Yuma High School News

More than 80 individuals from the Yuma Union High School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) program are advancing to nationals after multiple state competitions over several weeks this spring. 

More than 700 students from all seven YUHSD schools competed in SkillsUSA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), and Future Farmers of America (FFA) throughout April and May, with FFA leadership competitions still to come in June. 

“It is wonderful to have CTSO winners from all of our campuses this year,” CTE Executive Director Lorie Honeycutt said. “We are very proud of each competitor for doing their best, and we are especially excited for those who have the opportunity to advance to the national level and represent us in even more challenging circumstances.”

In addition to individual and team achievements, all YUHSD CTSO chapters received awards for their work in community events and school activities, including bronze, silver, and gold chapter recognitions. Kofa High School Law & Public Safety teacher Eric Frost was also recognized as Advisor of the Year for SkillsUSA. 

Kofa’s Marine Corps JROTC program competed in several events and earned recognitions at all of them, as well as received the highest honors associated with the Leadership and Employability Skills Industry Credential Assessment. The Army JROTC took the assessment for the first time this year. Twenty-two cadets earned a passing score.

YUHSD has national competitors in every CTSO event taking place in various locations across the United States. See the full list of individuals who advanced to nationals below: 

FBLA
Aubri Anthony, Gila Ridge, Hospitality and Event Management; Ana Montes Burga, Gila Ridge, Hospitality and Event Management

FCCLA
Zada Rodriguez, Cibola, Baking and Pastry; Monico Rico, Cibola, Chapter Service Project Display; Trystan Walsh, Cibola, Chapter Service Project Display; Janessa Rodriguez, Cibola, Early Childhood Education; Angelita Robles, Cibola, Food Innovations; Ruehl Swenson, Cibola, Food Innovations; Leah Arcega, Cibola, State Officer First Vice President; Penelope Petersen, Gila Ridge, Entrepreneurship; Maliah Franco, Gila Ridge, Personal Finance; Isabel Offutt, Gila Ridge, Say Yes to FCS; Elena Packham, Kofa, Sports Nutrition; Jaidynn Soils, Kofa, Sports Nutrition; Orlando Alvarez, San Luis, Entrepreneurship; Angel Vargas, San Luis, State Officer Competitive Events

FFA
Lane Bacon, Cibola, Poultry Evaluation; Faith Escalante, Cibola, Poultry Evaluation; Drew Martinez, Cibola, Poultry Evaluation; Brooklyn Marchant, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; Samuel Ricker, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; Gage Sullivan, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; Lauren Sullivan, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; 

JROTC
Mildreth Hernandez, Kofa, Marine Corps Service Rifle Nationals; Thifanny Cardenas, Kofa, Marine Corps Service Rifle Nationals; Mildreth Hernandez, Kofa, Civilian Marksmanship Program State Rifle Championship (Individual); Mildreth Hernandez, Gunner Kinsey, Macrina Covarrubias, Garnet Ortiz, Kofa, Civilian Marksmanship Program State Rifle Championship (Team); Mildreth Hernandez, Kofa, NRA National Rifle Championship (Individual); Mildreth Hernandez, Thifanny Cardenas, Delila Mendez, Gunner Kinsey, Kofa, NRA National Rifle Championship (Team)

HOSA
Hillary Habecker, Kofa, HOSA History (Advisor); Dereck Damian, San Luis, Public Health; Natalia Medina, San Luis, Public Health; Santiago Penuelas, San Luis, Public Health; Juan Pinon, San Luis, Public Health; Carlos Rendon, San Luis, Public Health; Jose Santana, San Luis, Public Health; Afrika Carranza, Somerton, HOSA Secretary; Olivea Segovia, Somerton, Sports Medicine

SkillsUSA
Savanah Martinez, Cibola, Aesthetics; Cadence Pavey, Cibola, Aesthetics; Isabela Bean Davis, Cibola, State Officer; Clair Rubio, Cibola, State Officer; Fathyma Casillas, Kofa, American Spirit; Valeria Medina-Alvarado, Kofa, American Spirit; Jennifer Leyva, Kofa, American Spirit; Damian Burgos, Kofa, Career Pathways Showcase Business and Tech; Diego Enriquez, Kofa, Career Pathways Showcase Business and Tech; Zacaria Paredes, Kofa, Career Pathways Showcase Business and Tech; Koriina Ramos, Kofa, Occupational Health and Safety (Single); Sophia Rocha, Kofa, Occupational Health and Safety (Single); Zariyah Villa, Kofa, Occupational Health and Safety (Single); Amaya Kelln, Kofa, Power Equipment Technology; Samuel Alvarez, San Luis, Building Maintenance; Jose Gaxiola, San Luis, Firefighting; Martin Juarez, San Luis, Robotics and Animation; Raul Quiroz, San Luis, Robotics and Animation; Danytza Lopez, Somerton, Career Pathways Showcase Human Services; Danna Olivarria, Somerton, Career Pathways Showcase Human Services; Anahi Padilla, Somerton, Career Pathways Showcase Human Services

