Graduate Section 2015

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InsIde: A fond farewell to grads, Gen next-style Schools find unique ways to send off seniors. Page 2 Three teachers who left a lasting impression. Page 3 for and by teens

Around the world, grads celebrate in a variety of ways. Page a-3

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A keepsake for Santa Fe’s graduates

phoToS bY LUiS SáNChez SATUrNo, CLYDe MUeLLer, roberT NoTT AND ChriS QUiNTANA of The New MexiCAN UNLeSS NoTeD

2 CLASS OF 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN Sunday, June 7, 2015

SANTA FE INDIAN SCHOOL 38 TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

CLASS OF 2015 HIGHLIGHTS 100% of the Senior Class graduated 4 Gates Millennium Scholars $2.3M in Scholarships Yale, Dart Daartm tmouth m th, h Sta tanfo a ford, o Notrtre r Dame, Daa and 30 oth ther h colleg coo eges gess offffe fered e edd admiss ssions s 1 NCA CAA AA Division 2 Soccer Scholarship 2014-15 SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS SFIS made Adeq equate q tee Yea earl arlyly Prog ogres g ess ss (AYP YP), P the thh Burea eau a of Indian Educa cation’s a rd scchool sch oool acc for the fo ear a cco count o tab ability mea easure, a h 3 sttrai r ighht yea 2015 NMA MAA AA 4A State Champions Chess Team 2015 State Music Perfrform f rmance m Assessment (MPA),“Ex Excellent” x Rating for the debut competition of the SFIS Band Credit courses in 4 native languages, plus aftfterschoo t ool o language program New student opportrtunities t to earn varsity tyy letttters t in Chess and Band Upperclass students go to community tyy colleges to take courses Nine students accepted into the UNM Health Careers Academy at SFIS Arrt and des Art esign s stu tudents u tss win wii natitional i awards, aw w i.e. Hea eard a Muse seum Stu tudent u Indian Art Arrt Show, Fres esh s Art Arrtists t ts,s and the thh National Congres Coo ess ssional s Arrt Compe A Coo pet etition et Upcoming in 2015-16 football season: “Thursday Night Lights” night games in the newly lit football stadium

CONGR ATULATIONS CLASS OF 2015

ABOUT SFIS • Approximately 650 students in grades 7-12 attend SFIS • Two-thirds of the students are five-day dorm students who return home on the weekends • Buses transport day students to 3 southern and 3 northern pueblos daily • SFIS serves the Native American students from New Mexico, including the 19 Pueblos, Navajo, and Apache tribes • Admissions is based on first come first serve basis beginning every February. There is no tuition to attend.

For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (505) 989-6370 or visit www.sfindianschool.org

OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE 19 PUEBLOS OF NEW MEXICO

Sunday, June 7, 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN CLASS OF 2015 3

Senior send-off

Area schools offer a host of events and traditions to celebrate departing students

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rom senior portraits to studying for finals to applying for college and scholarships, it’s no wonder the heavy hand of senioritis encroaches toward the end of the year. To help take the edge off, senior activities unique to each school can increase student involvement and create strong class ties. Here’s a look at how some Santa Fe high schools celebrate seniors.

Capital High School

Desert Academy Taylor Bacon, the student council president at Desert Academy, believes senior activities are important because, “They bring the senior class closer together and also mark the transition from high school to post-high school by celebrating the seniors and their time at Desert.” Desert’s senior events include class photos followed by the students spending the day at the Santa Fe Railyard, senior ditch day, the senior prank and the senior celebration.

Rod Mehling, Desert Academy’s high school director, said the senior celebration was “two days prior to graduation, [when] all our seniors and their parents gathered for an evening of recognition and tribute. Each faculty member spoke on behalf of one or more seniors who they know well and have worked with.”

Desert Academy’s seniors weren’t afraid to have fun with end-of-year pranks such as placing balloons behind the receptionist’s desk, replacing the school flag with the Jolly Roger, filling a teacher’s room with plants, hiding all of the school’s dry-erase markers and placing the philosophy teacher in a cage with books, cake and a sign reading something along the lines of: “Observe the philosophy teacher in its natural habitat.”

The MASTERS Program MASTERS graduate John Block, 18, serves as the president of student government at The MASTERS Program charter school.

Student government planned a Valentine’s Day movie with candy, the winter formal, the prom and last-day-of-school activities for its seniors — as well as a senior ditch day.

Block said, “I feel senior activities are important because they thank the seniors for all their hard work these last four years. This, in turn, has the potential to give seniors a more positive feeling of their high school as they head out for college.”

Monte del Sol Charter School Monte del Sol’s senior events included a two-night camping trip to Pecos to start the year, a winter ball, prom, the Burnt Spaghetti Dinner, the creation of a senior mural and a self-image workshop.

The Burnt Spaghetti Dinner is named after the first group dinner (someone burned the spaghetti, so the name stuck like the pasta to the pot). Staff members host this dinner for the seniors. There the group exchanged advice and information about their plans after high school. Every graduating class also creates a senior mural that represents the class as a whole.

Monte del Sol’s graduation ceremony is unusual in that the seniors select seniors and students to speak, so the expected valedictorian, salutatorian and various administrators do not necessarily take part. Students have the opportunity to speak to the audience in groups rather than by themselves or read a poem, sing a song or do just about anything else that is relevant and reflective of their class.

New Mexico School for the Arts Senior events at the New Mexico School for the Arts included the production of ArtSpring at the Lensic Performing Arts Center and a James Bond-themed prom.

According to Acacia McCombs, a science and senior seminar teacher at the school, “It is important to make time for fun social

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St. Michael’s High School seniors at Senior Sunrise by the Cross of the Martyrs last August. PHoTo by GAbE KING

By Elizabeth Sanchez

Among this school’s senior activities are the Sterling Silver Award Ceremony, the Senior Awards Ceremony, Senior Day (a field trip to Cliff’s Amusement Park in Albuquerque) and a barbecue after graduation rehearsal. Capital High’s medical-science teacher, Stephanie Gurule-Leyba, said, “These events are very important, because [they allow] the seniors to continue to form those lasting bonds with their classmates, celebrate their accomplishments and celebrate their commencement of a new chapter in their lives.”

Gurule-Leyba is the Sterling Silver coordinator and said eligible seniors must meet certain requirements, like earning a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average and maintaining a strong attendance record, among other mandates. “Seniors awarded with the Sterling Silver honor are treated to a breakfast buffet along with their family at La Fonda,” she said. “I do this because it is important to honor those students who have pushed themselves to reach their goals and never give in to the pressures that surround them.” During the Senior Awards Ceremony, all seniors are recognized for their achievements via scholarships and a presentation of Nambé silver medallions engraved with the Capital logo and their names that they later wear during the graduation ceremony.

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Senior Activity Day at Santa Fe High included a water slide, a bungee run and an obstacle course. CourTESy PHoTo

able to speak or read poetry at the ceremony.

Senior Activity Day included such hijinks as a water slide, a bungee run and an obstacle course. To add a touch of career preparation to the festivities, some local businesses advertised their summer job opportunities for the soon-to-be graduates.

Santa Fe Indian School

At Santa Fe Indian School, students enter the graduation ceremony in traditional clothing from their respective tribes.

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events so that students can enjoy and appreciate each other. The relationships that are built during planning and celebrating achievements can last a lifetime.”

ArtSpring, held at the Lensic in May, showcased the students’ work in their respective disciplines over the school year in theater, music, dance and visual art. Student Jeremy Romero, 18, said he participated in the senior projects for the dance department, which involved “choreographing a piece (two in my case) and having us step up to the plate as learners, artists and creators.”

He sees senior activities as preparation “for the real world and how we will be treated as adults and as an opportunity to create in an open work environment.”

St. Michael’s High School

Students from tribes around the country attend the Santa Fe Indian School (SFIS), owned and operated by the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. Being that the student body is extraordinarily diverse, many of the school’s senior activities are also quite unique. This year’s valedictorian, Charelle Brown, a member of Santo Domingo Pueblo, said, “The atmosphere students bring to these events is social and welcoming. … Our class is always there for each other. This class has become another family for me.”

Seniors at the school enjoyed field day, homecoming, prom, a trip to Cliff’s Amusement Park in Albuquerque and athletic recognition banquets, ice cream socials and an honors banquets. Unlike many schools, the seniors also hosted Comedy Night and Po’Pay Day. Comedy Night involved students creating and performing comedy sketches, while Po’Pay Day is a day of recognition of the Pueblo Revolt.

The school’s graduation ceremony is also unique, as it begins with students entering in their traditional clothing from their respective tribes. The entrance march is not the usual “Pomp and Circumstance,” but rather a song created by an inter-tribal drum group. The students change into their caps and gowns later.

Santa Fe Preparatory School

This year, St. Michael’s High School offered senior events such as awards night, senior retreats and an event called Senior Sass. Senior Sass doubled as a farewell Mass for seniors as well as a welcoming mass for juniors entering their senior year of high school. Senior retreats were held in Glorieta.

They involved team-building exercises, group activities and group discussions.

St. Michael’s seniors also planned and created Senior Sunrise and Sunset. During Senior Sunrise, seniors went to the Cross of the Martyrs to watch the sun rise at the start of the school year. Graduate Jeremiah Griego Block said, “It was a way to start the year off as a class.” During Senior Sunset, seniors joined together again at the end of the school year at the same location to watch the sun set “to end the year just as we had started, together as a family,” Block said.

Guidance counselor Linda Sunseri goes on the senior retreats and coordinates senior awards night. She said, “Ceremonies of various kinds are used to mark significant events in our lives. Times of change. Senior events give students and their families and friends a time to reflect on the past and how they got to where they are now, as well as what they are looking forward to as they leave St. Michael’s.”

Santa Fe Prep claims it is never without senior events, be it a week off of school to focus on college applications, senior Teen Action Program activities, Senior Internship Project, a senior trip, the Baccalaureate Celebration, Senior Drop Day — which is a scavenger hunt — and senior T-shirt voting.

The Teen Action Program requires students to complete 45 hours of independent service during their senior year. Through the Senior Internship Project, seniors are required to participate in an unpaid internship for 20 to 30 hours over the last four weeks of their schooling. Later, students write a 1,500-word reflection on it. Dean of high school students and history teacher Mark Bixby said, “This year, students did a variety of internships, ranging from a blacksmith apprenticeship to working at Thornburg Investment Management to traveling to Costa Rica to work with young children in a nonprofit. Several of the students parlayed their internships into paid summer jobs.”

The senior trip was a five-day rafting trip with professional river guides on the Green River in Utah. Graduate Grace Barliant said senior activities are “your last opportunity to enjoy the company of the amazing people that you have spent so many years of your life with. However, the memories that are created definitely make it a lot harder to say goodbye.”

