COMMUNITY
THE MESA TRIBUNE | JANUARY 23, 2022
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New director has big ideas for i.d.e.a. Museum BY SRIANTHI PERERA Tribune Contributor
J
arrad Bittner seems to be tailor-made to run Mesa’s i.d.e.a. Museum. His informal and formal education is a happy blend of the arts and entrepreneurship. He has family ties to Arizona. His personality is youthful and upbeat. In Wisconsin, where he headed that state’s oldest children museum, he took over its reins during a challenging time with a negative cash balance and declining membership but managed to turn things around admirably and even spearhead a renovation. “It’s just like what the next phases are for the i.d.e.a. Museum. It’s really exciting to be a part of this project,” said Bittner, who became director of Arizona’s foremost children’s art museum last August, replacing Sunnee O’Rork.
The i.d.e.a. Museum is a hands-on art museum for children and families to experience art, creativity and imagination. Its exhibitions and activities support early learning, nurture creative thinking, and engage families in quality time together. Founded in 1978, it’s owned by the City of Mesa and supported by the i.d.e.a. Museum Foundation. During the 2018 general election, a proposed bond of $5 million passed to benefit the museum. With a goal to renovate and build out the facility, it’s in the middle of a quiet phase of a capital campaign. Some parts of the planned renovations,
see IDEA page 16
Jarrad Bittner was raised with the arts and is happy to direct i.d.e.a. Museum in Mesa. (Srianthi Perera/Tribune Contributor)
5 Mesa seniors vying for Flinn Scholarships BY DANA TRUMBULL Tribune Staff Writer
F
ive Mesa students are among the 39 finalists who are in the final round of interviews as they vie for 20 prestigious Flinn Scholarships valued at more than $120,000 each. Emily Delabarra, Autumn Fairbanks, Natasha Kiriluk, Lydia Pastore and Bradley Reese will interview with the selection committee in March and the Flinn Foundation will announce the 2022 Flinn Scholars in April. A record-breaking 1,095 applications were submitted this year. Criteria for selecting Flinn Scholars go beyond grade-point averages and class ranking, though applicants should be in the top 5% of the class. Evaluators look for students who are highly motivated and deeply involved in extracurricular activities and community service, assuming
leadership roles at school and beyond. “All of the 39 Flinn Finalists are very deserving of the Flinn Scholarship. We are impressed with this diverse group of extremely bright and talented students who are working to better their schools, local communities and the state of Arizona,” said Anne Lassen, Flinn Foundation vice president of scholarship and education initiatives. “A difficult choice lies ahead for our selection committee.” Scholarships include funding for full tuition at one of Arizona’s three public state universities, plus housing, meals and two tours abroad for study. Four other Mesa students were selected as semi-finalists, but did not move on to the final round of interviews. In this competition, though, even the runners up are recognized for their achievements. So, Sara Enright, Roosevelt Moore, Elisabeth Pendergrass and Danica Rauch are eligible to receive specially designated
scholarships from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University or the University of Arizona. Here’s a look at the Mesa residents vying to become a Flinn Scholar and what they told the Tribune about their activities.
Emily Delabarra
The daughter of Elizabeth Arndt, Emily attends Gilbert High School and wants to study biomedical engineering or pediatrics in college. “In my free time I love to bake. I even run my own small baking business. I also teach kids to play bass guitar. I volunteer with Special Olympics through my church, and I am a part of multiple clubs, but president of two clubs that organize freshman orientation and community service opportunities.” She recently organized a fundraiser Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s bio-behavioral unit. She’s on the varsity badminton team and placed second in state finals in the doubles category. “Honestly, my biggest motivation, is the people around me,” she said, crediting her mother as her role model. “But the people that I find most motivat-
see FINN page 16