For the eighth consecutive year, Helios Education Foundation and Yuma Union High School District announced six recipients of the annual Helios Ready Now Yuma Scholarship.

Each scholarship is worth up to $15,000 per year and is renewable for up to three additional years. The scholarship program is part of Helios’ more than $2.6 million investment over 10 years in YUHSD students through the scholarship program, which began with the Class of 2019.

“Through the Helios Ready Now Yuma Scholarship, we are investing in students whose hard work, resilience and determination have led them to this point,” said Paul J. Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. “These students have already shown what’s possible when young people are surrounded by strong support systems and high expectations. We are proud to help remove financial barriers so they can continue pursuing their education and career goals.”

Students were surprised at school by their school counselors and principals with oversized checks and balloons. Videos of each surprise were shared on their respective school’s individual Facebook and Instagram pages with a full video compilation available on YUHSD’s official YouTube channel.

“This scholarship means so much more to me than just financial support, it gives me the opportunity to pursue my education without having to worry about tuition, something I never even imagined could be a real possibility for me,” said Cibola High School senior Adamariz Fernandez, who will attend the University of Arizona to study nursing.

“Because of this opportunity, I can focus on my education and future, pursuing a career that I’ve always dreamt about. Earning this scholarship shows me that my hard work has truly paid off and reflects how much I’ve grown over these past few years. This means so much more than a scholarship to me, it’s an opportunity shaping my future.”

The Helios Ready Now Yuma Scholars program supports graduating seniors with financial need who are attending an accredited post-secondary institution full-time and pursuing a 4-year degree in any field of study. Scholarships are renewable if students remain in good academic standing and maintain the required GPA.

Eighty-nine qualified applicants among the Class of 2026 were considered by Helios and the Arizona Community Foundation. 

Here are this year’s recipients, their high school, and what college or university they plan to attend: 

Adamariz Fernandez, Cibola High School, University of Arizona
Joshua Olan Lopez, Gila Ridge High School, Arizona State University
Genesis Cardenas, Kofa High School, Oregon Institute of Technology
Valeria Gutierrez, San Luis High School, University of Arizona
Evolhet Bonillas Valtierra, Vista High School, Northern Arizona University (Yuma)
Kimberly Flores, Yuma High School, Arizona State University

About Helios Education Foundation:

Helios Education Foundation exists to support postsecondary attainment for all students, with a focus on low-income and historically underrepresented communities, in Arizona and Florida. For more than 20 years, and driven by their fundamental beliefs of community, equity, investment, and partnership, Helios has invested more than $350 million in partnerships and initiatives focused on improving education outcomes in the two states they serve. Learn more at helios.org.

Twenty Yuma Union High School District students from six high schools earned awards at the Southern Arizona Research, Science, and Engineering Foundation (SARSEF) fair at the University of Arizona.

Overall, 46 students representing Cibola High School, Gila Ridge High School, Kofa High School, San Luis High School, Vista High School, and Yuma High School,  traveled to Tucson to showcase their projects, connect with industry professionals, and further develop their skills in scientific research and presentation. 

"I’m really proud of our students for putting themselves out there and presenting at SARSEF,” Kofa biology teacher Jason Flora said. “That’s not easy, and they showed a lot of courage and confidence in sharing their work. Walking around the fair, it was awesome to see their excitement and passion—they weren’t just presenting, they were having real conversations about their discoveries with passion and conviction.”

The students spent the majority of the fall semester designing their projects, collecting necessary data, writing their narratives and creating their posters.

"My experience at SARSEF was a very fortunate and encouraging experience,” Kofa student Getzemani Gomez Linan said. “It was challenging knowing there were many other people competing in the same category, but also fun getting to know new people and also seeing their creativity."

SARSEF provides students opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, network with STEM professionals, and a chance to earn scholarships and prizes. 