Santa Fe High School

Santa Fe Waldorf High School

Santa Fe High School offers several seniorrelated gatherings including a dance, the Royal Blue Ceremony, the robing ceremony, senior activity day, senior ditch day and a barbecue following the graduation rehearsal and ceremony.

The senior dance occurred at the beginning of the school year and featured seniors performing a dance choreographed by school dance instructor Donna Scheer. The Royal Blue Ceremony recognized seniors who were involved in three or more school clubs or sports, kept a grade-point average of at least a 3.25, had three teacher recommendations, no D’s or F’s on their transcripts and attended Santa Fe High for their junior and senior years. The students were given a medal and a cord to wear for graduation.

Santa Fe High secretary Karen Hare said, “The Robing Ceremony is really unique. The students pick someone special in their lives to present them with their robes for the first time.” These individuals put the graduation robes on the students to open the ceremony.

Students in the top 10 percent of their class and students involved in just about any school activity were recognized. Other students were

Senior events at Waldorf included senior project presentations, the senior play, a senior trip to Juneau, Alaska, the Bell Ringing Ceremony, the Verse Giving Ceremony and the Rose Giving Ceremony.

The Bell Ringing Ceremony involved seniors visiting every classroom from preschool through 11th grade for a send-off blessing. At the Verse Giving Ceremony, seniors receive a verse and discuss their future plans with faculty members. The Rose Ceremony involves first-graders giving seniors a rose as a departure gesture. These first-graders also welcomed the seniors into the school year with a lily in the fall.

Elliot Ryan, the high school coordinator at the school, said, “Seniors, like anyone facing a literal or metaphorical rite of passage, deserve to be acknowledged for their efforts to complete a process or cycle. The community’s participation in this acknowledgement, through various ceremonies, allows for a subtle but powerful shift in our view of these seniors and of ourselves.”

Elizabeth Sanchez is a graduate of Santa Fe High School. She will be attending The University of New Mexico in the fall.

2015: An entertaining year

By Tommy Miller

Generation Next

From the film version of Fifty Shades Of Grey (which did attract teen viewers) to Mark Ronson’s hit tune “Uptown Funk,” 2015 is already a year to be remembered in our 21st-century media Better Call Saul preculture — for better or worse. It has miered in the wake of brought both revolutionary standBreaking Bad. AP alone products — including songs, video games and movies — and additions to beloved series such as The Avengers, The Hunger Games and Call of Duty. It has been a year of pushing boundaries — some in the name of love and equal rights and racial issues. From Miley Cyrus (still in the news!) to American Sniper, Iggy Azalea’s copyright lawsuit, Bob’s Burgers to Super Smash Bros. video games, 2015 is a year in which various media pushed boundaries to see just how far we all can go.

For television, streaming services like Netflix, HBO Go and Hulu have given many shows a bump in popularity, leaving social-media sites abuzz with heartbroken, hysterical fans and spoiler warnings alike. New seasons came out for beloved series such as Family Guy, Game of Thrones, Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead (zombies are still popular characters), just to name a few. Older shows came along with smaller, spin-off series to keep programs that had ended in the spotlight a little fresh: Better Call Saul premiered in the wake of Breaking Bad while The Flash followed Arrow, one of Marvel’s TV adaptations of its more-than-successful comic book empire, which has spiraled into what will likely be hundreds of movies.

Music brought forth a new wave of rap and rock, whether in the form of upcoming artists or new albums by established veterans. Rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Drake continMeghan Trainor ued their success by releasing new (respective) albums To Pimp A Butterfly, which topped U.K. and Australian charts; Forest Hills Drive, which was certified platinum; and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.

New artists such as Meghan Trainor, Sam Smith and Rae Sremmurd hit the radio waves with songs like “No Type” and “All About that Bass” (by Trainor — sexy, funny and doo-wop retro) addressing beauty standards, racial differences and love.

Older musicians, such as Lou Reed, Green Day, Joan Jett and Ringo Starr got to see their glory day as they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. And blues king B.B. King went to music heaven when he died in May at the age of 89.

Video games also progressed with the continual growth of the newest additions to PlayStation and Xbox, the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, allowing more to be packed into a video game than ever before. More series were added — Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare to the Call of Duty series, Battlefield Hardline to the Battlefield series, which together largely dominated the first-person shooter market on next Call of Duty: gen consoles. Fighting games are also Advanced Warfare growing, with popular titles such as the newest game in the Mortal Kombat series — Mortal Kombat X, the most controversial game in an already controversial series. More notable titles included The Order: 1886, Bloodborne, Dead or Alive 5 Last Round and Evolve.

Zombies, super-powerful ninjas and double-crossing military leaders populate many of these series, which often involve roleplaying and lots of shooting.

Music, movies, video games and TV somewhat reflect what is going on in our society, but not fully. They are pieces in the human puzzle, helping this generation to form its personality.

Tommy Miller will be a senior at Capital High School. Contact him at tommymiller321@gmail.com.

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Published June 7, 2015 Editing: robert Nott, brian barker Design: brian barker Photography: Clyde Mueller, Luis Sánchez Saturno Editor’s note: Lists of graduates and other information were provided by the high schools.

4 CLASS OF 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN Sunday, June 7, 2015

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Three teachers made a difference over the span of one student’s education

By Emily Davis

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If you could relive or redo one moment from high school, what would it be and why?

Jade Vigil, St. Michael’s High School “Do cartwheels down the street, because I have a lot of energy.”

Everett Holmes, St. Michael’s High School “I would have joined the chess team earlier.”

Grace Balderamos, St. Michael’s High School “I would relive my last day of high school because there was a sense of unity and accomplishment among my class.”

Anthony Soto, Mayfield High School (Las Cruces) “probably starting a sport sooner — I wish I could have started cross-country and golf sooner.”

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very morning, when I walked into my first-grade classroom at Atalaya Elementary School, the blackboard would be covered in writing from top to bottom. It would be divided by chalk lines into approximately 15 sections. Above each section was a student’s name, and below the name was that student’s individual math problem of the day.

When I hear phrases like “inspirational instructor” or “commitment to teaching,” it is to these daily tailored math problems that my mind goes first. Looking back on my 11 years of school, it still amazes me that Terri Blackman, my first-grade teacher, took the time and effort to perform that task for us without fail. From the moment we entered the room to the moment we left, she did everything she could to make sure we grew intellectually. To a 6-year-old who regarded most adults with a reverence bordering on awe, Ms. Blackman — who gave us personalized spelling tests, had us write our own acrostic poems and made sure we learned about France, India and Tibet by assigning art projects on them — seemed the most creative and energetic grownup in the world.

When I think of Ms. Blackman, it is not her academic inspiration that stands out most, but the ways she influenced my character. I remember her helping me, hour after painful hour, with one of those cutting and folding projects that are supposedly every first-grader’s delight. I remember how she chastened me — and rightly so — for growing too “superior” about my position in an enrichment class. Most of all, I remember that when she read us the end of Charlotte’s Web, she could hardly speak for the tears that flowed. Ms. Blackman greatly increased my academic skills — but more importantly, she instilled in me values of patience, perse-

By Eliza Donahue Generation Next

Tyler Shellberg, Santa Fe High School “If I could redo one thing, I wish I could’ve taken all four engineering years instead of just two, because it’s an amazing program.”

Megan Hayden, Santa Fe High School “I’d like to relive sophomore year, because you’re not at the bottom, but you don’t have so many responsibilities yet.”

Brenda Castañeda, Santa Fe High “I would like to redo my sophomore year, because I didn’t challenge myself enough.”

Jessie Dickter, New Mexico School for the Arts “I would relive all the memories I can’t remember.”

Richard Schmidt, New Mexico School for the Arts “I wouldn’t have taken apart computers my freshman year. That was a bad move.

But in retrospect, I have very few regrets. End of statement.”

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CoMpIlED

By DIEGo rIGAlES, ElIzABETH SANCHEz AND TIlCArA WEBB

Tasmerisk Haught New York City here you come!

With much love, su familia.

John Chamberlain’s Christmastime readings at Fayette Street Academy. CourTESy pHoTo

Terri Blackman on the first day of school this year, with student Jorja Chambers, at her current school, Wood Gormley Elementary. CourTESy TErrI BlACkMAN

verance, humility and deep love.

Five years later, I sat with 20 other middleschool children on the floor of Fayette Street Academy, listening to John Chamberlain discuss his “boxes and cannonballs” method of teaching algebra. The variables were the boxes, the numbers were the cannonballs, and they always had to balance each other out on an imaginary scale. These days, I think often of how he made the morass of x, y and z seem as simple as two plus two, laying a foundation that would guide me through even the stickiest parts of geometry and calculus. I remember the packet of history trivia he gave us each week — questions with answers like “Martin Luther” and “the Spanish Armada” — that made me realize how much I loved the subject. I remember our concerts, our poetry

books and Mr. Chamberlain’s annual Christmas-time reading of Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales. A great deal of my own enthusiasm for learning can be traced back to the passion for teaching that Mr. Chamberlain showed every day.

The first semester of my senior year at Santa Fe Prep, I was lucky enough to take Coco Rae’s class, “The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic.” Going into it, I was confident that I knew who I was: the English student set to study literature in college and beyond. Yet as I delved into Plutarch’s writings on Pompey and Tiberius Gracchus, discussed Livy and Polonius with Ms. Rae’s guidance and pored for hours over her corrections to my final essay on the crossing of the Rubicon, I realized a love of books doesn’t have to be confined to the ones you read in English class. Ms. Rae reminded me of my passion for ancient history and political theory, which I had begun to discover at Fayette and had nearly forgotten. She not only elevated my writing and analytic skills, but also expanded my view of the student I believed I could be. Ms. Rae gave me a more insightful mind and, most importantly, a broader and deeper vision of the possibilities before me.

All three of these teachers did for me what I think every great teacher should do: They opened my eyes to a new world of enthusiasm and opportunity.

Emily Davis will be a freshman at Kenyon College in Ohio. Contact her at aquagem3@gmail. com.

Party like a graduate Around the world, traditions for the end of high school range from giving out sweets to pub crawls

Fiona JensenHitch, New Mexico School for the Arts “If I could relive one moment, it would be walking into the gym on the first day of senior year and realizing that I was at the end.”

Coco Rae reminded Emily Davis of her passion for ancient history and political theory. EMIly DAvIS/GENErATIoN NEXT

n the United States, high school graduation brings to mind caps and gowns, diplomas, graduation parties and senior prom.

But these festivities can appear tame when compared to the russefeiring tradition in Norway, in which high school seniors partake in three weeks of drinking and dares, purchasing and decorating tour buses to use as vehicles for large parties. During the russ period, which culminates on May 17, Norway’s Constitution Day, students wear red and blue overalls and compete against each other in a variety of stunts to earn points.

This celebration occurs before the students have even taken their final exams.

