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Geoff Grammer, Journal Staff Writer An awful lot raced through the mind of 17-year-old Harper Dunn five weeks ago between the anterior cruciate ligament in her left leg snapping when she landed from a block attempt in volleyball practice and the time it took her body to hit the floor. After all, it does take […]

Geoff Grammer, Journal Staff Writer She wasn’t about to stroll through the newly-refurbished offices in the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma, with the muddy barn shoes she had on. But, the 6-foot-6 basketball prodigy who was spending a good portion of that summer of 2024 working on her grandfather’s ranch in nearby Stillwater, Oklahoma, […]

By Talia Goodman, Rivals Top 2027 recruit Harper Dunn has committed to Oklahoma, she told Rivals. The 6-6 post player from Corona (NM) Albuquerque Academy chose the Sooners over Michigan. “I made this decision a few weeks ago, and every day I feel more confident in it,” she told Rivals. Dunn has built a strong […]

David Kistin ’01, who spent more than a decade moving lab tech into the market, will lead the $25 million effort Justin Horwath, Journal Staff Writer David Kistin, who has spent more than a decade spinning technology developed at Sandia National Laboratories into markets, will now direct a new state-funded project that seeks to build […]

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Kenny Barreras Takes the Lead To many in the Albuquerque Academy community, the new athletic director is best known for his years of leadership with Think Summer. What few realize is that Kenny Barreras brings 35 years of public education experience to his new post — including 18 years as district athletic director for Albuquerque […]

By Ted Alcorn '01 For her Senior Project, which some Academy students treat as a springboard to professional aspirations, Mariah Wilson ‘03 brought her horse to school and rode it bareback in the field beside the library. She said she was demonstrating Aristotle's ideas about leadership and nonverbal communication — that character shows in bearing [...]

KRQE – With September being suicide awareness month, one Albuquerque teen is making it his goal to bring awareness to mental health. He created a clothing company to do just that, with designs he hopes inspire those struggling. “I just started it because of my own struggles with mental health. Also because I see my […]

Teacher Dan Dudley Provides AI Guidance to Malawi Girls’ School When math teacher Dan Dudley arrived in Malawi as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1994, he couldn’t have predicted how deeply rooted he would become in the country. Thirty-two years into his teaching career — and in his second year at Albuquerque Academy teaching Geometry, […]

Scores of Chargers received individual recognition during and following the Spring 2026 season. GOLF Metro Athlete of the Year Adelyn Haas ’27 All State Adelyn Haas ’27, champion Gabby Sanchez ’28 Thomas Whitten ’29, champion Alex Hanna ’27 All Metro Adelyn Haas ’27, champion Gabby Sanchez ’28 Russel Hiller ’28 Josh James ’26 Thomas Whitten […]

A painting by Corinne Sherer ’29 was named Best of Show at the New Mexico State Fair Youth Native American Indian Art Gallery. Corinne’s work is an acrylic landscape of Pyramid Rock, part of the red rock formation outside of Gallup, where her family is from. She also took first place at the Gallup Inter […]

Sophomores Valentina Macias and Emilio Houghton and junior Isabella Fuentes are the first three students at Albuquerque Academy to earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy, a language certification recognizing their fluency in English and Spanish and a valuable credential students can include in college and scholarship applications and resumés. To achieve this recognition, they took […]

Sahana Paruchuri ’30 and Zoheb Barrantes ’31 have been named Top 300 Junior Innovators in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC), the nation’s premier STEM research competition for middle school students. Nearly 60,000 students nationwide participate in affiliated science fairs each year, and only 300 students were selected for this honor from […]

The National Merit® Scholarship Corporation has announced that 11 of the Albuquerque Academy seniors who competed in the National Merit Scholarship Program last school year have been named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1% of high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each […]

James Yodice, Albuquerque Journal The University of New Mexico North Golf Course was decorated in Eldorado burnt orange Saturday morning. Not that the Eagles girls cross country team has anything to prove, but they’re already in full flight, dominating the Lobo Invitational. Freshman Helene Gessner of Eldorado and Diego Friedrich, a sophomore at Albuquerque Academy, […]

By Michelle G. McRuiz, Mirage Magazine A World of Opportunity Close to Home Presidential Scholarship Program marks 50 years of supporting exceptional New Mexico students For half a century, UNM’s Presidential Scholarship Program (PSP) has invested in identifying, supporting, and retaining New Mexico talent by offering renewable scholarships to extraordinary high school students from every […]

Jon Star, professor of teaching and learning, finds flexibility is key to helping students master math Liz Mineo, Harvard Staff Writer Finding a calling wasn’t the hard part for Jon Star. That came when he started figuring out the complexities of his chosen profession. Growing up in Columbus, Georgia, Star worked as a camp counselor […]

The Albuquerque golfer and analyst receives the 2026 Payne Stewart Award for his NB3 Foundation’s work supporting Native youth health and leadership. Geoff Grammer, Journal Staff Writer He’d rub a small strip of chiih across his cheek — just a little below each eye — before every match. It was part of the routine for […]

The Academy’s Student-College Outreach Program, developed and led by the College Guidance Office’s Shaun Gehres, is one of 24 schools selected to participate in the Polaris Athlete Founding Pilot Program. Polaris Athlete provides tools to schools and student-athletes that streamline communication and track progress. Through this partnership, student-athletes participating in the Academy’s SACO program will have […]

