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CLASS OF

CELEBRATING THE GRADUATES OF TAOS COUNTY AND THE MORENO VALLEY

Left to right bottom row: Abagale Carson, Maria Esquibel, Kristyna Martinez Vigil, Selena Aragon, Maribel Ortiz, Michelle Weathers, Alicia Weathers, Faith Martinez Left to right top row: Terence Santistevan, Zakai Gonzales, Cruz Lujan, Koey Cox, Andrew Arguello, Jaiden Jeantette, Nicholas Santistevan, Aaron Romo Not Pictured: Lizzie Garcia, Nathan Garcia, Divine Romero, Jenniah Moody, Brittany Walker and Jonah Manuelito

Dear Seniors, Congratulations! You did it! You are now and forevermore a Vista Grande High School graduate, Class of 2022. Wherever you go for the rest of your life you will meet other Class of 2022 graduates and you will share a unique experience. Please thank your families, teachers, and others who helped you get to this point in your life. You will become part of the solution as our world moves forward. The old ways of doing things have passed. It’s your time now to be leaders. Remember to lead your life with Love, take care of each other, and don’t be afraid. Do what’s right and go forward to lead our community. We’ll miss you and wish you all the best in your journey ahead. From, Vista Grande High School Staff

Vista Grande High School

vghs.org • 575-758-5100 213 PASEO DEL CANON EAST IN TAOS 3

CONTENTS

Senior Stories

Graduating seniors look back as they plan for the future 6 JOSHUA GONZALES Taos High School / 8 ROSE OSBORNE Taos Academy Online 10 MARICELA MACAULEY Peñasco High School / 12 MARCELLA TAFOYA Moreno Valley High School 14 DIVINE ROMERO Vista Grande High School / 14 ARACELI GONZALEZ Questa High School

18 Boots on the Ground

24 Earth Smart

National Guard helps our teachers and students

Taos County schools place in conservation competition

28 Staying the Course

34 Next Level UNM-Taos Celebrates the 2022 Commencement Ceremonies

High school graduation rates exceed expectations By Geoffrey Plant Photographs by Nathan Burton

By Geoffrey Plant, Photographs by Nathan Burton

By Anita N. Bringas

43 Taos County 2022 All Stars Student athletes get back in the game By Jeans Pineda

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

bout every 20 years, there’s a new generation being born. The first one with a name was the Lost Generation (18831900), who saw the first automobile, but also saw the first World War and the Spanish Flu. Over the last 100 years, we’ve had the Greatest Generation, the Silent Generation, the Baby boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z (1997-2012). Each struggled with unique challenges and adversities, and this graduating class’s generation has seen the COVID-19 pandemic and associated recession. In recent months, you’ve also seen a Russian invasion of Ukraine and a return of the Cold War. But like the Lost Generation, you’ve also seen miraculous change, giving great hope to the future.

STAFF Robin Martin, owner Chris Baker, publisher John Miller, editor

Right here in New Mexico, at the White Sands National Park, a discovery of ancient human footprints dialed back the clock on human wexistence in North American by roughly 10,000 years. Recently, NASA chose to cultivate New Mexico chile in its plant habitat experiment, as part of an ongoing effort to grow crops aboard the International Space Station. The chiles — resilient, packed with vitamin C and self-pollinating — are intended to someday sustain astronauts on long-distance space flights. And speaking of astronauts, 82-year-old Taoseña Wally Funk zoomed into sub-orbital space aboard the Blue Origin rocket last summer, making the former aviator the oldest person in history to go to space.

Michael Tashji, magazine/copy editor

Nathan Buton, photographer

Chris Wood, advertising director

Karin Eberhardt, creative director

Geoffrey Plant, senior reporter

Shane Atkinson, sales manager

Tyler Northrop, Kim O'Reilly, S’zanne Reynolds, media specialists

Who knows — maybe online learning is your generation’s version of the automobile. Virtual school and virtual work were a game changer, with huge implications for the future. Meanwhile, New Mexico just made college publicly funded, which means some significant financial barriers between you and higher education might no longer exist. We are shaped by events in our lives, but it’s equally true that we shape events. As high school graduates, your challenge is to help shape the future for the next generation. We wish you success in whatever you choose to do next. Michael Tashji Class of 2022 editor

Paul Gutches, production manager Heather Owen, digital editor

TAOS NEWS 226 Albright Street Taos, New Mexico 87571 575-758-2241; taosnews.com

Gabriella Aquino

Bakhane Chandler

Ethan Leach

Annabeth Lovato

Lilu Marchasin

Vincent Corral

Isaiah CortezBartges

Christian Curry

Kayla Fernandez

Noelle FerreiraDePuy

Marcus Froeschle

Michelle Garcia

Maceon Martinez

Nathan Herrera

Nicole Lamendola

Zephanaya Lovato

Bintoro Maeder

Drake Miera

Abby Mills

Taos Academy Staff would like to congratulate our graduating Class of 2022

Elliot Molz

Lucas Montoya

Cameron Ortiz

Rose Osborne

Lucinda Nichols

Edan Richardson

Nathaniel Romero

Elijah Salmons

Samuel Sides

Bodie Swan

Braison Whitlock

Quinn Wilson

Alexia Winters

Neal Young

Senior Stories Graduating seniors look back as they plan for the future PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATHAN BURTON

Ask any adult — and they will admit — high school was tough. But for 2022 graduating seniors, the difficulty was pretty much next level. Nonetheless, seniors still found ways to make their high school years unforgettable. In the classroom, on the field, on the job or just at home, our seniors rose to the many challenges that faced them. The Taos News asked members of the community to recommend one graduating senior from each of our six regional high schools to recount their senior year. Here’s what they said. JOSHUA GONZALES, TAOS HIGH SCHOOL

TAOS HIGH SCHOOL

Joshua Gonzales Being a student at THS has brought its highs and its lows. Some of the greatest highs came in the form of new friends and opportunities, as well as getting to explore who I am as a person. But these past four years haven’t been all sunshine and rainbows, from having to deal with the loss of loved ones early on in high school to having to undergo the challenges of Covid right in the middle of my sophomore year. Yet, I have always felt at home at THS. 6

I had the privilege of being not only a member of the Class of 2022 Student Senate for three years, but also being able to participate in several extracurriculars offered at THS, my favorite being the Drama Club. The home and niche that I carved into THS helped me grow, not only in maturity, but also in my own understanding of the world. I had the privilege to have been given such great instructors to be mentors and role models shaping me into the man I have grown up to be. Teachers like Mr. Hahn dissected life’s intricacies through literature, and advisors like Mr. Sandoval were there as a backbone for those who needed them. THS felt like a home where I could be, for the most part, unapologetically me.

