Excellence In Student Achievement Awards Program   

Achievements

The Excellence in Student Achievement Awards program seeks to promote student achievement in school districts and assist local school boards in recognizing school leaders, staff and other individuals who have played an important role in improving student achievement at the local level.

2026 Student Achievement Award Criteria, Timeline and Nomination Form

Click below for PDF copy of recipients by year

2026 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2025 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2024 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2023 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2022 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2021 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2020 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2019 Student Achievement Award Recipients

2018 Student Achievement Award Recipients 

2017 Student Achievement Award Recipients 

2026 Excellence In Student Achievement Award Recipients Announced

The New Mexico School Boards Association (NMSBA) announced recipients of the 2026 Excellence in Student Achievement Awards. The awards, sponsored by NMSBA, are presented to individuals selected by local boards of education throughout New Mexico who have played an important role in improving student achievement in their local school district. Sixty-eight (68) New Mexico school boards participated in this year’s program and a record two hundred thirteen (213) award recipients were selected. Recipients are listed below and will be honored at local school board meetings throughout New Mexico over the next few weeks. For specific information about award recipients, please contact the local school district. For additional information on the Excellence in Student Achievement Award Program contact Joe Guillen, NMSBA Executive Director.

 

District                      Recipient                                          Category

 

Alamogordo              Bob Flotte                                          Community Member

 

Albuquerque             Jenna Bludworth                              Staff Member

                                    Michelle Candelaria                        Staff Member

                                    Chelsea Darrall                                Staff Member

                                    Jennifer Hart                                     Staff Member

                                    George Melini                                   Staff Member

                                    Enrioque Ochoa                               Staff Member

                                    Santana Torrez                                 Staff Member

 

Artesia                        Lindsey Chase                                 Science Consultant

                                    David Codding                                 Science Consultant

                                    Myra Deans                                      Science Consultant

                                    Lindsay Gibb                                     Science Consultant

                                    Felicia Velasquez                            Science Consultant

 

Aztec                          Koogler Middle School                    Administrators

 

Belen                         Jennifer Herschberger                    Administrator

                                   Raquel Silva                                     Staff Member

 

Bernalillo                   Genevieve Sosa                               Administrator

 

Capitan                      J. Vance Lee                                     Administrator

                                   DuWayne Shaver                            Staff Member

 

Carrizozo                   George Verdugo                              Staff Member

 

Central                       Tim Kercher                                      Staff Member

Chama                       Caitlin Cleary                                    Staff Member

                                    Ruby Mestas                                     Community Member

                                    Margaret Robinson                         Staff Member

                                    Isaac Royston                                  Staff Member

                                    Melinda Salazar                               Parent

                                     Angela Vigil                                      Staff Member

 

Cloudcroft                 Maria Crump                                     Staff Member

 

Clovis                         James “Jay” Brady                           Administrator

 

Cobre                         Commons Center for Food                 Community Member

                                    Security & Sustainability                            

                                    Freeport – McMoRan                      Community Member

                                    Hurley Elementary School             Staff

                                    Kiwanis Club of Silver City             Community Member

                                    San Lorenzo Elementary School  Staff

 

Cuba                          Victoria Dominguez                         Staff Member

 

Deming                      Joe Adcock                                       Administrator

                                    Teri Knipps                                       Administrator

                                    Charlotte Sandoval                         Administrator

                                    Charles Turner                                 Administrator

 

Des Moines               Dorothy Sisneros                             Staff Member

 

Dexter                        Norma Munoz                                  Staff Member

 

Dora                           Annette Roehr                                  Staff Member

 

Dulce                         Shawna Garcia                                Staff Member

                                    James Montoya, Sr.                         Staff Member

 

Espanola                   Mark Martinez                                   Staff Member

                                    Vanessa Trujillo                                Administrator

 

Estancia                    Teresa Brasher                                Staff Member

                                    Araceli Cuevas                                 Staff Member

                                    Bianca Soto                                      Staff Member

 

Farmington               Milo McMinn                                     Administrator

                                    Elizabeth Galvan                             Staff

                                    Geizi Dejka                                        Staff

 

Gadsden                    Guillermo Carmona                         Administrator

                                    Mary Lou Delgado                           Staff Member

                                    Letty Gross                                        Staff Member

                                    Nancy Guzman                                Teacher

                                     Shamay Romero                              Teacher

Gallup-McKinley      Louren Carviso                                 Student

 