Pedro Cuadra IV ’30 and Malik Sulaimon finish 1st and 2nd at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in California Austin Curtis | For the Journal [Albuquerque Academy ninth grader] Pedro Cuadra IV had one throw left. The 14-year-old from Albuquerque, javelin in hand, prepared for his final throw at the 2026 […]

2012 Academy grad Alex Bregman joins MLB Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, four-time Indy 500 champ Al Unser Sr., top women’s golfer Nancy Lopez, and NFL great Brian Urlacher in Sports Illustrated’s list of the five best athletes from each state in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary. “Though lacking any major professional sports […]

The tradition of excellence continues for Chargers athletics! MaxPreps named Albuquerque Academy’s sports program #11 nationwide in its 2025-26 ranking of top 100 high schools. The recognition comes on the strength of eight state championships, five runners-up, so many hard-working student-athletes, and the best in coaching — and after taking the 13th spot for the […]

Girls varsity tennis coach Amy Badger has been named a 2026 New Mexico High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year. The honor recognizes her outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to her student-athletes, our school, and the values of education-based athletics. In Coach Badger's nearly 30 years with the Academy tennis program, the team has [...]

By PGAtour.com Staff Four-time PGA TOUR winner and founder of NB3 Foundation – a national, award-winning Native-led nonprofit – Notah Begay III has been named the recipient of this year’s Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company, honoring his character, sportsmanship, and commitment to charitable giving. Begay, 53, will be honored Tuesday, Aug. 25, at […]

Art celebrating the Route 66 Centennial, created by Think Summer students in the Learning Wheel Camp, was featured at Hotel Zazz. The students in grades 1-3 made neon signs and miniature models of businesses along Central Ave.   Cultivating a New Generation of Route 66 Guardians for the Mother Road’s Centennial Students from Albuquerque Academy […]

Max Berger ’30 and Balraj Sandu ’30 received an honorable mention and a sixth-place finish for their science fair project, Music and Cognitive Performance: Effects on Memory Recall, in the 2026 STEM Choice Awards, a global virtual event. Their project investigated how different kinds of music affect memory in people of different ages. “We chose […]

Longtime Academy teacher and coach Adam Kedge has been named New Mexico Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the third time. This is his first win for track and field; he received COY recognition for cross country in 2023 and 2018. One boys coach […]

The 12 Chargers who qualified for the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) National Championship — held June 13-20 in Richmond, VA — represented Academy Speech & Debate at this event for the 39th time and were one of the biggest teams from our district. With nearly 12,000 participants, it’s one of the largest academic […]

Jace Gabaldon ’28 is one of 600 baseball players nationwide, and one of only 12 in New Mexico, to be named to MaxPreps High School Baseball All-State Teams. Jace earned the recognition for first base. Players were selected based on postseason honors, team success, individual statistics, recruiting rankings, and recommendations from coaches. Read the complete […]

By JP Murrieta, NMAA Gatorade today announced Anna Hastings of Albuquerque Academy is the 2025-26 Gatorade New Mexico Girls Track and Field Player of the Year. Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The […]

MaxPreps selected the top female athlete in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The athletes recognized were selected either for exceptional all-around success across multiple sports or for achieving elite, national-level distinction in a single sport. From versatile multi-sport standouts to dominant specialists who ranked among the nation’s best, each selection represents the […]

For the eighth year in a row, Albuquerque Academy has been awarded the 4A Director’s Cup from the New Mexico Activities Association. Overall, it’s the 18th time the Academy has been recognized with this award, which was introduced in the 2004-05 school year. With 3,440 points, the Academy outscored schools in all divisions. The Chargers […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Here are the best of the best among Albuquerque-area high school athletes. Girls Track & Field: Grace Erinle ’27 One of my favorite athletes to watch, in either gender, in any sport. Erinle is simply a force of nature at a track facility, whether she’s dominating the long jump or […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Some of New Mexico’s elite prep athletes shined some more on Saturday at the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic. The Great Southwest brings together scores of top boys and girls from the region, and while not all of New Mexico’s superstars were entered this weekend, some of those who […]

“I Could Lie,” a single by Sophia Golding ’24, is getting regular airplay on BBC Radio Wales as part of the Welsh A-List. The BBC Radio Wales Welsh A-List is a weekly music initiative designed to celebrate and support new, independent, and emerging Welsh artists. Throughout the week, the station rotates selected tracks from the […]

Supercomputing Challenge brings New Mexico students to Los Alamos The 36th Annual Supercomputing Challenge brought 16 teams of middle and high school students from across New Mexico to Los Alamos April 20 and 21 to present the results of their yearlong computing projects and celebrate the award winners. Judges selected the winners at the expo […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer We turn down the lights today on the 2025-26 New Mexico prep sports calendar, another fantastic nine months of electrifying highlights and lasting memories. And away we go. Dynastic So many of the state’s current dynasties kept right on rolling. But as I sit down and begin to peck away […]

Mekhi Bradford ’28 will represent the NAACP Albuquerque branch at the 2026 National ACT-SO Competition in July in three categories: written poetry, spoken work, and original written essay (about his CommuniEats project). The Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) is a year-round achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural […]

“It’s possible to understand the world from studying a leaf,” wrote Misha Kassam ’31 in her essay that earned an honorable mention in the 2026 Aldo Leopold Writing Contest. Misha likened her family’s journey to a drought-stricken plant revived by the first splash of rainfall. The contest received more than 600 submissions. Each year, the […]

