. Garduno
Violet S. Gibson
Gianna J. Gilbert
Alexa Y. Gomez Fuller
Lyla R. Allen
Matthew J. Allenby
Sonny A. Anguiano
Jesus A. Araujo
Chloe L. Armstrong
Mathew L. Arroyo
Isaac A. Astorga
Tatiana V. Gomez Gelvez
Christopher J. Gonzales
Anna V. Graff-Castro
Kobe T. Gums
Hailee M. Gutierrez
Jaden R. Gwillim
Anna C. Hackman
Zion O. Ayala Carranza
Laronne D. Bailey
Julianna B. Barney
Aliviyah M. Benion
Makailor S. Bowsley
Landon J. Brauner
Adriana V. Brizuela
Kylee S. Hamel
Lee’Aysia D. Hankins
Abbygale N. Harris
Jayden M. Harris
Tristan A. Hefty
Kevin M. Henderson
Tatiana M. Henderson
Christopher R. Brown
Rylen I. Bryan
Jocelyn R. Carpio
Micah K. Carr
Devonte M. Catlin-Thibeaux
Olivia Cervantes
Amauri S. Chandler
Landon J. Hernandez
Mia J. Hernandez
Mia V. Hernandez
Sidney Hernandez
Lucas A. Hester
Promise R. Hoke
Jasell R. Holbert
Annazteca E. Chavez
MacKenzie M. Chee
Jenalee M. Coronado
Jamison T. Jr Cosen
Dherek Y. Cota Walker
Rowland VII Cox
Shayne G. Crandall
Blake Hollis
Aaliyah Z. Howard
James P. Ilten
Anita D. Irakoze
La’Damian J. Jackson
Tyjahn Jackson
Jaylaa A. James
Thomas R. Jr Crew
Noah I. Daniels
Jaeda L. Dansby
Latrell J. Davis
Wayne A. III Davis
Irelyn A. De Jesus
Maci L. Dillon
Gabriel Jarvis Castillo
Jackson H. Jay
Emmerson R. Jimenez
Maya K. Johnson-Winfield
Madilyn F. Johnson
Torice T. Johnson
Alexander I. Jones
Laniah K. Draper
Nicholas J. Droste
Gerardo Jr Duran
Nevaeh H. Durbin
Mateo J. Evans
Neo Fassbaugh
Benicio C. Figueroa
12 DSHS • Class of 2026
Class of 2026 • DSHS 13
CLASS OF 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Lamiya L. Jones
Jonathan C. Jorgensen
Carol R. Kaloti
Kenneth W. Kariuki
Kech A. Kech
Haylie G. Keleman
Anthony R. Key
Peyton J. Murray
Benjamin R. Navarrette
Karla Navarro Cardenas
Lily M. Nelson
Isaac Nez-Garcia
Kade N. Norris
Elisa E. Nunez Cortes
Kaitlyn E. Kientzler
Isabel F. Kimball
Miranda B. Kimball
Kyla F. King
Christian K. Kruse
Alexa R. Kudisheva Pichardo
Jayda R. Kuehnl
Noel Nunez
Olivia M. Olivas
Ezekiel-Ryder C. Orian
Chloe M. Ortiz
Isaac R. Ortiz
Jordan R. Ortiz
Fernando Jr Ovando Mendez
Travon J. Leon
Yusleni Licano Carbajal
Timothy S. Limon
Samantha F. Little
Wesley J. Longsworth
Christian A. Lopez
Sophie Lopez
Ronin N. Owczarzak
Alexa J. Pallares Sanchez
Joseph E. Parten
Jaelyn O. Pati
Brissa D. Perez Ruiz
Carter J. Peterson
Soriyah T. Petty
Leniah-Chanel J. Lowe
Emiliano J. Lupercio
Serenity A. Macias-Baker
Lillian M. Martin
Audriana B. Martinez
Digenaro T. Martinez
Charli McAfee
La’Mia M. Pierce
Anthonny D. Pineda
Kevin M. Polewka
Alinna G. Ponce
Giovanni Porporino
Nadia M. Porter
Azul D. Portillo Valenzuela
Asten J. McAnelly
Zaxton S. McAnelly
Azaria L. McDonald
Sophie R. McKillop
Lilyana A. Mclaughlin
Noah C. Medina
Benjamin M. Post
Andrew L. Prather
Ashlynn L. Purifoy
Robert A. III Ralthenberger
Eliana I. Ramirez
Giselle U. Ramirez
Perla Rangel Castro
Ky’Jaun D. McCutcheon-Cornish
Kandyse D. Meighan
Sophia A. Meinhardt
Serena Mejia
Fernando A. Mena Galvan
Jamisen J. Menard
Coral D. Meyers
Avery I. Miller
Kaelyn M. Raue
Sayuri N. Restrepo
Maggie F. Rhymer
Logan M. Riese
Tiffany R. Robbins
Cirra K. Roberts
Christopher X. Rendino-Moreno
Cameron S. Mills
Jordan I. Moralez
James A. Moran
Samantha E. Morgan
Isabel V. Mosca
Christian M. Muniz
Samuel A. Munoz
Elijah A. Robidoux
Sebastian Robles
Ashley D. Rodriguez Lugo
Julian C. Rogalla
Jazlyn P. Romero
Jesus Y. Romo Arvayo
Isaiah I. Ruiz
14 DSHS • Class of 2026
Class of 2026 • DSHS 15
CLASS OF 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Destiny D. Villela
Jeffery E. Walker