Students in Bangladesh also use celebration as a means of letting off steam before exams, which continue for an entire month.

Ayesha Aresin, who graduated from high school in Bangladesh in 2003 and now lives in Los Alamos, said that on the last day of class, a concert is held at school — although male and female students are separated by a barricade. After that, Aresin said, students take their exams and then wait for three months for those results to be posted.

According to Aresin, graduating from high school has a different significance for girls in more rural areas of Bangladesh, where she said the end of high school signals the time for girls to marry. “Even if [girls] get a job, they cannot help their parents economically. In Bangladesh, they don’t really want daughters in their families. In high school in the countryside, they’re like, I don’t want to pay for your college or grad school, so high school means you’re done, go get married,” Aresin said. “So girls are not really motivated; they don’t know better.”

“If someone’s graduating from high school here [in America], they have so much to do, they can do anything.”

Other countries do not hold formal graduation ceremonies. Student Yousef Othman said that in his home nation of Jordan, students celebrate by bringing sweets to neighbors and teachers and their parents — who may host parties. Incidentally, he said boys can’t be friends with girls in school there — a difference that was striking when he came to New Mexico in the fall to attend Santa Fe High.

Othman said that one of the highlights of attending high school in the United States was going to prom: “It was one of the best experiences that I’ve had in high school, actually.” No such tradition exists in Jordan.

One of Tommaso Gabba’s favorite parts of coming to high school at Desert Academy was the social aspect. Gabba, who is from Milan, Italy, said, “I like the relationship between students and teachers here more than in Italy. I like that students are really involved in school projects like glee clubs and even sports teams. … In Italy we don’t have school teams or school clubs. You just go to school and then come home and study.”

And compared to students in Italy, American students have little to complain about when it comes to testing. In Italy, Gabba said, seniors spend the entire month of May studying for their final exams, which occur for two weeks in June. The exams end with an oral test, in which students have a maximum of 30 minutes to present a topic that connects all the subjects that they studied in high school.

And when that oral exam is complete, what do seniors do to celebrate? They organize vacations for themselves. Gabba said that at his school, the graduating class has a tradition of going out to dinner with their teachers.

And in North Wales, the graduation tradition is more like that found in Norway. Maisie Potter, who is about to finish high school in Bangor, North Wales, said high school graduation traditions there involve “leavers” and summer ball. For leavers, Potter said, she and her classmates first ate lunch and then went to the pub with their teachers. The celebration really began when all the graduating students from all the schools within a 15-mile radius dressed up for leavers, “whereby we all hit the town and did a pub crawl, eventually ending up in the main night club.” Obviously, such an approach would not go over well in the United States.

Nziki Tadfor, who went to a boarding school in her home country of Cameroon before coming to the United States in 2012, recalls a more formal graduation ceremony similar to one that we might find in this country. Students dress in white and black, and the principal and prominent members of the community give speeches and diplomas are awarded. Following the ceremony, her school organized a banquet for the graduates and their families, as well as a reception with music and dancing. When the festivities are done, however, the students cannot leave campus: They still have to take their final exams. Because seniors do not yet know

Maisie Potter, right, celebrates ‘leavers’ in Bangor, North Wales. CourTESy MAISIE poTTEr

Jordanian graduate Yousef Othman poses with his high school diploma. In Jordan, he said, schools do not hold graduation ceremonies or parties. Rather, graduates bring sweets to their teachers, parents and neighbors. CourTESy pHoTo

if they actually will graduate at the time of the ceremony, Tadfor said, “The entire idea of it is just to celebrate the fact of being in that class at that moment.”

Regardless of where you come from, high school graduation marks a big transition in the lives of all students — one that can be scary.

But, Tadfor said, “I think that is what life is all about, just putting yourself out of the box sometimes and stretching your comfort zone.”

Eliza Donahue is a graduate of Desert Academy. After taking a gap year, she will attend Hampshire College in the fall of 2016. Contact her at elizaskis@gmail.com.

Alexandra Trujillo

Jessica Woodard

Congratulations on all you have accomplished.

We are proud of you! ~ Love, Your Family

Congrats on your accomplishment, good luck. I’ll miss you!

–Always Kristi

Sunday, June 7, 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN CLASS OF 2015 5

Capital High School “The Capital Jaguar community has grit and is committed to high academic expectations.

What glued us together this year was our commitment to each other.”

— Principal Channell Wilson-Segura Valedictorian: Edith Solis Gutierrez Salutatorian: Saudy Moreno Esparza Class officers: Brooke Reiche and Keifer Nace Class flower: Lily Class motto: “Do not go where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Class song: “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors Sports accomplishments: Boys soccer team won the state championship. Lady Jaguar Athlete of the Year was Julissa Guadalupe Gandara.

Jaguar Athlete of the Year was Jesus Garcia.

Daniel Gavin placed fifth in the State Track & Field Championship in the 400-meter dash.

Adrian George placed sixth in the State Wrestling Championship.

Graduates Juan Acosta Juan Aguilera Jennifer Aguirre-Molinar Juan Ahumada Almeida Ricardo Aldana-Barbosa Joel Alderete Castillo Blanca Andazola Dominguez Jazmin Andujo Vargas Anthony Apodaca Andrea Araiza Castro Frances Arredondo Rene Arroyo Cano Andrew Arroyos Vicente Avila Daisy Avila Sotelo Giselle Avitia Guadalupe Bailon Gomez Daniel Banuelos Lezly Barraza Lopez Brenda Barrios Abi Barroteran Garcia Tania Beltran Soto Terence Benavidez Hernan Bencomo Johana Bencomo Aaron Blanco Solis Christina Boling Evelyn Bustillos Gonzalez Alondra Campos Ornelas Manuel Carballo Castillo Carlos Carrera Romero Kameka Carroll Naranjo Nabill Castillo Bianca Castillo Rodriguez Jasmin Castillo Rodriguez Jennifer Catano Montes Yesenia Ceballos Angelica Chacon Luis Chacon Lopez Manuel I. Chavez Manuel R. Chavez Esther Cordova Juan Cruz Hernandez Isaiah Dalton Justine Daum

Individual academic honors 2015 Super Scholars: Christopher Maes, Vanessa Miranda and Saudy Moreno.

Bilingual Honors: Juan Ahumada Almeida, Daisy Avila Sotelo, Guadalupe Bailon Gomez, Johana Bencomo, Manauel Carballo Castillo, Bianca Castillo Rodriguez, Jasmin Castillo Rodrigus, Alexis Escobar Carbajal, Valeria Garcia Lopez, Lessly Gomez Moreno, Karla Grajeda Lujan, Alan Jasso Hernandez, Juan Magallanes Rivera, Jose Munoz Colmenero, Guillermo Navarrete Mata, Blanca Ortiz Ortiz, Jenifer Villanueva Castillo.

2015 Sterling Silvers: Vanessa Miranda, Rene Arroyo, Jessica Gutierrez, Kamila Linera-Rodriquez, Jocelyn Rodriguez, Noemi Portillo, Amy Ruiz, Mayra Flores, Angelica Chacon, Andres Sotelo, Teara Herrera, Dominque Romero, Rodrigo Garcia, Nydia Robles, Paola Salazar, Julissa Talavera, Jenifer Villanueva, Rebecca Wiedeman.

Monica Delgado Bencomo Dominique Duran Avi Ekstein Jose Encina Perez Joseph Encinias Nancy Enriquez Portillo Alexis Escobar Carbajal Jacob Esquibel Mario Estrada Bernal Norma Flores Mayra Flores Reyes Ruby Franco Loya William Friend Julissa Gandara Jesus Garcia Kayla Garcia Robert Garcia Rodrigo Garcia Oscar Garcia Jaramillo Valeria Garcia Lopez Daniel Gavin Adrian George Kianna Gomez Ivan Gomez Gutierrez Adriana Gomez Montes Lessly Gomez Moreno Tyler Gonzales Luis Gonzales Dominguez Serjio Gonzales Gonzales Alondra Gonzalez Juarez Karla Grajeda Lujan Julia Griego Kyra Griego Ivan Gutierrez Victor Gutierrez Lopez Jessica Gutierrez Madrid Diego Guzman Issac Herman Daniel Hernandez Magaly Hernandez Castillo Assael Herrera Daniel Herrera Teara Herrera Ashmed Holguin Rodriguez Lesley Iturralde J. Ivonne Jacquez Mendoza Dennis Jaramillo

Alan Jasso Hernandez Valeria Jasso Lopez Anahi Jimenez Rosales Gemma Juarez Abbas Khan Kamila Linera Victor Lopez Daniel Lopez Parra Christian Lopez Perez Francisco Lopez Ponce David Lozano Christopher Maes Mikaila Maese Juan Magallanes Rivera Jackeline Magana Dora Majalca Ismael Martinez Savannah Martinez William Martinez Jorge Martinez Diaz Alondra Martinez Sanchez Luis Medina Omar Medina Sarinana Jennifer Melendez Dominguez Teresa Membreno Cynthia Mendoza Samuel Mendoza Montoya Karina Mendoza Ortiz Maria Mendoza Osuna Miguel Merino Gomez Joaquin Merino Villegas Vanessa Miranda Kalynn Mitchell Joseph Montano III Jaime Montano Nieves Tristen Montoya Ever Morales Sergio Morales Carolina Morales de Leon Melissa Morales Marquez Guillermo Moreno Saudy Moreno Esparza Carlos Munoz Jessica Munoz Bencomo Jose Munoz Colmenero Elijah Naranjo Audriana Narvaiz Montano

Capital High students decorate their mortar boards for their graduation ceremony.

Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Joel Boyd celebrates with a graduating Capital High students during the school’s graduation ceremony on May 26. PHOTOS BY LUIS SáNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN Guillermo Navarrete Mata Christian Nevarez Marie Newell Adrian Ornelas Anahi Ornelas Tania Ornelas Marco Orozco Sergio Orozco Almeida Jaime Orozco Gutierrez Yeremi Orozco Vega Raul Ortega Nunez Mikayla Ortiz Blanca Ortiz Ortiz Karla Perez Yvette Perez Maira Pichardo Maria Pichardo Ivan Pineda Rosalba Ponce Noemi Portillo Castillo Tiffany Quintana Tiffany Rael Crystal Ramirez Olvera

Alexis Ramirez Zavala Gerardo Reyes Joshua Rivera Nydia Robles Lara Addisen Rodriguez Jocelyn Rodriguez Juan Rodriguez Yazmin Rodriguez Amairani Rodriguez Mercado Dominique Romero Andrea Rosales Giselle Rosetta Fernando Ruiz Amy Ruiz Parra Daniel Ryan Yalin Saenz Dominguez Giselle Salazar Paola Salazar Loya Karla Salcido Castillo Karina Sanchez Michael Sanchez Lengyel Mariah Scott Alexander Seabolt

Manuel Segura Bayron Sican Perez Ieshea Sisneros Kristen Sisneros Anahi Solis Evelyn Solis Ever Solis Ivan Solis Arana Edith Solis Gutierrez Adrian Sotelo Andres Sotelo Cristal Suarez Tena Julissa Talavera Morales Yazmin Tavarez Guzman Leidy Ugarte Fierro Anthony Vargas Alexandro Veleta Brissa Velo Tarin Jenifer Villanueva Castillo Rebecca Wiedeman Jonathan Zamora Carolina Zuart Ramos Luis Zubia Carrillo

Class flower: White and orange roses Class motto: “Do not follow where the path leads. Rather, go where there is no path and leave a trail.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson Class song: “Jump” by Kris Kross

Graduates

New Mexico School for the Deaf

Fatima Esquivel Jamie Lopez-Ramirez Amberly Luna Jesus Medrano Victoria Ortiz Perla Parra-Dominguez Jaelyn Sanchez Guinvere Shorty Fernando Silva Kendrick Skeets Augusta Skoog Monissa Smiley Sammy Valverde

New Mexico School for the Deaf’s 2015 graduates.