Memories such as Homecoming, the football team’s first state title, and the thrilling memories on opening night for Drama performances fight for dominance against the memories of self-doubt and stress. Like most teenagers, I thought that nothing could stop me but getting hit by the proverbial truck that is ‘life.’ I quickly found myself succumbing to the stress of work in the classroom. But I was blessed to have such understanding teachers that were available whenever I needed to talk. I have fond memories of my friends and I confiding in Dr. Labella about our grievances at school, because let’s just face it: students like to complain! But, even with all the ups and

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2022!

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SENIOR STORIES ROSE OSBORNE, TAOS ACADEMY ONLINE

downs, nothing will take away the joy and fun times that came with having met new friends and teachers. Even though high school was hard, I found that THS also walked that winding path of life along with me, and I will always hold that in my heart. As I reflect on the past four years and prepare to head off to college, and leave my home for the next chapter in my life I can stand tall and proudly say that THS played big part in making me who I am.

TAOS ACADEMY OLINE

Rose Osborne I had one goal this semester, which was to graduate. I promised my grandma before she passed away that I would graduate high school. That one goal should have been easy, right? I have a 3.7 GPA. I had more credits than I needed to graduate. I had a stable job working at Smith’s before I decided to leave and volunteer at Taos Integrated School of the Arts, helping tutor and mentor second-graders. I was, and still am, a good student, but this year would keep me on my toes. This year was different from the past two years. It was the first semester back fully in

person. It felt weird and strange to see all of my classmates again. One of the hardest things about this semester was managing other things besides school. I might look normal on the outside, but inside, I have a lot of things going on. I have a chronic pain disorder that makes my life harder. This year was a year of self-growth and learning who I am as a person. At the beginning of this year, my depression and anxiety were terrible. I had no desire to go to school, do my work, volunteer, or do what I love — skateboard, dance, play video games and hang out with friends. But I knew I had to keep my promise to my grandma. So I set small goals and slowly dragged myself out of the depression. I quit my job at Smith’s to focus more on my volunteer work at TISA

Hats Off To Class of ‘22!

h e

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the one who’ll decide where to go. – Dr Seuss

Congratulations to the Class of 2022 from your local Kit Carson Propane family!! 9

SENIOR STORIES MARICELA MACAULEY, PEÑASCO HIGH SCHOOL

and my school work. I started to live life again. I began to submit college applications, and I even got into my top school. It was helpful that I knew what I wanted to do after high school. I love working with the students at TISA. I knew I could impact their lives, and they could do the same for me. I want to become an elementary school teacher. Now, I’m getting ready for the next chapter of my life. In August, I’m moving away to attend Colorado State University. I want to graduate with a degree in early childhood education and become a teacher so I can help the younger generations. I have things in my life that work against me, but if I have learned anything in the past years — especially this year — you should never give up even when life is hard.

PEÑASCO HIGH SCHOOL

Maricela MacAuley

things I have learned and friends that come with it are the most rewarding.

As the high school chapter of my life is coming to end, I have taken time to reflect on what has made my experience memorable. People always say that it is not like the movies, but besides the wardrobe and unrealistic dialogue, I’d say it’s pretty accurate.

I have participated in cross-country, volleyball, basketball and track throughout high school. This year, my team and I won a state title in cross county. Cross Country is definitely the hardest sport that I participated in, but running outside with great company is nothing less of a good time. This year, for volleyball, I had so much fun and was able to grow as a player.

I think that my high school experience has been pretty cliché, just the setting is a very small school. It’s my job to tell you what makes my movie different. Looking back on what was the most significant part of my life during these years — definitely my participation in sports. Honestly, athletics has defined my high school experience. Not only is competing fun, but the

My favorite sport is basketball. My team and I worked hard, but lost in the semi finals for the state tournament. I was also given the opportunity to play in the All-Star game in Melrose. Being able to play with such talented girls was a fun experience. We totally won — which isn’t the point — but I like to say I ended my career with a win.

SENIOR STORIES MARCELLA TAFOYA, MORENO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

My last sport of the year is track. I love the atmosphere of the track. Outside of socializing, my favorite part about track meets is the 4x800 relay. The Peñasco girls have a pretty impressive team that I am a part of. Writing about high school and my senior year wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the friendships that I have made. Not all of my friendships are built around sports, but I do give them credit for a lot. My athletics have given me the means to go different places playing with my best friends. Sports have also taught me the values of working with people, along with a strong mentality to get through hard things. I also don’t like losing which will hopefully help me out in life.

This year was always changing with Covid restrictions. On the first day of school, vaccinated kids did not have to wear masks, but by the second day, we had to. Halfway through the year, we had to revert back to virtual learning because of a Covid outbreak after the Northern Rio Grande basketball tournament. For some reason, it felt like I had started it. After that, we went back to school and played basketball and the day before our homecoming basketball game, they announced that we no longer had to wear masks. It was so nice to see everyone’s smiling faces at the gym the following day. This year has been one to remember, but it is just about over. My life of traveling around the state for competitions has come to an end. You probably couldn’t tell, but I am pretty

excited about it. Next fall, I will be attending the University of New Mexico to begin studying to be a dentist. I look forward to being able to focus on my studies. I hope to use my education to help my community. I have a lot to accomplish, and I am proud that it has begun for me at Peñasco. MORENO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

Marcella Tafoya I am a senior at Moreno Valley High School. While I have had the honor of attending MVHS all four years of my high school career, I did also get to see the school develop while growing up. My mom, Beth Tafoya, has taught at this school since 2004 (a little after I was born).

