Albuquerque Academy Racquet Center Funded by $1M Gift
Thanks to a lead gift from the Garcia Family Automotive Group and support from additional donors and the USTA, the Albuquerque Academy Racquet Center received a terrific facelift and now offers programming open to the public. The courts were named in honor of legendary tennis coach Darell Gage.
Student Scientists Help Indigenous Costa Ricans Access Clean Water
When 22 Academy students traveled to Costa Rica during spring break, it was far from being a vacation. The advanced life science students lived with the Bribri and helped them work toward establishing a clean water source for the community. Read more here.
New Podcast Takes on Topics in Education
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at Albuquerque Academy? This year, we introduced a new podcast, What I Learned in School, featuring Head of School Julianne Puente and Associate Head of School Christine Lenhart. In some of their first episodes, they shared the thinking behind the school cell phone policy and what it’s been like to implement it, why the Academy doesn’t give final exams, and the changing world of college admission.
Senior Class Produces Two UNM Regent Scholars
For Gabby Sanchez ’25 and Ari Rosner-Salazar ’25, being named UNM Regents’ Scholars is a tremendous honor; the award covers tuition and fees, room, board, and books—essentially everything—and is given to only 12 new students each year. Read more here.
New Cheer Team Ramps Up School Spirit
After four decades, Charger cheer is back! The new 48-member, no-cut, all-gender team, founded by seniors Miel Padilla and Izzy Romero, supported our girls and boys basketball teams during the winter season and even hosted a clinic for enthusiastic grade schoolers who later made an appearance at a game.
Summer Scholars Program Renamed for Vincent Cordova
The Garcia family’s $1 million gift also provided funds for the Vincent Cordova Summer Scholars Program (formerly the Multicultural Summer Honors Program), a six-week, five-period, full-scholarship summer program for rising fifth graders that includes academic enrichment, creative arts, experiential education, and community building. For over four decades, Vince Cordova advocated for underrepresented students, and his vision continues to shape this program.
Alumni Series Highlights Transformational Stories Made Possible by Tuition Assistance
In this year’s issues of the Path newsletter, Ted Alcorn — journalist, Alumni Council member, and Academy Class of 2001 — told the moving stories of alumni whose lives were changed when they received tuition assistance to attend the Academy: Norah Doss ’08, Ian Bourland ’00, Jim Meketa ’65, Mark Tafoya ’89, Abi Hunter ’15, Ranalda Tsosie ’96, Mark Dimas ’98, Chamiza Pacheco de Alas ’96, and Ava Dellaira ’02.
Chargers Athletics Earns 40th Spot in National Ranking
The Academy’s sports program was named #1 in New Mexico and 40th in the U.S. in MaxPreps’ annual rankings. The MaxPreps Cup is a competition that attempts to determine the best overall high school sports program in the nation. The algorithm is based on state championships, runner-up finishes, and national rankings. Points are awarded for the size of the state the school is from, the popularity of the sport, the enrollment division the school participates in, and the number of schools participating in that enrollment division. The Chargers are looking for another top ranking, following a record-setting 10 state championships during the 2024-25 school year!
Curriculum Guide Goes Online
The Academy offers hundreds of course options, and it’s now a lot easier to decide what to take in our new online curriculum guide. Students and families can filter the options by grade, department, full-year or semester courses, and AP/advanced options, and they can create an account to make and save their favorites. Among the new offerings for the 2025-26 school year: Atomic America, Foundations of AI and AI Ethics, and Fiber Arts.
New Fund for Guitar Faculty Honors John Truitt
Diane Sansonetti and John Batty, parents of Academy alumni Clare ’10 and Luke ’12, created the John Truitt Classical Guitar Faculty Support Fund, recognizing John’s profound influence on his students and ensuring ongoing support for the Academy’s classical guitar program.
Bus Routes Will Ease Commuting Challenges
Albuquerque Academy is excited by the interest in our new bus service that begins in August 2025, and we look forward to helping make school days a little simpler for our families. The two bus routes will make stops in the Nob Hill/UNM and Westside/North Valley areas.
Academy Voted #1 in Readers Poll
A huge thank you to the Charger community for the show of support as Albuquerque Academy was named Best Private School in the Albuquerque the Magazine 2024 Best of the City readers poll. While there are countless ways to measure our school’s success, word of mouth is critical to the future of the Academy. The opinions of those who know the school best — students and alumni, parents and employees — make a tremendous impact. Vote for us in 2025 to help us maintain our top ranking.
Commencement Makes National Headlines
BONUS STORY! Comedian and late-night TV host Seth Meyers brought widespread attention to the 2025 Academy commencement, where his wife, 2002 alum Alexi Ashe Meyers, gave an inspiring alumni address while comforting their daughter. Seth praised Alexi’s performance – her speech as well as the “nonstop balancing act” that parenthood requires – on his Instagram account and in interviews, garnering coverage that ranged from Today.com to the Howard Stern Show.