Here are the names and awards each student/class received:

Cibola:
Samantha Chulamorkodt, third place, Applied Technology and AVNET High School Innovator Award; Daniyal Irfan, AVNET High School Innovator Award; Melanie Moore, Student Award for Geoscience Excellence and Environmental Awareness Award; Xavier Rendon and Adrian Ruiz Martinez, the Future of Aerospace Sciences and Engineering Award

Gila Ridge:
Daisy Boelts, first place, “Oh Deer, it’s E. Coli!”

Kofa:
Lilly Town, third place, “Can People Recognize AI-Generated Images?” 

San Luis:
Jose Amador, Spark of Innovation Award; Juan Contreras and Ximena Diaz, SARSEF Board Award; Karely Alvarado, Valeria Gutierres and Alondra Patron, second place, the Study of Tardigrades and Their Adaptability and Mayer Family Excellence in Science Award; Maria Morales, Dave and Buster’s Celebration Award

Vista:
Ayden Barnes, Tucson Electric Power Award of Excellence

Yuma High:
Noah Chan, NASA Earth System Science Award; Estrella Bernal Lopez, Outstanding use of the Metric System Award; Evelyn Stelton and Ava Schwaderer, Ricoh Sustainable Development Award; Dani McKenna, Naval Science Award

For the 12th consecutive year, seniors from all six Yuma Union High School District graduating classes will appear on billboards across Yuma County to promote the district’s ongoing commitment to EVERY student being college, career and community prepared upon graduation.

There are six billboards in total located near each respective YUHSD campus. Two students from each school are represented in the campaign. As part of the selection process, each student was required to write a brief personal essay and take part in an on-camera interview. To read their stories, watch their interviews, and see photos of the billboards, please visit the 2026 RNY Billboard Showcase on YUHSD’s official website.

“Being chosen as the face of the graduating class of 2026 and representing my school on billboards across Yuma is something I never imagined for myself,” Yuma High School senior Yanira Zavala said. “When people see that billboard, they see a senior ready to graduate. What they don’t see is the journey behind that moment, the doubts, the pressure, and the determination it took to keep going when things felt overwhelming.”

Principals, guidance counselors, teachers, and district administrators all played a role in recommending students for the billboards, which will run through most of the summer. Additionally, banners of each student are displayed on their respective campuses for the 2026-27 school year. 

“We started this program with the graduating class of 2015 as a way to showcase our Ready Now Yuma initiative,” YUHSD Chief Communications Officer Eric Patten said. “Since then, the campaign has continued to grow and, most importantly, highlights the diversity and opportunity available to students in Yuma Union High School District. Every one of our students has paved a unique path to reach graduation day. The 12 seniors on the billboards each year are representative of all their peers and classmates.”

The students featured in the 2026 campaign represent a wide-range of areas within the district, including AVID, Career & Technical Education, SkillsUSA, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), National Honors Society, drama, band, Mastery of the Arts Program, dance, athletics, YUHSD’s migrant student program, special education, Student Council, and many more.

2026 RNY Billboard Students:

Adamariz Fernandez, Cibola High School
Eric Heredia, Cibola High School
Karidee Ellsworth, Gila Ridge High School
Amias Davis, Gila Ridge High School
Rachel Whitson, Kofa High School
Julio Reina, Kofa High School
Ashley Mercedes Beltran Leon, San Luis High School
Alberto Buchanan, San Luis High School
Ziara Turner, Vista High School
James Miller, Vista High School
Yanira Zavala, Yuma High School
Jesus Patino Salgado, Yuma High School

Billboard Locations:

Cibola: Southbound Avenue B near 32nd Street
Gila Ridge: Eastbound Interstate 8 near Araby Road
Kofa: Eastbound 24th Street and 4th Avenue
San Luis: Southbound Highway 95 near County 15th Street
Vista: Eastbound 32nd Street near Avenue B
Yuma High: Southbound 4th Avenue and 19th Street

Yuma Union High School District’s Mastery of the Arts Program (MAP) will host its annual gala on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Snider Hall on the Yuma High School campus.

The event begins at 4:30 p.m. with an art show in the Snider Hall breezeway to be followed at 6 p.m. by a live performance in the Taylor Dean McBride Auditorium. Admission is free and open to the public with refreshments available for purchase.

“The MAP Gala is one of the most special nights of the year for our program,” MAP Executive Director Lauren Spurlock said. “It celebrates the creativity, growth, and hard work of our students while giving them a platform to share their art with the community in a meaningful way.”