Donovan E. Washington
Samantha N. West
Jacelyn L. Williams
Keyontae L. Williams
Andrew O. Wilson
Leena R. Sabagh
Zebadiah A. Sagaya
Aaron T. Sanchez
Eric J. Sanchez
Vincent A. Sanchez
Tramell J. Sanhadja
Aurora M. Salamone-Macdonald
Sterling Woodard
Colton P. Yates
Briana Q. Zamorano Ramirez
Brody J. Zirpel
Jocelin M. Santos Lopez
Ethan K. Schultz
Amaya J. Scott
Niamiah F. Scruggs
Alexander Serna
Mary R. Shakir
Jiselle Shamoon
Saniya M. Johnson Aime B. Lamour MiguelAngel Luna Sebastian Miranda Andrew G. Molina Aria N. Moore
Sal N. Ochoa Kaiden J. Perez Mirella L. Rascon Abner I. Reyes Garay Angeliyah M. Royston-Brooks Julius K. Woodley
Graduating Seniors Not Pictured
Jaycea D. Bailey Landon S. Bartlett Isaac Harbor
Aubrey B. Shane
Shawn R. Jr Shelby
Kyle W. Sherwood
Kaydence M. Shipman
Gage P. Shurvell
Thomari K. Simmons
Raelynn E. Sinclair
Congratulations, Kaydence Shipman! Y Your hard work, dedication, and positive attitude have made a lasting impact InMaricopa Editorial Intern
Kenadi M. Smith
Kennedy J. Smith
Nyeem J. Smith
Mya R. Sohr
Ronin J. Spaulding
Kadence H. Stansfield
Audrey R. Stout
Congratulations Class of 2026
Mateo A. Straham
Anthony D. Jr. Sullivan
Clarichie V. Suwandy
Farida Tahmazova
Cayla Taylor
Keira A. Thomas
Deon J. Jr. Thompson
during your time with us. We are so proud of all you’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next. Wishing you continued success in all that lies ahead!
The tassel turns, and a new journey begins. Wherever life takes you from Maricopa, Ponderosa Broadband will be here at home, keeping you connected to the people and moments that matter most.
Jose J. Torres Sanchez
Brayden T. Tracy
Heaven D. Trannon
Erynn R. Tyler-Floyd
Chukwuma Jr K. Ukwuoma
Andrew T. Vasquez
Ivryn N. Vasquez
www.ponderosa-broadband.com
Nickayla A. Vasquez
Paola I. Vasquez
Kaleb H. Vavages
Mackenzie L. Venegas
Andres I. Villalobos
Kelly A. Villalobos
Angelica R. Villegas
16 DSHS • Class of 2026
Class of 2026 • DSHS 17
CLASS OF 2026
CLASS OF 2026
18 DSHS • Class of 2026
Class of 2026 • DSHS 19
CLASS OF 2026
Valedictorian | Andrew Wilson
1
401 days ago, those morning trumpets flourished for the first time.
wear the mask.” And on the surface, it’s obviously about a superhero. But when you look deeper, it also applies to the identity, the legacy, the thing you’re trying to become, and it doesn’t just belong to one person. It belongs to whoever is willing to step into it and carry it forward. We are the first class to ever wear the Golden Hawks mask for all four years. Every tradition this school has, we started. Every standard this school holds, we set. Future students will walk in these halls and inherit something, and that something is us. That is no small feat. And what I want us to remember is when we’re out there in life and things get hard, that we have already done something hard and made something incredible out of it. We built a community from nothing, at an age when most people are still figuring out who they even are. Whatever comes next, we have proof that we can walk into the unknown and make something beautiful out of it. That’s what maturity looks like. Not just getting older but deciding that the people around you matter. That the place you’re part of matters. That what you leave behind matters. We leave behind a legacy. We leave behind a standard. We leave behind a home. This school, this nest, of ours was never meant to be permanent. It was meant to just be the beginning. Class of 2026 Golden Hawks, I believe it is time we take our leap of faith and soar into greatness.
