The annual Career Development Conference, held on April 6th at the Mesa Convention Center, brought together talented JAG students from across Arizona, who showcased their skills in a range of competitions designed to prepare them for the workforce and higher education opportunities. Participants displayed exceptional professionalism, leadership, and creativity, leaving a lasting impression on the judges and attendees.
We are delighted to acknowledge the recipients of the scholarships offered by our valued partners. The following students have been awarded scholarships based on their academic excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to personal and professional growth:
The Dougherty Foundation Scholarship Recipients:
Giselle Rojas Guzman, Coronado High School
Emily Flores, Tolleson Union High School
Mireja Lassio, Paradise Valley High School
Tiffany Willis, Wickenburg High School
Damaris Desiderio Peralta, Paradise Valley High School
Hebah Shaie, Paradise Valley High School
Jasmin Margaret Batallones, Paradise Valley High School
Drew Mayberry, Paradise Valley High school
Daisy Martinez Santoyo, Coronado HIgh School
Mayar Adam, Paradise Valley High School
The Harrison-George Scholarship Recipient is Emily-Jane Crawford, West Point High School.
The Dr. Oranté Jenkins Leadership in Education Scholarship Recipient is Jasmin Batallones, Paradise Valley High School.
The Candia Philanthropy Award Recipients:
Jobanca Nunez, West Point High School
Maximiliano Marquina, West Point High School
Eddie Zazueta, West Point High School
The Carolyn Warner Lieber Legacy Scholarship Recipient is Louis Jordan Agulto, West Point High School.
Winners of the 2023 Career Development Conference Competitions are as follows:
This year we were honored to be supported by Choice Hotels who hosted the 2023 Choice Hotels Hospitality Triathlon. The winners of the Triathlon are the following;
Table Setting
3rd Place - Ruby Brown - Santa Cruz Valley High School
2nd Place - Arianna Guerra - West Point High School (MY)
1st Place - Amber Argomaniz - Tonopah Valley High School
Resolving a Customer Complaint
3rd Place - Eduardo Rios - Coronado High School
2nd Place - Alicia Perez - Camp Verde High School
1st Place - Jobanca Nunez - West Point High School (SR)
Housekeeping
3rd Place - Nicole Page - La Joya Community High School
2nd Place- Nyla Phillips - Tonopah Valley High School and
2nd Place - Corina Tlacomulco - West Point High School Multi Year
1st Place - Antwa'Nisha Washington - Sierra Linda High School
Choice Hotels Hospitality Overall Chapter Winners
3rd Place - Camp Verde High School
2nd Place - West Point High School Senior
1st Place- Tonopah Valley High School
Cover Design
3rd place – Jenna Flores – West Point Senior Program
2nd place – Yulianna Arreola – City of Tolleson JAG Works
1st place – Natalee Arriaga – Coronado High School
Chapter Picture
3rd place – West Point Multi-Year
2nd place –Tonopah Valley High School
1st place – Paradise Valley High School
Chapter Upper Apparel
3rd place – Tolleson JAG Works
2nd place – Paradise Valley High School
1st place – Tonopah Valley High School
Linked-In Competition Division 2
3rd place – Nyla Phillips – Tonopah Valley High School
2nd place – Zuleyka Corrales – Paradise Valley High School
1st place winner – Anais Daher – Westview High School
Linked-In Competition Division 1
3rd place – Hailey Garcia – LaJoya Community High School
2nd place – Jessica Romero – Westview High School
1st place winner – Giselle Rojas Guzman – Coronado High School
Writing Skills Competition Division 2
3rd Place – Genesis Lopez – West Point High School – Multi-year
2nd Place – Rizky Watuna Watts – Tolleson JAG Works
1st Place – Gavin Frank – Shadow Mountain High School
Writing Skills Competition Division 1
3rd Place – Eli Flores – Tolleson Union High School
2nd Place – Demaris Rodriguez – Shadow Mountain High School
1st Place – Declan Mercolini – Camp Verde High School
Communications Triathlon Division 2
3rd Place – Emmanuel Silva Orozco – Coronado High School
2nd Place – Arinna Robertson – West Point High School Multi-Year
1st Place – Joel Garcia Orozco – Coronado High School
Communications Triathlon Division 1
3rd Place – Emily Jane Crawford – West Point High School-Senior
2nd Place – Jasmine Garcia – La Joya Community High School
1st Place – Hebah Shaie – Paradise Valley High School
Math Skills 101 - Division 2
3rd Place – Zuleyka Corrales – Paradise Valley High School
2nd Place – Odalys Miranda – Tolleson Union High School
1st Place – Joel Garcia Orozco – Coronado High School
Math Skills 101 - Division 1
3rd Place – Anna Jeong – Shadow Mountain High School
2nd Place – Coby Keim – Westview High School
1st Place – Emily Douglas – Tolleson Union High School
Commercial Division 2
3rd Place – Camp Verde High School
2nd Place – LaJoya Community High School
1st Place – Tolleson Union High School
Commercial Division 1
3rd Place – Coolidge High School
2nd Place – Tonopah Valley High School
1st Place – West Point High School Multi Year
Youth Mental Health Awareness
3rd Place – Sierra Linda High School
2nd Place – Paradise Valley High School
1st Place – Wickenburg High School
