Staff Reports | Community Updates
A Scottsdale Unified School District fifth-grade student is being recognized for her academic focus, service and international experience.
Rose Gorman, a fifth-grade student at Anasazi Elementary School, has been named a 2026 Arizona International Baccalaureate Schools Primary Years Programme Student of the Year, an honor awarded to two students statewide. She was recognized at the AZIBS quarterly meeting on March 27, according to a press release.
Ms. Gorman has lived in Hong Kong, India, Germany and South Korea before moving to the United States, experiences that shaped her education across multiple International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme schools. Through those transitions, she found consistency in the IB framework, which provided a sense of connection across cultures and countries.
Those experiences have contributed to Ms. Gorman’s development as a learner who demonstrates the IB learner profile, including being open-minded, principled and willing to take academic risks. Teachers and peers note those qualities in both classroom work and daily interactions.
Outside of school, Ms. Gorman has participated in service activities beginning at a young age. While living in India, she volunteered at an orphanage, an experience that led to continued involvement and return visits to support the children there.
“Rose represents the very heart of the IB mission,” Principal Jennifer Waldron said. “She doesn’t just learn about the world; she actively works to improve it.”
The recognition reflects Ms. Gorman’s continued focus on learning, service and global awareness. She is scheduled to attend Mountainside Middle School this fall, where she will continue her education within the district’s International Baccalaureate programs.
