APS community spotlights its numerous giving spirits

Who says doing the right thing doesn’t pay off? Fourteen high school seniors, four first-time-ever Hall of Fame inductees and five programs that make a difference in students’ lives were honored at a gala Friday by the Albuquerque Public Schools Education Foundation.

The Selfless Seniors contributed in a variety of ways, from mentoring other students; promoting STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) activities; helping the homeless, elderly relatives and neighbors; and volunteering with numerous community programs. And that’s in addition to participating in school activities.

They are: Ana Kilgore, Albuquerque High; Clarizza Morales Chacon, Atrisco Heritage Academy; Kelsey Clark, Cibola; Timothy Mondloch, Del Norte; Kawai’Ola Wong, Eldorado; Susan Hastings, Volcano Vista; Guadalupe Moreno, West Mesa; Natalie Chambers, Nex+Gen Academy; Wendy De La Cruz, Manzano; Pholopater Faltas, Highland; Adela Castaneda, Rio Grande; Amanda Miner, Sandia; Reagan Vice, La Cueva; and Adriana Torrez, Valley.

To read more about these amazing teens and other honorees, go to www.abqjournal.com/988669.

The four Hall of Fame Inductees are:

The late Janet Kahn, who was critical to sparking a Renaissance in fine arts at APS, including being the driving force behind A is for ART. Dale Kempter, who was the district’s music coordinator for many years and forged a close relationship with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. The late John Milne, who was an APS superintendent for more than 40 years and transformed the district into a large multi-faceted complex. And the late Janet Montoya Schoeppner, a teacher’s teacher committed to multicultural and multilingual education.

The five programs making a difference are:

Blue Sky Mentors, led by Paul Newcomb and Anamargarita Otero at John Adams Middle School; a mentorship and reading program at Manzano Mesa Elementary School created by Kirsten Sanchez and Peggy Candelaria; Lap Time Reading at New Futures High School led by Sara Winsett; Stem Trajectory, a districtwide program created by Alma Ripley, Charles Newman and Mark Hendricks; and Raylee Homes: A New Generation.

Sponsors of the event included Comcast, Technology Integration Group and University of Phoenix, with a special thanks to Frank Frost Photography.

All honorees and supporters are clear evidence that doing the right thing and making the community a better place does pay off — in a personal sense of achievement as well as in helping others.