SENIOR STORIES I remember being little and getting so excited to go to the high school events at MVHS, especially senior night. It seemed that day was thousands of years away for me, yet it finally arrived this January when I presented my capstone project at senior night. Senior projects provide an opportunity for MVHS seniors to display their passions, and discover their interests. I have been passionate about musical theater since I was a little girl. I have always enjoyed performing for others, and not being afraid to do so. I wanted to explore other aspects of that industry to see if theater was something I could teach and direct. I put on a musical theater intensive camp for local elementary and middle school students. Through this exploration I found out that I would, in fact, like to open my own community theater. Through the Paideia method we learn how to have an academic, Socratic discussion that we call seminar. Seminar is a place for students to share ideas and values in a respectful way. Seminar is not a debate which teaches students how to disagree, but to understand why others feel differently than they do. Moreno Valley has been an amazing place to spend these last four years. It’s an environment that prepares students for the real world while creating space for educational and personal growth. VISTA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL

Divine Romero Much like everything in the world, my interests have changed from the time that I came into high school. One thing that has stayed the

same, though, is my love for art and literature. Lately, I have found tattooing and the amazing expresson that it offers — the art and the history. I’ve participated in all of the art classes that I was able to during school, and every chance that I got, I was writing. During the pandemic, I had to focus full time on my siblings and taking care of them. This meant that I had no time to put into school work or anything that I was interested in. So when I found out that I could go back to school in person, I was excited. At the end of what was supposed to be my junior year, I had convinced myself that finishing high school wasn’t going to do what I needed it to do for me. But I didn’t want to stay in a situation that I wasn’t comfortable with, and in my mind, the only way for me to do that was to finish school and make my life something that could be better than what I saw growing up. When I finally made the decision to start going to school again, I questioned if it was the right thing for me to do. I’m not too sure if I can speak for the entirety of my classmates, but my senior year of high school has been so many things but easy in the few months that I’ve been back in a school setting. From being the thing that helped improve my mental health to the thing that made me the most calloused I have ever been — overall, it has just been very eye opening. This year, I have been able to expand my interests and try to really figure out who I was becoming as a person. This year was (in my head) the year that I could finally do the things that I needed to do for myself. I had come into this school year thinking that I was just going to do the GED program, but since I was a kid, getting my high school diploma was

something that I have always wanted to do. So this year has just been me focusing on finishing school, because I know that if I don’t do this thing for myself, then my life has no chance of getting to where I want it to be. My goals after I graduate high school are to immerse myself into the world of art. The thought of being confined to just one job or staying in one place never really suited me much. I have a dream to be a cat lady, of sorts, but in actuality, I am set on doing whatever brings me peace and happiness. So whatever I decide to do, I hope that wherever I find myself in later years, I hope that it brings me solace. QUESTA HIGH SCHOOL

Araceli Gonzalez I have always been involved in many extracurricular activities since I was young. I started playing soccer when I was 4 years old and have continued trying out new sports since then, such as basketball, volleyball, track and field, and snowboarding. I have also always been highly active — my dad used to take my family and I on hikes, bike rides, camping, and hunting. These are all activities that interest me, and I still do them to this day. In the past years, I have also been involved in a drug- and alcohol-free coalition. Through this involvement, I have been able to work closely with Questa and surrounding communities in bringing awareness to alcohol and substance abuse. This year, I built a goal of becoming a better person, and to treat others with the same respect I want shown to me. Through this,

Congratulations to the Questa High School Class of 2022! We are proud of you and can’t wait to see your amazing futures!

From the Questa Independent School District School Board, Administration, Teachers, and Staff 15

SENIOR STORIES ARACELI GONZALEZ, QUESTA HIGH SCHOOL

I have formed more friendships than in recent years. I have pursued a greater education for myself by taking dual credit courses at UNM–Taos, which has affected my education for the better. I was sure to be a leader and good role model to the kids coming up, especially in my roles in the extracurricular activities I do. As team captain, I made sure the concerns of my teammates were communicated to our coaches. This year, I opened myself up to talk to others in my school, which has led me to make new friends and great relationships. Before school started, in the summer, I began working with my sisters and cousins at a diner in Red River called Old Tymers

Café. While working, I was able to improve my communication skills as well as customer service. I have created a great bond with my family, and we are closer than we have ever been before. I am grateful that I was able to have those experiences with them.

and not be afraid to experience new things with new people, because that’s all life is.

This past year, I have grown very passionate about focusing on the problems my community faces. Whether it is substance abuse, domestic violence, physical abuse, These experiences are memories I will never I want to be able to support the kids in my forget. This year, I have lost many friends community in a way I wish I was supported and I have learned a lot about the relationwhen I was young. My next step in life is to ships I’ve had with people. Although I’ve lost get my bachelor’s in social work at New people, I’ve also gained some of the greatest Mexico State University. Once I am done with friendships in my life. I’ve been more present college, I plan on returning to my community to others, who I would have never thought and working in the schools. I hope to become I’d be so close to, and it has been the most a counselor and help guide kids through their eye-opening experience. Some advice I education while giving them the support they would give to others trying to get through need. There are great problems in Questa, their senior year is to stay true to who you are and I would love to be part of the solution.

Always curious. On to new discoveries at Cal Poly!! Congrats. GG & Jim

Congratulations Class of 2022!

