- Partnerships
When it comes to preparing students for what comes next, opportunity is everywhere, and sometimes, it takes a community to bring those opportunities together.
On Saturday, September 26, Scottsdale Unified School District is partnering with the City of Scottsdale Public Library and Scottsdale Career Services to host the SUSD College & Career Fair, a free event designed to help students and families explore the many paths available after high school.
From colleges and universities to trade programs, industry professionals and career organizations, the fair will bring a world of possibilities together under one roof at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library.
“These partnerships are incredibly important because they allow us to connect our students and families with resources, professionals and opportunities they may not otherwise have access to,” said Jayme Fitzpatrick, the Director of College and Career Readiness for SUSD. “When our schools, community organizations and local partners work together, we can create meaningful experiences that help students envision, and prepare for, their futures.”
The College & Career Fair is about more than choosing a college or career. It is an opportunity for students to ask questions, make connections, discover new interests and explore possibilities they may not have considered before.
Students and families can connect directly with representatives from colleges, universities, trade programs and career organizations while also participating in Career Corner tours, informational presentations, and interactive exhibits. Door prizes and giveaways will add to the excitement throughout the day.
The event reflects the power of partnership and a shared commitment to helping young people succeed. By bringing education, workforce development and community resources together, SUSD and its partners are helping students take the next step toward discovering their passions and building their futures.
Whether a student already has a plan or is just beginning to explore what comes after graduation, the SUSD College & Career Fair offers something for everyone, and it is all made possible through partnerships dedicated to opening doors for the next generation.
Event Details:
SUSD College & Career Fair
- When: Saturday, September 26
- Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Location: Scottsdale Civic Center Library: 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale
The event is free and open to students, families and community members. Parking is available in the library parking garage.
- Partnerships
When schools and communities come together, incredible things happen.
This August, Scottsdale Unified School District and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale will open the doors to the Steve & Maria Sanghi Branch, a dynamic new youth center located on the campus of Tonalea Middle School. More than a place for after-school care, the new branch is a launchpad for creativity, exploration, and lifelong success—bringing together education, enrichment, and community under one roof.
Opening August 10, the Steve & Maria Sanghi Branch will serve students in kindergarten through 12th grade with engaging after-school and summer programs designed to help every child thrive. Whether students are receiving academic support, sharing a nutritious meal, discovering a new passion, or building friendships with caring mentors, the Club offers a welcoming space where learning and personal growth continue long after the final bell rings.
What truly sets this partnership apart is how it transforms the school day itself.
Through this innovative collaboration, Tonalea teachers will have access to many of the Club's state-of-the-art spaces, including a cutting-edge STEAM Makerspace featuring 3D printers, robotics, engineering equipment, and emerging technology. These resources will become extensions of the classroom, giving students hands-on opportunities to design, build, create, and solve real-world problems in ways that spark curiosity and inspire innovation.
The opportunities don't stop there. Students will also benefit from access to a professional teaching kitchen, a Teen Center and Media Studio, a full-size gymnasium, and dedicated spaces for performing arts, visual arts, music, esports, athletics, and recreation. Together, these experiences help students discover new talents, build confidence, and develop the skills they'll carry into high school, college, careers, and beyond.
For Tonalea Middle School, the partnership is a natural fit.
Known for its welcoming culture and commitment to student success, Tonalea empowers students through rigorous academics, hands-on STEM and arts experiences, leadership opportunities, athletics, and a strong sense of belonging. Dedicated educators challenge students to think critically, collaborate, and grow into confident learners prepared for whatever comes next.
Now, with the Steve & Maria Sanghi Branch just steps away from the classroom, students have even greater access to experiences that enrich both their academic journey and personal development. Families throughout South Scottsdale will also benefit from expanded after-school programming, summer opportunities, transportation from several neighborhood schools, and financial assistance for qualifying families, making these life-changing opportunities more accessible than ever.
