Youth Salute is a recognition program for high school juniors who are leadership achievers. The program is designed to applaud young people who are good citizens, have at least a B grade point average, and have been elected to a leadership position by their peers, in their schools and or community organizations.

Youth Salute accents what is right with young people. It puts promising youth leaders into the spotlight. Youth Salute nominees become role models for their peers and receive the encouragement they need to continue their efforts.

Every year, Rotarians and members of the education and business community are assembled to read and judge essays submitted by the contestants. Shortly thereafter, an interview night is scheduled where committees of the essay judges conduct oral interviews with the contestants. Ten semi-finalists are selected. These ten semi-finalists are then announced during the Awards Night at Scottsdale Community College and each of the ten semi-finalists are given two minutes to answer a "final question" before all gathered. Four winners are then selected and announced. The winners receive scholarships and trips to a leadership conference in St.Luis, Missouri.

If you would like to join this committee, please contact Garret Olson at RYSChair@gmail.com

YOUTH SALUTE IN BRIEF

Youth Salute is a leadership competition in which 100 outstanding high school youth compete for the opportunity to attend a leadership camp at Washington University.

AZ Republic Article

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2005

It was a tough decision because all of the participants are outstanding leaders in the community and winners in their own right. However, the panel of judges determined that the following individuals are to be The 2005 Youth Salute Leaders of the Year.....

(1st Place) Kristin Barber, (2nd) Sondra Lesser, (3rd) Jennifer Pan and (4th) Mitsuaki Chi

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2004

The 2004 Youth Salute Awards Night was held on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at Scottsdale Community College.

   And the Youth Leaders of 2004 are...

{L to R) Stephanie Chung-Chaparral (4th place), Bruce Hogan-Shadow Mountain (3rd place), Nicole Schneidman-Xavier (1st place), Hemalie Rajyaguru-Shadow Mountain (2nd place)

Congratulations to all who competed!

Youth Leaders (holding folders - Nicole Schneidman, Hemalie Rajyaguru , Bruce Hogan & Stephanie Chung

Judges & Organizers: Greg Podd, Kathe Carolin, Art DeCabooter, Rick Mueller, Jason Brock, John Baracy, John Wintersteen & Mary Manross

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2003

Youth Salute 2003 was sponsored by The Rotary Club of Scottsdale, The Scottsdale Rotary Club Foundation, The Scottsdale Airpark Rotary Club and Rotarian Bill Arthur

(L to R) RCS President Pat Rile, Caitlin Auther, 5510 District Governor Greg Podd, Manali Bhave, SARC President Doug Reiner, Jessica Gale, SARC Past President Rick Mueller and Allan Pan

The 2003 Youth Salute Leaders of the Year

1st Place - Allan Pan of Chaparral High School - $1000 Scholarship

2nd Place - Manali Bhave of Desert Mountain High School - $500 Scholarship

3rd Place - Caitlin Auther of Xavier College Prep - $250 Scholarship

4th Place - Jessica Gale of Horizon High School - $250 Scholarship

The Youth Salute Leaders of the Year also receive a trip to St.Louis to attend "The Town Meeting On Tomorrow"

The 2003 Star Award Recipients

Caitlin Auther of Xavier Prep

Alison Barrett of Saguaro High School

Manali Bhave of Desert Mountain High School

Megan Bhave of Desert Mountain High School

Adam Duhlberg of Horizon High School

Jessica Gale of Horizon High School

Jacob Grossman of Chaparral High School

Lauren Meeling of Xavier Prep

Alan Pan of Chaparral High School

Michael Rezzo of Saguaro High School

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2002

Youth Salute 2002 was sponsored by The Rotary Club of Scottsdale, The Scottsdale Rotary Club Foundation, The Scottsdale Airpark Rotary Club and Rotarian Bill Arthur

     "The 2002 Youth Salute Leaders of the Year"        

( Jaime Forseth, Kathryn West, Audra Pratt & Heather Joselyn)

                   1st Place - Audra Pratt of Saguaro High School - $1000 scholarship                         

2nd Place - Kathryn West of Desert Mountain High School - $500 Scholarship

3rd Place - Heather Joselyn of Chaparral High School - $250 Scholarship

4th Place - Jamie Forseth of Xavier College Prep - $250 Scholarship

The "Youth Salute Leaders of the Year" also receive a trip to St.Louis to attend "The Town Meeting On Tomorrow"

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"The 2002 Star Award Recipients"

Katie Caughlin of Phoenix Country Day School

Catherine Conley of Chaparral High School

Jonathon Leclair of Brophy College Prep

Matthew Russo of Brophy College Prep

Steven Sckolnik of Desert Mountain High School

Amber Steves of Horizon High School

We had a great turn out for the awards and all participants enjoyed the event. A big thank you to all of the organizers, judges, sponsors and students who made this year's event a great success.