Boots on the Ground Taos County schools welcome National Guard into classrooms BY GEOFFREY PLANT PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATHAN BURTON

hen members of the New Mexico National Guard began providing much-needed help in New Mexico schools facing a shortage of substitute teachers, one Taos County school district accepted the help even though it has an impressive staff-retention level. “They will literally do anything, it’s wonderful,” said Kimber MacDonald, district-wide principal for

care workers to keep doors open for in-person learnschools in the Questa Independent School District, where on a cold February morning, one National ing and child care. Volunteers must fulfill the same Guard member was substitute teaching in an Alta requirements as regular substitute teachers and child Vista kindergarten classroom while another, Questa care workers, including undergoing a background native Fabian Martinez, had volunteered — on his check and completing an online substitute teaching first day — to do substitute custodial work at Questa workshop through PED for individuals applying to Junior/Senior High School and then help out with work in schools. the district’s ski program. Inside an Alta Vista Elementary and Intermediate Martinez had his hands full, too. Questa’s winter School kindergarten classroom, 22-year-old Airman sports program drew hundreds of students of all ages 1st Class Sara Lafond and educational assistant Ida to Red River Ski Area. Walsh were helping 5- and 6-year-olds make ValenWith only two open teacher positions, Questa has tine’s Day cards. Lafond said she is studying to get a low vacancy rate. But MacDonald said the high her degree in engineering. frequency of employee absences across departments Asked what she would do without Lafond’s help, and within the administration due to COVID-19 illWalsh, a retired career teacher who is planning to ness, exposure, or due to a child or family member’s again become a licensed teacher, said she “would be illness or exposure made for a very unpredictable all alone.” school year, staffing wise. “And oh my gosh, she’s so sweet,” Walsh added. She said a shortage of substitute teachers, who Five-year-old Alexandria Bailon strode to the edge may or may not be available on any given day for of the classroom teeming with children to show off the same pandemic reasons, made the two National the artwork on her card, which was focused on her Guard members “tremendously helpful” to schools family’s recently deceased dog, Bob. in New Mexico, where Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the Supporting Teachers and Families “Miss Jackie’s son got sick,” Bailon told the Taos initiative in mid-January. News, explaining why there was a uniformed memThe initiative encourages state workers and Nation- ber of the National Guard substitute teaching in her kindergarten classroom, and adding that Lafond al Guard members to volunteer to become licensed “is a good teacher, yeah — I like both teachers.” as pre-K to grade 12 substitute teachers and child

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uesta chose to have the service members assigned to their schools wear their combat uniforms, which Principal MacDonald said lends them an immediate aura of authority. “It’s kind of an automatic symbol of respect for the little kids that this is an authority figure,” MacDonald said. “I think that really is a nice signifier, I think [the uniform] is a good thing.” Staff Sgt. Joseph Baca, who graduated from Taos High School in 2002 and currently lives in Taos, said he jumped at the chance to help out at his alma mater and give back to his community after serving in several different regions of the world on humanitarian missions with the National Guard for the last 12 years, most recently in an “undisclosed location in the Middle East.” In his civilian life, he’s a crane operator who works at Los Alamos National Laboratories. Baca said he and other service members are paid

the equivalent of their National Guard base salaries for the time they spend working at schools.

As the oldest National Guard member assigned to Taos County schools, does Baca know all the answers in the classroom?

“I had to do subbing for an advanced placement calculus class,” he said, laughing. “It was a little bit above me, but those kids work together and they know I don’t do this all the time and they helped each other out really well.” Airman 1st Class Jason Canham, who drives to Taos from his home in Albuquerque every Sunday in order to substitute teach here during the week, said it’s in line with other work he’s done with the New Mexico National Guard, such as assisting with its COVID-19 inoculation mission and resettling Afghan refugees. In civilian life, the 21-year-old aspires to become a teacher. “It was it was a good opportunity to see if I like it or not and get a taste for it, because I want to get my degree in education and become a high school teacher,” Canham said, adding that the certification proces to become licensed as a substitute teacher took less than a week.

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Message for the Class of ‘22 I WANT TO CONGRATULATE all of the seniors for the class of 2022! As a former Taos High School graduate, my message for you is to remember that the future can be very exciting and fruitful, but it all depends on what you make of it. Search for what you like and stick with it! With passion comes great success and worthwhile opportunities but remember to have faith in the process and don’t ever be afraid of hard work! Always know that the whole team at ACEQ Restaurant is in full support of our Taos youth and all want to see each and every one of you succeed in every way. Collectively, let’s work together to make Taos a hub for opportunity, art, and culture. Cheers from our ACEQ Family to yours, 2022 Tigers! Elijah Safford, Owner, ACEQ Restaurant

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aron Montoya, an 11th-grader who had a National Guard member fill in for the educator who usually teaches his eighth period yearbook class, said he and his classmates didn’t think too much about the combat uniform teacher Tracy Galligan’s substitute was wearing. “I mean everyone was just wondering why they were here and stuff, but I guess it wasn’t too bad,” Montoya said, adding that he didn’t find the fatigues distracting. “He was a good sub. He made sure we passed and weren’t messing around.” “I read somewhere there was a shortage of subs, and yeah, there’s been a lot of teachers out lately,” he said. Social studies and history teacher Toni Wright, or “Dr. T,” as she’s known, has spent decades teaching within the New Mexico public school system. While she loves what she does, she knows firsthand

how much her profession — and the responsibilities and expectations teachers are saddled with — has changed. “Twenty years ago my job was to teach, now we

have so much more to do,” Wright said. Now there seems to be so much else that that comes up in the day-to-day that teachers don’t always have the time for or the support they need. “Taos Schools does really, really try to tend to that, but it’s the nature of the beast itself,” Wright continued. “We just got to get back to the fact that teachers need that time. We used to have what we called inservice days, where we had full days to make copies, plan, things like that. Nationwide, stuff like that has gone away.” The Omicron wave of the pandemic only exacerbated the pressure on teachers. Wright said the fact that the National Guard members suddenly appeared last week and began making up for multiple daily staff shortages in classrooms was “fabulous.” “We’re grateful, it absolutely helps,” Wright said. “We could use a couple more!”