The opening of the Steve & Maria Sanghi Branch is more than the debut of an impressive new facility—it's a bold investment in the future of South Scottsdale. Together, Scottsdale Unified School District and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale are creating a place where innovation is encouraged, potential is unlocked, and every student has the opportunity to build a great future.
- Partnerships
When it comes to partnerships that truly make a difference for students, the connection between Scottsdale Unified School District and Scottsdale Rotary Club deserves a standing ovation.
Throughout the 2025–26 school year, Rotary members didn’t just support SUSD from the sidelines, they showed up in classroom, at events, on campuses, around lunch tables, and most importantly, alongside students.
From jazz performances and career mentoring to scholarships and speaking competitions, Scottsdale Rotary helped turn learning into something students could see, hear, experience, and imagine themselves pursuing in the future.
At Coronado High School, an ordinary lunch period became an unforgettable experience when Scottsdale Rotary sponsored Jazz in the Courtyard.
As students gathered for lunch, the smooth sounds of William “Doc” Jones and his professional jazz band filled the campus courtyard. To make the moment even more memorable, five members of Coronado’s Jazz Band were invited to perform alongside the professionals, giving students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the stage with seasoned musicians.
It was more than entertainment. It was inspiration in real time.
Scottsdale Rotary also partnered with Coronado High School for a student essay competition focused on character, values, and leadership — themes deeply connected to Rotary’s Four-Way Test and SUSD’s commitment to developing well-rounded learners.
Students reflected on the values that guide their lives, writing thoughtfully about empathy, honesty, ambition, respect, dignity, and treating others with kindness. Rotarians reviewed essays, community leaders selected finalists, and students were honored during a special luncheon and awards ceremony.
The message to students was clear: their voices matter.
One of the year’s largest collaborative efforts came in Fall 2025, when SUSD and Scottsdale Rotary teamed up to host the Future Ready Conference at Chaparral High School.
More than 450 students participated in hands-on sessions exploring everything from entrepreneurship and engineering to architecture, hospitality, psychology, and construction careers. Students also learned practical life skills like resume writing, networking, and dressing for success.
Nearly 30 Rotarians volunteered their time and expertise, proving that career readiness becomes even more powerful when an entire community invests in students’ futures.
The partnership continued throughout the spring semester with Rotarians stepping directly into classrooms to share real-world experiences and advice.
At Coronado, students in a dual-credit course with Scottsdale Community College participated in a panel discussion led by local professionals covering entrepreneurship, real estate, networking, and presentation skills.
Meanwhile, at Saguaro High School, Rotary member Max Rumbaugh spoke with engineering students about the many pathways into STEM careers — from vocational training to university engineering programs — helping students see that success can take many forms.
Perhaps one of Scottsdale Rotary’s most impactful traditions is its annual scholarship program.
This year, approximately $70,000 in scholarships will support graduating seniors pursuing futures in performing arts, engineering, vocational training, athletics, first responder training, and more.
For students and families, these scholarships are more than financial support. They are a reminder that an entire community believes in their potential.
The momentum is already carrying into next year.
Upcoming plans include a new public speaking competition for fifth-grade students at Laguna Prep, where students will present speeches about their definitions of success before Rotary members, families, and community judges.
Scottsdale Rotary will also support SUSD’s emerging Math Powers initiative, connecting students with professionals who use math every day in careers ranging from healthcare and law to skilled trades and engineering.
It’s a perfect example of what makes the SUSD–Rotary partnership so successful: students are not only learning lessons in classrooms — they are seeing how those lessons connect to the real world.
And when schools and community partners work together, students don’t just prepare for the future.
They become ready to lead it.
- Partnerships
There are few moments more powerful than watching a student realize their future is within reach.
That moment came to life once again at the 2026 Coronado Promise Scholarship Signing Dinner, where seniors from Coronado High School gathered alongside families, educators, and community leaders to celebrate not just scholarships, but possibilities.
Held in Coronado’s lower gym, the annual event transformed the space into something much bigger than a school venue. It became a celebration of dreams, determination, and the extraordinary power of partnership.