The art showcase is a self-guided gallery featuring original work from the program’s visual arts classes. The live performance showcase, which is a dynamic variety show, will include dance, music, puppetry, short film, audio production, and more - all hosted by students from the program’s podcasting class.

“I like the MAP Gala because we're able to share what we are working on from our classes with our parents and the other students in MAP,” said junior Lindsey Yu, who is a MAP Leading Artist in the Pitch Perfect class. “Being in this program has allowed me flexibility in my schedule and given me special opportunities working with the teachers and students from different campuses. Thanks to MAP I've been able to do so many things I never would have had the opportunity to do without it.”

MAP is designed for all YUHSD students who have a purposeful interest within the arts and is open to students in ninth through 12th grade. The intent of the program is to work collaboratively with each of the district’s various fine arts programs and community artists to grow, enhance and refine a student’s skill sets within the art disciplines. All program courses are designed to be an extension of a student’s fine arts high school experience.

Interested students may learn more by visiting the MAP section of the district’s official website, yumaunion.org.

The Yuma Union High School District Governing Board approved leadership transitions for principal roles at Yuma High School and Vista High School for the 2026-27 school year. 

Michael Fritz, current principal of Yuma High, will be transitioning to serve as principal of Vista, while Marci Sanchez, the current academics principal at Yuma High, will take over at Yuma High. Both will begin their new roles on July 1, 2026. 

Fritz began his career in education in 2004, starting as a teacher at Cibola High School and teaching health, wilderness survival, and physical education while also coaching soccer and football. He also spent three years as the school’s Ready Now Yuma Coach and stepped into administrative leadership in 2016 becoming an Assistant Principal at Cibola and later Yuma High. In August 2020, he was named Yuma High’s Principal and over the course of six years has helped lead the school’s overall improvement, including receiving a “B” rating in Arizona’s A-F letter-grade accountability system. 

"I am excited to serve as the Principal of Vista High School and to join this incredible community,” Fritz said. “Together, as a pack, we will support every student to thrive and ensure they are fully prepared for college, career, and community upon graduation. As Lobos, we will build strong relationships and accomplish great things together."  

Sanchez, who is a Yuma High alumna with 25 years working in education, worked with Fritz at the school since 2022, serving as an Assistant Principal overseeing academics and exceptional student services. She is also a member of the Yuma High School Athletic Hall of Fame, recognized as part of the 1990 softball state championship team. Her first position in YUHSD was serving as a Health and Physical Education at San Luis High School in 2007, while also serving as an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) sponsor and coaching volleyball and softball. Sanchez transitioned into a leadership role in 2011, serving as an Assistant Principal at Kofa High School and San Luis High School over the years. 

“My journey at YUHSD—from classroom to administration—has prepared me for this moment,” Sanchez said. “As a proud Yuma High third-generation alumna, I understand the legacy I’m stepping into. I’m honored to serve this community and ready to lead with purpose, responsibility, and a deep commitment to our students and families.”

Yuma Union High School District student nutrition managers and assistant managers earned their School Nutrition Association (SNA) credential certifications. 

The SNA provides leadership development through online coursework and operational training in partnership with the Institute of Child Nutrition. 

“Their commitment to professional growth and leadership development is nothing short of inspiring,” YUHSD Executive Director of Student Nutrition Elena Hildreth said. “Each of them is already working toward their next credential level; a true reflection of their passion and drive to serve our students at the highest level.”

Collectively, the group has completed more than 492 hours of online training covering topics such as food allergens, dietary guidelines, operations, leadership, and more. The certification process included exams after each course, as well as specialized training such as a manager sanitation certification, a child nutrition 101 course, and advanced coursework requiring extensive program-solving and critical thinking, recipe reading and comprehension, and understanding recipe units of measurement. 

According to Hildreth, the SNA certification will be a requirement for future managerial positions in the department.

Over the past three years, the YUHSD student nutrition department has expanded  scratch cooking, developed original recipes, and introduced breakfast carts across campuses. The department has also increased staff training and established committed partnerships with organizations that provide equipment, resources, and professional development such as the Chef Ann Foundation, No Kid Hungry/Share the Strength, and the Arizona Dairy Council, to help support students inside and outside of the classroom.

Yuma Union High School District, in partnership with Onvida Health, will be hosting a no-cost sports physical event on May 1, 2026 at San Luis High School. 

