This month, we have part two of our series of profiles of the Patagonia Union High School Class of 2026. Click here to see part one.
Adahir Alberto Ayon
By Valeria Castellanos
When it comes to community service, Adahir is a wild card. Need help with concessions? He’s got you. What about helping with the town’s pool? He’s got you there! Adahir has helped his community in many ways. He’s volunteered at Bowman-Stradling History Center and at the Patagonia public pool. He has always helped the Parent Teacher Booster Club with concessions. He was a member of the Patagonia Regional Times Board. He also went to Washington, D.C.
Adahir’s favorite teachers are Journee Hayes, Nathaniel Porter, Nathaniel Mershon, Michael Young, and Anelie Olivarria. In English, he enjoyed reading the stories and watching movies, which is why Mrs. Hayes is one of his favorite teachers. Not only that, but Mrs. Hayes is very nice and understanding. In welding, Adahir learns about metalworking and how to use the equipment safely. He also gets to spend time with his friends and converse with Mr. Mershon. He also enjoys Ms. Nellie’s consumer finance class, where he learns to manage budgets, savings, investments and credit.
A memorable high school moment was hanging out with friends in Spanish and welding classes, and interacting with players as the team manager during the volleyball and basketball seasons. He especially enjoyed the year when Cynthia Quiñones taught Spanish. His favorite leadership days were Mondays and Wednesdays because he liked spending time with Valentina, Jose and Matthew. He also enjoyed talking to everyone during lunch. Adahir’s friends were the highlight of his high school years.
Adahir plans to pursue a career in law enforcement or become an English teacher after high school. In 10 years, he sees himself protecting his community if he chooses to be in law enforcement. If he chooses to be an English teacher, he sees himself teaching English at a high school. Adahir’s advice to underclassmen is: “Don’t be lazy, behave, and listen to your teachers.”
Gustavo “Gus” Varela
By Matthew Yourgules
Gus has been a familiar face on the basketball court, playing for the team for three years as well as continuing his love for the game outside of school –you can probably see him at the park when he has free time.
When asked about his favorite subject, he was very straightforward: none. He does appreciate the teachers who made an impact on him these past four years, Nathaniel Porter, Andres Cuevas and Journee Hayes.
His favorite memory from high school was when he went to Williams, Arizona, for a basketball tournament. The highlight of his high school years are the times he spent having fun in summer.
The plan he has for next year is to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He pictures himself in 10 years with a beautiful family, friends and a happy life. His advice for underclassmen is simple: “Time flies, just have fun and do what you need to do.”
Matthew Yourgules
Matthew Yourgules is a smart young man and a very funny friend to have. He is someone who will light up the room and will make the whole class laugh just by uttering one simple sentence! He is always down to do anything and everything, and he always wants to go on adventures and try new things.
Matt is known for his drip, aka his style. He has his own unique style that sticks out to everyone here at Patagonia Union High School.
Matthew is well known for his jokes at school and he loves to hang out with his friends out in town. Matthew doesn’t play basketball, but he is definitely good at it.
Matthew’s favorite teacher is Anelie Olivarria who, to us, is our finance class teacher.
Matthew’s favorite memory is all of his freshman year. He called it “One of my favorite years of school.”
Gavin Arbizo
By Noah Gallardo
Gavin Mathhew Arbizo is not only a student, but also one special athlete. He has played high school basketball all four years, and even started on varsity as a freshman. Not only has he improved throughout the years, but he has shown leadership and led the Lobos to many wins. His voice on and off the court motivates his peers. Sports helped carve Gavin into the man he is today. Even though his high school basketball career is over and he doesn’t plan to play at a higher level, his love for the game will never change. You can take the man out of the sport but never the sport out of the man. Outside of sports, Gavin continues to work hard at his job at Red Mountain Foods. This gives him the work experience he’ll need.
In school, he maintains good grades and gives it his all. Gavin’s favorite classes are history, and English language arts. His favorite teacher is Journee Hayes.
In the future, Gavin intends to pursue a career as a heavy equipment operator. He is an excellent student in auto shop, and even built a jeep. Gavin loves working with his hands and loves the trades. He has gained so much knowledge for wherever he plans to go, or whatever he plans to do, that Gavin will have success and live his dreams.
As Gavin’s time in high school is coming to an end, he has made a lot of memories along the way. Some of his favorite memories were going to the Phoenix Suns arena for his senior year of basketball, which he will remember for the rest of his life. His other favorite memory was when he went on the Williams trip three years in a row. This was only a basketball trip, but it was a moment where he could spend time with his friends.
