Parker High names AnaMarie Baldenegro May Student of the Month

AnaMarie Baldenegro’s Parker High School profile shows what a student can do with the opportunities already open in Parker, Arizona: play volleyball, join FFA, serve in Student Council, lead National Honor Society and keep going through 4-H. Named Parker High’s May Student of the Month on May 1, Baldenegro stands out less for one big spotlight moment than for how many corners of the campus she has worked in.

Baldenegro said she is the daughter of Mike and Kelly Baldenegro, the youngest of five older brothers, and part of a family that includes nine nieces and nephews. That family connection helped drive her, and her path reflects the kinds of practical experiences Parker High and the surrounding community make available to students who want more than classroom time alone. Through 4-H and her love of animals and livestock raising, she said she learned patience, responsibility and time management, skills that matter in school, at home and after graduation.

Her leadership roles put her at the center of student life. Baldenegro served as Senior Class Secretary/Treasurer and National Honor Society president, positions that require organization and follow-through rather than just visibility. She said Student Council gave her a role in organizing events for the senior class, while NHS let her help with service projects such as the Alumni Tea, blood drives and campus cleanups. Parker High’s event calendar includes a PHS Alumni Tea and a Blood Drive, and the school also lists National Honor Society induction ceremonies, underscoring that those service paths are active parts of campus life, not just names on paper.

Sports also shaped her. Baldenegro pointed to Parker High’s Region Championship volleyball title in 2024 as one of her favorite memories, saying it taught her how to be a team player on and off the court. Parker High volleyball is coached by Marie Maya, with Daniel Maya and Tahnee Sharpe listed as assistant coaches, and AZPreps365 lists the program in Arizona’s 3A West alignment, placing that title run in a competitive league setting.

Baldenegro plans to move to Tucson and attend the University of Arizona, where she has earned a Wildcat Scholarship and early acceptance into the College of Nursing. The university says first-year applicants who apply by the Nov. 1 Early Action deadline receive priority consideration for merit scholarships, and admitted students can use Scholarship Universe to match with aid opportunities. The College of Nursing says scholarship information is sent with acceptance documents. Baldenegro said she wants to earn a bachelor’s degree in science and use that training to help others, a goal that fits the Parker High mission to support intellectual, social and physical growth.