And if I’m being honest, I don’t think any of us really knew what we were walking into. A new building with new teachers, and no upperclassmen to show us the ropes, no alumni to look up to, no legacy to lean on. We were just a bunch of freshmen in a school that was starting from scratch. And we built it up together. We were fourteen, fifteen years old when we first walked through those doors. We were awkward and unsure trying to pretend that we weren’t. We didn’t know who we were going to be yet, and neither did Desert Sunrise. Think about how different we are now from those freshmen who showed up on day one. Not just taller, not just older, but genuinely different. We’ve learned so much over these four years. How to accept loss, how to pride our wins, how to be there for someone when they need it, and how to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. That’s not something you can teach in a classroom. That’s something you build slowly, imperfectly, but together over much more than 1,401 days, but we made it work. Recently I rewatched one of my favorite movies of all time, Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse. You’ve had almost 8 years to watch it but spoiler alert, after Spiderman dies, Miles is told: “Anyone can
20 DSHS • Class of 2026
CLASS OF 2026
CLASS OF 2026
Salutatorian | Isabel Mosca
were when we walked in these doors, and the person we are as we walk out. In 2014, Gwen Stacy said this to her graduating class: “Time is luck, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Make yours count for something. Fight for what matters to you, no matter what. Because even if we fall short, what better way is there to live?” Her words are important, not just because of what they ask of us, but because we’re already doing it. I’ve seen this class fight for what matters and experienced the community we’ve built from the ground up, and I couldn’t be prouder. My hope is that we take that with us… that we choose purpose over pressure, and passion over expectation. That we move through the world with intention, lead with kindness even when no one is watching, and work toward the life we want, not the one we feel expected to chase. There are two Latin phrases I want to share that feel especially relevant to this moment: First, “ad astra per aspera,” or, through hardship to the stars. It asks us to keep pushing forward, no matter the obstacles, because we may find ourselves pushing past our limits. And second, “amor fati,” which means to love one’s fate. To accept every detour, every setback, and every unexpected turn not as something to resist, but as something that shapes us into who we are meant to become. I’m grateful for everything I’ve lost. I’ve changed a lot in four years, and even in just one. Because every experience, setback, wrong choice, and mistake allowed me to grow. The things I’m so lucky to have only came to me because life cleared the way for them. I wouldn’t have met my best friends without losing something first, I wouldn’t have worked as hard as I did, and I wouldn’t have learned anything without facing adversity. My mom, who’s probably bawling her eyes out right about now, always says “everything happens for a reason,” and while that’s not always easy to believe, I try to carry that mindset with me every day. I hope the road ahead of me is difficult, I hope it challenges me, and I hope it tests my limits, because that’s exactly how I’ll learn to defy them. In the end, it won’t always be the perfect moments we remember. It will be the times we adapted, the times we persisted, and the people we became in spite of everything we didn’t see coming. Graduates… even though the end is near, this is just the beginning of every chapter we have yet to write. Thank you.
H
ello everyone. I’d like to begin by greeting our honored guests, teachers, staff, admin, and, most importantly, the class of 2026 graduates! If we haven’t met before, my name is Isabel Mosca, and I’m speaking as this year’s Salutatorian. I’m incredibly honored to have been granted this moment in recognition of my academic journey, but in all honesty,
that’s the last thing on my mind tonight. As we close the final chapter of high school and read back the pages of our “coming of age” story, we’ll only remember what was important. What mattered was not any accomplishment, accolade, grade, or expectation, but who we became in between. In time, the details will fade. We’ll forget where we sat in fourth period, the score we got on our final, who was in what club, who was best at what sport, or even who stood at this podium tonight. But what won’t fade are the things that never made it onto a transcript. The friendships we built, the moments we chose to keep going, the effort it took to get here, and the ways we changed each other without even realizing it. We’ll remember the person we
22 DSHS • Class of 2026
Patti Coutré PRESIDENT
Congratulations Maricopa High School, Desert Sunrise High School and Maricopa Virtual Academy Class of 2026! The Governing Board proudly congratulates the Class of 2026. There is a quiet confidence that comes with growing up in Maricopa, and it shows in how you carried yourselves in classrooms, in competition, and in the everyday moments where your character stood out. Whether on a stage, a field, or simply in how you treated each other, you reflected the very best of this community. Wherever your path leads next: college, the military, the workforce, or something you build on your own, you are ready for it. You have developed the skills, confidence, and grit to take that next step. As you move forward, know that you embody the strength and values of Maricopa. We are proud of who you are and confident in where you are headed. Congratulations, Class of 2026.
Carolyn Lopez VICE PRESIDENT
Lisa Garcia MEMBER
Ben Owens MEMBER
With pride,
Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board
Shawnté Rothschild MEMBER
(520) 568-5100 www.musd20.org
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