NEWS Law Firm of David C. Chavez, LLC Makes $1,000,000 Pledge to St. Pius X School Gift to support the renovation of gym and construction of the school's new athletics stadium By JULIE COOK
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - St. Pius X School is pleased to announce a generous pledge of $1,000,000 from the Law Firm of David C. Chavez, LLC in support of the school's capital campaign for critical deferred maintenance and a new on-campus athletics stadium. A portion of the gift will fund renovations to St. Sebastian Gymnasium, the school's primary gym and an important gathering place for students, families, alumni, and the greater St. Pius X community. The remaining funds will provide general support for the new athletics stadium. Renovations to the approximately 12,000-square-foot gymnasium will include replacing the original flooring installed in 1988, installing a new motor for the existing bleachers, a ceiling projection system, and two new scoreboards. The newly renovated gymnasium is expected to be dedicated in March 2027. In recognition of the firm's generosity, the private road leading into the north end of the St. Pius X campus from Coors Blvd. will be renamed Law Firm of David C. Chavez Court NW. "This extraordinary gift represents a commitment to the future of athletics at St. Pius X - from volleyball and basketball in St. Sebastian Gymnasium to football, rugby, soccer, and track and field in our new stadium," said Head of School Mike Deely. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PIUS WRITTEN | NEWS
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NEWS Continued from Page 1 "The gymnasium renovations will benefit all of our teams, including our boys volleyball program, which is one of only a few offered by schools in our area. Beyond athletics, St. Sebastian Gymnasium is where we gather for Mass and cherished community traditions such as Grandparents Day. We are deeply grateful to the Law Firm of David C. Chavez for investing in a space that serves our entire school community." "The Law Firm of David C. Chavez is proud to partner with St. Pius X in creating a state-of-the-art gymnasium that will further the school's longstanding commitment to excellence in education, faith, and athletics," said David C. Chavez. "This investment will benefit not only St. Pius X students and families, but also the broader community and the state of New Mexico." The gift advances the school's efforts to improve its aging facilities while creating modern athletic spaces that will serve current students and generations of Sartans to come. The new stadium will provide an on-campus home for football, rugby, soccer, track and field, and other school and community activities. About St. Pius X School
Founded in 1956, St. Pius X School is a Catholic, coeducational school serving 1,030 students in grades 6-12. Located on a 52-acre campus in Albuquerque, St. Pius X provides a rigorous, faith-centered education that prepares students to lead and serve their communities.
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AROUND THE X More Than a Meal: How Cooking Became a Way to Show Love By THALIA PENA-FRANCIS
For many people, cooking is simply about making something to eat. For St. Pius X Culinary Arts Teacher Ms. Tanya Saavedra, it means much more. It is a sense of home, a warm feeling that brings joy. Cooking is about family, memories and showing people they are cared for. Long before Saavedra became a teacher at St. Pius X, she worked in hospice and healthcare, caring for retired military members and people who were seriously ill. One of the ways she connected with them was through food. She would cook meals for them, often making their favorite dishes. Seeing how much those meals meant to people helped change the direction of her life. "They would be so happy to have their favorite meal," Saavedra said. The people around her encouraged her to take her love of cooking further and attend culinary school. She eventually studied cooking and baking at UNM and worked professionally, including as a baker at Zinc. She has also worked as a personal and private chef. Teaching, however, was not originally part of the plan. A friend told Saavedra that St. Pius X was looking for a professional chef to help revamp its culinary program. She decided to give it a try. Seven years later, she is still here.
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AROUND THE X More Than a Meal (continued) "I just fell into it by accident," Saavedra said. "I love my students." Her goal in the classroom is not simply to teach students how to follow a recipe. She wants them to understand why cooking matters and share her passion for it. "I just want to pass down my knowledge to my students so they have the love of cooking," Saavedra said. "Cooking is such an important part of life, and it creates so much love and memories." Those memories go back to her own childhood. Saavedra learned to cook and bake from her mother and grandparents on both sides of her family. By the time she entered culinary school, she already had years of experience in the kitchen because of the time she spent cooking with them. Today, some of her favorite dishes to make include Beef Wellington and prime rib. But when asked what her favorite dish is to teach students, she does not have one. For her, the specific dish is not the important part. The important part is passing something along. Cooking has not always gone perfectly. Saavedra remembers once making a cake for a birthday party, only to have it collapse at midnight. Instead of giving up, she stayed awake all night baking and decorating another one. That story fits two qualities she says have helped her throughout her career: patience and perseverance. Outside the kitchen, Saavedra enjoys writing, art, clay work and crafting. Her original dream was actually to become a writer, and she has written books she hopes to publish someday. Her classroom has cheerful food decorations and Disney-inspired spatulas. But she is also a big fan of X-Men and The Lord of the Rings and, she makes clear, only watches the extended editions. Whether she is cooking for a hospice patient, preparing a meal for a client or helping a St. Pius X student learn something new, food continues to mean the same thing to her.
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AROUND THE X More Than a Meal (continued) When asked what kind of food she would be if she had to choose, Saavedra did not name an expensive dish or something complicated. She chose a home-cooked meal. "I want people to enjoy what I make and feel at home and loved, while making wonderful memories," Saavedra said. That may also be the best description of what she hopes students take away from her classroom. Saavedra believes anyone can learn to cook, but good food requires something more. "You have to be willing to do it and put some heart into what you make," she said, "or you will not taste the love."