COURTESY PHOTO

Elana Salazar

Kristi Salazar

Tasmerisk Haught

Congrats, we are proud

CONGRATULATIONS on getting your MBA! This is such a HUGE accomplishment! It’s so awesome that you got that “piece of paper” :) All of your hard work paid off!

AWESOME JOB! Always, Kat :)

Trinity College – Hartford, Connecticut B.S., Cum Laude Neuroscience Grandma & Grampa had best seats (Heaven).

We’re all so proud of you!

of you & wish you the best in Cali!

Love, Your Family

Marilynn Gallegos Marilynn, Our beautiful girl.

We are so proud of you.

Mom, Carlos & Marcos

Maria Castro

MARIA ELIA CASTRO graduated from University School of Law, May, 2015.

She is or Castro and the Late Arquimides “Kimo” Castro.

CONGRATULATIONS MARIA!

Kristi, Karli & Sean Salazar Congratulations to our children, not only have you each accomplished so much but you were able to share this moment together. ~ We Love You, Mom & Dad.

6 CLASS OF 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN Sunday, June 7, 2015

Kyra Hewett

“This class will always be No. 1 in my heart because you are my first graduating class as directing principal.”

— Principal Mary Massey

Santa Fe High School

Congratulations! We are so proud of you & grateful you are a part

Valedictorian: Camille Sammeth Salutatorian: Alexander Ortiz Class officers: Ivana Romero, president; Alyssa Sena, vice president; Angelica Crespin, director of activities; Aryanna Smith, secretary; Tyler Shellberger, treasurer; Yaritza Aguirre, senior representative; Daniel Romero, senior representative

of our lives ! Love, Rene, Claudia and Val

Kevin Trujillo Kevin David,

New graduates celebrate after the ceremony May 27.

Class flower: White rose Class motto: “You see us as you want to see us in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions.

But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal.

We may have been strangers when we came here, but we’re friends now.” — The Breakfast Club

PHOTOS BY LUIS SáNCHEZ SATURNO THE NEW MEXICAN

“Shoot for the Stars” We are so proud of you!

Class song: “Hall of Fame” by The Script

Love, Bampo, Nana, Santa Fe High seniors at their graduation ceremony

Dad Mom & Clarissa

Karmela Bower

COURTESY PHOTO

Congratulations Karmela! Your future is bright! Good luck!

Wendy & Martin

Jonyce Cordova Jonyce, We are so proud of you!

Congratulations!

Love Mom & Dad

Johnny Corriz Congratulations Johnny!

We are so proud of the Man you have become!

Love you Always!

Dad, Mom, Marcos, Santi, Maya and Grandma

Harlan Miller Buckets and bunches kiddo. ~La Mama

Gabriel Garcia

Graduates Alfredo Jose Abeyta Allesem Aguilar Yaritza Gutierrez Aguirre Ariel Breanne Alarid Shawn Eddie Alarid James C. Alexander Elijah Matthew Alva Kenia Mareli Alvarado Kibsaim Lira Alvarez Joaquin A. Anaya Matthew Angel Marcus John Apodaca Lujan Emily Michelle Aragon Angelina Juliana Archuleta Sugey A. Varela Arenivar Ryanna Arroyos Rachel M. Baca Santi Louis Bachicha Tyler J. Baker Dominic E. Baros Christopher M. Belian Angel Karmella Benavidez Yesenia G. Horta Bermejo Simran N. Bhakta Shaniah Renee Lopez Borrego Karmela N. Bower Scarlett Myra Brugger Angelica Maria Bustillos Aylshia N. Bustos Angelica M. Calderon Jasmine M. Camarena Maria Guadalupe Sosa Campos Sophia L. Candelaria Victoria Athena Cantwell Amairani Rodriguez Cardona Esteban Antonio Carrazco Denise Carrillo Antonio P. Cassidy Brenda Lucero Castaneda James P. Castelo Sage G. Castiglione Mara A. Cayarga Kiana Nicole Champion Angelo J. Chavez Medel A. Chavez Savannah Neva Lee Cheek Rebecca A. Cheeley Steston Thomas Christopherson Hannah Celeste Clark Rogerio Salustiano Contreras Vito Coppola Jonyce Cordova Sabrinah S. Coriz Johnny R. Corriz Robert J. Corriz Angelica M. Crespin Jerome W. Cross Gabrielle Monica Cruz Justin A. Cummings Max L. Dancer Ian R. Davis Olivia P. Dawson Isabel Young De Katona Kurt Degregorio Miles Poorman Devesty Esteban Rascon Dominguez Antonio M. Dominguez Nathaniel I. Duran Wyatt Ttomas Egelhoff Alondra Espinoza Nancy Faviola Perez Estrada

Erika Evans Keanyn T. Evans Kenneth H. Farr II Marcos E. Fierro Ryan J. Fischer Alexia Madariaga Flores Marcos Fraere James C. Fulreader Amethyst D. Gallant Isaiah R. Gallegos Miguel A. Campos Garcia Jr. David V. Garcia Jr. Wendolin Martinez Garcia Alexis Jordan Garcia Daniel William Garcia Gabriel Aaron Garcia Robert M. Garcia Shanaya A. Garcia Crystal Garcia-Vega Elijah Angel Gomez Lucias T. Gonzales Perla Granillo Brittany Jewell Greenbank Arriana M. Griego Frank M. Guerra VI Ariana M. Gurule Alberto Mata Gutierrez Natsiry J. Gutierrez Quintana Christine J. Gutierrez Tafoya Briana N. Weir Gutierrez Eric J. Gutierrez Lucas Kessler Harari Elizabeth Morgan Harbour Hayden J. Hargrove Jacquelyn Rose Harvey Robert Peter Hashagen III Megan Leigh Hayden Scott J. Hayes Cade A. Hermeling Briana E. Hernandez Saul Velasquez Hernandez Angelica Gabaldon Herrera Eagle Herrera Kayla Herrera Kyra M. Hewett Peter Mead Hill-Ehlers Nickolus John Holmes Maria Emilia Iglesias Chad Michael Inman Ricky Collum James Oscar Luis Perez Jaramillo Ambriel T. Jaramillo John J. Jaramillo Isaac M. Jimenez Timothy Peter Jones Travis A. Kimberly Lauryn Haley King Heather M. Kirby Esther Klaps Ashley M. Knight Maria Elena Lemus Mariaguadalupe Lemus Esther T. Liescht Milagro Laura E. Paz Linares Arlen J. Duarte Lopez Antionette G. Lopez Matthew A. Lopez Michael A. Lopez Rachel Renee Lopez Ted B. Lopez Sabrina Cabbage Lozada Nayeli Acosta Lozoya Alexus M. Lucero

Christopher Vigil Christopher, we are so proud of you. You are a champion!

Love, Marina and Bobby Chism

Marcos Fierro

Medel Adan Chavez

We’re so proud of you Marc! Congratulations!

We love you! Love always, Mom, grandma, Uncle & Sister!!

Class of 2015 SFHS!

Adan, We are so proud, love you!

Congratulations on your hard work! ~Family

Gabriel R. Lucero Kevin D. Lucero Julian A. Lujan Marissa Lujan Justine Ebony Mack Kristin Mackowski Jalen A. Maestas Daniel J. Maez Juan F. Perez Maldonado Monica Maria Malinowski Dmitri Voorhees Malygin Annie L. Marquez Zachary R. Marquez Matthew Eric Maruffo Ezra James Wade Marsalis Rogelio Jaquez Martinez Adam J. Miller Martinez Alyssa M. Martinez Ashley J. Martinez Carmella Martinez Desiree H. Martinez Joselyn L. Martinez Margaret A. Martinez Michael Lee Martinez Stephen Martinez Yasmin G. Martinez Eugene Cort Matias Gary R. Matthew Sandy Lopez Matzir Michael Emilio Medina Hector A. Sagche Melgar Kitzet C. Melgar Menjivar Louis Merrill Alma Carolina Martinez Meza Jennifer Noel Miera Harlan A. Miller Ariel E. Miramontes Alisha C. Molina Rayes M. Montano Sebastian Z. Montano Damaris Ramos Montijo Jerry G. Montoya Jr. Ashlynn M. Montoya Carmella E. Montoya Elisa S. Montoya Nico S. Montoya Noah C. Montoya Samuel Henry Montoya Courtney J. Moore Grecia Vega Morrales Emily T. Morrison Ashley D. Moya Robert Korwin Mueller Aurelie Lilia Mujyna Fernando Nazario Murillo Katalena Narvaiz Judith Moreno Nava Dylan Keeton Nohl Samantha J. Norwood Reyna M. Ocana Yahaira V. Leyva Ortega Brianna N. Ortega Issac Matteo Ortega Izaiah X. Ortega Monae K. Ortega Alexander E. Ortiz Andres Ortiz Alicia S. Pacheco Draven Reyes Pacheco Gabriel L. Pacheco Analicia V. Padilla Christopher John Padilla Joseph A. Padilla Savina R. Padilla Miguel E. Pantano Liam Q. Paquin Joshua M. Pell Andrea C. Hernandez Perez Jaime Alejandro Perez Perez Elisa M. Perez Selina Perez Dominique Lillah Petersen Joshua Isaac Pino Max F. Pitman Kiana Lea Polanco James C. Portillo II Elisabeth Auguste Preuss Haley L. Pryor Emily Jane Pullen John Russ J. Quintana Tori Quintana Victoria Quintana Allyja Ramirez

Sports accomplishments: Class AAAAAA cheerleading championship team; Girls track and field team finished third in district, third in state Class AAAAAA. Eight Class AAAAAA All-State finishers. Softball, basketball, wrestling, cross-country and diving teams made trips to state.

Academic accomplishments: Graduates going to Harvard, Northwestern, West Point, and here in New Mexico in record numbers.