To the High School Graduates from Taos County

Taos County

Schools place in Conservation Competition STAFF REPORT

ourteen students on three teams from Taos and Peñasco high schools were recognized for demonstrating their knowledge of environmental and natural resource concepts at last weekend’s New Mexico Envirothon competition. According to nmenvirothon.org, the Envirothon is a yearly “hands on environmental problem solving competition for high school students in the United States and Canada. Students complete training and testing in five natural resource categories: soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife and a current environmental issue, which changes every year.” This year’s competition was held near Ruidoso, and saw standout performances by all three teams from Taos and Peñasco. David Gilroy, conservation education and program associate with Taos Soil & Water Conservation District, said in a press release this week that Taos High School’s team, the “Earthletes, placed second overall and likewise second in Soils and Forestry topics. Peñasco’s Camo Renegades were close by placing 3rd in both Soils and Frestory and 4th overall.” Since the competition overlapped with high winds and the growth of several major wildfires in the state, Gilroy said, “students reflected on how their skills being tested in Envirothon had practical value for facing our increasing environmental challenges. Robertson’s team had to depart early to help their families evacuating from the Hermits Peak–Calf Canyon Fire ...” Peñasco High School teacher Mercella Cordova and Taos High teacher Greg Rael led an effort to raise $750 at the competition for “funds for supplies and support for families who lost their homes from the devastating fires ...” Staff from Taos Landfill, Aguirre Salvage, Taos Wastewater Treatment Plant, Taos Land Trust, Taos Valley Acequia Association, Peñasco Independent School District and Taos Soil & Water helped prep the teams. 24

Class of 2022 High School Graduations Taos Academy Online

Friday May 20 2 p.m. Taos Academy campus

Peñasco High School

Saturday May 21 10 a.m. Peñasco High School gym

Vista Grande High School

Moreno Valley High School

Questa High School

Taos High School

Saturday May 21 10 a.m. MVHS courtyard

Saturday May 21 10 a.m. Questa High School gym

Friday May 27 10 a.m. Taos Country Club

Saturday May 28 10 a.m. Anaya Field

HANDCRAFTED EDUCATION in Handcrafted Education in a Digital Age is the hallmark of an education at Moreno Valley High School. Our students must have the ability to innovate and adapt for the rest of their lives given the rapidly changing technology, careers, and market. New engagement strategies learned through STEM campus certification allow teachers to innovate while maintaining fidelity to the Paideia philosophy. We strive to provide a handcrafted education in a digital age to ensure that each graduate of Moreno Valley High School will develop the habits of skill and thought to serve them throughout their adult lives. We are proud to be the ONLY high school in New Mexico to have earned the National Certificate for STEM Excellence. Tammy Dunn, Director, Moreno Valley High School 26

a DIGITAL AGE Space Available

2022-23

apply at: mvhsnm.org/why-mvhs

Congratulations graduates amd best hopes for your future advemtures.

Moreno Valley High School PO Box 1037, 56 Camino Grande, Angel Fire, NM 87710

Phone: 575-377-3100

Fax: 575-377-3100

mvhsnm.org 27

Staying the Course High school graduation rates exceed expectations BY GEOFFREY PLANT PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATHAN BURTON

espite the hardships brought on by the pandemic, students in Taos County’s three main high schools managed to earn their diplomas at rates comparable to students who graduated in prepandemic times, according to data released by the New Mexico Public Education Department. The state’s “high school graduation rate defied expert predictions of a decline and held steady in 2021 despite the learning challenges posed by a second year of the pandemic,” with 76.8 percent of

New Mexico’s high school seniors graduating within four years, the department said in a news release. The statewide rate was 76.9 percent the previous year, 75 percent in 2019, and 73.9 percent in 2018. “This is really great news,” Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus told reporters at a March 17 press conference. “I’m very excited about it because we beat what the experts were saying. There were experts around the country who were predicting great decreases in graduation rates because of the pandemic.” Taos High School saw a 71.7 percent four-year graduation rate in 2021, while Peñasco High School seniors graduated at a rate of 76.8 percent and Questa High School saw 73.8 percent of its Class of 2021 seniors graduate within four years. By comparison, the four-year graduation rate in 2020 was 70.9 percent at Taos High School, 76.6 percent at Peñasco High School and 98 percent at Questa High School, according to Department of Education data. In 2019, the rate was 75 percent at Taos High School, 75.7 percent at Peñasco High School, and 71.5 percent in Questa. After COVID-19 upended the lives of students, teachers and school administrators, the state decided to allow schools new flexibility when it comes to grading, and also introduced additional options for how students may demonstrate their college and career competency.

“Equitable grading, at its heart, is a conversation among educators around how we evaluate students and student performance,” said Gwen Perea Warniment, deputy secretary of teaching, learning and assessment, who explained that equitable grading lessened the impact of absences, technological inequalities and other factors students experienced during the pandemic. “Typically, you get a grade and that grade is based sometimes on homework that you didn’t turn in or turned in late, and you get some points docked off; or, it’s about an essay you wrote and the teacher says, ‘Well, this is about a C,’ and you’re sort of struggling to figure out what that is.” By re-weighting the letter-grade scale so an F doesn’t negatively impact students’ overall grades, for example, or by allowing students to retake tests, improve an essay for a better grade, or turn homework in late without being docked points, the Public Education Department sought to offset the challenges students faced with remote learning during the pandemic. Some schools adopted a pass/fail methodology in place of letter grades. Regarding how students can prove their college or career readiness, the state introduced a long menu of options for school districts to choose from in the 2020-21 school year.

