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.

2024 Student Achievement Award Criteria, Timeline and Nomination Form

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 

Excellence In Student Achievement Award Recipients Announced

The New Mexico School Boards Association (NMSBA) announced recipients of the 2023 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-three (63) school boards participated in this year’s program and one hundred sixty-eight (168) 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                          Nicholas Pederson,                         Holloman AFB Ex Officio

                                                Col, USAF

Albuquerque                         Albuquerque Public Schools         Staff

                                                Community Schools Coordinators

Animas                                  Loren Cushman                               Administrator

                                                Candie Sweetster                            Former Legislator

                                                Robin Moore                                     Teacher

Artesia                                    Kellie Brewer                                    Teacher

                                                Special Education Department      Teacher

Aztec                                      Dr. Neily Snook                                Staff

Belen                                     Deborah Baca                                  Staff Member

                                                Jim Danner                                       School Board Member

Bernalillo                               Dr. Eric James                                  Administrator

Bloomfield                             Bette Stahle                                      Staff Member

Carrizozo                               Cathy Barela                                     Staff Member

Chama                                   Felecia Martinez                               Staff Member

                                                Anna Atencio                                    Staff Member

                                                Brycelyn Martinez                            Student

Cimarron                               Laura Eberhardt                               Staff Member

                                                Sherry Hamilton                               Staff Member

Clayton                                  Josh & Rikki Garcia                         Parents/Volunteers

                                                Lewie Baker                                      Community Member/Vol.

                                                Russell Lees                                     Parent/Volunteer

Cloudcroft                              Charlie Cooper                                 Retired Staff Member

Clovis                                     Deborah Westbrook                         Administrator

Cuba                                      Cuba CARES                                   Staff Members

Deming                                  Hailey Chaffin                                  Staff Member

Dexter                                    Lorena Castro                                   Administrator

Dora                                       Dorothy Gresham                            Retired Teacher/Substitute

Dulce                                     Richard Ibarra                                   Staff Member

Espanola                               SGT Wilbert Romero                       Staff Member

Estancia                                Jamie Pebley                                    Staff Member

                                                Victoria Olguin                                 Staff Member

                                                Richard Walker                                 Staff Member

Farmington                           Kyle Rhodes                                     School Board Member

Floyd                                      Monica Knight                                  Staff Member

                                                Garrick Matthews                             Staff Member

                                                Kelly Love                                          Staff Member

Fort Sumner                         Cynthia Lucero                                 Staff Member

                                                Carrie Norman                                  Staff Member

                                                Maria Gomez                                    Staff Member

Gadsden                                Connie Jacquez                               Staff Member

                                                Ernesto Guerrero                             Staff Member

                                                Christopher Champagne                Staff Member

                                                Sam Snoddy                                     Staff Member

                                                JB Colquitt                                        Community Member

                                                Jerry Pacheco                                  Community Member

Gallup McKinley                   Kristiana Jones                                Staff Member

                                                Andrew Clark                                    Staff Member

                                                Carol Lalio                                         Staff Member

                                                Sarah Mortensen                             Coach

Grants Cibola                       Andrea Willcox                                 Staff Member

                                                Rana Sanchez                                 Administrator

                                                Tawnia Manuelito                            Staff Member

                                                Harry Garcia                                     Community Member

Hobbs                                    Computer Aided Instruction – CAI Staff Member

House                                    Jarred Hestand                                Staff Member

Jemez Mountain                  Crystal Gallegos                               Staff Member

Lake Arthur                           Becki Hammond                              Staff Member

Las Cruces                            Kimberly Molina                               Staff Member

                                                Elementary English                         Staff Member

                                                Language Team

                                                Teresa Jones                                    Staff Member

                                                Tamara Odom                                  Staff Member

                                                Meredith Monroe                              Staff Member

                                                Danis Saenz                                       Staff Member

                                                Amber Gonzales                              Staff Member

                                                Las Cruces Home Builders Assoc. Community Organization

Las Vegas City                     Dr. Dolores Ortega                           Community Member

Logan                                     Rochelle Roch                                 Staff Member

Lordsburg                              Rosalia Gonzalez Gomez               Community Member

                                                Dr. Stephen Lucas                          Administrator

                                                Zulema Gutierrez                             Administrator

                                                Raquel Montiel                                 Administrator

                                                Scott Roberson                                Administrator

Los Alamos                           Courtney Smith                                Staff Member

                                                Jacqueline Griego                           Staff Member

Los Lunas                             Lawrence Sosa                                Administrator

                                                Claire Cieremans                             Administrator

                                                Dr. Arsenio Romero                         Administrator

Lovington                              Kim Hess                                           Staff Member

Magdalena                            Linda Perdue                                    Staff Member

                                                Scott Brantley                                   Community Member

Maxwell                                 Cindi Berry                                        Staff Member

Melrose                                  Alan Daugherty                                Staff Member

Mesa Vista                            Paul Chacon                                    Staff Member

