DAVID WALLACEffHE REPUBLIC
The top seven players in the state for 2011 (from left):
ANDI
LOWRANCE
BIANCA
ARELLANO
6-1
Senior
Middle blocker
Phoenix Sunnyslope
The catalyst of Sunnyslope's Division II cham­
pionship team, the program's fourth
consecutive title. A sixrotation player, which
is very unusual for a
middle. Had 369 kills,
378 digs. Signed with
Seattle University.
NIKKI
HESS
HALEY
LAWLESS
MACEY
GARDNER
5-8
6-0
6-4
6-0
5-6
5-11
Senior
Setter
Phoenix Xavier Prep
Junior
Outside hitter
Phoenix Horizon
Senior
Outside hitter
Gilbert
Junior
libero
Phoenix Xavier Prep
Senior
Outside hitter
Peoria liberty
Two-time All-Arizona
player is state's best allaround player. Smart
and a force from any­
where on the court. To­
taled 1,249 assists this
season. Signed with
Tennessee.
Among the trees on
Horizon's front row,
Hess is the team's go-to
hitter in the clutch and
MVP. Had 393 kills, 270
digs. Also being
recruited by many Divi­
sion I colleges.
Senior
Outside hitter
Chandler
Seton Catholic
Division I-III Player of
Year might be the most
powerful hitter in Ari­
zona girls volleyball
history. Had 407 kills
this season. Perform­
ance in Division I title
match (32 kills) is leg­
endary. ASU bound.
Coaches rave about her
back-row ability and
it's easy to see why.
Dominates from the
back with her soft pas­
ses and qUick digs. Had
449 digs and countless
saves. Has about 15 of­
fers from Division I
schools.
The ultimate team
MVP, was a star si nce
her freshman season.
Dominated after be­
coming not only a
power hitter but a
smart hitter. Had 485
kills. Bound for BYUHawaii.
Two-time All-Arizona
player is a four-time
state champion and a
match-up nightmare.
Averaged an astound­
ing 6.2 kills per game.
Player ofthe Year can­
didate every season.
Signed with UCLA.
I AMANDA
I BENSON
NOEL
PAUGA
Students offer
sound ideas
about civility
il1 discourse
The Arizona Republic
e asked the next gen­
eration of voters and
leaders for their ideas
on how to improve the tone of
political discourse.
And did they deliver.
Nearly 1,200 Arizona stu­
dents from seventh through
12th grades crafted short es­
says or videos on how our na­
tion could foster well-reasoned
discussions and find common
ground on controversial issues.
Judges narrowed the numer­
ous entries to 22 semifinalists,
who were then interviewed
over the phone. This past week,
12 finalists were selected. They
will take part in an hourlong
televised forum on civil dis­
course with former Supreme
Court Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor, a champion of civic
education and civic participa­
tion.
The forum "For the Future:
A Conversation Inspired by
Christina-TaYlor Green," will
air Jan. 4 on Channel 12.
It will honor the memory of
Christina-Taylor, a third-grad­
er and student-council presi­
dent who lost her life when a
gunman wounded Congress­
woman Gabrielle Giffords and
12 others last January near
Thcson. Also killed were U.S.
District Judge John Roll and
four other people.
The shooting was not the
result of political rancor, but it
became a rallying cry for those
who want to see a return to
more civil discourse.
The 12 finalists, who will
each receive an iPad2 and an
W
See CONTEST, Page B13
VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Ken Western, 602
fJ':
;~ontest
Gontinued from Page 812
a.utographed copy of O'Connor's book
"Lazy B," are Rikiya Bain of Glen­
dale, junior, Raymond S. Kellis High
School; Rebecca Brisley of Thcson,
junior, Marana High School; Tony
Fabiano of Scottsdale, senior, Desert
Mountain High School; Kelly Flores
of Phoenix, eighth grade, Alhambra
Traditional School; AND Peyton Gal­
lovich of Glendale, senior, Raymond
S. Kellis High School.
Also, Thor Island of Goodyear,
freshman, Arizona School for the
Arts; Caroline Kinsley of Tempe,
junior, Tempe Preparatory Academy;
Meera Kumar of Chandler, senior,
Horizon Community Learning Cen­
ter; Vanessa Levy of Mesa, eighth
grade, Arizona School for the Arts;
Cecina Babich Morrow of Scottsdale,
sophomore, Scottsdale Preparatory
Academy; and Becky Mozilo of Phoe­
nix, senior, Pinnacle High School.