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STAYING THE COURSE

“Until 2019, New Mexico required students to use the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) required proficiency assessment as a primary demonstration of competency and to request a waiver from the PED to use an alternative demonstration of competency,” according to a Public Education Department fact sheet. “Students may now choose from a menu of options to demonstrate competency without a waiver. PED is no longer using primary and alternative structures. Local school boards are given the flexibility to make available all or some of the menu options, establish local policies that include additional requirements, or establish higher cut scores than those set by the PED.”

aking a break from reading Homer’s “The Odyssey” in their Humanities class one Tuesday morning, Taos High School seniors told the Taos News about some of the challenges they’ve faced over the past three school years. “I was doing school from home, my parents were working from home, and my younger brother was doing school at home,” Anahi Avilez said. “It was hard to focus sometimes, we had a lot of distractions at home.” “And if you got COVID, you missed a lot,” said Chantelle Deitrich, who added that she also works most days after school as a busser at a restaurant. “Communication with teachers sometimes was hard.” “It was boring” doing remote learning, said fellow senior Eric Montoya, summarizing the effects the pandemic had on his social-emotional learning. “We missed out on a lot of stuff. Seniors did more things when we were freshmen,” said another classmate. “It was hard to do activities out in the parking lot.” Taos High School and other schools statewide will employ an equitable grading policy for students set to graduate this year as well, Taos High School Principal CJ Grace confirmed. “Taos Municipal Schools and Taos High School adopted flexibilities offered by NMPED in 2020-2021

for graduating seniors to be able to meet graduation requirements which were approved by our school board by developing appropriate polices designed for equity for all seniors,” Grace and Taos Municipal Schools District Superintendent Lillian Torrez said in a joint statement. “The need for these changes were to support students struggling with needs related to the pandemic.” They highlighted two specific changes: reducing the number of credits required for graduation to match the state requirements (since Taos Schools previously required more credits than the state does); and allowing students to use passing grades in classes to replace state assessments for graduation credit. “These two policy changes helped many students, but unfortunately other students struggled with high mobility and difficulties with online learning during

the time that schools were in remote learning for almost the entire year,” Grace said. “In 2020-2021, 41 percent of Taos High School graduates earned their high school diploma through a traditional pathway, while 59 percent accessed the pandemic flexibilities to graduate. Three percent of seniors graduated with extended time in the summer, and five percent returned in the fall of 2021 to finish in the school year.” Grace and Torrez noted that Taos High School graduates continued to gain admittance to top universities and colleges during the pandemic. “We are very proud of our seniors,” they said. “They have received significant scholarships, national awards and have been accepted to colleges and universities such as New Mexico Tech, Vassar, Harvard, UNM–Taos, UNM–Albuquerque and many others, like Cal Poly Tech, the Culinary Institute of New York, Rice University and the University of Chicago.” Peñasco Independent School District Superintendent Melissa Sandoval said the board of education in her district “has not formally adopted the new options. However, this is something our high school staff will be reviewing and making recommendations to leadership and the board in the next couple months. [The] New Mexico Education Department has allowed only the passage of classes to be used for this year’s graduation class, therefore it has provided the flexibility.” The Questa Independent School District did not respond to emailed questions for this story. Asked what impact equitable grading may have had on graduation rates in schools across the state, Perea Warniment said the state doesn’t track which schools are employing equitable grading or new options for demonstrating competency. “I don’t know enough around whether or not there was an impact on these particular graduation rates,” she said. “I think it would be a big jump for me to make any type of correlation or causation assumptions around that, just because I don’t know how many districts really have done this work or did it at what depth.”

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Help celebrate the THS Class of 2020 In high schools, the last few months of the school year are typically filled with a flurry of celebrations – prom, pep rallies, yearbook signing – culminating in the final rite of passage for seniors: graduation.

a monthlong series of recognition activities – including the presentation of diplomas to graduates while adhering to social distancing, and messaging with banners and yard signs.

But COVID-19 school closures have upended the traditional pomp and circumstance, leaving seniors feeling untethered.

Stay tuned for more event information – TMS and town of Taos staff are working with members of the senior class to promote Seniors Month via Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, the Taos News, and local radio stations.

To recognize the special achievement of high school graduation, Taos Municipal Schools and the town of Taos have proclaimed May 2020 as “Celebrating our Seniors Month.” On May 8, the Taos School Board and town of Taos invite everyone to kick-off Seniors Month by participating in the national “Be the Light” campaign with

As a community, let’s honor the Class of 2020, and support them beyond graduation as they set off on a new journey. We are all Tiger strong, and we are stronger together.

Next Level UNM–Taos celebrates the 2022 Commencement Ceremonies BY ANITA N. BRINGAS

he 2022 University of New Mexico–Taos Commencement Ceremonies took place again in-person Thursday (May 12) for High School Equivalency graduates and Friday (May 13) for Certificate and Associate degree graduates at the Sagebrush Inn and Conference Center.

High School Equivalency Graduation Through the Taos Education and Career Center (TECC) at UNM–Taos, 40 students graduated this year with their High School Equivalency degree (HSE, formerly GED). Since 1999, TECC has been a place in Taos County for adults 16 and older who want to earn a high

school equivalency diploma, improve their literacy skills, prepare for college, and/or learn English as a new language. The services are offered free of charge. During the past 20-plus years, the program has served more than 3,800 students from ages 16 to 60 and older. During that time, more than 760 Taoseños have earned their high school equivalency diplomas and more than 500 have enrolled in college. In addition, 618 immigrants have enrolled at TECC, taking advantage of English language classes. New this year, 18 students at TECC took for-credit college courses in math and writing while they were working on their HSEs. New Mexico Higher Education Department Secre-

tary Stephanie Rodriguez was Thursday’s keynote speaker. The ceremony also featured student speaker Larae Crow from Dulce, N.M., who is a TECC participant, and HSE graduate. Of Jicarilla Apache and Jemez Pueblo ancestry, Crow is a nontraditional student and a persistent working mom.

Associate and Certificate Degree Graduation This year, 130 students graduated with their associate or certificate degrees from UNM– Taos. There were 61 associate degrees awarded and 60 certificates. Six students received more than one degree. Seven of the associate degrees were earned by area high school

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Congratulations Class of 2022

We celebrate you, the Lobo Strong — the 130 UNM-Taos students who earned an associate, certiﬁcate or high school equivalency degree. Your dedication, passion and perseverance are inspiring to us all. We hope you are as proud of your accomplishments as we are of you. Regardless of where the next steps on your journey take you, keep seeking knowledge and wisdom—within yourself and the world around you.

Go Lobos!

NEXT LEVEL: UNM–TAOS CELEBRATES THE 2022 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES

students, thanks to the dual-credit program. Also, 80 students are graduating with Honors (GPA of 3.5 or above); three graduates are veterans; and 10 graduates are members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors society. The top three degrees by program are in the areas of STEM (25), Health Sciences (49), and Professional Skills, also referred to as career technical education or trades (20).

aletha Maricle-Fitzpatrick, who has a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Physics and a Master’s in Systems Engineering, delivered the Commencement address.