Jasmin Ramirez Courteney Alexis Randle Meenakshi Christina Reher-Kelkar Edgar Garcia Reyes Kodiak Cheyenne Richards Jonathan Dominguez Rivera Julio M. Rivera Mariah S. Rivera Yazmin Alvidrez Rodriguez Ethan R. Garcia Rodriguez Lizeth A. Tarango Rodriguez Adhilene Rodriguez Adrianna Rodriguez Francisco Roberto Rodriguez Marsiol L. Rodriguez Skyler Corliss Rodriguez Joshua A. Vigil Roibal Alejandro F. Rojo Angelique Maria Romero Breanna M. Romero Daniel Michael Romero Isaac D. Romero Ivana R. Romero Mariah A. Romero Fernando Romo Billy Jack Roop Naomi Roque Ciprianna C. Roybal Enrique Roybal Nathan J. Roybal Sarah Margaret Roybal Bryan A. Hernandez Ruiz Micquela R. Saiz Mauro Enrique Alvidrez Salcido David Adrian Arredondo Saldivar Camille M. Sammeth Elizabeth A. Sanchez Samara Maria Sanchez Andrea Maria Sandoval Ashley N. Sandoval Mikayla Janae Trujillo Sansom Emily Allison Scotti Alyssa M. Sena Mohammed Kaleed Shawabkeh Brooke Sheldon Tyler Scott Shellberg Miranda Lyn Shemayme Reina Alexis Sigala Mareesa Shay Silva Stephanie P. Herrera Sisneros Aryanna B. Smith Taylor Monet Smith Merilyn E. Hernandez Solis Abel Jacobo Solis Karla I. Sosa Zachary Kyle Spence Zane R. Sprieck Asher White Strauch Isaiah Esfren Taylor Andrew Jordan Thirsk Fatima R. Guajardo Torres Sara J. Toya Amber C. Trujillo Cheyenne Angel Trujillo Elijah J. Trujillo Kevin David Trujillo Paul Joe M. Trujillo Alexandra Julietta Varela Isaac A. Vargas Lindsay L. Varoz Jennifer Vela Antonio J. Velazquez Velarde Jazmin Rodriguez Velazquez Adriana Vigil Christopher Vigil Loren M. Vigil Alan Galdean Villalobos Ursula G. Vold Eric Anders Walker Jayden Wall Sophie Elizabeth Ornette Wayne Shawn Bradford West Georgia Claire Peach Wetovsky Samantha Woodman Christian Taylor Wowak Ashlee N. Wright Gabriela Victoria Wuorinen Vanessa P. Cardenas Zambrano Fernando Gaytan Zambrano Karen Zambrano Osmar Zambrano Isaias Torres Zapata

Sara Toya “Reach for the Sky” So proud of you Sara!

Dad

Sunday, June 7, 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN CLASS OF 2015 7

Pojoaque Valley High School

Desert Academy

“Congratulations to the senior class of 2015!”

— Principal Michael “Skip” Hemperley Valedictorian: Daniella Victoria Martinez Salutatorian: Deidre L. Roybal Class motto: “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” — Anatole France Scholarship awards Christopher Montalvo Spirit and Leadership Scholarship: Savannah Martinez Chris T. Peterson Memorial Scholarship: Anthony Rodriguez J. Robert Oppenheimer Scholarship: Daniella Martinez Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund: Daniella Martinez and Meagan Wheeler Ben Lujan Scholarship: Yiesel Parra Boys & Girls Club Buffalo Thunder: Savannah Martinez, Lauren Armenta , Derrick Grasmick and Daniella Martinez Boys & Girls Club Athlete of the Year: Ryan Maestas Boys & Girls Club Jen Roper: Daniella Martinez Gene Franchini Scholarship: Sofia Lucero Zia Credit Union Scholarship: Aaron Attencio, Ryan Maestas, Alejandro Martinez, Daniella Martinez, Savannah Martinez, Anthony Rodriguez, Gabrielle Rodriguez, Diedre Roybal, Janelle Rubio-Olivas, Selina Trujillo, Epifanio Velarde Del Norte Credit Union: Lauren Armenta Northern New Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board: Savannah Martinez and Deidre Roybal FCACC: Sofia Lucero Benito Garcia Memorial Scholarship Foundation Merit Scholarship: Derrick Grasmick, Brianna Maestas, Ryan Maestas and Savannah Martinez The Day & Zimmermann SOC Scholars: Aaron Atencio and Janelle Rubio-Olivas Los Alamos Chapter of ASM International: Meagan Wheeler Basin Electric Power Coop Scholarship: Alejandro S. Martinez Summit Food Service Scholarship: Savannah Martinez and Sergio Mata Coca-Cola Scholarship: David Chacon, Savannah Martinez and Tylene Samuel New Mexico Credit Union Education Foundation: Marissa M. Rodriguez Trek for Tassels Healthcare Scholarship: Dante Chavez Trujillo

Samsung American Legion Scholarship: Dante Chavez Trujillo Raymond M. Chavez Memorial Scholarship: Dante Chavez Trujillo FCCLA: Savannah Martinez and Anthony Cardena Northern New Mexico University Bridge Scholarship: Hanna de La Cruz, Brianna Maestas, Savannah Martinez, Mary Mora, Joshua Padilla, Arianna Rodriguez, Esmeralda Rojo, David N. Roper, Mariah Sanchez and Ariana Trujillo ENMU Department of Music: Devin M. DeVargas ENMU Foundation Starter Scholarship: Jennifer Hernandez, Marina Meritt and Janeht Sustaita ENMU Freshman Academy Scholarship: Marina Meritt, Tia Roybal and Meagan Wheeler ENMU Residence Hall Grant: Analise Lopez UNM Presidential Scholarship: Daniella Martinez and Devin DeVargas UNM Success Grant: Lauren Armenta, Aaron Atencio, Jozette Boyet, Adriana Bustamante, Joseph Chacon, Dante Chavez Trujillo, Derrick Grasmick, Gregory Hamilton, Laetitia Lucero, Sofia Lucero, Ryan Maestas, Angelique Martinez, Angelo Martinez, Christopher Martinez, Issac Martinez, Savannah Martinez, Sergio Mata, Logan Montoya, Jaylen Quintana, Marissa Rodriguez, Deidre Roybal, Janelle Rubio Olivas, Tylene Samuel UNM Bridge to Success: Corey Ortiz, Yiesel Parra, Meagan Wheeler and Savannah Martinez NMSU High Achiever Leadership Scholarship: Aodan R. Luther Salazar NMSU Honors Excel Freshman Scholarship: Epifanio Velarde NMSU Regents Success Scholarship: Lauren Armenta, Jennifer Hernandez, Marina Meritt, Yiesel Parra and Deidre Roybal NMSU Opportunity Scholarship: Adriana Bustamante, Jacqueline Casillas-Gutierrez, Dante Chavez Trujillo, Elizabeth Flores and Ryan Maestas NMSU Opportunity Scholarship: Alejandro Martinez, Sergio Mata, Logan Montoya, Corey Ortiz, Gabrielle Rodriguez, Marissa Rodriguez, Angelica Romero, Tia Roybal, Janelle Rubio-Olivas Northern Arizona University Founders Scholarship: Meagan Wheeler NMHU Dean’s Scholarship: Marissa Rodriguez Sangre de Chrsto Choral/Hastings Memorial Vocal Scholarship: Devin DeVargas

Graduates

Sergio Mata-Cisneros Jeremie Maxey Isaac J. Melendez Marina Florida Merritt Anthony E. Montoya Darren S. Montoya Kamilah MaKaylah Montoya Logan Tyler Montoya Nathaniel Ryan Montoya Ganine R. Morgan Claudia Nava David Lee Neuman-Roper Daniel Fernando Niño Gabriella Olivas Francisco J. Olvera Silva Marina Orozco Vasquez Corey A. Ortiz Joshua Aaron Padilla George U. Palomino Yiesel Parra Angelina Rose Payan Javier M. Peña Dania Perez Alegandra Elizabeth Pizano Bianca Vanessa Ponce Calderon Karla Berenice Quezada Jaylen Jeanné Quintana Camille Amber Rael Anthony R. Rodriguez Gabrielle Alexis Rodriguez Kyle D. Rodriguez Marissa Mikayla Rodriguez

Armando Alvarado Orlando Arévalo Lauren Rae Armenta Aaron J. Atencio Elias L. Baca Paul Ignacio Baca Jozette Roslyn Boyet Adriana R. Bustamante Cisneros Anthony J. Cardena Jacqueline Casillas Gutierrez Erik David Casillas David S. Chacon Joseph Anthony Chacon Jr. Alexis S. Chato Karla Lidia Chavez Rios Danten Gabrielle Chavez Trujillo Dominic N. Combs Brandon A. Viarrial Darras Justin Christobal DeAguero Hannah Monique Dela Cruz Devin Manuel DeVargas Veronica K. Dominguez Jaycee Alexis Duran Jesse I. Duran Michah R. Espinosa Elizabeth Flores Brittney Ralphelita Garcia Justin Cory Garcia-Vigil Andrew Anthony Giron Derrick Anthony Grasmick

Gregory D. Hamilton Jr. Devon D. Harrier Brandon Lance Hatfield Jennifer Hernández Michael Albert Leno Christian B. Leyba-Moya Adan Ezekiel Lopez Analise Gabriella Lopez Dominic Samuel Lopez Joshua D. Lucero Laetitia Marie Lucero Sofia Magdalyn Lucero Julian Lujan Aodan R. Luther-Salazar Brianna Maestas Jose Luis E. Maestas Ryan Benito Maestas Sandra Jazmin Marquez Diaz Alejandro Sebastian Martinez Alexandria Olivia Martinez Analisa Raquel Martinez Angelique M. Martinez Angelo Martinez Jr. Christopher Isaiah Martinez Daniella Victoria Martinez Delilah Ann Martinez Domonick C. Martinez Ernesto E. Martinez Isaac D. Martinez Natalie Rebecca Martinez Savannah Leanne Martinez Thomas Nathaniel Martinez

Esmeralda Rojo Angelica Romero Kyle I. Romero Andrew M. Roybal Benjamin Edwin Roybal Deidre L. Roybal Francisco I. Roybal Kristyna Celina Roybal Tia Marina Roybal Janelle J. Rubio-Olivas Ashley Saenz Tylene Shanell Samuel Destiny Lee Sandoval Janeht Sustaita Cisneros Paul R. Tafoya Natali Torres Michelle Trevizo-Parra Ariana R. Trujillo Paul Ray Trujillo Selina C. Trujillo Jesús José Vanchaik Epifanio L. Velarde Wyatt Alfredo Velarde Felicia Rainelle Viarrial Jeffrey L. Vigil Skylar Morgan Vigil Meagan D. Wheeler William Adrian Yates Poe Yemu

Domonick Martinez

Derrick Grasmick

Congratulations Dom!