Works by three young Albuquerque Academy writers were recognized with 2026 Scholastic Writing Awards. Larissa Jubay ’28 received a Silver Key in the Personal Essay & Memoir category for her piece “Formation of a Crane.” Kristina Lane ’27 received a Silver Key in the Speculative Fiction category for her story “Dust to Dust.” Audrey Finkelstein […]

By Katie Grace Carpenter, Science News Explores People have increasingly been turning to chatbots, agents and other AI helpers for advice and more. For instance, more than 900 million people use ChatGPT weekly. But sometimes artificial-intelligence helpers give dangerous advice. Hoping to counter this problem, Sowmya Sankaran, 16, developed an app. It gives certain bots […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Harper Dunn of Albuquerque Academy is on her way back to Colorado Springs. Dunn, who just finished her junior season with the Chargers, has been invited to participate in USA Basketball’s Women’s U17 Trials. The trials run Thursday through Sunday. USA Basketball announced that it has invited 46 players to […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy on Wednesday will have a signing ceremony for some of its athletes. Here is the list: Quinn Douangpanya (Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, tennis); Addie Spratley (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, women’s basketball); Nartey Brady (Stanford, gymnastics); Shepard Camp (Pacific Lutheran University, swimming); Sophia Hasse (Flagler […]

The yearbook editors had their reasons for crowning Dona Sosa the class "terror." Her Nissan Sentra was fitted with McLean wheels, hydraulics, and a sound system that announced her arrival in the parking lot well before her arrival. Bravado came easily. “I was a little on the edge there,” she recalled.  1995 Yearbook It is [...]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy swept the team titles in 4A. The boys scored 91 points, with Artesia — which enjoyed a strong meet across the board — second with 74½ points. Silver (60) was third. The Academy girls, led by their two alphas, junior sprinter/jumper Grace Erinle and senior distance specialist Anna [...]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy junior Grace Erinle broke the 4A girls’ 100-meter state record. Her time of 11.93 seconds in prelims bettered the mark of 11.96 that Erinle herself posted just 12 months ago. Erinle’s meet got off to a rousing start, with that 100-meter time, and also a victory — and [...]

Two Academy juniors have been honored by the National Council of Teachers of English — Sowmya Sankaran, First Class, and Sophia Longley, Excellent. The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to encourage high school students to write and to recognize some of the best student writers in the […]

Dr. Shane Benally, Academy Class of 2009 and a Diné optometrist who splits his practice between Santo Domingo Pueblo and Santa Fe, has been named 2026 Young Optometrist of the Year by the New Mexico Optometric Association. The award goes annually to an optometrist with fewer than 10 years in practice who has shown leadership […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer High school state golf champions could be found up and down the I-25 corridor on Tuesday. In Socorro, Albuquerque Academy’s girls won the Class 4A state title at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, and the Chargers produced both individual state champions. In Socorro, freshman Thomas Whitten and junior Adelyn Haas […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer At New Mexico Tech Golf Course in Socorro, Albuquerque Academy and Artesia are showing the way in the boys team standings. The Chargers shot 25-over (313), five strokes ahead of the Bulldogs. It was another 12 shots back from Artesia to third-place Los Alamos. Two Chargers lead the way on […]

Sean Reider, Journal Staff Writer Amadeus Lopez knew well in advance what Saturday would look like. The Albuquerque Academy assistant knew he would be filling in for Amy Badger, the Chargers’ longtime girls tennis coach and “fearless leader.” With the 26-year veteran attending her daughter’s graduation, the staffer of two-and-a-half years knew a “long, long […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer About the only unofficial thing left undone Thursday was to have Ketan Garg and Adrian Hanna grab their rackets, find an empty court, and have at it. The friends — and sometimes practice partners who play in separate classes — will have to settle for undefeated seasons instead. Thursday afternoon […]

Seniors Alexis Limary and Hannah Ceranski capped their DECA careers with a second-place finish in the Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making event at the 2026 DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta April 25-28. More than 25,000 high school students, teacher-advisors, business professionals, and alumni came together for the event. Of the 47 Academy […]

Chargers won 140 titles since Taryn Bachis became athletic director James Yodice, Albuquerque Journal Taryn Bachis arrived on the campus of Albuquerque Academy in 1984. Forty-two years later, she’s preparing for her exit. The private school’s longtime athletic director, Bachis is set to retire, as soon as this flurry of state tournament activity ends over […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Adrian Hanna of Albuquerque Academy is the top seed in the boys Class 4A division; that bracket opens with two rounds at Academy on Wednesday, then shifts to Jerry Cline for the remaining two rounds on Thursday. Sadye Bruce of the Chargers is the favorite in 4A girls singles and […]

Four Academy students studying classical languages achieved top results on the national Latin and Greek exams, including sophomore Kashvi Rai, who earned the highest recognition in both languages. National Latin Exam Timo Maez ’26, Beginning Latin: Magna Cum Laude Kashvi Rai ’28, Reading Comprehension Level 1: Gold Medal, Summa Cum Laude Emrys Bendt ’28, Reading […]

Senior Zachary Brown and the cast and crew of URINETOWN the Musical took home honors from the Enchantment Awards on Sunday, May 3, at Popejoy Hall. URINETOWN, Albuquerque Academy’s 2026 spring musical, won Best Production, and Zach was named Best Actor for his role as Bobby Strong in URINETOWN. As New Mexico’s Best Actor, he […]

