Third Place

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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.