In honor of the school’s 70th anniversary, we asked alumni to share their Academy memorabilia and memories. This submission is from Nate Goetz ’93, today a writer residing in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Standing upon my office bookshelf is a foot-tall statue crafted of cold Soviet steel that once kept watch over a geopolitical landscape […]
For Michael Ulku-Steiner ’88, Teaching is Holy
To highlight the impact of Academy alumni in the field of education, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is sharing the stories of graduates who have devoted their careers to teaching, learning, and inspiring others. Frank Slevin was dying, but that wasn’t going to keep him from the classroom. A legendary teacher who’d schooled generations [...]
Alumni Leadership Guides the Academy
“It’s remarkable to see how many of our graduates choose to continue serving the Academy long after they’ve crossed the Commencement stage,” says Head of School Julianne Puente. “Their lived experience as students, combined with their professional expertise as adults, strengthens our school in powerful ways.” For seven decades, Albuquerque Academy alumni have carried the [...]
Alumni Talent Shapes Today’s Chargers
“It’s not uncommon at schools like ours to have graduates come back to teach,” says Head of School Julianne Puente, “but we see it even more here.” The impact of Albuquerque Academy’s alumni spans 70 years and countless industries, including education. Our Charger graduates are innovative leaders — and many have chosen to bring that […]
Albuquerque author (’08 alum) has way with words in ‘A Deaf Memoir of Voice’
By David Steinberg / For the Journal Rachel Kolb of Albuquerque, author of the new book “Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice,” was born profoundly deaf in 1990. According to her family’s lore, when she was 2 years old, Kolb’s speech therapist gave her mother an update on a particular day’s therapy session, adding this […]
UNM’s Clark Sonnenberg ’24 rolls to Albuquerque City Championship win
By Sean Reider / Journal Staff Writer When Clark Sonnenberg was 12, he won the net flight of the Albuquerque City Championship — no small deal for one of the metro area’s finest junior golfers. “I wanted to win the championship flight after that, but I was really happy back then,” the incoming sophomore golfer […]
Review: World premiere of ‘Dolores’ another hit for West Edge Opera
By Michael Zwiebach, Correspondent | San Francisco Chronicle West Edge Opera unveiled another triumphant world premiere, opening its season with Nicolás Lell Benavides (Albuquerque Academy Class of 2006) and Marella Martin Koch’s opera “Dolores.” Telling the story of a pivotal year in the life of labor activist Dolores Huerta, the show is dramatically tight and […]
The Americans with Disabilities Act changed my life. Now my generation needs to fight for it.
By Rachel Kolb ’08 | Guest Contributor When the Americans With Disabilities Act was signed into law on this day in July 1990, my parents didn’t yet know how much the landmark civil rights law would soon shape my life — and theirs. I was born profoundly deaf, but my parents didn’t even know this […]
Academy Commencement Makes National Headlines
Comedian and late-night TV host Seth Meyers has 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 […]
Speech & Debate Coach Earns National Honor
Speech & Debate Coach Elise Matton ’10 was awarded a 2025 District Leader Commendation from the National Speech & Debate Association. One of five award winners nationwide, recipients are nominated by their district chairs “for going above and beyond in their district.” There are 111 NSDA districts.