New Mexico arrived at the 2026 NASP® Western National Bullseye Tournament with confidence, composure, and a wave of rising archery talent—and the results did not disappoint. From elementary rookies to seasoned high school competitors, New Mexico’s athletes posted personal records, cracked national top tens, and proved the state’s archery programs are rapidly climbing the national […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer It was bound to happen, and it happened Friday: the sight of Gianna Rahmer not winning a race here in the metro area. No one has taken her down in a cross country race in her three seasons at Eldorado — not in a race staged in New Mexico, anyway. […]

Work is ongoing to renew the school’s Bear Canyon recreation area, with improvements focused on safety, functionality, and expanded use of the property. Initial efforts have focused on improving safety and opening up the landscape around the cabin. Some entrepreneurial students have participated in some of the landscaping efforts, contributing to the project while gaining […]

By Dean Takahashi via GamesBeat Josh Yguado, 1994 Academy grad, has stepped down from Jam City after 16 years at the mobile game company he cofounded. He will be replaced by Simon Sim, a longtime mobile gaming leader who is CEO of Kabam and an executive in charge of the U.S. for Netmarble. Yguado made […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy’s girls golfers owned the day at Monday’s Albuquerque Metro Championships. The senior-less Chargers, priming themselves for a run at another Class 4A state title in two weeks at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, put all five of their players in the top 12 at Arroyo del Oso Golf […]

Journalists from around the world are in Pakistan waiting for the next steps in the peace talks. One of them, with deep New Mexico roots and a familiar name, didn’t have to travel far to cover this part of the history. New Mexicans knew Tom Joles as a trusted KOB 4 journalist for decades. “It […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Cleveland has won every big-school boys state track and field meet since 2016, and it’s clear the 2026 event is the Storm’s to lose. In what was likely a preview of the state meet next month, the Storm made it quite clear that if someone wants to end their dynasty, […]

Glen Rosales, for the Journal The Albuquerque High boys have been banging quite loudly on the door of the high school state tennis scene recently, finishing runner-up in consecutive years at the state championships, but the Bulldogs have not quite broken through. And while winning the Albuquerque Metro Championships is not nearly the same thing […]

With Earth Day right around the corner, the Kids Markets program had a pop-up sale on Saturday that showed young participants who were learning more than just how to make products and run a business. “That’s what we need to be thinking about for the future: how we can be successful in business, but not […]

Time and again, the Academy sees alumni step forward in meaningful ways — through philanthropic support, hands-on service, and a deep, ongoing commitment to its mission. For more than 70 years, the Academy has shaped compassionate and thoughtful students, and today, those same values inspire alumni volunteers to carry that mission forward. This commitment to [...]

Academy CFO Shawn Ricketts and Wendy Blair, master gardener of Soilutions, join TJ Trout of News Radio KKOB, to discuss Full Circle, a collaboration of two entities, teaching how to turn cafeteria food and green waste into compost.

This “closed-loop” initiative turns the Academy’s food scraps and green waste into nutrient-rich compost, some of which is then returned to the campus to nourish its own landscape. During Earth Month, Albuquerque Academy is announcing a landmark sustainability partnership with Soilutions, New Mexico’s premier composting and soil company, to divert the school’s food and green […]

Senior Zach Brown has been nominated as Best Actor for his role as Bobby Strong in URINETOWN, THE MUSICAL at the 2026 New Mexico High School Theatre Awards, known as the Enchantment Awards. And URINETOWN, THE MUSICAL is one of five shows nominated for one of three production awards: Best Ensemble, Best Direction, and Best […]

Grace Knouse '26 “I was definitely really nervous going into it,” Grace Knouse ’26 says. “This is so awkward — just sitting in front of a camera for two minutes and saying this is why you should pick me.”  Even though the UNM Regents Scholar application process – particularly the two-minute video – began uncomfortably, [...]

Several of the 35 Academy students, grades 8-12, competing in the HOSA State Leadership Conference were top contenders, receiving awards and other recognition. Eleven students — those finishing in first, second, or third place — qualified to compete at the International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis in June. HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION Ethan Xia ’26: 1st Place […]

Two members of the Academy’s English department — John Knapp and Norah Doss — have had work published recently. John Knapp’s latest publication examines the 18th-century British poet Thomas Gray and the probable source of one of his poems. It appears in Notes and Queries, a peer-reviewed journal published by Oxford University. “Over the years, […]

GIRLS BASKETBALL All-State  Adeline Spratley ’26, first team Harper Dunn ’27, second team Lily Skarsgard ’28, second team All-District Addie Spratley ’26 & Lily Skarsgard ’28, co-players of the year Harper Dunn, first team Kiki Brown, honorable mention Rowan Jaime, honorable mention Mackenzie Saiz, honorable mention Joy Skarsgard, honorable mention All-Metro   Lily Skarsgard ’28, first […]

Four of the Academy’s 14 Science Fair Club members have been invited to attend the 2026 International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix in May — Sowmya Sankaran ’27, Ahana Koushik ’28, and Laasya Tutiki ’29 qualified to participate, and Sahana Paruchuri ’30 will join them as an 8th-grade observer. Sowmya, who has also served […]

A number of the Academy’s talented math students participated in the 2026 UNM-PNM Statewide High School Mathematics Contest. Many of them earned recognition, including two first-place finishes: Vania Ma for sixth grade, and Iris Huang for eighth grade. Iris was also the second-place finisher among participants in all grades. Junior Arjun Grandhe finished third overall. […]

Former Sandia High standout and Academy teacher/coach recalls groundbreaking win over Kentucky  Bob Christ | For the Journal In the early to mid-1960s, during the heart of racial unrest in America, many college teams never recruited Black athletes. That was especially true in the powerhouse Southeastern and Southwest conferences. But what transpired during the NCAA […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer In the end, the volume of Albuquerque Academy’s crooked numbers bested Hope Christian’s crooked numbers. The Chargers and Huskies had a wild Friday afternoon and early evening at the Academy, with the teams combining for 29 hits — and a dozen errors — in the seventh-ranked Chargers’ eventual 20-10 District […]

Albuquerque Academy’s Speech & Debate team concluded its 2025–26 season with an impressive showing at both the State Championship and the New Mexico District National Qualifier, earning multiple state titles, national qualifications, and top overall honors. STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS At the State Championship (February 26-28), 44 Chargers competed across nine Speech & Debate events, demonstrating [...]