Love, Mom

Derrick, we are so proud of you and love you very much!

Mom, Dad, Miranda

Brittney Garcia

Daniella Martinez

Britt, we are so

Daniella,

proud of you!

our Valedictorian

Love Mom, Saya,

we are proud of you!

Uncles, Aunties

We love you!

& Cousins.

~Your family

I am so proud of you son!

I LOVE YOU!

Engaging the mind.

Engaging the world.

Desert Academy graduates celebrate following their ceremony May 28. ROBERT NOTT/THE NEW MEXICAN

“Our class of 2015 is strong in many ways — as learners, as athletes, as artists, as people. Congratulations to all!”

— Principal Terry Passalacqua Valedictorian: Taylor Bacon Salutatorian: Darcy Bohlin Class flower: Daisy Class motto: “Those who say they can and those who say they can’t are both right” Class song: “Get Free” Sports accomplishments: State boys soccer contenders; state volleyball contenders; cross-country individual and team wins; third in state in girls track and field; track and field individual and team wins.

Academic accomplishments: Academic, arts and athletic scholarships to some of the top universities in the country, including Princeton; Vassar; NYU; UCLA; University of California, San Diego; Texas A&M; Emory; Middlebury; Northeastern; George Washington; and Columbia.

Graduates

Jeremy Hartse Victoria Heath Meng Lin Melib Marker Marley Medina Sarah Nuamah Franny O’Byrne David Onstott Emma Rios Sofia Riva Ceryn Schoel Ian Stumbo Nick Tedori Abby Tiarks

Taylor Bacon Darcy Bohlin Chiara Brandi Oliver Bulger Zoe Castro Aurora Dadda Eliza Donahue Isaac Fischer Zascha Fox Drake Franco Noah Gibson Karen Girdner Jasper Grossman Ana Gumbiner Cassidy Hart

Laura Martin Laura Catherine Martin received her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard, May 28, 2015.

Robin Martin

ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE Master of Liberal Arts Congratulations on your accomplishment!

From, The Staff of The Santa Fe New Mexican

International Baccalaureate World School.

College preparatory serving grades 6 - 12.

Now accepting applications for Fall, 2015 • Generous tuition assistance available 7300 Old Santa Fe Trail • Santa Fe, NM 87505 • (505) 992-8284 • www.DesertAcademy.org

8 CLASS OF 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN Sunday, June 7, 2015

New Mexico School for the Arts “You have made us so proud — we know your successes will continue. Thank you for sharing these four wonderful years with us!” — Cindy Montoya, head of school, and Riis Gonzales, art institute director Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Joel Boyd and Principal Susan Lumley award diplomas at the ATC ceremony on May 20. ROBERT NOTT/THE NEW MEXICAN

Academy for Technology and the Classics Principal Susan Lumley’s message: “They are hopeful … filled with expectation … choosing what is noble rather than what is expedient … Such, then is the character of the young.” — Aristotle Valedictorian: Alexander Mojarrab Salutatorian: Lucas Boschelli Class officers: Samuel Lewis, student council president; Alexander Mojarrab, student council vice president Class flower: Sunflower Class quote: “Now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.” — Neil Gaiman Class song: “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons Sports accomplishments: Brian Farfan, NMADA Scholar Athlete of the Year, state qualifier in 800-meter relay; Conner Griswold, school record-holder in 3,200 meter and 1,600 meter, all-district cross-country and state qualifier; Ross Gyallay Pap, led the state in scoring and was voted first team all-district; Shannon McQuillan, co-captain of swim team; Jaret Saums, cross-country state qualifier, co-captain of swim team; Eliza Schaum, three state records in Olympic weightlifting and training; Jake Schmidt, all-district discus; Raina Wellman, All Harrier Cross-Country Athlete, state qualifier in 3,200 meter, NMADA Scholar Athlete of the Year. Girls crosscountry took second place at state championship; girls track and field team took second place at district championship Individual academic awards: Lucas Boschelli, Century Bank Super Scholar; Sabrina Cook, Project GUTS mentor, New Mexico National Center for Women and Information Technologies winner, National Center for Women and Information Technologies national runner-up; Josue Damian Martinez, Breakthrough Davis Scholar, Santa Fe Prevention Alliance Intern; Xinyue Dermin, Century Bank Super Scholar; Ros Gyallay Pap, ATC David Funck Scholar; Samuel Lewis National Merit semifinalist; Alexander Mojarrab, Century Bank Super Scholar; Liz Saenz Lozoya, Santa Fe Prevention Alliance Intern, Success Scholar, Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent’s Scholar; Jaret Saums, Eagle Scout; Raina Wellman, Coca Cola Scholar, Los Alamos Scholar Academic accomplishments: The Class of 2015 earned more than $3 million in grants and scholarships, and 100 percent of ATC’s graduating class applied to college.

Graduates Mariel Aldana Reece Angel Lucas Boschelli Erin Canon Sabrina Cook Josue Damian Martinez Xinyue Derman Brian Farfan Conner Griswold Sothearos Gyallay Pap Kayla Herzenberg

M. Jude Jochem Jacob Jones Nicholas Keller Ryan Kieffer Samuel Lewis Thomas McCauley Shannon McQuillan Alexander Mojarrab Tatiana Norbeck Angelica Pacheco Omar Pedroza Jasper Poppele Emma Potter Clarissa Rodriguez

Isaac Rodriguez Elizabeth Rodriguez Licano Emily Romero Liz Saenz Lozoya Jaret Saums Eliza Schaum Jake Schmidt Mallika Sengupta Corey Sullivan Sovannarak Tha Deja Thomas Raina Wellman

Robert Sandoval Bob – We are so proud of you!

Love you, Grandma and your family

Valedictorian: Fiona Jensen-Hitch Salutatorian: Genevieve Conley Class flower: Eucalyptus Class song: “Send Me On My Way” by Rusted Root Accomplishments: Maggie King and Soledad Sanchez y Lucero were selected by the National Association for Music Education to participate in the All National Honor Ensembles. Five New Mexico students were selected to participate in this national “All State”-type ensemble.

Academic accomplishments: 95 percent of students have been accepted into a higher education institution. Acceptances from 68 universities in 18 states and four countries.

NMSA has been ranked as the 10th best high school in New Mexico. As of May, $5.4 million total has been offered to the senior class in scholarships and financial aid, an average of $122,000. Two full-ride scholarships offered: Colorado College ($240,000) and Smith College ($260,000). One student received $208,000 to attend Seattle University. One student received $200,000 to attend Boston University.

NMSA graduate Isabella Aldana after the ceremony. COURTESY PHOTO

Graduates Isabella Aldana Madeleine Alley Rosemary Buscher Jessie Dickter Lorenza Friedrich Fiona Jensen-Hitch Gloria Luhman Madrone Matysiak Imeh McIver Jeremy Romero Telo Herzl Hoy Jakob Chavez Jende Cohen Genevieve Conley Desiree Herburger Nicolas Olrik Gabriella Ottersberg Enriquez Amy Rohr Soledad Sanchez y Lucero Richard Schmidt Louise Browne Farleigh Carson Isaiah Cordova Elizajane Davis Ghita Lemrabet Magdalena Malone Desirae Orr Robert Sandoval Hilsias Santos Lopez Anthony Sena Chloe Siegman Tatyana Stavrowsky William Benson Kendra Carmona Olivia Sabrina Civale Tasnim Clarke Sofia Howard Sarah Jones Stella Magestro R. McNatt Caitlin Mills-Flegal Emma Steinman Alma Valdez-Garcia Pilar Valenzuela

New Mexico School for the Arts seniors are honored at their graduation ceremony June 1. CLYDE MUELLER/THE NEW MEXICAN

Tierra Encantada Charter School

“If you chop your own wood it warms you twice.”

— Principal Daniel Benavidez Valedictorian: Jose Luis Reyes Salutatorian: David G. Rios Class flower: White Lily Class motto: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there” — Theodore Roosevelt Class song: “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts Sports accomplishments: Our seniors participated individually and collectively in achieving: placement on the All-Star Volleyball North team, district champions and third place in state for girls volleyball, fifth place in state for boys basketball, second place in district in girls basketball, district champions in track and field, placement on all-district girls basketball team, and college recruiting for volleyball, basketball and lacrosse.

Individual academic awards: Perla Olivas received a Bridge Scholarship to The University of New Mexico. Jose Luis Reyes received the Comcast Leadership Scholarship. Suzzette Tiscareno received a Bridge Scholarship to Eastern New Mexico. Alyssa Valdez received a Freshman Opportunity Scholarship from New Mexico Highlands University. Shania Wheeler received a Freshman Scholarship to New Mexico State University.

Academic accomplishments: All of our seniors were accepted into a college or university. We also had nine students who graduated a year early.

Graduates Dominique V. Fresquez Stephanie M. Garcia Dezeree V. Gonzales Jazzmin Melissa Gonzalez Indira F. Guereque Lucette Noches Perla Olivas Jose Luis Reyes David G. Rios Adrianna M. Roybal Suzzette Tiscareno Marilyn Trejo Alyssa Valdez Shania Wheeler

Genevieve Conley

Noni Miller

Noni Miller

Sing always,

Congratulations Noni!!

We applaud your achievements and wish you well on your next, great adventure.

Love from your cousins Tobi and Mike

Congratulations Noni!

We are so proud of you!!

Master your destiny and GO RULE THE WORLD!!

Love ~ Dad, Mom, G-Pa, Tala, Shane, Ahyuna & Talis

your beautiful voice ethereal.

Thank you for the joy.

Nancy H.

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Sunday, June 7, 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN CLASS OF 2015 9

Graduates

Academy at Larragoite “Good Luck in your next journey and congratulations graduates on your accomplishments and your dedication! Continue to shine in all you do!”

— Principal Dr. Cynthia L. Sanchez Class officers: Randall Pietrocci, student council president Class flower: Tiger rose Class motto: “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe!” — Anatole France Class song: “The Graduation Song” — Rhett and Link

Justen Kaise Gardner looks at his diploma after the ceremony May 22.

