Art Almquist recently ended a 28-year career at Tucson High Magnet School.
The longtime drama teacher put on about 70 shows and taught more than 4,500 students during his tenure, TUSD says.
“I couldn’t let my last years be with COVID,” Almquist said in a school district news release. “I recognized very quickly at the beginning of COVID that the kids just needed a cheerleader.”
“They just needed somebody happy to see them, trying to give them something creative to do because the world was in such chaos.”
Julian Martinez, who was a freshman in Almquist’s first year at Tucson High, will take the helm. The school will hire an additional teacher to fill the open slot until it is taken.
Magee students set for Odyssey of the Mind finals
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Each of four Magee Middle School Odyssey of the Mind teams finished first in the Arizona State Finals and were headed over the weekend to the international competition.
The teams will compete against the best national and international teams at Iowa State University. Magee has sent state champion teams to Odyssey World Finals every year since 2004. It has earned World trophies seven times.
These were the winners in the state competition:
First-place tech team: Elaina Condon; Sophie Draper; Alanna Leon; Logan Rico; and Lilly Rogers.
First-place structure team: Ema Bone; Mya Figueroa; Vesta Kalesinskaite; and Isabel Szlemko.
Magee team members who finished first in two problems: the classics and drama performance team: Ruth Barry; Taylor Hicks; Lois Letson; Isabel Szlemko; Dylan Vieira; and Sophia Yanez.
The only other TUSD team competing at state finals, University High School, won first place in division III.
Go to www.odysseyofthemind.com for more information.
Hughes credit union offers financial literacy resources
Hughes Federal Credit Union is bringing financial literacy education to over 7,220 students and residents in Pima County.
Students at 21 schools and the surrounding community have free access to Banzai, an award-winning online program and content library that allows users to practice real-world finance from their home or classroom.
Through the Banzai online courses, students can practice managing a budget, saving for a goal, and dealing with unexpected financial pitfalls. Teachers monitor and grade student progress remotely.
Other resources, including articles, calculators, and personalizable coaching sessions, explain everything from the basics of filing your taxes to how health insurance works.
Go to hughesfcu.teachbanzai.com/wellness for more information.
