By Scott Albright, Neighborhood Journal
Albuquerque Academy’s first day of school began with seniors and sixth-graders marching up the main walkway together with parents cheering and clapping for the new and last-year students. Parents followed the students onto a large grassy area where everyone converged to listen to Head of School Julianne Puente give a convocation speech to a crowd of around 2,000.
Puente talked about the lessons learned from past mistakes while offering guidance to students, but it was Senate President Mireya Macías who got the crowd riled up with her fiery speech. Macías began by welcoming the new sixth-graders and reminding seniors that they belong to a community that is ready to embrace them. She then explained to the crowd that she had moved to Albuquerque from a small rural New Mexican town with her parents and sister in search of a better education.