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SPORTS Reyes, Herrera Make St. Pius X Soccer History in 9-0 Win By PIUS WRITTEN EDITING STAFF
It took just two and a half minutes for St. Pius X Boys Soccer to make history Thursday afternoon. Only 2:30 into the Sartans' Oct. 1 match against Bernalillo, junior Diego Herrera '28 recorded his 49th career assist, breaking a St. Pius X record that had stood for 20 years. On the receiving end was senior Nico Reyes '27, whose goal was the 104th of his career and established a new school record of his own. One play. Two school records. Herrera surpassed the career assists mark previously held by current St. Pius X Girls Soccer Head Coach Nick Madrid. Reyes broke the career goals record held by his current head coach, AJ Herrera. The historic goal was only the beginning for Reyes. He finished the afternoon with a hat trick, pushing his career total to 106 goals as St. Pius X rolled to a 9-0 district victory over Bernalillo. The Sartans received contributions throughout the lineup. Sophomore Nico Certain scored twice, while Landon Mileshosky '27, RJ Bacon '27, Anthony Gustamantes '28 and Jude Benavides '27 each added a goal. Diego Herrera finished with two assists, while Adam Contreras '27, Leo Patterson '29, Kenneth Calderon '27, Bacon and Gustamantes also recorded assists. St. Pius X totaled nine goals and seven assists in the victory. The Sartan defense was equally dominant. Goalkeepers Jimmy McGonigle '27 and Dominic Vollbrecht '27 combined for the shutout as St. Pius X kept Bernalillo off the scoreboard for the full 80 minutes. The victory improved St. Pius X to 9-2-1 on the season and continued a strong run for a team ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by MaxPreps entering October.
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SPORTS Soccer History (continued) But Thursday's result will be remembered for more than another win. Twenty years after Madrid established the school's assists record, Herrera moved his name to the top of the list. Reyes did the same with a record previously held by the coach now leading him from the sideline. For Herrera and Reyes, it was a moment that connected two generations of St. Pius X soccer - and added another chapter to the program's history.
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SPORTS Brown, Sanchez Earn All-Metro Honors By PIUS WRITTEN EDITING STAFF
Two St. Pius X runners earned All-Metro awards at the Metro Championships, while the Sartan boys finished third overall as a team. Silas Brown finished second overall, marking the first time St. Pius X has had a second-place finisher at the Metro Championships. Mateo Sanchez joined him among the area's top runners with a ninth-place finish. The two All-Metro performances helped St. Pius X secure third place in the boys team standings and added another strong result to the Sartans' season.
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SPORTS Sartans Roll Past Santa Teresa, 48-0 By PIUS WRITTEN EDITING STAFF
St. Pius X Football improved to 5-1 with a dominant 48-0 road conference victory over Santa Teresa on Oct. 2. Senior Hershul Olloway Jr. led the Sartan offense with 134 rushing yards and three touchdowns on only six carries, averaging more than 22 yards per attempt. Senior quarterback Isaiah Carpenter completed 7 of 13 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown and also scored on the ground. Sophomore Sebastian Pino added 57 passing yards and a touchdown. Curtis Flakes III caught two passes for 40 yards and a score, while Ezra Ocampo '28 added a 25-yard touchdown reception. Zachary Katz '28 scored on a 35-yard run. The St. Pius X defense controlled the game from start to finish and kept Santa Teresa off the scoreboard. Kane Huffmyer '28 led the Sartans with nine tackles and two tackles for loss. Isaiah Barboa '27 finished with five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack, while Damacio Brito '29 added another sack. Cy Saenz '30 contributed four tackles and was active throughout the game, while Joaquin Aragon '27 finished with seven tackles. Luke Jones '29 added four tackles, and Chace Dabney '27 recorded three. Special teams also played a role in the complete performance. Lance Yarbrough '28 handled eight kickoffs for 392 yards with two touchbacks and converted five extra points. Flakes added 55 return yards, including a 30-yard punt return. The Sartans finished the night with seven touchdowns and their first shutout of the season. The victory moved St. Pius X to 5-1 and gave the team another strong result as the schedule moved deeper into October.
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AROUND THE X Inaugural Balloons & Burritos Brings St. Pius X Community Together By PIUS WRITTEN EDITING STAFF
St. Pius X celebrated its 70th anniversary with a new tradition as more than 200 people gathered on campus for the inaugural Balloons & Burritos event. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, St. Pius X families and neighbors from the surrounding community came together on the Cynthia and Manuel Chavez Alumni Plaza for an early morning of balloons, breakfast and community. The event took place during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, giving those on campus a view of the morning's Mass Ascension as balloons filled the Albuquerque sky. St. Pius X also had a balloon on campus thanks to the Maes Group, bringing part of the Balloon Fiesta experience directly to the school and giving families another reason to spend the morning together on the plaza. Balloons & Burritos was created as part of the school's 70th anniversary celebration and brought together several generations of the St. Pius X community. Alumni returned to campus alongside current students, faculty, staff and families. The celebration also extended beyond the school community. Local families from the surrounding neighborhood joined the festivities, making the morning an opportunity for St. Pius X to welcome the greater Albuquerque community onto campus. More than 200 people attended the inaugural event, filling the Cynthia and Manuel Chavez Alumni Plaza as the Balloon Fiesta unfolded across the city. The morning combined two things closely connected to Albuquerque - balloons and breakfast burritos - with the people who have helped make St. Pius X a community for seven decades. As St. Pius X celebrates its 70th anniversary throughout the school year, Balloons & Burritos offered an early reminder that the milestone is about more than looking back. It is also an opportunity to bring students, families, alumni and friends together and continue PIUS WRITTEN | AROUND THE X THE X PAGE PIUS WRITTEN | AROUND PAGE 106 building traditions for the years ahead.