The contest was co-sponsored by
The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com
and 12 News, with support from Val­
ley Leadership. The winning essays
will be published in Viewpoints on
Jan. 1.
The semifinalists are Mansi An­
derson, Kino Junior High School
(Mesa); Toni Bendon, sophomore, the
Scholars Academy (Quartzsite); Julia
Burke, Xavier College Preparatory
(Phoenix); Will Furlong, homeschool
(Gilbert); Casey Gurtner, Bradshaw
Mountain High School (Prescott
Valley); Alexis Kuhbander, Raymond
S. Kellis High School (Peoria); Jor­
dan McCunn, Vista Grande High
School (Casa Grande); Kenadi Mitch­
ell, Villa Montessori (Phoenix); Katie
Stone, North Canyon High School
(Phoenix); and Austen Yueh, Desert
Mountain High School (Scottsdale).
Also recognized by the judges
were Ali Amoudi, Horizon High
School; Samarth Bhat, Estrella Foot­
hills High School; Maddison Billie,
Alhambra Traditional School; Jere­
my Cappello Lee, Tempe Preparatory
Academy; Zane Champion, Metro
Arts Institute; Amani Chatterton,
Shadow Ridge High School; Madison
Cone, Mountain Ridge High School;
and Drake Connelly, Gilbert Classi­
cal Academy.
Also, Brooklyn Cooper, Freedom
Elementary School; Caleb Cross,
Northwest Christian School; Kendra
Dadisman, Hamilton High School;
Caitlyn Day, Cambridge at Marley
Park School; Benjamin Diego, Arizo­
na School for the Arts; Samuel Foger­
lie, Mountain Ridge High School;
Emily Foxge, Centennial High
School; and Emily Goelzer, Guiding
Star Academy.
Also, Nicole Graves, Sierra Verde
STEM Academy; Rex Greabell, Es­
trella Mountain Elementary School;
Connor Gutman, Desert Vista High
School; Haley Harris, Centennial
High School; Madissun Hodes, Cam­
bridge at Marley Park Elementary;
Matthew Kaplan, Arizona School for
the Arts; Pareena Kaur, Arcadia
High School; Ginna Kist, Cactus
High School; Nash Kleppan, Alham­
bra High School; Katherine Kroep­
pIer, Desert Shadows Middle School;
and Kayla Langeheine, Poston Butte
High School.
Also, Benjamin LaBeau, Tempe
Preparatory Academy; Sabrina
Leigh-Godfrey, Desert Mountain
High School; Erin Lung, Gilbert
Early College; Lauren Lynch, North
Canyon High School; Elisa Maxwell,
Horizon Community Learning; Jef­
frey Mayer, Sandra Day O'Connor
High School; Kiannah Rose McIn­
tosh, WestPoint Elementary; Nick
Meere, Northwest Christian School;
Hannah Morell, Horizon High
School; Rachel Neglia, Tempe Prepa­
tory High School; Tony Nguyen,
Chandler High School; and Elena
Nikolov, Horizon High School.
Also, Brenna Norwil, Hamilton
Prep; Madison O'Neal, Moon Valley
High School; Daelyn Pillar, Highland
High School; Sicily POi'to, Willow
Canyon High School; Marissa Rich,
Tempe Prep; Matthew Rounis, Pinna­
cle High School; Alexa Salas, Ray­
mond S. Kellis High School; Kather­
ine Sample, Arizona School for the
Arts; Ceegan Senior, Freedome Ele­
mentary; Edgar Serrano, Skyline
High School; Noah Silver, Mohave
Middle School; Kaitlyn Snyder,
Northwest Christian; Jessica
Symmes, Altadena Middle School;
Caitlyn Tripp, Mountain Pointe High
School; Micah Watt, Western Sky
Middle School; and Connor Woltz,
Tempe Preparatory Academy.
The contest was judged by Nicole
Carroll, executive editor of The Re­
public; Mark Casey, 12 News vice
president and news director; Gene
D'Adamo, vice president of commu­
nity relations for The Republic; Doug
MacEachern, Republic editorial
writer; and Ken Western, Republic
editorial director.