In 10 years, Gavin sees himself becoming super successful in whatever he does. As he is headed off to adulthood, he leaves this message behind for all of the underclassmen: “Do everything 100% and never give up on your dreams.” Even though Gavin is no longer a kid and is moving onto adulthood, you may think the fun is over. That is not the case – his life is just getting started.
Tallen Simpson
By Adahir Ayon
Tallen Simpson has enjoyed his four years at Patagonia Union High School. He has made many friends and has had many opportunities to be in the community. This school year, he had regular jobs at the Patagonia Public Library, the Creative Arts Center, the Thrift Shop, and Borderlands Restoration Network. He helped the library sort magazines and helped keep the kids area clean. He worked closely with Cassina Farley at the Arts Center, helping organize materials, clean up, and build props for the different plays that have happened there throughout the year. He helped sort and hang clothes at the Thrift Shop and helped water plants in the new Borderlands Greenhouse.
He is an avid supporter of all sports at the high school. He kept the basketball team well hydrated by keeping their water bottles filled. He loved any opportunity to hang out with the Lobo. He enjoys playing basketball with his buddies during open gym and participating in all the different activities at school, especially during Morning Meetings in Michael Tackett’s class. He has been a class representative in student government for three years and loves participating in restorative circles. He also planted a bucket garden and built a sprinkler system for it. He grew carrots, radishes and green beans!
After graduation, Tallen plans to attend the day program at the Santa Cruz Training Center. He is looking forward to graduation and being in the parade!
Elizabeth “Lulu” Donnelly
By Brianna Majalca
Elizabeth Rose Donnelly, also known as Lulu, looks back on her high school years as a time filled with growth challenges and unforgettable moments. She stayed involved by playing volleyball, softball and baseball, and she also spent time in student government and SkillsUSA. Being part of these teams and groups helped Lulu learn responsibility, teamwork and confidence. Outside of school, she found comfort in hiking through the mountains and exploring new places, which gave her space to clear her mind and enjoy the quiet moments.
One memory that Lulu knows she will never forget is winning the volleyball game against Tombstone this year. That game wasn’t just about winning; it was about all the practices, struggles and effort that led up to that moment. Standing with her teammates after the win reminded her how strong friendships can be when people work together toward the game goal.
In the classroom, Lulu connected most with poetry and science, the subjects that allowed her to express herself while also learning how the world works. Journee Hayes is her favorite teacher and someone who truly supported her, helping make school feel like a place where she belongs.
As graduation is approaching, Lulu is excited but also emotional about leaving behind the place where she grew up. She plans to attend Cal Poly to begin her journey toward a veterinary career, following her passion for helping animals and continuing her education. When she thinks about where she’ll be in 10 years, she hopes to be finished with college and moving forward in her career, proud of how far she has come.
Looking back, Lulu would tell underclassmen “be kind to yourself and the ones around you” because high school goes by fast and the people and memories you make along the way truly matter.
Lenin Huitzilopoztli Albarran
By Skylar Sanchez
Not many of us are descendants of Aztec warriors and not many of us have the resilience and hard work ethic of a warrior. That resilience and hard work ethic have helped Huitzilopoztli aggressively pursue his goal of going to college for computers and information management. Those same qualities have also allowed him to be a warrior on the soccer pitch, tennis courts and baseball fields.
However, these aren’t the only qualities that make a warrior. A sense of selfness, honor for his heritage, and a great moral compass are other qualities that always make it a joy to be in the company of Huitzilopoztli. He is always a person you can count on to be by your side and he always listens to any and everything you say.
Throughout his high school years, Huitzilopoztli has participated in a few different activities. As a member of student government, he started off as representative his freshman year. He chose to stay out of the Patagonia high school politics his sophomore year. But after feeling that something was wrong within the student body, he took the call to action and returned to student government his junior year as a representative, where he helped out with a lot of different events and proved to be an important member of the student government. Seeking to prove himself even more, he sought the treasurer position because he believed he could help us better use and regulate our money. Outside of the political world, he enjoys expressing himself through the art of acting. He has also found enjoyment in being the Lobo mascot for three years of his high school career.
All in all, Huitzilopoztli is quite the incredible person and any employer would be lucky to have him.
