Willow Canyon High School senior Madison Whynott received the Arizona Spirit of IB Award by the Arizona International Baccalaureate Schools at their quarterly meeting Sept. 18.

Nominated for the award by her teachers, she wrote an essay on how she embodied the spirit of IB with reference to three traits from the IB Learner Profile.

Whynott wrote about her traits of being caring, a thinker and being principled.

“I chose caring because I like to help people, and I also tutor people. I wrote about being a thinker because I have a full IB schedule, and I’m also in a bunch of clubs, so I always have to work with people and think about exactly what I’m doing. I wrote about being principled because I’m very organized, I like everything to be done perfectly and on time,” stated Whynott.

She is involved in lots of activities on campus, including serving as the IB club president, Sports Medicine Club vice president, badminton team captain, HOSA president for West-MEC and a National Honor Society member.

Willow Canyon IB Programme Coordinator Peyton Shelby stated how the Arizona Spirit of IB Award recognizes a student who embodies the IB values, and Whynott exemplifies them daily.

“...She is always the first to offer a helping hand, guide a peer through a tough concept, wrap an athlete in need, and lift up those around her both in and out of the classroom,” Shelby said.

Whynott was awarded a plaque and a $400 prize for her accomplishments, which is going toward college, the release noted. She plans to attend the University of Virginia to study kinesiology.

IB courses are offered only at Willow Canyon High School and challenge academically-talented students to reach high levels of achievement in a broad range of subjects, the release stated, adding IB schools earned a reputation for rigorous assessment, giving IB diploma holders access to the world’s leading universities.