(Above) President David Schmidly and Janet Schmidly join Jemez Pueblo Governor Raymond Gauchupin, Miss Indian UNM Juanita Toledo and her mother, Lynn Toledo, at tribal headquarters in Jemez. Schmidly made the trip to strengthen ties with the pueblo.

UNM and Jemez Pueblo partner to create early college for Native youth

UNM’s Department of Native American Studies is partnering with Walatowa Charter High School in Jemez Pueblo and the Seattle-based Center for Native Education to develop dual enrollment opportunities for Native students.

Funded in part by a $12 million eight-year Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant, with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Lumina Foundation for Education, early college high schools aim to increase the number of Native students who graduate and go on to college. Partnerships between tribal, high school, and college stakeholders allow early college students the opportunity to earn up to two years of college credit while still in high school.

“On behalf of the Native American Studies (NAS) program at the University of New Mexico, I want to extend our congratulations to the Jemez Pueblo Walatowa Charter High School for the award of an early college grant,” said Greg Cajete, NAS chair. “We are proud to be one of the institutional partners with Walatowa Charter High School on this project. We look forward to our collaboration and the future success of the Early College Initiative at Walatowa.”

Walatowa Charter High School fills a need in a district that struggles with only twenty-nine percent of its eleventh grade American Indian students meeting or exceeding proficiency on state reading assessments—a figure that compares to an overall fifty-eight percent in New Mexico. On state math assessments, eighteen percent of the district’s Native students were proficient, compared with thirty-one percent of all New Mexico eleventh graders.

On average, students in early colleges for Native youth experience a thirty-two percent increase in state reading scores and a thirteen percent increase on math scores.

“Our hope is that through this early college exposure, our youth can make a seamless adjustment after high school, be successful in the college and field of their choice, and develop the tools and skills to preserve and protect our culture and language while advancing the interests of our tribe into the future,” said Jemez Pueblo Governor Raymond Gauchupin.

El Rinconcito español

• A falta de faisán, buenos son rábanos con pan.
Lacking pheasant, radishes with bread are good.

• Bien predica quien bien vive.
He preaches well who lives well.

• Cada campana suena según el metal del que está hecha.
Each bell sounds according to the metal of which it is made.

Submitted by www.sospanyol.com, Placitas—Spanish instruction that focuses on oral communication skills.

Sandoval County Historical Society meeting will feature DeLavy history

The Sandoval County Historical Society will meet on January 6 at 2:00 p.m. at the DeLavy House Museum (off Highway 550 west of Bernalillo between the Coronado State Monument and the Santa Ana Star Casino). Slim Randles, author of Ol’ Slim’s View from the Porch, will present the life and retrospective of western artist Ed DeLavy and his paintings. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Crest of Montezuma open space still not open

After four years of negotiation and red tape, the one-thousand-acre proposed open space at the Crest of Montezuma in Placitas is still not a done deal. Last month, however, Santo Domingo Pueblo, current owners of the property, did request the dedication of a public right-of-way for .54 miles of Diamond Tail Road and 0.8 miles of Camino de San Francisco. The Sandoval County Commission approved the right-of-way dedication for public access to the open space property and a future fire station site.

Tom Gow of the Bureau of Land Management said that transfer of the property from private ownership could take place in the near future, but that until the title company completes its very thorough study, the proposed open space remains on hold.

Loma Colorado Library receives architectural award

The City of Rio Rancho’s Loma Colorado Main Library has received a 2007 Citation Award from AIA Albuquerque, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Out of thirty-six projects submitted for consideration, only eight were recognized for excellence in design.

This award recognizes the City of Rio Rancho and those who worked on the building. This includes Wilson and Company Engineers and Architects, Hidell and Associates, and Jaynes Corporation General Contractors.

The Loma Colorado Main Library opened to the public in December 2006. This thirty-two-thousand-square-foot facility has a 130-seat auditorium, conference room, local history room, computer lab, teen area, study rooms, and more. It was funded through a $5.5 million general obligation bond, as well as contributions from citizens and groups such as Pulte Homes of New Mexico.

The library was constructed to optimize water efficiency and indoor environmental quality. It uses recycled and renewable materials and has many other sustainable features. In 2008, certification as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building from the U.S. Green Building Council will be sought for the facility.

AIA represents the professional interests of America’s architects. AIA members are committed to excellence in design and livability related to the nation’s buildings and communities. Members follow a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.

For more information about the city’s Library and Information Services Department, visit the city’s website at www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us.

Capulin snow play area open weather permitting

—KAREN TAKAI, USFS

The Capulin Snow Play area will be open when crews and highway department are able to clear roads and parking area. The Snow Play area is located approximately 8 miles up the Sandia Crest National Scenic Byway (Highway 536). To check on the status of the area contact Sandia Ranger District at 505-281-3304 or www.fs.fed.us/r3/cibola/sandia. Please note the Capulin Snow Play Area is unsupervised, participate at your own risk. Rental equipment is not available at the Snow Play area.

The following are prohibited at the Capulin Snow Play Area:

Skis (downhill and cross-country), sleds (with wood, metal, molded plastic or other hard materials) and snowboards.

Sliding out of the defined area. Careless, Reckless Sliding. Alcoholic Beverages and glass containers.

Please note: Sliding, sledding and tubing are prohibited at the following trailheads and slopes associated with these areas: Tree Springs Trailhead, 10K Trailhead, and the hairpin curve on State Highway 536 below Tree Springs Trailhead.

• Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep out of closed areas.

• Before starting downhill, look above, below and to the side of you and yield to others.

• People below you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

• Maintain control in order to avoid other people or objects (rocks, trees, etc.)

• Do not stop where you obstruct a slope, or are not visible from above.

An Amenity Fee is required and the cost is $3.00 per vehicle ($10.00 per vehicle with capacity of 15 or more). Self-issue fee envelopes are available on site. The Sandia Annual Pass is honored at the site, and can be purchased for $30.00 at the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras and at the Cibola National Forest Supervisor’s Office, REI, Charlie’s Sporting Goods, Two Wheel Drive, and area Wal Mart Sporting Goods Departments. For more information contact the Sandia Ranger District at 281-3304.