This spring, Albuquerque Academy is tackling a familiar challenge with an unexpected — and delightful — solution. Instead of relying solely on machinery to clear tumbleweeds and overgrowth, the school is welcoming a herd of goats to campus. The initiative, led by Director of Operations Adam Delgado, reflects both practical problem-solving and a commitment to […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Anna Hastings of Albuquerque Academy recently won the “Elite” division of the 3,200-meter final at the prestigious Chandler Rotary Invitational in Chandler, Arizona. Hastings, a multiple-state champion for the Chargers, completed the race in 10 minutes, 29.20 seconds. It is an Academy school record at that distance, and the fourth-fastest […]

James Yodice | Albuquerque Journal Here is the Journal’s All-Metro Girls Basketball Team for the 2025-26 season. The list is headed by 5-foot-8 senior Jordyn Dyer of La Cueva, a future University of Pacific athlete. She scored 23 points a game, and also averaged 7.1 rebounds for the Bears last season. Dyer, the only senior […]

Eighth grader Max Berger notched his highest finish at the state spelling bee, taking second at Central New Mexico Community College on March 21. Twice before, he’d finished in fifth in the state bee. It’s a huge achievement, Max told the Albuquerque Journal. “It could hurt a little bit. I mean, you’re right there, but […]

Clair Toledo ’00 has spent two decades as an educator in some of New Mexico’s most challenging schools By Ted Alcorn '01 Clair with friends in 8-9 division One of the most important lessons the Academy imparted on Clair Toledo ’00 wasn’t something she learned in a classroom or on campus at all.  After an [...]

By Gavin Hauenstein New Mexico United announced today that three New Mexicans from the United Academy—forward Grady Gilchrist, defender Kyle Hofmann, and goalkeeper Taren Wente—have signed USL Academy contracts for the 2026 USL Championship season. These signings are pending league and federation approval. With USL Academy contracts, players can train and play with the First […]

The Academy DECA chapter was a force to be reckoned with at the DECA State Career and Development Conference March 2-3. Of the 86 students who competed in Monday’s preliminaries, 62 advanced to the finals on Tuesday, where 27 were crowned state champs. And 48 qualified to compete at the international level in Atlanta in […]

Gallup, Albuquerque Academy, Kirtland Central and Hope Christian roll Tristen Critchfield | For the Journal No. 3 ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY 63, No. 11 SHIPROCK 44: The Chargers (25-5) survived an early injury scare and relied on their frontcourt dominance to cruise past the Chieftains (16-14). Academy’s Lily Skarsgard had to be carried off the court after […]

Monica Wicke, KRQE Think fun. Think big. Think summer. Think back to when you were a kid. Summer break was the time of our lives. It’s when so many of our fondest memories were made. Oftentimes, these memories revolved around experiences at a summer camp. That’s why back in 1984, the Albuquerque Academy rolled out […]

Melissa Wright | KOB Indoor football is coming back to Albuquerque with the New Mexico Chupacabras, but these “goat suckers” are aiming not to suck your wallet dry. The Chupacabras will play their first game at Tingley Coliseum on March 22. The tickets will range from $2 to just over $50. “If you’ve been to […]

A current show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art puts the spotlight on a rarely-appreciated component of art: the picture frames that border it. CBS News’ Faith Salie explores the history of framing art, and talks with curator Tara Contractor ’09 and frame conservator Chris Ferguson about a craft bordering on exquisite.

Middle school students led the way for Albuquerque Academy at the State Science Olympiad Tournament at New Mexico Tech. Competing in more than 20 events ranging from labs and tests to build challenges, the team earned a decisive first-place finish, advancing to the national tournament in California. The Academy’s high school team also performed strongly, [...]

Monica Logroño | KOB Once a month, nail polish, tote bags, and paint line the tables at Amaran Senior Living Center. On the surface, it might seem like your average “girls’ day,” but there are layers to these manicures. “I would say it’s really about like, listening to the seniors and like having a conversation […]

The Academy community recently hosted nationally recognized facilitator and strategic advisor Eric Hudson for a two-day exploration of artificial intelligence in education. On February 19 and 20, Hudson engaged with parents, students, faculty and staff, and the Academy’s AI Task Force to address the issue of AI in schools. With a background that includes a […]

When artist Nailah Taman addressed students in Simms Auditorium, their message was simple: there is no single path to becoming an artist. Invited to campus through the Jada B. Gonzales Visiting Artist Series, Nailah delivered a 30-minute talk to the 10-12 division and led a workshop with Senior Studio and Fiber Arts classes. Notably, Senior […]

As Albuquerque Academy celebrates its 70th anniversary and the many alumni who are leading in the field of education, we pause to honor graduates who have come full circle — returning to campus to serve the next generation of Chargers. This month, we feature alumni coaches who now guide student-athletes on the golf course, basketball [...]

