Recently, on November 3rd, the Cougar Foundation, started in 1992 by a group of dedicated and loyal individuals seeking to support the mission of Sahuaro High School, inducted 3 new members: Nancy Bowman, Chuck Adams, and Patty Tingstad.

Nancy Bowman, a nurse on-sight of the Gabby Gifford’s shooting, is honored for her heroism.  She saved many lives that day because of her quick actions. It was an extremely traumatic experience for her, and she said, “I walked into the bathroom to wash blood off my hands, looked in the mirror, backed up towards the wall, slid down and just shook.” Her speech consisted of her longing for gun legislation. She said, “I am reminded 90 times every day for the 90 people that die from gunshot wounds how important the implementation of gun safety is.”

Chuck Adams is a former Sahuaro U.S. History and Government teacher. The upper 200 building was like a family to him. One thing that meant the most to him during his teaching career is the value of a student-teacher relationship. “Student-teacher relationships are very important. It shows that you’re listening to the students and that the lines are respected. It’s a two-way street,” he said. He also misses teaching, daily student interactions, and having a captive audience for his jokes.

Patty Tingstad is a Sahuaro graduate of 1981 and was involved in athletics. She is the first in her class to be recognized by the Cougar Foundation. After graduating, she started her own business, a printing, uniform, and shirt company. For many years, she has sewn uniforms and shirts for Sahuaro with her company, Eagle Graphics. She has been incredibly reliable and still is. Throughout her school years, one important aspect was the faith from her teachers. When asked how important faith is, she said, “It’s indispensable, especially in high school when you’re finding out who you are.”

All 3 inductees are great people who deserve this award. Congratulations Nancy, Chuck, and Patty!