Anabel Ayala named West-MEC CTE Student of the Month.

From left to right: Shawn Andrews (Cutting Edge Style Academy Lead Instructor), Anabel Ayala and Paul Johnson (West-MEC Dean of Students).

West-MEC presented Anabel Ayala with the Career and Technical Education Student of the Month award. Ayala is a senior at Buckeye Union High School and she is enrolled in the West-MEC Cosmetology program at the Cutting Edge Style Academy in Peoria.

“Anabel goes above and beyond with her professionalism,” said Cutting Edge Style Academy Lead Instructor Shawn Andrews. “Her talent and passion for the cosmetology industry shines through in her work and attitude.”

Ayala is known as a leader among her fellow cosmetology classmates. She excels in her academic and practical lessons at the Cutting Edge Style Academy. She understands the importance of education and takes full advantage of learning opportunities.

“I like the cosmetology program because it’s interactive and our instructors really care about teaching us,” said Ayala. “They’ve inspired me to want to be a cosmetology instructor in the future.”

Shawn Andrews nominated Ayala for the award, noting Ayala’s dedicated and altruistic character. Ayala not only devotes time to her studies but also to her community. She donated her hair-styling services on student portrait day to children from the Children First Academy, formally one of the two Pappas Schools serving homeless children in the Valley.

“It was a great feeling to help the young kids look and feel good on their picture day,” said Ayala.

As winner of the CTE Student of the Month award, West-MEC staff awarded Ayala with a personalized plaque and a $50 gift card to Best Buy. Local Valley businesses including: Phoenix International Raceway, The Orcutt Winslow Partnership and The Sundt Companies donated funds to support the West-MEC CTE Student of the Month.

Anabel practices her esthetician training at the Cutting Edge Style Academy.

The Agua Fria High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter recently received recognition for their volunteer efforts.

The Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce presented 17 members and their chapter advisor, Craig Howdeshell with the ‘Southwest Valley Chamber Volunteers of the Month’ award.

The Agua Fria FBLA chapter volunteered their time at the Chamber’s Pinic at the Park event. Chamber members and Luke Air Force families attended the picnic.

Arizona State Representative Debbie Lesko visited Centennial High School on Nov. 30 for a closer look at Career and Technical Education (CTE) and West-MEC. She was welcomed into CTE classrooms to interact with both students and teachers. Students showed Representative Lesko a few of the exciting projects currently in the works at Centennial High School.

Here is Representative Lesko with Media Technology and Productions Instructor Ken Keene.

Senator Jack Harper and State Representative Sam Crump were also given an in-depth tour of CTE. They visited Deer Valley High School’s signature CTE programs, Nursing and Hospitality Management.

With the support of West-MEC, Deer Valley Unified School District remolded the nursing professions and nursing lab areas into modernized, state-of-the-art training classrooms.

The Legislators were joined by students in the nursing program in the photo below.