The student address to graduates and audience was given by Kayl Rainer, who was selected to the 2022 All-New Mexico Academic Team Phi Theta Kappa (he has a 3.49 GPA), and is the Student Government Association (SGA) president.

“Kayl has done some great work as president of the SGA, has integrity, and cares deeply about the student experience here at UNM– Taos. He takes on a lot of responsibility,” said Alexis Laube-Manigault, Rainer’s academic advisor. “He is very bright, an advocate for students, is very loyal to his Native American identity and is knowledgeable about his people’s history.” Not someone who shies away from asking the hard questions, Rainer is a leader for his community. He has traveled around the world with his family performing traditional Native American dance and flute music. Rainer is pursuing a degree in Forestry Management at New Mexico Highlands University.

Kayl Rainer

COURTESY PHOTO

‘Graduation is the highlight of our year. It is an opportunity to recognize our students, their families, and the people who make up their support system. We celebrate every accomplishment with our students, and graduation is the celebration of many accomplishments, the result of perseverance and determination.’ UNM–Taos Chancellor Dr. Mary Gutierrez 38

TAOS HIGH

PEÑASCO HIGH

Marika Michelle Moyer

Jenica Gurule

The family of Marika would like to Congratulate her on this huge accomplishment, and we just wish her well on her next journey of attending The University of New Mexico, majoring in Physical Therapy. Marika has always been an over achiever and has worked hard to successfully complete high school and continue her higher education. She was an excellent Taos Lady Tiger basketball player, assistant athletic trainer, and a great friend. We all love you so very much and we are all so proud of you! Famma, Mom, Julianne, Alexis, Carly, Rivera & Alyse, and Uncle Miah

Congratulations my Princess! I am so proud of you. The world is yours. Love you, Mom

TAOS HIGH

Iliana Archuleta

Coda Thomas Kesner

Iliana Rose Archuleta

CONGRATULATIONS ILIANA ARCHULETA !!! We are beyond proud of you! We love you, Dad, Mom, Nevada, Amaya and Marcos

Congratulations Coda, we are so very proud of you and all your accomplishments. You have an amazing future ahead. Work hard and always believe in yourself. God bless you always and we love you!

Congratulations Lily! We are so proud of all you have accomplished and we look forward to supporting you throughout the chapters of your life. Always remember: “Un dia la vez.” Con amor, Pampo Lawrence, Grammy Bonnie and Nina Sophia

TAOS HIGH

Anakaela M. Trujillo

Anakaela, we are very proud of your many accomplishments. You are driven, brilliant and able. Get ready world – here she comes! Congratulations baby girl. We love you so very much! Mom, Dad and Robert Louis

TAOS HIGH

Keenan Greywolf

TAOS HIGH

Jonathan Christopher Evans

Matteya Salazar

Congratulations Esteemed Grad! This above all: to thine own self be true ~ Act I, Scene III, Hamlet With your extraordinary kindness and creative wisdom, commit to your dreams and head towards your mountains! With all our love, Mom, Dad, Hayden, Granny Applesauce, and Nana & Poppa

Congratulations!! We are so proud of all your accomplishments. Love Dad, Mom, Jade, Nina, Uncle Danny, Nino, Auntie Jen, Grandma Anita

TAOS HIGH

TAOS CYBER MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

Bethany Celestino

Sarah Randall

Mikaela Rose Williams Dunnam

Bethany Hope, congratulations on all you have accomplished. We are proud of you and are excited for what God has planned for you. Remember we love you and pray His blessings for you. Keep smiling and dreaming big! Celestino’s & Montoya’s

We love you and we are proud of you! May your dreams stay big and your worries stay small. Stay sweet, stay sassy and most importantly stay YOU! Love, Mom, Dad and Hayden

Congratulations Kayla! We are so proud of you - We knew you could do it!! We will be cheering you on, knowing that this is the first of many exciting accomplishments in your future! With lots of love always, Mom, Kim, Grandma, Jeane, Jimmy, and all of your family

Proverbs 3:5-6 5 — Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not rely on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make your paths straight.

Congratulations! Matteya Salazar-Taos High SchoolClass of 2022 You can achieve whatever you want in life. All you have to do is believe that you can. We believe in you and are so proud of you. With all our love to you always. Ronnie, Mom, Enrique & Jamie

TAOS HIGH

TAOS CHARTER

TAOS HIGH

Angelina E. Garcia

Estrella Rose Hope Casias

Elden Torres

“Ballerina” Congratulations on all your accomplishments. I am so proud of you and love you with all my heart. Love, Mama

Graduating from Taos Charter School’s 8th grade Class of 2022. The sky’s the limit and we know you have no problem reaching for the stars. Just remember to always reach further! We are so very proud of you and love you endlessly. From Dad, Mom and sissie

CONGRATULATIONS ELDEN! May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

TAOS HIGH

Sarah Randall

Makayla Leann Vigil

Marlen Jessie Stoessel

Love, Mom, Dad, Kayla & Adan

CONGRATULATIONS ELDEN!! May the Lord let his face shine

upon you, and be gracious to you

Love, Mom, Dad, Kayla & Adan

Congratulations! Shoot for the stars and make all dreams come true! We love you and wish you the very best from CundiCats. Billy, Jolene & Hallie Vigil

Congratulations on your graduation hita! May this day lead you to the road of a new life, follow you heart as you discover your future. Best wishes for happiness and success. May God bless, guide and keep you safe always. Love always, Dad, Mom, Rafael & Grandma Pancha

We’re so proud of you! We admire your courage, spirit and determination. Life is about to unfold and we can’t wait to see you follow your dreams and fly. Enjoy NAU! WE LOVE YOU, MARLEN!! 41

TAOS CHARTER

VISTA GRANDE HIGH

Zeta Schilke

Terence Santistevan

Nicholas Santistevan

May the Lord bless you and keep you as you venture forth into your High School years. We love you and are proud of your successes. Mom and Dad

Never cared for what they say Never cared for games they play Never cared for what they do Never cared for what they know And I know, yeah, yeah – Metallica –

One Day at a time my Baby!!