                                                Dominic Trujillo                                Community Member

                                                Connie Lujan                                    Staff Member

                                                Raquel Trujillo                                  Staff Member

                                                Annaliese Pena                               Student

Mora                                       Balazar Olivas                                  Bus Driver

                                                Tina Burton-Crunk                           Staff Member

Moriarty-Edgewood             Jeffrey Stout                                     Staff Member

                                                Patty Anglin                                      Staff Member

Mosquero                              Gina Martinez                                   Staff Member

Pecos                                     Ray Valdez                                       Staff Member

                                                Andrea Apodaca                              Staff Member

Penasco                                Nanette Tafoya                                 Community Member/Volunteer

Pojoaque                               Mario Vigil                                         Principal

                                                Carrie Garcia                                    Staff Member

                                                Angela Martinez                               Staff Member

Portales                                 Henry Montano                                Assistant Superintendent

Quemado                              Kristin Carver                                    Staff Member

                                                Andrea Olson                                   Staff Member

                                                Will Chavez                                       Community Member

                                                Tommie Chavez                               Community Member

                                                Alfredo Fernandez                           Staff Member

Questa                                   Sharon Quintana                             Staff Member

                                                Lorraine Trujillo                                Staff Member

                                                Dezirae Ortega                                 Staff Member

                                                Griego/Cisneros Family                  Community Members

                                                Maria Gonzales                                Community Member

Raton                                     Crescencio (Chris) Archuleta        Staff Member

Rio Rancho                           Richard Draper                                 Community Member

                                                Suzanne Nguyen                             Administrator

                                                Jeanie Springer Knight                   Community Member

Ruidoso                                 Ashley Beatty                                    Staff Member

                                                Rachel Lutterman                            Staff Member

Ruidoso (Cont.)                    Anna Weaver                                    Staff Member

                                                Lesley Byrd                                       Staff Member

San Jon                                 The Slutz Family                              Community Members

Santa Fe                                Mayor Alan Weber, Rich Brown

                                                and Julie Sanchez                           City of Santa Fe

                                                Senator Nancy Rodriguez              State Legislator

                                                John Sais                                          Principal

                                                Alyssa Maestas                                Principal

                                                Maya del Margo                               Parent/Comm. Member

                                                Jenn Jevertson                                 Administrator

                                                Kimberley Washburn                     Staff Member

                                                Ben Gomez                                       Basketball Coach

                                                Early Childcare Center                   Department

                                                Equity, Diversity

                                                and Engagement                             Department

                                                Kate Noble                                        Former School Board Member

                                                Abe Benavidez                                 Former Mail Clerk

                                                Ryanne Cooper and

                                                Melissa Blaylock                              Staff Members

                                                Ruthanne Greeley                           Administrator

                                                Dr. Suchint Sarangarm                   Administrator

                                                Security & Safety Department       Department

                                                Ortiz Middle School Staff                Staff Members

                                                Zeb Bellon                                        SFHS Band

                                                FuMei Tsai                                        Mandela International                                                                                                                     Magnet School

                                                Marissa Campos                              ECO

Silver                                      Crystal Drennan                              Parent

                                                Victoria Oaxaca                                Administrator

Socorro                                  Geraldine Baldonado                      Staff Member

                                                Holly Mayfield                                   Administrator

                                                Cody Johnston                                 Volunteer

                                                Christine Peguero                           Administrator

                                                Frances Fuller                                  Staff Member

Springer                                 Christine Vigil                                   Counselor

Taos                                       Sonya Struck                                    Community Member

Tatum                                     Dollie Meroney                                 Staff Member (posthumously)

Truth or Consequences     Mental Health Team                        Staff Members

Tucumcari                             Thomas J. Evans                             Staff Member

                                                Bo Wallace & Dr. Haily Wallace    SBM & Community Member

                                                Sharon D LaTouf                             Staff Member

Tularosa                                Layla Gaston                                    Student

                                                Sergio Castanon                              Staff Member

                                                Patti Cawthon                                  Volunteer

                                                Betty Ramsey                                   Volunteer

                                                Kiwanis Club                                    Organization

                                                Lola Ahidley                                      Staff Member

                                                Heather Kangas                               Volunteer

                                                Robert Sainz Jr.                               Volunteer

Vaughn                                  Ruthie Apodaca                               Staff Member

                                                Lyndsey Padilla                                Administrator

Wagon Mound                      Tyler Kelley                                      Staff Member

                                                Cassius Simpson                             Staff Member

                                                Irene Melendez                                Staff Member

                                                Jaylyn Maestas                                 Staff Member

                                                Nichole Duran                                  Staff Member

                                                Aunna Bradley                                 Staff Member

                                                Davette Hurtado                               Staff Member

West Las Vegas                   Kenneth Bachicha                           Staff Member

                                                Deborah Gallegos                            Staff Member

                                                Arthur Daniel Madrid                       Staff Member

                                                Delbert Saavedra                             Administrator

                                                 Paul Sandoval                                  Administrator

                                                                    ***