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Below are quotes from Phoenix's outstanding youth about the teachers that impacted them most:

District 1

Mrs. Linda Bochansky Desert Mountain School	"... she had given me the tools for self help. Mrs. Bochansky's journal assignments not only brought out my suppressed emotions, but helped me to see things more clearly ... when I reflected on what I wrote." Aaron Shauninger Barry Goldwater High School
Mr. Scott Kaye Thunderbird High School	"Mr. Kaye uniquely and unselfishly encourages students by promoting others to have a passion for calculus and thus creating respect from his students as an extraordinary guru and mentor." Tiffany Son Thunderbird High School

District 2

Ms. Candace Wise Retired	"Mrs. Wise was a demanding teacher with a passion for education that made learning exciting and coming to school fun. ... she stressed the importance of being organized and managing priorities." Davig Dulberg Horizon High School
Ms. Charlie Littrell Chula Vista Elementary School District	"[Mrs. Littrell] had a heart of gold and was so enthusiastic about teaching that I was further inspired to become a teacher-hopefully one as good as her." "She always had something positive to say, and she took the time to get to know her students and make us all feel special." Racquel Goya Pinnacle High School

District 3

Mr. Jonathan Parker Thunderbird High School	"[Mr. Jonathan Parker] was my AP history teacher last year and is not only a fabulous teacher but an excellent human being. Mr. Parker has impacted me because of both his teaching and his character. His AP US history class was one of the most fun and exciting classes that I have ever taken." Ryne Barry Thunderbird High School
	"Mr. Parker is truly a peerless example of what a teacher, a mentor, and a friend should be." "[He] inspired me to constantly ask why and how, and consider what other options exist." "It is rare to find a teacher willing to give his of her students so much credit as individuals and intellectuals, and this unusually high level of trust truly impacted me." Amy Stabler Thunderbird High School

District 4

Mrs. Steinbeck Granada East School Deceased	"[Mrs. Steinbeck] was kind, gentle, and a great teacher." "I'm extremely grateful that she was part of my life. It was because of her that I am a dedicated student ... [and] am an active person that now loves to be part of the school and community." Rudy Calderon Metro Tech High School
Ms. Cathy Johnson Camelback High School	"[Cathy Johnson] made a commitment to teaching me how to expand my mind and 'think outside the box.'" "... I remember being truly stimulated, and I believe that being in her class prepared me very well for the challenges high school classes would bring, and the ideas that would be presented to me in the outside world." Ana Lujan Central High School

District 5

Mr. J Davis Alhambra High School	"... he talked to me outside of class telling me that I was not trying my best, and it could be fine for his class, but in life I had to try my best, no matter what. This little talk changed my life. I started to try 100% in school and felt a sense of accomplishment, thanks to Mr. Davis." Efren Martinez-Bernal Alhambra High School
Ms. Jacque King Trevor Browne High School	"I greatly admire Mrs. King for her generosity and willingness to help others." "I will always be thankful because she shared her experiences and knowledge with us. Mrs. King is the definition of what a teacher should be." Jennifer Duran Trevor Browne High School

District 6

Ms. Julie Bourdo Camelback High School	"[Mrs. Bourdo] has not only taught me marketing lessons, but life one as well." "She is one of the few truly dedicated teachers I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and I am truly grateful for that." Christian Lee Vasquez Camelback High School
Mr. Erik Dominguez Desert Vista High School	"As one of the most sacrificial and hard-working teachers in the world, [Mr. Erik Dominguez] literally spends every hour dedicated to improving his classes and the Speech and Debate team." "He has touched every part of my life, encouraging me through academics, relationships, debating, acting and public speaking." Teri Yu Desert Vista High School

District 7

Ms. Judy Ferguson La Joya Community High School	"Mrs. Ferguson is the teacher who has encouraged me to go to college, to join the National Honor Society and nominated me to be a peer mediator." "I feel extremely fortunate for knowing such a wonder and inspiring teacher and human being." Pablo Sandoval, Jr. La Joya Community High School
Mr. Fredi Lajvardi Carl Hayden Community High School	"As a teacher [Mr. 'Fredi' Lajvardi] advocates the importance of education and encourages me to follow my dreams and aspirations. His charismatic character inspires me to become someone important in life and make a difference in the world." Angelica Hernandez Carl Hayden Community High School

District 8

Ms. Maggie Vasquez Southwest Elementary School	"Mrs. Vasquez was a teacher that cared about her students." "She knew that learning a new language is a hard goal to accomplish. Even though my parents didn't know how to speak English, I managed to excel with the help of my teachers in English as well as my first language of Spanish." José Ernesto Torres South Mountain High School
Mr. Jay Edelson Camelback High School	"[Mr. Edelson'] famous quote, 'Listen to what I say, not to what you think I said' has motivated me to see things in a different perception yet, still keep my own ideas strong. In his class, I have learned the value of standing up for what I beleive in, because after all, that's all I truly own." Diana Resendiz Camelback High School