Taylor Swift, Elena’s Gallegos’ favorite artist, sings the lyrics “if you never bleed, you’re never gonna grow” in her song The 1. Elena says she finds courage in these words when facing an unknown future. The 2023 Coronado High School graduate and Bronze Scholarship recipient is learning as she goes, experiencing all the challenges and joys of her freshman year at UNM in Albuquerque.
Jimmy Wheeler, a 2021 Pojoaque Valley High School graduate and 2023 Career Pathways Scholarship recipient, has long aspired to join the ranks of LANL employees. Jimmy took time from his busy schedule to speak with the LANL Foundation Scholarship Program Director about his journey and progress toward this long standing goal.
Bryan David Cruz teaches a 1st grade Bilingual class at Ramirez Thomas Elementary School in Santa Fe. He's been teaching for 7 years in both Mexico and the US.
Delilia Gonzales has been awarded the Climate Change Leadership Institute (CCLI) scholarship for a second year in a row. She is in her first year at Colorado State University where she's studying Natural Resource Management.
Amy Stone is a 4th grade teacher at Acequia Madre Elementary School in Santa Fe. This is her 9th year of teaching. She is a member of ISEC's Teacher Leader Cadre.
Heather Harrell is a 3rd and 4th grade teacher at Dixon Elementary School. This is her 8th year of teaching. She is a member of ISEC's Teacher Leader Cadre.
Meet Jamie Cruz-Sandoval, 2022 Bronze Scholarship and Michael A. Hiskey Nursing Scholarship winner. She is majoring in Nursing at the University of New Mexico. “I come from two Native American communities, and in Indian country in general, there are a lot of health disparities. Being awarded this scholarship allows me to continue furthering my education and earn a degree, allowing me to return and serve my communities as well as others.”
Meet Nathan Oswald from Taos, NM. He graduated from Farmington High School in 2001, spent two decades as a whitewater raft guide, and now attends UNM-Taos. He was awarded a Career Pathways Scholarship to study Pre-Science. “I am working towards a degree to be better able to find a permanent career in natural resource management in my lifelong home of Northern New Mexico.”
Meet Isa Bella Thomas, 2022 John and Marti Browne Leadership Scholar. She started Regent University in the fall of 2022 with plans to major in business. Isa Bella graduated from New Mexico School for the Arts where she took on numerous leadership roles. Sheco-founded the Women of Color Collective, which was featured in articles in the Albuquerque Journal, Source NM, The New Mexican, and Yahoo News
The future success of any community depends on its ability to foster the wellbeing of its children. Research has shown that investment in high-quality early care and education services for children 0-8 will reduce the burden on schools, the justice…