Rotarians & Youth Salute Leaders

                       RCS Pres. Julian Fruhling, Rick Mueller, Jaime Forseth, Kathryn West, Audra Pratt, Heather Joselyn, Karl Zier & Paul Timm

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THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC NEWSPAPER

CHAPPARAL STUDENT YOUTH LEADER OF THE YEAR

Lois McFarland
Special for the Scottsdale Republic
Sept. 10, 2003 12:00 AM

Chaparral High School student body president Allen Pan, 17, a first-generation U.S. citizen and accomplished violinist, is winner of the 2003 Scottsdale-Paradise Valley Community Youth Leader of the Year title and a $1,000 scholarship.

He was chosen Monday night during a competition among 10 finalists at the Scottsdale Community College Performing Arts Center. Others receiving scholarships were Manali Bhave, Desert Mountain, second place, $500; Caitlin Auther, Xavier College Preparatory, third place, $250; and Jessica Gale, Horizon High, fourth place, $250.

The four winners will each receive an all-expense-paid trip to the National Council on Youth Leadership Conference Oct. 11-14 at Washington University in St. Louis.

The finalists, selected from a field of 102 applicants, were brought on stage one by one to answer a final question posed by Rick Mueller, founder of the Valley Youth Salute chapter.

Mueller asked students what Mark Twain meant and whether they agreed with the statement, "I never let my schooling interfere with my education."

Pan's answer evoked laughter from the packed auditorium. "I completely agree with Mark Twain," he said. "I actually used the quote in my campaign for student body president. I put it in fortune cookies and gave them out to everybody."

He added: "Schooling is more than just memorizing the states and capitals. It's working with people, meeting new people, sharing ideas and developing people skills."

Pan ranks No. 2 in his senior class with a grade point average over 4.8. He is a National Merit semifinalist and hopes to attend Harvard or Yale. He favors a career in law but thinks politics will have a place in his future. He spent a month this summer learning the ins and outs of politics as an intern at U.S. Rep John Shadegg's Phoenix office. "It was pretty interesting seeing how politics work from the ground up," he said.

He ran for student body president without any previous experience. "I'm glad that I went out for it because it's an incredible experience, working with the student body and fellow officers," he said. "Just serving the school is the greatest part."

The teen violinist has been concertmaster of both the Chaparral Orchestra and at Northern Arizona University's Summer Music Camp. He also was chosen two years for the All-State Orchestra. "Music has been a big part of my life," he said, adding that he would continue with music "the rest of my life."

The youth considers his parents, Pihsiu "Dellie" and Willy Pan, his role models. "I look up to them every day, and I think of all the hardships they have gone through trying to assimilate to the American culture," he said. "They came from Taiwan in the 1980s. It gives me so much pride and inspiration to accomplish the American dream."

Allen's dad is an engineer at Honeywell, while his mother operates her own business.

He also has a sister, Jennifer, 15, a sophomore at Chaparral.

Paradise Valley Police Chief John D. Wintersteen, a member of the judging panel, said all 10 students were outstanding, and it was "a tough, tough choice to be able to rank them first, second and on down." The judges also included Scottsdale schools Superintendent Barbara Erwin.

Second-place winner Bhave, daughter of Ajay and Tyoti Bhave, has a twin sister, Meghan, who was also a top 10 finalist. Both young women plan careers in medicine and have mirrored one another in school and community activities including the Principal's Advisory Council at Desert Mountain and as Scottsdale Youth Corps leaders.

Other finalists were Adam Duhlberg, Horizon; Lauren Meeling, Xavier; Michael Rezzo, Saguaro; Jacob Grossman, Chaparral; Meghan Bhave, Desert Mountain and Alison Barrett, Saguaro.

Sponsors of the 10th annual Scottsdale/Paradise Valley Youth Salute, which has honored more than 600 student leaders over the years, are the Rotary Club of Scottsdale and the Airpark Rotary Club in conjunction with Scottsdale Community College.