05/08/2019
On Monday, at IRHS's Senior Night, we continued our tradition of inducting people who have gone above and beyond into our Nighthawk Hall of Fame. Let me introduce this year’s recipients.
David Martinez has been a part of the IRHS community since it opened, and with the Amphitheater district even longer-over 30 years. Dave has been a part of the Amphi sports world over those years and has advanced to his current positions as equipment manager for the district and the head coach of our Lady Nighthawk softball team. With IRHS softball, Dave has been a part of one of the most successful programs, winning two state championships and having 6 state championship appearances.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Martinez has been a great community member and family man. Dave volunteers in his free time and always is lending a helping held. In the words of Emily Turecek, “He also always stops to help someone in need. (changing a tire, pushing a car out of an intersection, and helping when he can ) His thought is that hopefully someone will pay it forward to someone else.
Mr. Martinez has been honored previously, earning the Amphi Distinguished Service Award, AEMA High School Equipment Manager of the Year Award, and the Amphi Martin Luther King Jr. Award. And now let us add one more as our 2019 Outstanding Community Member. Congratulation, Dave Martinez
Dee Dinota was an integral part of the inception of IRHS. Ms. Dinota was a member of the steering committee and opened the school as the first athletic director, was the voice of project grad in its early years, and “helped” make sure we got our solid school colors of Navy, Silver, and White. Professionally Dee has been an advocate for physical education and well being for many years. Coach Dee created and was the first to teach Sports Conditioning in Arizona. She has published articles on lifting techniques, and created sports conditioning workouts for 21 sports teams while at Ironwood Ridge. Dee has also gave back to our community-she founded the Amphi shoe drive that has handed out over 10,000 pairs of shoes as well as raised $30,000 in 30 days for IRHS to go bald. All her hard work earned her a finalist position for Teacher of the Year in 2006. Dee is proud of her legacy of “having pranked more students and staff than any other person that ever step foot on IRHS premise” and of having the best retirement party in history when she retired in 2015. Coach Dee currently works as a principal in a private school for trouble youth.
Coach Dee thank you for all you have done for us, you are our 2019 Outstanding Staff Member inductee.
Our Outstanding Alumni comes out of our Class of 2006 and was nominated by his old classmate Alex Smith. Since his time here on campus, Taylor Griffin has laid out an impressive path. Taylor left IRHS on a division 1 volleyball scholarship to Grand Canyon University. After completing his bachelor’s Taylor continued on to his masters degree in business leadership while working full time for the university. Mr. Griffin began working for the GCU in the Game Operations department and worked his way up to the Director of Game Entertainment and Fan Experience and helped create the biggest college basketball party in the nation. Off campus Taylor was a part of the Phoenix Suns Trampoline dunk team which gave him an opportunity to see behind the scenes of NBA operations. This has became handy as he was recently hired by the Phoenix Suns Organization to be their Game Day Presentation Manager. Taylor has been happily married to his wife of four years and has 2 sons, the oldest is 2 and youngest is 3 weeks. Congratulations, Taylor Griffin, on being this year’s Outstanding Alumni.