Some of the most important people in our lives we meet during adolescence. From best friends to classmates, even a first love, these years offer some of our most meaningful and life-changing relationships. And sometimes we don’t even realize it.  For many, the transitional period from adolescence to adulthood comes with the drama of changing, [...]

Logan Royce Beitmen, Journal Staff Writer The winners of the 2026 Creative Bravos Awards were announced last week, and the public will have the chance to honor the recipients at an award ceremony on Saturday, March 14, at the Albuquerque Museum. The Creative Bravos, now in their fourth decade, are co-presented by the city of […]

Freshman Vivienne Popadiuc capped a perfect 32-0 season with a 4A state wrestling championship. She took a 3-1 decision in the final at 110 pounds. Senior Isaiah “Tank” Rivera was the runner-up at 215 pounds, and senior Sydney Koranyi took third at 115. View the full results.

Make room in the trophy case! Charger swimmers and divers successfully defended their state titles, the second in a row for the boys and a state record 10 in a row for the girls. “The girls absolutely dominated,” said Coach Bob Anderson, beating Clovis by a commanding 469-256, with La Cueva rounding out the top […]

New Mexico has a storied history of male gymnasts competing for Team USA and advancing as far as the Olympics. Now, another young gymnast from Albuquerque is on his own path to potentially do the same. Nartey Brady, a senior at Albuquerque Academy, began competing in gymnastics when he was three years old. He won […]

With a 275-point performance at the NASP New Mexico State 3D Archery Tournament, Hugo Hashagen ’32 qualified for the Western National Tournament in Utah. He finished first among 6th-grade boys, third among 137 middle school boys, and eighth overall in a field of 252. In 3D archery, archers take five shots each at six different […]

Monica Wicke, KRQE Think back to when you were a kid. For many of us, summer camps are what occupied a lot of our time when taking a break from the classroom, and it’s where so many memories were made. That’s why Albuquerque Academy created the Think Summer program more than four decades ago. “Yeah, […]

By JP Murrieta, NMAA Gatorade today announced Nicholas Ponte of Albuquerque Academy is the 2025-26 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award […]

James Yodice, Journal Staff Writer Next month, standout runner Anna Hastings of Albuquerque Academy will compete in the New Balance Indoor Nationals in Boston. She will compete in the 1-mile and 2-mile races on the trip. She punched her ticket to the 1-mile race with a qualifying time last month at an indoor meet at […]

When students asked Arthur Sze how he first knew that writing was what he wanted to do, he traced the answer back to his freshman year at MIT. He arrived intending to study math and science, he told them but began taking poetry workshops almost by accident — a discovery that ultimately reshaped his academic […]

When Amaya Lucio ’27 learned she had been selected for a fully funded international exchange through AFS Faces of America, her reaction was a mix of excitement and disbelief. She hadn’t applied for the program herself and didn’t even know it existed until she was nominated through the school. Suddenly, she was preparing for her [...]

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 […]

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 [...]

Academy students earned honors in this year’s New Mexico Scholastic Art Competition, presented by the New Mexico Art Education Association (NMAEA) in partnership with the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Dozens of student works were recognized across all three award categories — Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention, showcasing a wide range of […]

Congratulations to these student-athletes for receiving state, district, and metro honors at the close of the Fall 2025 athletic season! And with one fall state championship and four second-place finishes, Academy Chargers topped the MaxPreps state ranking for fall sports, with 574 points — nearly 100 more than Cleveland High School. CROSS COUNTRY All-Metro Boys: […]

“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 [...]

HOSA–Future Health Professionals, a global student-led organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, prepares students for leadership roles in the health professions through education, collaboration, and hands-on experience. Founded nationally in 1976, Albuquerque Academy’s chapter began just four years ago with a small group of students […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer In District 6, Albuquerque Academy, Hope Christian and Del Norte all could make a deep run in March. The Chargers were in the state semis last March, and if there’s one team that brings the size in any division, it’s this one, with 6-10 senior Hunter Aime returning, […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Gallup beat Kirtland Central in last season’s state final, and those two, neither of whom lost much in graduation (this is slightly more true of the Broncos) are clearly the two teams at the top of the pecking order this season. Could that duo be joined by Albuquerque […]

Congratulations to the many talented Academy music students who have been selected for the youth and high school all-state music festivals. The NMMEA All-State Conference and Music Festival is January 14-17 at the University of New Mexico. High School Mixed Choir Ty Andrews ’28 – Bass 1 Zachary Brown ’26 – Tenor 2 William Landahl […]

Several Academy students have been selected to participate in the Southwestern American Choral Directors’ Association (SWACDA) 2026 Honor Choirs, which will be held March 4-7, 2026, at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The event brings together talented young singers from across the region for rehearsals and masterclasses, culminating in a concert under the direction of top [...]

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. Meaghan Hindman was eager for a fresh start. The sixth grader arrived at Albuquerque Academy following two tumultuous years in [...]

Academy students across all grades got the chance to hear from, and ask questions of, this year’s guest of the Ramo Lecture Series — Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Court for Northern California. She also joined juniors and seniors in an AP Government and Politics class in the afternoon. Judge Gonzalez Rogers shared details […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer CLASS 4A: Three metro-area teams — Albuquerque Academy, Moriarty and Bernalillo — are on the road, while No. 2 St. Pius (8-1) is home Friday night at Nusenda Community Stadium to No. 7 seed Grants (7-4) at 7 p.m. No. 5 seed Academy heads to Taos on Friday […]

The AA Archers sent four team members to their first tournament of the season at Albuquerque Aviation Academy in November. Hugo Hashagan '32 picked up several medals over the two events: bullseye (target) and 3D (animal shapes). For bullseye, he bested all of the competition, which included elementary, middle school, and high school students, and [...]