Iysha Monique Acuna Danny R. Apodaca Jr. Christopher Arredondo Kaley Marie Baca Araceli Banuelos Celina Batista Brittney Bowker Ambrose E. Bustamante* Rainbow Buzzalini Augustine Carrillo Alexis Flores Joaquin Garcia Justen Kaise Gardner Shiann Lisa Gonzales* Christopher Anastacio Griego Edgar Guzman Lawrence Daniel Adam Herrera Dominic Layden Anders Bjorn Lindquist Dominique J. Lobato Marcos K. Luevano Brito Fernando Martinez Arriaga Jr. Zacharia J. Mcalister Alexandria O’Dell Celina Victoria Ortega Elizabeth Padilla Randall Pietrocci Jerad E. Quintana* Ernesto Ramirez Salinas Selena Margaret Ridgeway Ashley N. Ritch Erika Joan Rivera Avila Jenica Rodriguez Richard A. Romero Ruben Andres Salas Mariah Santistevan* Juan Sigala Amber Rae Trujillo Andrea Nicole Trujillo* Kendall Marie Trujillo Celina Ulibarri James Anthony Vigil Stephanie M. Villa Daniel V. Wallace Tiffani Chantelle Wallace Melissa Rose Williamson *AVID/Enlace program

From left, Academy at Larragoite graduates Dominique Lobato, Melissa Williamson and Iysha Acuna pose for a photo following the ceremony. COURTESY PHOTOS

Monte del Sol Charter School

Scenes from the Santa Fe Prep graduation ceremony May 29.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS QUINTANA/THE NEW MEXICAN

“Remember! You’re not really getting older, you are just embarking on your journey through the space-time continuum.”

— Principal Robert Jessen Sports accomplishments: Omar Ndiaye: First team alldistrict basketball (will have a walk-on spot on Northern Arizona University’s basketball team. Ryan Vander Ham: second team all-district basketball. In soccer, Skye Dascher and Shalto Dascher, district players of the year, first team all-district, first team All-State

Santa Fe Prep “As our largest graduating class ever, you have had a tremendous impact. Your talents are considerable. Do good work and stay in touch.”

— Jim Leonard, head of school Valedictorian: Bridget Bohlin Class officers: Erik Birk, Jeremiah O’Mahony, Elena Wirth, Isabelle Pagano, Zöe Unverferth, Jack Larsen Class motto: “The best that can be, the class of MMXV.” Sports accomplishments: District champions in boys soccer, volleyball, boys basketball, girls track, boys track, girls tennis. State champions in boys soccer, girls lacrosse, boys lacrosse, girls track.

Keenan Amer: State soccer A-AAAA Player of the Year. Ian Andersson: State champion (High Jump), Northern New Mexico boys basketball player of the year, North/ South All-Star (Basketball). Courtney Timlen: State champion (300 Hurdles).

Desiray Anderson: North/South All-Star

Graduates Keenan Amer Desiray Anderson Ian Andersson Ben Bajema Grace Barliant Erik Birk Bridget Bohlin Myla Borden Lila Brooks Katharine Broyles Wyeth Carpenter Kalila Ceccarelli

(Volleyball). Alexis Mundt: North/South All-Star (Basketball). Class of 2015 scholar athletes: Keenan Amer, Desiray Anderson, Erik Birk, Bridget Bohlin, Myla Borden, Wyeth Carpenter, Tenzin Dorjee, Mike Ewers, Bae Lee Harman, Eliza Harrison, Emily Hayes-Rich, Peyton Lawrenz, Joy Maran, Alexis Mundt, Kate Naylor, Ben Perillo, Sarah Raboff, Ava Robb-McCord, Gabriela Romero, Courtney Timlen, Elena Wirth

Individual academic honors National Merit semi-finalists and finalists: Bridget Bohlin and Eliza Harrison.

Presidential Scholar semi-finalist: Bridget Bohlin.

National Achievement Scholar for African Americans: Peyton Lawrenz.

Spirit of Santa Fe Prep Award: Grace Barliant.

Elrington Award: Molly Montgomery.

Emily Davis Ruben De May Tenzin Dorjee Mattie Duran Kyle Evaldson Michael Ewers Noah Gollin Bae Lee Harman Eliza Harrison Halia Harvey Emily Hayes-Rich Piper Hees Raini Helmstadter Wesley Jansen

Max Jacobsson Madeleine Larsen Jack Larsen Peyton Lawrenz Erin Lazarus Evan Levy Jack Lobe Joy Maran Kate Marchand Kate Martin Arielle Mattes Molly Montgomery Brooke Morrow Alexis Mundt

Robert W. Kurth Humanities Award: Lila Brooks.

Dougharty Book & Travel Award: Raini Helmstadter.

English Award: Molly Montgomery, Emily Davis, Jeremiah O’Mahony, Eliza Harrison.

Science Award: Jack Lobe and Eliza Harrison.

Language Award: Ben Perillo, Kalila Ceccarelli, Bridget Bohlin.

Visual Arts Award: Wes Jansen, Halia Harvey, Piper Hees.

Anita Ginocchio Award: Nick Smith.

Performing Arts Award: Molly Montgomery, Zöe Unverferth, Jeremiah O’Mahony, Courtney Timlen.

Athletics Award: Keenan Amer, Ian Andersson, Desiray Anderson.

Santa Fe Institute High School Prize for Scientific Excellence: Bridget Bohlin.

Catherine Naylor Stephen Rex Neal Jeremiah O’Mahony Isabelle Pagano Benjamin Perillo Gabriel Purvis Sarah Raboff Samuel Richard Gabriela Rivera Ava Robb-McCord Gabriela Romero Himal Sage Shahi Griffin Sides Nicholas Smith

Martin Soto Chloe Strickland Takis Thayer Maxwell Thurston Courtney Timlen Katherine Tomes Luc Traugott Zöe Unverferth Alexandria Viszolay Jesse Wells Juliana Wheaton Elena Wirth Madleine Young

Individual academic honors Santa Fe Alliance for Science Award: Meghan Hill.

New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge first place winners: Meghan Hill and Katelynn James.

New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge Scholarship Winner: Chris Tapia.

PFLAG National Scholarship: Sarah Lavelle.

National Merit Scholarship achievement winner: Bailey Colfax.

Pamela A. White Award: Mariela Morales.

Frye Family Foundation Leadership Award: Omar Ndiaye.

Albuquerque Community Foundation Sussman-Miller Education Award: Omar Ndiaye.

Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship: Albert Sosa Parada.

Century Bank Super Scholars: Aram Brown, Bailey Colfax, Skye Dascher, Shalto Dascher, Emma Zuckerman

Graduates Ryan Armijo Jesse Baillargeon Christopher Baker Robert Beals Desmond Block Aram Brown Bailey Colfax Eamon Connerty Shalto Dascher Skye Dascher Ruby Duffy Noah Durkee Irwin Flores Romo Bianca Garcia Ian Girdner

Gavin Griffin Samantha Haynes Meghan Hill Luis Horta Katelynn James Joshua Johnston Santiago Lara Jacob Larranaga Sarah Lavelle Tiffany Leyba Haley Lucero Matthew Montoya Mariela Morales Omar Ndiaye Edwin Ochoa Yvette Rascon Karina Rodriguez

Luciano Romero Alicia Roybal Christine Sandoval Taylor Schneider Grace Selig Garland Shoop Abraham Sigala Alberto Sosa Parada Marlin Sotelo Chris Tapia Jake Theis Jesus Trujillo Esperanza Vallejo Ryan Vander Ham Isolda Vogel Jeremy Vorenberg Emma Zuckerman

Desiray Anderson

Erin Lazarus

Isolda Vogel

Make your dreams

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Isolda, your hard work

a reality –

We are so proud

Never settle for less!

of you,

Love, Mom

Mom and Dad

has paid off, I’m so proud of you! ~ Mom

10 CLASS OF 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN Sunday, June 7, 2015

Santa Fe Indian School COURTESY PHOTO

The MASTERS Program

“You are a great class! In life sometimes you just have to bow your head, say a prayer and weather the storm. Blessings.”

— Superintendent Roy Herrera

Principal Anne Salzmann’s message: “No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all. Integrity is everything.” — Unknown Academic accomplishments: Seniors earned a total of seven associate degrees and seven certificates at Santa Fe Community College.

What’s next: Of 48 graduates, 42 are attending college, three are going into the armed services, two are going to work using certificates earned at Santa Fe Community College (EMT/phlebotomy) and one is undecided.

Graduates Kaushal Lavjee Bhakta John Peter Block IV Dylan Kenneth Bowman Mariah Ann Bradford Alfredo David Burdwell Kyle Robert Carboneau Olivia Grace Caulfield Hilary Camille Craig Rachel Lilye Dannenberg Samuel Thomas Dannenberg Rachel LeeAnn Estes Gabriela Eliseann Flores Reuben Anthony Fresquez Kevin Alexander Guevara Vargas Ivanna Hernandez Gabriella Herrera Jaden Herrera Carolina Adriana Hinojos August Honnell Tessa L. Hunt

Deborah Jarzemba Jordan Cole Linson Karina Lira-Velazquez Maricruz Lopez Flores Jonathan Mackey Joel Nathanael Mark Mier Karl P. Nelson Noah Patricia Old Allissa Chloe Presnell Kayla Autumn Rael Samantha Jo Rivera Zachary Saul Rubin Tristan Kalani Sheffield RebeccaLynn Smith Joaquin Marciano Stewart Joy Thomas Feliciano Andres Vargas Timothy Nathan Vigil Jr. Jesus Alberto Zavala Maximilian Karl Zeiler

Valedictorian: Charelle Brown Salutatorian: Jordin Aguilar Class officers: Kaitlin Sandoval, Jordin Aguilar, Autumn Martinez, Kaila Valencia, Valerie Calabaza, Nicholas Pino, Xavier Lovato, Allison Chavarillo, Jaylene Baca Class flower: Amaryllis Class motto: “Future dreams shine like bright stars against distant nights. We have grown so much, and yet, we will grow forever.”

Class song: “One Day” by Matisyahu Sports accomplishments: Class AAAA chess state champs; Class AAAA baseball all-district team: Logan Brown and Benny Lujan Jr.; NCAA Division II soccer scholarship, Sierra Mermejo-Varga

Individual academic awards Governors’ Award: Justin Trancosa Senatorial Award: Jordin Aguilar Senior Athletes of the Year: Sierra Mermejo-Varga and Benny Lujan Jr. GATES Millennium Scholars: Alicea Olascoaga, Xavier Lovato, Charelle Brown, Jordin Aguilar Santa Fe Institute Award for Scientific Excellence: Charelle Brown Century Bank Super Scholars: Jaylene Baca and Charelle Brown Comcast Scholar: Jaylene Baca Santa Fe Elks Lodge Scholars: Alicea Olascoaga, Justin Trancosa Sea Alaska Heritage Scholarship: Alicea Olascoaga Santa Fe Community College associate degrees in the Certified Nurse Assistant Program: Amanda Garcia, Iris Arquero, Courtenae Magdalena, Alicea Olascoaga, Kayla Joe, Alaina Coriz, Steven Arviso, Kelly Silversmith, Kim

Ramone, CiAnna Sakeva Heard Museum Indian Student Art Show Winners: Sean Lesansee, first place, painting, and Byron Calabaza, second place, drawing Anasazi Heritage Cultural Center, Ancestral Homelands traveling exhibition artists: Francisco Arquero, Byron Calabaza, Joseph Dawes, Selvyn Jenkins, Courtenae Magdalena Institute of American Indian Arts Art in the Raw exhibition artists: Selvyn Jenkins, Courtenae Magdalena, Donica Aguilar Academic accomplishments: SFIS has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the Bureau of Indian Education’s school achievement measure for accountability, for the past three years; 2015 State Music Performance Assessment (MPA), “Excellent Rating” for the debut competition of the SFIS Band; cultural exchange with the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation students deepens understanding of United States Native American experiences.