La’Zett Brown-Butler Cosmetology Competition
Hair Styling – 1st Place – Jose Hernandez Rafael – Shadow Mountain High School
Barber – 1st Place – Christian Sanabria – Camp Verde High School
Make-up – 1st Place – Cynthia Guerra – Paradise Valley High School
Nails – 1st Place – Anay Medrano – Tonopah Valley High School
Lashes – 1st Place – Kiana Alexandra – West Point High School Senior
Overall Winner: Kimberly Bassoco, Tonopah Valley High School
Carolyn Warner Public Speaking Division II
3rd Place – Nathan Montero
2nd Place – Angel Gonzalez
1st Place – our first keynote speaker, Nyla Phillips
Carolyn Warner Public Speaking Division 1
3rd Place – Eddie Zazueta – West Point High School-SR
2nd Place – Jesse Braamkolk – West Point High School-SR
1st Place – our final keynote speaker – Jesus Garcia, Senior at Coolidge High School
L.O.V.E. Project
3rd Place – West Point Multi Year – Laila Solis , Mana Sidi
2nd Place – Coronado High School – Mirna Macedo, Daisy Martinez, Evelyn Olivares, Giselle Rojas Guzman
1st Place – Paradise Valley High School – Leslie Lopez Mendoza, Mayar Adam
Project Based Learning
3rd Place – West Point High School Senior – Jenna Flores, Eddie Zazueta
2nd Place – Tonopah Valley High School – Anay Medrano, Na'Ziyah Williams, Gage Stone, Nyla Phillips
1st Place – Coronado High School – Amy Gonzalezja, Emili Gonzalez , Daisy Martinez, Giselle Rojas Guzman
Career Preparation
3rd Place – Emmalie Keepers
2nd Place – Nathan Rodriguez
1st Place – Jasmin Batallones
1st Place – Symorah Johnson
Resume Writing
3rd Place – Nevaeh Collins – Paradise Valley High School
2nd Place – Hebah Shaic – Paradise Valley High School
1st Place – Dakotha Wiblin – Shadow Mountain High School
Interviewing Skills
3rd Place – Giselle Rojas Guzman – Coronado High School
2nd Place – Noni Berry – Westview High School
1st Place – Destiny Quinayas – Westview High School
Employability Overall Winners
3rd Place – Giselle Rojas Guzman – Coronado High School
2nd Place – Destiny Quinayas – Westview High School
2nd Place – Coy Bowser – Wickenburg High School
1st Place Overall winner is: Noni Berry, Westview High School
Stock Market Challenge
The winners are Runner up: Sierra Linda High School
1st Place: Paradise Valley High School
ACEE Personal Finance Challenge
3rd Place -
2nd Place – Hebah Shaie, Lidia Ruiz, Kayla Oritiveros, Mayar Adam – Paradise Valley High School
1st Place – Elijah Torres, Jesus Chavez Jr, Blake Squillaro, Christian Garcia – Paradise Valley High School
Mirror Communication
3rd Place Ross Chavahiri, Lily Lumina - Shadow Mountain High School
2nd Place Noni Berry, Margarita Hernandez Westview High School
1st Place Marchel Harton, King Coldwell, Tonopah Valley High School
UTI STEM-Tire Changing Competition
3rd Place West Point (MY)
2nd Place Coronado High School
1st Place Camp Verde
Team Tower Competition
3rd Place Coronado High School
2nd Place West Point High School (SR)
1st Place Copper Canyon High School
Creative Problem Solving
3rd Place Camp Verde
2nd Place Wickenburg
1st Place Paradise Valley High School
Chapter Banner Award
3rd Place Coolidge High School
2nd Place West Point High School
1st Place Wickenburg High School
Chapter Display Award
3rd Place Coronado High School
2nd Place Tonopah Valley High School
1st Place Wickenburg High School
This year’s Community Service Champion had a total of 87 Hours per student. The winning program is Paradise Valley High School.
In addition to recognizing an outstanding JAG Program for their contributions, each year JAG recognizes outstanding JAG students for their personal investment in the community.
The awardees are both from Paradise Valley High School with a total of 274 hours of service: Damaris Desiderio Peralta with 107 hours and Kayla Ontiveros from Paradise Valley High School.
The highly-anticipated awards, the Career Association of the Year AND the Program of the Year. The Career Association of the Year Award recognizes the youth-led organization that set high goals and demonstrated high levels of commitment and participation in order to achieve those goals.
Runner Up - Paradise Valley High School
Winner - Wickenburg High School
Finally, the Avant-Garde and Legacy Programs of the Year, not only demonstrated excellence in the Youth-led Career Association activities, but also accomplished the overall program goals by ensuring JAG participants improved their grades, attendance, and stayed on track for graduation.
Runner Up - Mult-Year Program-West Point High School
Winner - City of Tolleson JAG Works
Legacy Program of the Year winners
Runner Up - Paradise Valley High School
Winner -Coronado High School
The most difficult to judge and highly contested Professionalism Award.
This award recognizes the school that showed great professionalism and etiquette throughout the day of the conference. And the winning school is West Point High School.
These winners demonstrated exceptional abilities in their respective competitions and have proven themselves to be future leaders in the workforce. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each of them on their remarkable achievements.
(602) 216-9503 I info@jagaz.org