Against the backdrop of Arizona’s ongoing education challenges, the Metropolitan Education Commission brought together students, educators and community leaders from across Pima County earlier this month, honoring those making a measurable difference in the lives of young people.

With Arizona consistently ranking among the lowest states in the nation for public education, the annual “Evening to Empower Ed” event also aimed to reaffirm the community’s shared responsibility in shaping a stronger future for public education.

The Metropolitan Education Commission is a nonprofit organization established 35 years ago by the late Congressman Raúl Grijalva and then-Tucson Mayor Thomas Volgy.

The commission served as an advisory body for Pima County and the city of Tucson to address education disparities impacting K-12 students by building programs and advocating for policies that improve public education.

“Any sort of organization or commission that supports youth and our students to be successful from K-12 onto college, I’m all in,” said Pima County School Superintendent Dustin Williams, a former teacher and product of the Tucson public school system. “The mission of it really is to find opportunities for students and get them to the next level in their life.”

Williams said that despite Arizona’s national rankings, the state has some of the “most tremendous teachers and educators.”

“Here in Pima County, this community is devoted to the success (of students), to really make sure that students understand they can achieve their goals,” he said.

Executive Director Rocque Perez, who was recently appointed to fill the Tucson City Council’s Ward 5 seat for the rest of the year, talked about connecting underserved students with resources as a bridge toward college and career success.

(I) “was very adamant about supporting (student) aspirations from the lens of service,” Perez said. “How are we equipping them, empowering them with both the professional and academic means to build their futures and to support their communities?”

The commission has programs that help engage students with their communities and provide them with career pathways, and several of these students were honored during the May 9 event.

Pueblo High School student Mariana Martinez was recognized as the group’s Peer Mentor of the Year. MEC peer mentors work with students in nine Pima County districts to ensure they have access to the resources they need to succeed.

While taking the stage to accept her award, she told attendees about her experiences working with students who are often low-income, undocumented or need disability accommodations.

“We believe that everyone deserves the right to pursue higher education,” Martinez said. “Everyone deserves (opportunities) to change the world.”

Several other peer coaches and Youth Civic Fellows, who participate in workshops, volunteer opportunities and events to advance a career of service, were also recognized for their work in their schools and the region.

Pueblo High School’s Estefania Herrera was named an Exemplary Educator, an award that recognizes teachers who go above and beyond in serving and empowering students in their academic journeys. Herrera, who is also a Pueblo alumna, played a key role in increasing English proficiency rates for students whose second language is English, helping Pueblo earn a 9 out of 10 rating in English-language student achievement two years in a row.

“It’s been a full circle (journey),” Herrera said.

Instead of focusing on herself, Herrera told the crowd about how her students inspire her to be the educator she strives to be.

“I have a student (who) is the person that I look up to the most right now,” she said. “Even if it means him stepping out of his comfort zone, if it is to help his peers as friends, he will do it.”

She said the student is helping one of his classmates graduate, working with the student until 7 p.m. on many days.

“I had the privilege and the pleasure to be his teacher,” she said. “I am very proud of him.”

The Crystal Apple Award for Counselor of the Year was awarded to Empire High School’s Gayle Morrison. The Crystal Apple Award is given to individuals, programs and organizations that notably serve the educational community, building a positive space to learn and work.

A former teacher, Morrison is the team lead of Empire’s counseling department. She also serves as a suicide prevention trainer with the Vail Unified School District and is an advocate for improving evaluation tools that align with the American School Counselor Association standards.

“We're really fortunate as counselors that we get to impact students, teachers and families,” Morrison said. “We had our athletic commitment ceremony and had two athletes (saying) ‘Hey I wouldn’t have gotten through high school without you.’ Knowing that every day that we do something, we're making that impact.”

Vida Rodriguez was the recipient of the Crystal Apple Award for Outstanding Service to the Community.

Rodriguez is a youth peer outreach specialist at the Goodwill METRO Youth Program, mentoring both middle and high school students.

He was also previously involved with Boys to Men Tucson, a nonprofit organization fostering a safe space for masculine-identifying people to have a community.

“I notice youth let their wall down completely when it's somebody that looks like you, sounds like you,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like it's more impactful.”

Rodriguez said his journey of being a youth in foster care, a queer student of color and later coming out as trans empowered him to be an advocate for other students and community members.

“I didn't feel like I could see myself in these spaces, definitely with representatives, with board of directors, executive directors,” Rodriguez said. “I finally felt safe enough, comfortable enough, to put myself out there in the community and use my voice.”

Greater Tucson Leadership was awarded the Outstanding Service to the Community accolade for its work with the Tucson Youth Leadership Academy.

With support from the Pima County Superintendent of Schools Office, the youth leadership academy works with Title I high schools to help students prepare for careers by developing leadership skills, job shadowing and fostering a college path through Pima Community College, another of their partners. Title I schools are federally funded and serve low-income students, aiming to help them meet academic standards and close achievement gaps.

“We started this program (in) 2021, just as the pandemic was winding down,” said Chief Executive Officer Justin Lukasewicz. “We've been to seven schools now and we have over 160 graduates of the program. It’s been really cool to connect with high school students.”

Topacio “Topaz” Servellon is a freelance journalist out of Tucson. Contact them at topacioserve@gmail.com.

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