  By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy has at least three D1 signees: recent Class 4A state cross country champion Nicholas Ponte (Harvard), girls standout cross country runner Anna Hastings (Brown) and Nartey Brady, who is going to Stanford to compete in men’s gymnastics. Brady is one of the top junior gymnasts […]

Saturday’s Class 4A boys soccer state championship is a rematch from last year, although St. Pius and defending champ Albuquerque Academy took distinctively different routes to the final. In Wednesday’s semifinals, the top-seeded Sartans dominated Artesia 5-0, while the third-seeded Chargers went on the road and eliminated Santa Teresa in a six-round, penalty-kick thriller. The […]

Kadiah Dragone-Gutierrez ’26 was awarded a $3,000 scholarship to attend the National Youth Opera Academy in Santa Fe next summer after her performance at the 16th annual Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival, held at UNM. The festival is a celebration of classical repertoire for voice and piano that attracts student competitors from around the state […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer The Hope Christian girls soccer team has regularly been beating district rival Albuquerque Academy for years. The Huskies, to be fair, have been regularly beating everyone on their schedule for years, across all classifications. Friday, New Mexico’s longest and probably most impressive prep winning streak was stopped. Junior […]

The College Guidance Office (CGO) has created a new workbook to help students and families navigate the college search and application process. Throughout the guide, there are questions designed to inspire reflection — some for students, some for parents, and many to consider together as a family. At the heart of the workbook is a […]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming classrooms everywhere, and at Albuquerque Academy, the conversation is unfolding with the same curiosity and care that define the school’s approach to learning. “It’s a complicated issue,” says Head of School Julianne Puente. “The world hasn’t rebuked many technological advances. We look for ways to be more efficient, but we […]

“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 […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer If you were setting out to identify the most volatile of New Mexico’s prep football districts, the league that is least predictable, you would lock onto the chaotic plight of District 2-4A. In Week 6, an unranked and winless Portales team went on the road and beat up […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer St. Pius scored the first 21 points. Albuquerque Academy scored the final 21 points. In this case, it was better to be last than first. Academy scored three touchdowns in the final 6 minutes and 52 seconds, including two in the last 24 seconds, and the unranked Chargers […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer This was a scene you’d more likely witness in a 100-meter dash final at the state track meet. As it was, it was the defining moment from Saturday’s Albuquerque Metro Cross Country Championships, as La Cueva’s Nikko Mihan and Albuquerque Academy’s Nicholas Ponte combined for what was possibly […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Varsity high school volleyball is predominantly a night sport. But it’s never looked like this. Not in New Mexico, anyway. Not until Tuesday night. The state’s inaugural prep outdoor night match was, by and large, a resounding success, as Albuquerque Academy and La Cueva became the first two […]

As Albuquerque Academy celebrates its 70th year, we’re highlighting one of the community’s core values: education. To mark this milestone, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is focusing on the impact of graduates who have dedicated their careers to teaching, learning, and inspiring others. These stories show the powerful ways Academy alumni are shaping classrooms [...]

Albuquerque Academy recently received two extraordinary gifts from alumni that highlight the lasting influence of an Academy education. Inspired by the opportunities he had as a student, an early 2000s graduate and his family made an unrestricted $1 million cash gift to the Academy Fund. “If it were not for Albuquerque Academy, I never would […]

The Albuquerque Academy Mariachi Band performed at the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration of the Albuquerque Open Space Visitor’s Center. Students performed with professionalism and joy as they honored New Mexico's uniquely diverse culture. After they played, an audience member shared, “Your group played everything perfectly, from beginning to end. Thank you for keeping our traditions [...]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy’s girls and the boys from Hobbs were crowned champions at Academy’s annual soccer tournament on Saturday. The Chargers blanked Los Alamos 3-0, while the Eagles scored a flurry of goals late in the second half to overcome Academy with a 5-3 victory. Sophomore Amelia Barnes had […]

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 […]

Congratulations to the Academy’s 18 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists from the Class of 2026! Jane Bielejec Anagha Devarakonda Rosa Duvall Leo Griscom Anna Hasting Elliot Hickey Gian Hwang Aidan Koudelka William Landahl Claire Lim Ian Marin Gavin Mitchell Videet Modhia Harrison Schiek Aarush Tutiki Benjamin Volk Ethan Xia Duanduan Zheng These Chargers are among 16,000 […]

Academy sports continue to earn recognition from MaxPreps, making its latest honor rolls for most state championships and the longest win streaks in the U.S. With 200+ state championships (203 per MaxPreps, 209 per Academy records, the Chargers are #15 on the list. View the full list on MaxPreps. And Charger tennis made the list […]

Here are the Sept. 2 coaches top 10 polls for high school football teams in New Mexico. The number in parentheses is how many points the team received — and how many first-place votes, if any. Class 4A 1. St. Pius X, 2-0 (113 – 7) 2. Bloomfield, 1-1 (112 – 5) 3. Bernalillo, 2-0 […]