ABOVE: Young dancers at the SFIS ceremony May 29.

LEFT: Santa Fe Indian School grads file into their ceremony wearing the traditional clothing from their respective tribes.

Noah Old Audaces Fortuna Juvas Love, Mom, Dad, Shiloh, Mika, Piper, Kiki and Grandpa

Rebecca Lynn Loyola Angelica Smith

PHOTOS BY CLYDE MUELLER/THE NEW MEXICAN

Graduates Donica Aguilar Jordin R. Aguilar Kyle Matthew Aguilar Daniel Isaac Aquino Francisco L. Arquero Iris S. Arquero Steven P. Arviso Jaylene Baca Jerrica S. Baca Isaiah R. Betone

Charelle J. Brown Logan Eriq Brown Amberly Gail Calabaza Byron Calabaza Valerie J. Calabaza Victoria Calabaza Jasmine M. Cata Clayton J. Cate Allison Celeste Chavarillo Richie Chavez Quillan Coleman Alaina P. Coriz

Sierra Mermejo-Varga

Nino Juan Antonio

“Febra est sui quaeque fati.”

We love you!

Mom, Dad, Kyla, Leia, and Kiera

August Honnell

Arryel Andraud

Hijita, you will always have an Angel who loves you!

You inspire us all!

We love you!

Mom, Dad, Grace, and Abi

Arryel Andraud

Arryel, Congratulations on your amazing accomplishments and achievements – High School and College Graduate at 18. I am so proud of you & I am blessed to call you my daughter. I wish you so many wonderful future adventures.

May all of your dreams come true.

With love and pride today and always. Mom.

Javin Coriz Joseph A. Dawes Courtney C. Fuentes Cameron Gabaldon Amanda A. Garcia Jared Tom Garcia Jasmyn B. Garcia Alejandro Hernandez Daisha K. Holyan Lomawunu Honie Selvyn Jenkins Kayla Lynn Joe Robert J. Johnson Janalyn Latoma Ryan Lente Sean Douglas Lesansee Victoria Rose Lovato Xavier Ely Lovato Benny J. Lujan Jr. Courtenae D. Magdalena Erica L. Manygoats Adrianna Martin Autumn R. Martinez LeeAnna Mae Martinez Ricardo Melton Sierra Rayne Mermejo-Varga Kiana Morgan Mariah L. Naranjo Alicea M. Olascoaga Adrianna Ortiz Alana C. Owen Jovanna G. Pasena Delaney S. Pino

My Granddaughter Arryel is amazing. She is creative, curious in learning new things & thinks for herself. She is determined to be the best she can be at whatever she does. Congratulations Arryel! You have autographed your life with excellence & I couldn’t be more proud of you!

I Love you..Your Meme.

Feliciano Vargas

Nicholas Vicenti Pino Elliot Lorenzo Platero Ellison Lorenzo Platero Jermayne Renee Platero Joneva M. Quintana Kuien Cheyenne Maximilian Quintana Kimarie S. Ramone CiAnna Sakeva Kaitlin Leah Sandoval Mariah L. Sandoval Tomas J. Sarracino Melissa Ashley Serafin Devin J. Sherwood Kelly Marie Silversmith Patrick Suina Adrian L. Tafoya Cameron L. Tenorio Christian Bradley Tenorio Taylor R. Tenorio Justin Trancosa Cordell Troncosa Brannon Tsethlikai Kaili D. Valencia Nathaniel K. Valencia Stephen Tyler Vallo Jasmine Velasquez Adam C.M. Vicente Logan J.T. Vicente Rickie F. Vigil Shanya D. Whitehorse

Rebecca Smith We’re so proud of you and love you very much, Becca!

Mama A and Mama E

Arryel Andraud

Year after year, because of your consistent hard work, ambitiousness & striving to always do your best, you are here today with all of your amazing accomplishments that you should be proud of. We are very proud of you & we wish you continued success in your future. Love you to pieces...Pepe & Agnes

Chano, We are so proud of you!

Dad, Mom, Anna, Victoria

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GRADUATES OF 2015!

GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES ON YOUR NEXT ADVENTURES!

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Sunday, June 7, 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN CLASS OF 2015 11

Santa Fe Waldorf School

St. Michael’s High School “Congratulations Horsemen! St. Mike’s has equipped you to do great things.

Make us proud as you continue your education and service to others.” — Principal Taylor Gantt Valedictorian: Gabriela Ortiz Salutatorian: Troy Pacheco Class officers: Isabel Chavez and Ariana Giblin, co-presidents of school’s student body Class flower: Peruvian lily Class motto: “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” — Mark Twain Class song: “Spirit in the Sky” by

Norman Greenbaum Sports accomplishments: State champions, Class AAAA: Dance (Pony Express), boys 4 x 400 relay, track and field. Wrestling state runner-up: Heavyweight and 185-pound weight class, Class AAAA girls soccer. Second in the nation, NDA, Pony Express Dance Team.

Individual awards: Ryan Ortiz, state champion, wrestling; two students accepted to West Point: Taliah Naranjo and Antonio Garcia; Male co-athletes of the year: Marcus Pinchiera-Sandoval and Chad McNamara; female co-athletes of the year: Christiana Gabaldon and Alexandra Groenewold; Chad McNamara,

first team All-State football; Nathanyal Leyba, first team All-State football; Jade Vigil, Catholic School Girl of the Year, Archdiocese of Santa Fe; Jade Vigil, LaSallian Provincial Award; Andres Quan, LaSallian Provincial Award Academic accomplishments: State champions in chess; state runner-up in concert band. More than $2.75 million offered in college scholarships to the members of this class; 89 of the 90 seniors are going to college; one graduate is joining a family business. Graduates attending 33 different colleges. Won the New Balance/Eastbay Bounce Back Competition; only school in the nation.

“Let your many past successes inspire your future aspirations, and may those aspirations always enhance the good in this world. Congratulations Class of 2015!”

— Principal Jeffrey Baker Valedictorian: Keifer Nace Salutatorian: Alex Chastenet Class officers: Brooke Reiche and Keifer Nace Class flower: Orchid Class motto: “Making H15tory” Class song: “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane Sports accomplishments: Our seniors participated individually and collectively in achieving: placement on the All-Star Volleyball North team, district champions and third place in state for girls volleyball, fifth place in state for boys basketball, second place in district in girls basketball, district champions in track and field, placement on all-district girls basketball team, and college recruiting for volleyball, basketball and lacrosse.

Individual academic awards: Brooke Reiche received an Award for Scientific Excellence from the Santa Fe Institute, Keifer Nace received the Century Bank Super Scholars award for academic excellence Academic accomplishments: 80 percent of seniors were accepted into their first choice colleges The class was collectively offered more than $2 million dollars in merit scholarships from 40 college acceptances.

The grads at their ceremony Friday. ROBERT NOTT/THE NEW MEXICAN

Graduates Cecelia Barnard Alexandria Chastenet de Géry

Abel Knouse Keifer Nace Brooke Reiche Dhyana Severson

Antonio Garcia We’re so proud of everything you’ve achieved. You did it!

Mom, Dad & Kayla

Chloe Espinoza smiles after receiving a lei of flowers from a family member May 18 during the St. Michael’s High School graduation at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. PHOTOS BY LuIS SáNCHEZ SATuRNO/THE NEW MEXICAN

Graduates Matthew Aragon Joshua Avila Grace Balderamos Jared Bierig Michael Brouillette Adriana Camarena-Leija Alexandra Catanach Isabel Chavez Kristopher Cordova Nicholas Cordova Azalea Corrales Brendan Cullen Wesley Ellington Chloe Espinosa Alyssa Evans Sophie Farr Joliaunna Fernandez Cristiana Gabaldon Gabriela Gabaldon Alex Gallegos Antonio Garcia

Julio-Cesar Garcia Ariana Giblin Rose Goldman Placido Gonzales Tristan Gonzales Jeremiah Griego Block Alexandra Groenewold Diego Guerrerortiz Danielle Hena Nicholas Hernandez Everett Holmes Shanti Iyengar Bryan Johnson Gabriel King Erik Koenig Rachel Langone Nathaniel Larranaga Nathanyal Leyba Courtney Lobato Gabriel Lopez Denver Luttrell Javier Malcolm Amy Martin

Adam Romero You make us proud every day!

Love you, Mom and Dad

Congratulations Class of 2015!

From all of us at the

Aurora Martinez Luke Martinez Valentin Martinez Chad McNamara Alondra Mendez Justin Milner Cullen Monaco Clayton Montoya Miguel Montoya Joey Najjar Taliah Naranjo Brian Nguyen Calvin Noedel Adam Nordby Isaac Olivares Gabriela Ortiz Ryan Ortiz Troy Pacheco Sierra Padilla Crista Palermo Brandon Phelps Marcus Pincheira-Sandoval Andres Quan

Monique Rivera Adam Romero Christian Romero Damian Romero Francisco Romero Jordyn Romero Kayla Romero Camille Roybal Tess Salazar Jessica Serrano Isabella Simon Timothy Stanley David Tafoya Julian Toralballa Nadine Valencia Cody Van Damme Bradley Vaughan Carlos Vazquez Baur Karine Veruete Briona Vigil Isaiah Vigil Jade Vigil Zackery Vigil

Kristin & Ryan Oritz

Congratulations Kristin and Ryan Ortiz. We are all very proud of you and your accomplishments. Always follow your dreams and believe in yourselves.

We love you. Mom and Dad, all your grandparents, Janelle, Armando, Diego, and Nico

Bradley Vaughan

Jeremiah Griego Block

“Arise and shine, for your Light has come, and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” ~ Isaiah 60:1 Congratulations! We love you! ~ Mom, Dad, Wesley

Griegos & Quintanas.

Gabriela Ortiz

Julio-Cesar Garcia

Gabriela Marisol Ortiz SMHS VALEDICTORIAN We are so proud of you!

Love, Grandma & Grandpa Jacquez

Congratulations!

We are proud of you. ~ The Lovatos,

It’s time to celebrate the special person that you are.

Congratulations! We love you. Grandma Cordelia & Grandpa Reyes

CONGRATULATIONS to the CLASS OF 2015!

Accepted at 40 colleges!

Awarded over $2 million in merit scholarships!

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12 CLASS OF 2015 THE NEW MEXICAN Sunday, June 7, 2015

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