Hagerman                 Rosa Barela                                      Staff Member

 

Hobbs                        Peggy Appleton                                School Board Member

 

House                        Amy Fury                                           Staff Member

 

Jemez Mountain      Evy Cordova                                     Cook & Bus Driver

                                    Nancy Annie Martinez                    Head Cook

 

Jemez Valley            Peter Madalena                               School Board Member

                                   Glenda Medina                                 School Board Member

                                    Amelia Trujillo                                   School Board Member

                                    Cathy Trujillo-Wiseman                  School Board Member

                                    Penelope Vigil                                  School Board Member

 

Lake Arthur               Elisa Begueria                                  Administrator

 

Las Cruces                Activities, Art & Athletics “A” Team  Staff Members

                                    Centennial High School Feeder

                                    Pattern Site Support Team               Staff Members

                                    Las Cruces Public Schools Outdoor

                                     Clubs                                                    Staff Members

                                    Community Schools Coordinators    Staff Members

                                    ENLACE Program                                 Staff Members

                                    Las Cruces High School Feeder

                                   Pattern Site Support Team                   Staff Members

                                    Mayfield High School Feeder

                                    Pattern Site Support Team                   Staff Members

                                    Organ Mountain High School Feeder

                                    Pattern Site Support Team                     Staff Members

                                    Safe Routes to School Program             Staff Members

                                    Special Education Administrators

                                     SEA Team                                                  Staff Members

                                    Teaching & Learning Center Content

                                    Specialists                                                 Staff Members

 

Las Vegas City         Vanessa Garcia                                Administrator

                                   Leroy Gonzalez                                Staff Member

                                    Martha Pena                                    Staff Member

                                    Chaylene Sena                                Staff Member

 

Logan                         Crystal Burns                                    Administrator

                                    Rachell Teaschner                          Staff Member

                                    Raynee Wallin                                  Staff Member                                   

 

Lordsburg                  Hildalgo County EMS                      Volunteers

                                    Hildalgo County Sheriff’s Office    Community Members

                                    Hildalgo Co. Volunteer Fire Dept. Volunteers

                                    Lordsburg Fire Dept.                       Community Members

                                    Lordsburg Police Dept.                   Community Members

                                    NM State Police/Lordsburg Office Community Members

 

Los Alamos               Christa Saenz                                   Staff Member

                                    Jovita Mowrer                                   Staff Member

 

Los Lunas                 JROTC Jaguar Battalion                 Student Group

                                   JROTC Tiger Battalion                   Student Group

                                    LLHS Student Council                  Student Group

 

Loving                        Loving Elementary Staff                 Staff Members

 

Lovington                  Jessie Van Hooshier                       Administrator

 

Magdalena                Jennifer Keller                                  Staff Member

 

Maxwell                     Alexia McElhinney                           Staff Member

                                    Shannon Pierce                               Staff Member

 

Melrose                      Drew Hatley                                      Staff Member

 

Mesa Vista                Senator Leo Jaramillo                     Community Member

                                    Victor Jaramillo                                 Staff Member

                                     Sonny Lucero                                   Student

                                     Connie Lujan                                    Staff Member

                                     Renee Pena                                     Staff Member

                                     Andres Valdez                                  Student

 

Mora                           Nick Branch                                      Staff Member

                                    Rebecca Gold                                   Staff Member

 

Moriarty-Edgewood Joe Anaya                                         Athletic Director

                                    Kristine Armijo                                  Administrator

                                    Julie Jones                                         Teacher

                                    MESD Transportation Dept.           Department

                                    Natalie Romero                                Administrator

                                    Edgewood-Moriarty Rotary Club   Community Members

 

Mosquero                  Amanda Culbertson                      Former School Board Member

 

Pecos                         Johnathon Garcia                            Staff Member

                                    Rose Marie Gonzales                     Community Member

                                    Charles Vigil                                     Community Member

 

Penasco                    Janice Duran                                    Staff Member

                                   Lauralee Martinez                            Staff Member

                                    Michael Noll                                      Staff Member

 

Pojoaque                   Maria Carmona                                Staff Member

                                    Elizabeth Pacheco                           Administrator

                                    Jenny Talache                                  Staff Member

                                    Raquel Turner                                  Staff Member

 