The evening’s signature moment, each student ceremonially signing their Coronado Promise, symbolized more than financial support for college. It represented a community standing shoulder-to-shoulder with students and saying: We believe in you.
The Coronado Promise is made possible through a remarkable collaboration between Scottsdale Unified School District, Scottsdale Charros, Coronado Foundation for the Future, the City of Scottsdale, and Scottsdale Community College; a coalition united by one goal: creating brighter futures for Coronado students.
Together, these partners are doing more than helping students access higher education. They are helping break barriers.
“Education plays a significant role in helping end the cycle of poverty by providing students with improved opportunities for the future,” said Dennis Robbins, Executive Director of the Scottsdale Charros. “More education is associated with higher lifetime incomes, better job prospects, a longer life, increased community involvement, and better physical and mental health.”
That belief echoed throughout the evening.
For many students, the Coronado Promise is not simply a scholarship. It is a support system, one that includes mentorship, guidance, encouragement, and an entire network invested in student success.
“Not only does the scholarship provide financial aid, it introduces students to an entire team dedicated to the success of those participants,” shared Coronado Promise recipient Juan Ernesto Booth. “The scholarship is more than just the money, it opens the doors to guidance, counseling, and people who truly believe in the future of those receiving it.”
That team effort is what makes the Coronado Promise so unique, and so impactful.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel reflected on the collective commitment that continues to strengthen the program year after year.
“None of this would be possible without the deep commitment and support of our community,” Menzel said. “I am truly grateful for the Charros, for the Coronado Foundation for the Future, for Mr. Flick, and for all of those here who are contributing to ensuring that we are able to provide support for all of our students.”
The program has already become a shining example of what happens when schools and communities work together with intentionality and heart.
“It is our hope that in the future the Coronado Promise will become the model for similar promise scholarship programs in each of our five learning communities,” said Patty Beckman of the Charro Foundation.
As students walked across the stage to sign their promises, the room wasn’t simply celebrating scholarships earned. It was celebrating futures launched.
Because at Coronado, success is not built by one organization alone. It is built through partnership, belief, and a community determined to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.
- Partnerships
On the evening of April 24, educators, students, and community members gathered to celebrate something special, moments of dedication, achievement, and impact that often unfold quietly in classrooms throughout the year. At the Scottsdale Charros Education Awards, those moments took center stage, as outstanding teachers and students from across Scottsdale Unified School District were recognized and celebrated.
While the awards night shines a spotlight on individual achievement, it also tells a much bigger story, one of a partnership that has supported Scottsdale schools for more than 60 years.
Since 1961, the Scottsdale Charros have remained deeply committed to public education. What began as a local effort to give back has grown into a districtwide impact that reaches every school and countless students. This year alone, the Charros contributed more than $400,000 to SUSD, funding initiatives that directly enhance learning, opportunity, and student success.
That support shows up in classrooms through teacher grants that bring creative ideas to life, on campuses through improvements and resources that strengthen learning environments, and in students’ lives through scholarships that help open doors to the future. Each investment reflects a shared belief: when schools are supported, students thrive.
The Charros’ impact goes beyond funding. Through their Liaison Program, members work closely with schools across the district, building relationships and helping ensure that resources reach where they are needed most. Their hands-on involvement creates a connection that is both meaningful and lasting.
For students preparing to graduate, programs like Project Graduation provide safe, celebratory experiences, while initiatives such as the Coronado Promise continue to expand access to higher education and career pathways. These efforts are not just about support in the moment; they are about building futures.
The Charros Education Awards serve as a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished through strong community partnership. As educators were recognized for their dedication and students celebrated for their achievements, the evening captured the spirit of SUSD, one grounded in excellence, opportunity, and collaboration.
As another successful event comes to a close, one thing remains clear: the partnership between SUSD and the Charros continues to make a lasting difference, ensuring that students across the district are supported, celebrated, and prepared for what comes next.