The event is open to all YUHSD student-athletes. Parents/guardians must be in attendance. Doors open at 4 p.m. and exams will conclude at 6 p.m. 

Exams will be conducted by Onvida Sports Medicine Fellowship Program Director Dr. Ryan Zerr and other medical residents.

“The sports physical event at SLHS is a great opportunity for our community to get ahead for next year,” SLHS Athletic Trainer Katia Rojas said. “Whether a student is already planning to join a sport or just considering it, this is a perfect chance to take advantage of a free physical. It’s also a wonderful chance for everyone to meet our athletic trainers, who play a key role in helping keep students healthy and injury-free throughout their seasons, as well as connect with doctors from our local community.”

A physical is required to participate in Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) competition. All physical examinations completed at the event will cover the student-athlete for the 2026-27 school year.

Yuma High School student David Argomaniz is among 1,500 students out of thousands of applicants nationwide to advance to the final interview round of the Gates Scholarship selection process.

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as one of the 1,500 finalists nationwide, but I know there is still work to be done in this application process,” Argomaniz said.

Recipients of the Gates Scholarship will receive funding to cover the full cost of attendance not already paid by other financial aid. This may include tuition, fees, books, housing, food, and certain personal expenses. 

Scholarship recipients will be announced on April 20, 2026.

The application process includes writing four essays on topics such as leadership, and listing all of the leadership and community service activities a student participated in.

Applicants must be a high school senior, Pell Grant-eligible, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. 

According to the Gates Scholarship website, the program is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding high school seniors from low-income households. 

Yuma Union High School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) welding students took part in Western Welding Academy’s 2026 Blue Collar Tour, a trade-career promotional tour, hosted on February 25 at Kofa High School.

“This tour is to encourage students to explore a welding career,” said Jayson Beagley, who is the Director of Blue Grit Foundation, an affiliate of Western Welding Academy. “We want them to understand that there's opportunities across the trade and it's not just a place to start, it's a place to advance.”

Welding students from Kofa, Gila Ridge High School, Yuma High School, Somerton High School, and San Luis High School participated in the high-energy presentation which included giveaways, welding demonstrations, a Q&A session, and insights about trade careers from Western Welding Academy graduates. 

“I loved the weld competition,” Kofa welding student Logan Marin said. “It was a lot of fun getting to weld and see others weld. The Blue Collar guys were very welcoming when they were teaching us."

YUHSD is one of 30 stops on the 2026 Blue Collar Tour. This is the second time the tour visited a YUHSD campus. The first was in 2024, which also took place at Kofa. 

Five wrestlers from Yuma Union High School District schools earned individual state titles at the three-day Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) wrestling championships in Phoenix.

Cannon Farrar from Gila Ridge High School was the 120-pound boys champion in Division I, while Kofa High School’s David Elias took home the Division I title at 132 pounds.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” GRHS boys wrestling coach Abel Villamoreno said. “Finishing sixth as a team in the toughest division and putting three wrestlers in the top three says a lot about their hard work and the direction of our program. The best part is every wrestler who finished on the state podium, including our two-time state champion (Farrar), is coming back next year, along with six returning state qualifiers who are determined to get on that podium.”

Somerton High School produced three state champions. Jayden Preston at 113 pounds and Kenneth Garcia at 120 pounds were Division IV boys title winners, while Annette Preston won the 185-pound title in girls Division II.

“The direction for the program can only get better from here on out, the sky’s the limit,” SHS girls wrestling coach Christopher Polanco said. “We managed to place, not only without any seniors, but missing five weight classes. The addition of the incoming freshman from middle school and a little bit of on-campus recruitment will help us build. A second-place finish helps makes it a whole lot easier to convince some ladies to come out and contribute to our program.”

Overall, nearly half of the district-record 49 wrestlers who qualified for state placed in the top six. Meanwhile, four programs also finished in the top 10 of team points, including Somerton girls placing second in Division II, Gila Ridge and Kofa boys finishing sixth and 10th, respectively, in Division I, and Somerton boys finishing sixth in Division IV.