Portales                     Chris Bachicha                                Staff Member

                                    Kathy (Buffy) Jones                         Staff Member

                                    Laura Marquez                                 Staff Member

 

Quemado                  Mary Guthridge                                Teacher

                                    Fran Hood                                         Coach

                                     Kelcie Hutton                                   Teacher

                                    Cindy Waldron                                 CTE Coordinator

 

Questa                       Jeremy Troy                                      Teacher

                                    Amos Martinez                                 Bus Driver

                                    Charlie Martinez                               Bus Driver

                                    Gabriel Quintana                             Bus Driver

                                     Beverly Rivera                                  Bus Driver

                                     Erasto Rivera                                    Bus Driver

                                    Edward Segura                                 Bus Driver

 

Raton                         Darren Craig                                     Staff Member

Connie Shields                                Community Member

Lynette Simpson                              Staff Member

 

Reserve                     Camden Radvillas                           Staff Member

 

Rio Rancho               Tosha Young                                    Staff Member

 

Ruidoso                     Marsha Baca                                    Staff Member

                                   Nicole Beach                                    Staff Member

                                   Ashley Beatty                                    Staff Member

                                  David Brownrigg                              Staff Member

                                  Dan Carey                                         Staff Member

                                  Stacie Fuchs                                     Staff Member

                                  Sherridan Liangco                           Staff Member

                                  Trina Lubbe                                      Staff Member

 

San Jon                     Michael Kandel                                Staff Member

                                    Sharla Rusk                                      Administrator

 

Santa Fe                    Myrna Barbee-Lee                           Staff Member

                                    Holly Call                                           Staff Member

                                    Christopher Eadie                            Staff Member

                                    Loretta Fernandez                           Staff Member

                                    Jessica Garcia                                  Staff Member

                                    Joshua Granata                               Staff Member

                                    Michael Hagele                                Staff Member

                                    Kelly Phillips                                     Staff Member

                                    Ana Raquel Plaza                            Staff Member

                                   Nicholas D. Salazar                         Staff Member

                                   Brian Smith                                       Staff Member

 

Santa Rosa               Timothy Dodge                                 Staff Member           

 

Silver                          Norma Coker                                    Staff Member

                                    Aysh Heneghan                               Staff Member

                                    Lt. Gov. Howie Morales                  Community Member

                                    Analysia Salcido                              Staff Member

                                    Dean Thompson                              Community Member

 

Socorro                      Dawn Apodaca                                 Administrator

                                     Azza Ezzat                                        Staff Member

                                    Joyce Gormley                                  Administrator

                                    Julie Romero                                    Administrator

                                    Transportation Drivers                    Staff Members

 

Springer                     Abigail Eppler                                   Student

 

T or C                         Mark Hedge                                      School Board Member

 

Taos                           Juan Castillo-Bolanos                     Staff Member

                                    Meghan Oates                                  Staff Member

                                    Erika De La Ossa                             Staff Member

 

Tatum                         Marco Flores                                    Community Member

 

Tularosa                    Joanne Gronewold                          Staff Member

                                    Andrew Perea                                   Coach

                                    Adrianne Salas                                Tutor

 

Vaughn                      Michelle Abriol                                  Staff Member

                                    Aspen Achen                                    Staff Member

                                    Delia Aragon                                     School Board Member

                                    Ricardo Berumen                            Coach

                                    Kylie Crist                                          Staff Member

                                    Raquel Cuevas                                Staff Member

                                    Katia Lopez                                       Staff Member

                                    Danette Madrid                                 Staff Member

                                    Mariah Madrid                                  Staff Member

                                    Antonio Martinez-Sanchez            School Board Member

                                    Christopher Matson                         School Board Member

                                    Victoria Munoz                                 Staff Member

                                     Erica Padilla                                     Staff Member

                                      Kimberlee Smith                              Staff Member

 

Wagon Mound          Benito Armijo                                   Student

                                    Kathryn Denise Baca                      Staff Member

                                    Eldie Cruz                                         School Board Member

                                    Josiah Vasquez                                Student

 

West Las Vegas       John Baca                                         Staff Member

                                    James Bonney                                 Staff Member

                                    Agnes Estrada                                  Staff Member

                                    Jerry Lopez                                       Staff Member

                                    Leon Trujillo                                      Staff Member

 

                                                                        ***