From Roadrunner to Sun Devil, with Honors

Lucy Shanks

Lucy Shanks

Lucy Shanks

Lucy Shanks attended Sedona Charter School for 7th and 8th Grade, and graduated from Red Rock High School in the top ten percent of her class.   During high school, Lucy also made Principal’s Honor Roll and earned a 4.0 GPA, and held a position as student council senior class representative, and executive board member of the National Honor Society.

After Lucy’s extensive high school accomplishments, she took her talents to Arizona State University in Tempe, and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics with a certification in child nutrition.

Lucy attributes many of her accomplishments to lessons she learned at Sedona Charter School. One of her most memorable moments was learning something about her own moral compass, “Throughout the school year, we had opportunities to earn funny money for things like good behavior and answering questions in class. On the last day of school, we had a field trip to the local park, where we had the opportunity to spend our funny money on prizes. After I bought an item, I noticed that one of the teachers had given me the wrong change back. Somehow I ended up with significantly more money than I was supposed to. I approached Mrs. Burke and Mrs. Calhoun, explained the situation, and handed them the extra money. They didn’t take the money and allowed me to keep in, saying that I had earned it by being honest. I’ll never forget that moment, when they taught me that honesty is something to be rewarded for.”

In addition to lessons of integrity, Lucy also learned important lessons that would benefit her in future high school and college endeavors. “The Montessori education allowed me to explore and develop my individual talents by offering a range of classes to choose from. I learned how to work with others through group projects.

In college, I was required to do many presentations both alone and in groups. My education at SCS also required presentations, often in front of the whole Middle School. These experiences definitely helped prepare me for college. The emphasis on hands-on learning and utilization of materials also taught me how to grasp difficult concepts in a fun and interactive way.”