Here are all YUHSD wrestlers who placed at the state finals:

BOYS

Gila Ridge High School, Division I
Cannon Farrar, 120, first; Ayden Sevilla, 106, second; Raidyn Tanaka, 150, third; Diesel Labady, 132, sixth

Kofa High School, Division I
David Elias, 132, first; Logan Whitacre, 215, third; Roman Jaimes, 126, fifth

Somerton High School, Division IV
Jayden Preston, 113, first; Kenneth Garcia, 120, first; Aztlan Raya, 106, fifth; Diego Felix, 126, fifth; Jose Perez, 138, sixth; Peter Rivas, 285, sixth

Yuma High School, Division III
Jayden Espinoza, 126, second

GIRLS

Gila Ridge High School, Division I
Georgia Barron, 120, sixth

Somerton High School, Division II
Annette Preston, 185, first; Jordyn Isla, 114, third; Breilla Reynoso, 120, third; Gianna Anaya, 235, third; Ariana Villafana, 107, fifth

Yuma Union High School District has long produced a winning standard in wrestling, earning a team state championship and multiple individual state titles in the past eight years alone.

The 2026 season, however, may ultimately be the school district’s most successful season to date. A record 49 boys and girls wrestlers from YUHSD qualified for the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) state tournament, which begins February 19 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.   

Gila Ridge High School qualified 11 boys for the Division I tournament, while Somerton High School, in just its third year, qualified 11 boys for the Division IV tournament. Somerton also had seven girls qualify for Division II.

It’s the most combined wrestlers in YUHSD history to make it to the state tournament. The 35 boys who qualified from YUHSD schools in 2026 are the most from the district since 2019 when 36 boys and eight girls qualified. Girls wrestling was officially added by the AIA in 2019.

The district’s previous high was 48 wrestlers in 2016 when Cibola High School had a qualifier from all 14 weight classes. Additionally, the district has qualified 30 or more wrestlers for state every year dating back to at least 2011.

Here are all YUHSD state wrestling qualifiers and their weight class for 2026:

BOYS
Cibola High School
Isyael Ibarra, 285

Gila Ridge High School
Ayden Sevilla, 106; Cannon Farrar, 120; Adan Velasquez, 126; Diesel Labady, 132; Owen Beck, 138; Pedro Luna, 144; Raidyn Tanaka, 150; Anderson Lesueur, 157; Logan Lines, 165; Adam Kempton, 175; Julio Gonzalez, 190

Kofa High School
Dylan Rush, 113; Roman Jaimes, 126; David Elias, 132; Emitt Merrill, 138; Isaac Paxton, 190; Logan Whitacre, 215; Gerardo Anaya, 285

San Luis High School
Ivan Ortiz, 165

Somerton High School, Division 4
Aztlan Raya, 106; Jayden Preston, 113; Kenneth Garcia, 120; Diego Felix, 126; Bernardo Felix, 132; Jose Perez, 138; Jose Polino, 144; Jesus Valenzuela, 150; Andres Centeno, 157; Frank Rivas, 215; Peter Rivas, 285

Yuma High School, Division 3
Joel Anaya, 113; Jayden Espinoza, 126; Estevan Romero, 132; Sebastian Cruz Peralta, 215

GIRLS
Cibola High School
Alicia Valenzuela, 152; Jolene Drake, 185

Gila Ridge High School
Jayleen Cortez, 107; Georgia Barron, 120; Savannah Pope, 165

Kofa High School
Mia Johnson, 165

Somerton High School, Division 2
Ariana Villafana, 107; Jordyn Isla, 114; Breilla Reynoso, 120; Yahaira Verdugo, 152; Sahari Pena, 165; Annette Preston, 185; Gianna Anaya, 235

Yuma High School, Division 2
Jaslyn Aguilar, 114

Yuma High School automotive students Miguel Linares and Alexander West placed first at the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) auto competition on January 24 in Avondale, Arizona earning them each a $10,000 scholarship to be used in any area of study at UTI. 

Linares and West competed as a team in the Top Tech competition, which included stations where they completed different automotive tasks such as measuring components with precision tools, an electrical diagnostic station where a circuit had malfunctions and they had to diagnose it, a parts identification table with a variety of car parts, brake stations where they had to inspect and measure brake parts, and a knowledge test.

“I am proud of all of the students. They worked very hard practicing after school and studying on their own time,” YHS auto instructor John Baldwin said. “We go into these competitions to further their knowledge and skills. I stress the importance of having fun and testing ourselves, not so much whether they win or not, so when they announce their names we all explode with excitement.”

Linares and West also earned a toolbox with new tools for their class, along with a first place banner to display in the school. 

The Universal Technical Institute competition allows high school students hands-on opportunities to demonstrate their skills in auto each year. It also shows them the different opportunities that there are for them not just in the automotive field but in technical trade careers as a whole.