By Clara Moffitt
Tempe Prep is tough. We all know it. We’ve all gotten a test back with a leading digit we didn’t love. We’ve all gotten our homework out just to put it away in distress shortly after glancing over the assignment. Most of us have sat in a Humane Letters discussion (particularly in 10th grade) and thought, “Why am I even here.” I won’t deny it; I’ve stared blankly in class after reading Sartre, wondering if I am simply existing or adding meaning to my life at TPA. For all the middle school folks, The Hobbit is tough, and diagramming sentences makes me question my existence too. I get you.
In all, simply going to TPA merits recognition. Attending such a uniquely rigorous school up until senior year is an accomplishment to say the least. Earning a diploma and completing Tempe Prep’s challenging liberal arts curriculum takes strength, hard work, and diligence – no matter what your final GPA is. One of our Tempe Prep alumni families recognizes this accomplishment.
The Gilloon family had four children graduate from TPA, and they understand the work it takes. Because of this, alumni parent John Gilloon, in partnership with the Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, has sponsored a scholarship for all Tempe Prep seniors. This $1,000 is awarded at random to any graduating TPA senior at the end of the year to be used towards college expenses. The “Stuck with It” College Scholarship is a unique scholarship offered exclusively to Tempe Prep seniors.
John Gilloon has been a faithful volunteer for the Desert Schools Federal Credit Union for 20 years. To thank him, the credit union has helped Mr. Gilloon offer this opportunity to our dilligent TPA students. “We are so appreciative that Mr. Gilloon would choose TPA to receive this opportunity from the credit union,” says Mrs. Moffitt. “Each Tempe Prep student is incredible, so we are so excited to run the lottery every year to give this scholarship to help an unexpecting student with college expenses,” she continues.
Former recipients include Kennedy Rotner (class of ‘20), Aylin Cervantes-Villegas (class of 2019), and Patrick Pagnozzi (class of ‘18). One of the most unique aspects of this scholarship is that any graduating TPA student is eligible for the scholarship; grades, gpa, extracurriculars, etc. are not considered. Awarded by a random lottery, the purpose of the scholarship is to simply commend seniors for “sticking it out.”
Yes, TPA is tough. Sometimes, sticking it out seems difficult. But, it’s worth it . . . and not just because you can make money (though that is pretty incentivizing). So, if you find yourself questioning why you are working so hard or why you are at TPA, Mr. John Gilloon’s generous contribution is just one more reason to “Stick with It.”