Mary P. Halpenny
Canyon del Oro High School
Mary P. Halpenny is a graduate of the University of Arizona where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and her Master of Arts degree in English as a Second Language.  She is currently the English as a Second Language teacher at Canyon Del Oro High School.
Learning in the classroom is best achieved when students are comfortable and are willing to take risks.  Kindness, consideration, humor, and rigor are critical components on both the part of the teacher and students.  Patsy works hard at creating a climate where learning is possible and is linguistically and culturally appropriate.  Lessons are developed using a range of resources from texts to songs in order to create an atmosphere where the material covered is more approachable and fun.  Patsy takes learning outside of the classroom as well when she fundraises with the English as a Second Language Organization in order to provide field trips for her students.
Extracurricular activities surround her as a co-advisor of National Honor Society.  She raises funds for scholarships and the CDO Angel Program alongside with her National Honors Society students; she paints over graffiti in the county; she cleans up a roadside and supervises two aid stations for the Tucson Marathon.  She is also a member of the Tucson Assistance League where she helps to raise money to help clothe school age children.