The Phoenix Youth and Education Commission today announced the winners of the 2004 Outstanding Young Man/Young Woman of the Year awards, a scholarship program that recognizes outstanding Phoenix youth.

Issael Altero, a junior at St. Paul Preparatory Academy, and Melissa Kiehlbaugh, a junior at Horizon High School, are the Outstanding Young Man and Young Woman of the Year.

They were selected from a group of 15 finalists from the city's eight City Council districts and were honored at a luncheon hosted by the Phoenix Rotary Club 100, Soroptimist International of Phoenix, Southwest Airlines, know99 Television and the Phoenix Youth and Education Commission.

Issael has volunteered for many organizations, including United Methodist Outreach Ministry, St. Vincent de Paul, Back-to School Clothing Drive Association and the Andre House. He is a member of the National Honor Society and moved to Phoenix from Mexico five years ago speaking only Spanish.

Melissa participates in a group known as Neighborhood Ministries, in which she teaches arts and crafts and mentors first graders. Last summer, she raised funds for a trip to Kenya, where she helped feed and care for orphans. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average.

District 8 Councilmember Michael Johnson, who represents Issael, said, "It is a great honor for my district to have this year's Outstanding Young Man of the Year. Issael has overcome many barriers to achieve many impressive accomplishments and is a very deserving candidate for this prestigious recognition."

District 2 Councilwoman Peggy Neely, who represents Melissa, said, "I am thrilled to have the Outstanding Young Woman of the Year coming from the Paradise Valley School District. I'd like to congratulate Melissa, her teachers and counselors, and applaud the support of her family and friends who made this recognition possible."

The 20th annual program solicited entries from students in grades nine through 11. Applicants were evaluated on their leadership ability, community involvement and commitment to excellence.

Applicants also had to answer a series of questions on school and career issues and wrote about what teacher had the greatest impact on their lives.

The teacher who had the greatest impact on Issael was Olinda Ciminski, his eighth grader teacher at Larry C. Kennedy School who advised him how to succeed in life. The teacher who made the greatest impact on Melissa was Audrey Bond, her seventh grade teacher at Desert Shadows Middle School who made learning history fun and educational. The two received $1,000 and two roundtrip tickets from Southwest Airlines. The district winners, who also were honored at the luncheon, received a plaque and $250 cash award.

The district winners are:

District 1:
Susie Liu, Barry Goldwater High School junior

District 2:
Matthew Cool, North Canyon High School junior
Melissa Kiehlbaugh, Horizon High School junior

District 3:
Jason Theobald, Brophy College Preparatory junior
Meha Davé, North Canyon High School junior

District 4:
James Walker Donaldson, Sunnyslope High School junior
Diana Solorio, Metro Tech High School junior

District 5:
Zachary Bethel, home schooled/Washington High School freshman
Rachel Arney, Cortez High School sophomore

District 6:
Theodore Kwong, Desert Vista High School junior
Meghan Burns, Mountain Pointe High School junior

District 7:
Dante Graves, St. Paul's Preparatory Academy sophomore
Nicole Fuller, Maryvale High School junior

District 8:
Issael Altero, St. Paul's Preparatory Academy junior
Crystal Stewart, Genesis Academy junior