Diego Padilla
By Miguel Albarran
From the basketball court to the arena, Diego Padilla has spent his high school years staying active and being around his friends. For two years, Diego played basketball, during which he made many memories with the team that he will always remember. One memory that he will never forget is this year’s Willams basketball trip. It was a trip filled with laughs and bonding with friends. While sports were important to him, Diego said that the true highlight of his high school career was spending time with his friends and enjoying every day. Those friendships mean everything to him, whether it’s in the locker room, the gym, or even those taco shop dinners before practice. Diego eventually found out that his time in high school was going by faster than he expected. His advice to underclassmen is to take it all in and not to take it for granted. For example, for Diego his experience was more than just learning; it was about the people he met and the memories he made with them.
Diego’s favorite classes are welding and weights. He enjoyed being active and learning skills that could be used in the real world. Through his time in high school, he was supported by many good teachers that helped him grow. Some of his favorites were Nathaniel Porter, Journee Hayes, and Alyson Harper. Their encouragement and guidance are a part of why he is the person he is. Diego appreciates how they pushed him to do his best and made him feel supported. With the help of them he was able to gain knowledge and skills, which he could use in the next chapter of his life. High school made it possible for him to create a stable foundation with determination and purpose.
Outside of school he stays busy by working and team roping. He is extremely passionate about it. Team roping is more than just a horse and a rope to him; it’s a big part of his personality. After graduation, Diego plans to join the workforce, while still doing what he is most passionate about. In 10 years Diego sees himself with a steady, good-paying job and also traveling around to different places and competing in team roping. He also hopes to have a family that could help support him through his journey of life. He hopes that he can keep improving his skills and build a life built off of hard work. No matter where life takes him, he plans on trying to stay connected with his friends. As Diego closes this chapter up, he wants to leave a message for others: Enjoy your time in high school because it goes by fast.
Jacob Cruz
By Adahir Ayon
Jacob Lamberto Cruz is a 17-year-old student who has been actively involved in school and extracurricular activities. He participated in National Honor Society and student government and plans to attend Northern Arizona University after graduation. His favorite subjects are English and history, and his favorite teachers are Kenny Hayes and Journee Hayes.
One of Jacbo’s highlights in high school has been spending time with his friends and building strong relationships with them. In 10 years, Jacob imagines himself being financially stable and working toward a secure future.
He was also a dedicated member of the Boy Scouts, traveling to Washington, D.C., twice and attending Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies with friends.
Jacob is a hard -working and respectful student who is always willing to help others in class and remains polite to both students and teachers. He especially likes Mrs. Hayes’ English class. Jacob enjoys reading books and learning new things. He also enjoys learning history. His favorite memory from high school was his first day at Patagonia High School, when Alyson Harper was very kind to him and helped him feel welcome. Skylar also helped him make friends and they are now close friends.
Jaxon Yslava
By Lenin Albarran
Jaxon Yslava was born with natural talent in sports. He has been a wall at the goal while being a goalkeeper in soccer, and being a beast on basketball and tennis courts, since freshman year. While off the field, he became the best politician the school had ever seen, becoming president for two years in a row. Being a star athlete, he continued to stay in shape by taking hikes across Patagonia.
Jaxon is fascinated by history and the stories it has to offer. This love for history was helped by one of his favorite teachers, Kenneth Hayes. He excels in reading and writing stories while in class with his other favorite teacher, Journee Hayes. The most exciting moment Jaxon experienced and will remember forever was being able to play in the Phoenix Suns arena in his senior and final year of basketball for Patagonia Union High School. The experience brought him closer to his teammates, turning them into brothers.
After high school, Jaxon plans to move to Tucson to attend Pima Community College to earn his associate degree. While attending college, he plans to work for Granite Construction. One piece of advice Jaxon wants to give to underclassmen is to participate in everything because it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Lola Duerkop
By Valeria Castellanos
With her infectious smile and enthusiasm for life, Lola Duerkop is ready to take on the world after graduation! She is a very dedicated student who works hard to make sure she completes all her work. She has enjoyed her time at Patagonia Union High School. She received high compliments from her Python coding teacher, who was so impressed with her coding skills. Although she has done well in coding, her heart is set on a career in education. She plans on following in the footsteps of her mother, aunts and cousin to become a teacher.
She is currently preparing to take the paraprofessional assessment so she can earn her certification as a paraprofessional to gain experience working in classrooms. She hopes to attend college to earn her teaching degree. She has volunteered in the pre-K and kindergarten classrooms this school year and has proven to be a wonderful assistant to the teachers.
Lola lives in Rio Rico and enjoys spending time with her family. She loves shopping and going out to eat. Her best high school memories are the field trip to OdySea Aquarium and going to the Santa Cruz County Fair.