VISTA GRANDE HIGH

Love Mom, brothers & sisters

Love Mom, Brothers, and Sisters

CLASS OF

Congratulations!

to all of the Taos County and the Moreno Valley graduates. Good luck with all of your future endeavors.

UNM

TAOS HIGH

Faith Destiny Velarde

Mark Angelo Velarde

Natalia Flores

My daughter I am so proud of the young lady you have become. You are a strong, capable, beautiful, kind, good hearted, understanding, young lady. You have the ability and tenacity to achieve anything you dream of. We love you unconditionally and will always be there for you! May Jehovah God our creator bless and protect you in all you do with your life.

My son I am so proud of the young man you have become. You are strong ,honest, compassionate, respectful ,wise and have the God given gift to do anything you set your mind to. We love you unconditionally and will always be there for you! May Jehovah God our creator bless and protect you in all you do with your life.

Congratulations on such a great achievement! We love you and are very proud of you! Love Mom, Dad, Tatiana and family

~ with love ~ Mom, Paul, Krysta, Mark, Maleah, Jacob, & Robert

~ with love always n forever ~ Mom, Paul, Krysta, Faith, Maleah, Jacob, & Robert

TAOS HIGH

Benjamin Hastings

Michael Cruz

Isabella Honey Pemberton

Benjamin! Congratulations, you did it! Take pride in who you are, where you’re from, and in all that you’ve accomplished as you head into the world — you’ll do amazing things. We love your bravery and singular style, and we’ll always be cheering for you. Love, Mom, Dad, Sam, Anna

Congratulations to you Nephew Michael Cruz.You have made us all so proud. Chasing a dream requires effort, passion and hard work. Keep it up and continue to strive. Love you so much, The Pemberton’s & Family

Daughter, at times we wish you wouldn’t have grown up so fast, but then we figured that would keep us from seeing you turn into the beautiful young lady that you are today. Congratulations on Graduation! Congratulations Class of 2022. We Love you so much, Mom, Dad, Brother & Family

Taos County All-Stars 2022 BY JEANS PINEDA

The stars of sports teams get all the praise and all the glory that comes with success. They also receive the brunt of criticism when teams face a setback. Taos county has its fair share of impressive athletes that can be called “stars,” as in actually making an all-star team, or being rewarded designations such as player of the year, or shining under the bright lights of a Nike Nationals. Anthony Padilla earned the honors to play with the very best basketball players in the state of New Mexico Red/ Green all star game, after providing the scoring punch for the Taos Tigers that would earn them the No. 2 seed in the 4A Basketball State Championships. Honorable mention to senior wrestler Lucas Filiss, who overpowered his district opponents to earn a bid at the state wrestling championship. The powerful 285 lb wrestler had awe-inspiring performances where he would wear out his 44

opponents and come out victorious. He fought valiantly in the quarterfinals, but was eventually pinned down. At the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional, in a field featuring 231 athletes for the 5000 meter run, Gilly Valdez, kept pace with the leading pack until he made his move and emerged as the clear frontrunner, finishing in first place by over 10 seconds.

While it’s hard to pinpoint individual accolades in the sport of cheerleading, the cheerleaders from Taos and Questa, taken as a unit of spirit and pizzazz, they shone magnificently under the lights of the UNM-Pit to win the State Cheerleading Championships in the 2A and 4A class this year. Pictured in the photo that appeared in The New Mexican, Taos Cheerleaders, from left to right: Chantal Enriquez, Natalia Flores, Iliana Archuleta, Dyamond Martinez, Destinee Martinez, Jaelyn Gonzales.

Questa senior Leah Martinez can be seen holding the state trophy as the team celebrates their victory. In another photo, Annaliese Rivera raises her pom poms during a cheer routine. These two Lady Wildcats also made the 1st team basketball all-district team.

High school sports is an ebb and flow for coaches. New talent comes in, it takes them time to learn the fundamentals and buy into a particular system. They develop over time, gain the trust of the coach and trust their teammates, and the synergy might even result in a good play-off run. Then the seniors must go on and excel at the next level or pivot and choose a new path. In Taos, Peñasco, and Questa, senior athletes usually play multiple sports, and find themselves reconfigured with the same teammate in a different sport with the changing of the seasons.

Robbie Gersten and Isiah Jeantete played soccer together in the fall, then were teammates for Basketball in the winter. They were also on the same tennis team during the spring. Gersten played intense tennis matches as the top ranked tennis player for Taos. Jeantete played doubles matches among the lower ranked tennis players. The duo of Maddelynn Quintana and Dahnyell Martinez played volleyball together in the fall, and then carried that chemistry over to basketball where they went on a rampage, winning 16 games in a row

and advancing all the way to the state quarterfinals. The previous two years, the Taos Lady Tigers basketball team failed to have winning records. The seniors of the Taos baseball team (Michael Cruz, Jalen Montano, Anthony Martinez, Lucas Montoya, Dominic Chacon, Hunter Tafoya) did not get a chance to make a deep play-off run, but they can rest well knowing they vastly improved from the year before when they went 2-18, as opposed to their 15-11 record this year.

All these seniors made the most of it, either on the field or on the court, and they put on quite the show for fans and family that followed them all across the state.

Your online guide for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

Congratulations—you are the class of 2020.

GO WILDCATS!

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Congraduations Graduates Lorenzo Archuleta

AshLeigh Archuleta

Gerald Cisneros

Benjamin Chavez

Tate Danis

Araceli Gonzalez

Angelica Lovato

Danielle LaCome

Benjamin Mahony

Daniel Mares

Leah Martinez

McKayla Martinez

Martina Mascarenas

Emma McKenney

Mateo Ortega

Nataniel Quintana

Richard Romero

Matthew Rael

Annaliese Rivera

Kristal Vigil

Questa High School Class of 2022

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