Journal Staff Report Here are the Sept. 2 coaches top 10 polls for high school volleyball teams in New Mexico. The number in parentheses is how many points the team received — and how many first-place votes, if any. Class 4A 1. St. Pius X, 2-0 (100 – 9) 2. Albuquerque Academy, 2-0 (86 – […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Defending 4A state champion Albuquerque Academy graduated 14 players, leaving the Chargers somewhat in transition. But they’ll lean on players such as sophomore forward Cruz Tomori, senior defender Joshua Ma and senior goalkeeper Alex Saiz. “We’re asking players that are fresh in the pool to step up and […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Academy has a small senior class, but has several impact players on the pitch, such as senior goalkeeper Sophia Hasse, senior forward Isabella Barnes and junior center back Addison Cates, who missed last season with a knee injury. Academy is similar to Hope in that a large majority […]

Aarush Tutiki ’26 received top-five recognition for his oral presentation of his work at the 42nd annual Research Science Institute June 22-August 2, sponsored in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The institute consisted of one week of theoretical classroom work, followed by 4 1/2 weeks of innovative research under the mentorship of leading […]

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 […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy already was one of the state’s winningest schools, but the 2024-25 school year saw the Chargers bag a record 10 sports blue trophies. And with those 10 comes some national recognition. MaxPreps named Academy the 13th best high school athletics program in the country for the […]

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 […]

Following a banner school year in which the Academy Chargers won a record 10 state championships, the school’s athletic program was named #13 in the U.S. in MaxPreps’ annual ranking. “I’m always proud of our students and coaches — not because they win, but because of how they practice, how they play, and the dedication […]

La Cueva was the recipient of the 2024-25 Director’s Cup for Class 5A, the competition for the top performing schools from the last school year. The Cup is given each year to the top member schools of the New Mexico Activities Association, and the standings are based on athletics, activities and sportsmanship. La Cueva won […]

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 […]

Kathy Brion has been named New Mexico’s Track & Field Girls Coach of the Year. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association honored one girls coach and one boys coach from all 50 states for their success during the 2025 season. The committee making selections considered team score and placement at the […]

Congratulations to the dozens of Chargers who earned individual recognition during the spring sports season. BASEBALL All State First Team 4A Player of the Year Matt Delaney ’25, pitcher and infield All State Second Team Andrew Olson ’25, outfield Ryan Williams ’26, infield All State Honorable Mention EJ Gallardo ’25, pitcher All District First Team [...]

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 […]

The Academy Speech and Debate team had an outstanding showing at the 2025 NSDA National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa, June 15-20. Eleven Chargers participated. Anagha Devarakonda ’26 placed 29th out of 1,100 initial entries in Extemporaneous Debate, putting her in the top 2-3% nationwide for that event. Aarush Tutiki ’26 advanced from preliminary rounds [...]

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.

The Albuquerque Academy Racquet Center has been named a 2025 USTA Outstanding Facility by the United States Tennis Association. This award recognizes the Racquet Center as an exemplary tennis venue that demonstrates a commitment to the growth and development of tennis in the community. The awards ceremony will be held at the US Open in […]

Jon Miller (Academy Class of 1980) travels 4,000 miles a month as a private contract lawyer, a little-known job representing criminal defendants for a flat fee Read the article in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required). In her June 24, 2025 piece, Wall Street Journal National Legal Affairs Reporter Mariah Timms covered Jon’s work as […]

Academy Chargers are winners of the NMAA 4A Director’s Cup for the seventh consecutive year and for the 17th time since the award was introduced in 2005! The Director’s Cup is awarded to the top NMAA schools based on success in activities, athletics, and sportsmanship. The top three finishers in 4A are Albuquerque Academy with […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD Grace Erinle, soph., Albuquerque Academy No way to go another way here. Erinle, skilled in both field events and on the track, was the high-point athlete at the prestigious Harper meet. Then she was the high-point athlete at the metro meet. And then she […]

By Lauren Jorgensen ’22 Mira Thompkins, a seventh grader at Albuquerque Academy, balances her schedule, which includes five musical instruments, track competitions, swimming, acting, and more. Although her schedule is packed, she enjoys staying busy. Music is central to Mira’s life. She studies piano, violin, clarinet, sitar, and voice and has earned spots in the […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Here are the team and individual champions from Albuquerque metro area high schools Team FOOTBALL: Cleveland (6A) | Story and photos BOYS SOCCER: Albuquerque Academy (4A) | Story and photos GIRLS SOCCER: La Cueva (5A), Hope Christian (4A), Sandia Prep (1A-3A) | La Cueva story and photos | Hope Christian story and photos | Sandia Prep story and […]

Congratulations to the 11 Chargers who will continue their athletic careers next year in college! The Academy celebrated their accomplishments at an event on the last day of school. Emanee Cerda, Mars Hill University flag football Matthew Delaney, Pima Community College baseball Michelle Deng, Whitman College tennis Cindy Fan, Harvey Mudd College swimming Pierce McShane, […]

To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. By Ted Alcorn ’01 When Norah Doss caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror in the Albuquerque Academy’s lower-school bathroom, her reflection seemed […]

By Sean Reider / Journal Staff Writer By all accounts, it was supposed to be a regular freshman year for Clark Sonnenberg. One of Albuquerque’s best junior golfers would play a little here, a little there and develop behind a UNM men’s golf team roster filled with veteran talent. But there were no plans for […]

By Kevin Opsahl, Observer Staff Writer A local teen will try a second time to become the nation’s top speller when he competes with his peers in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee later this month. Keith Lee, an eighth grader attending Albuquerque Academy, is set to travel to National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of […]

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 [...]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer There was a fair bit of team suspense near the end of Saturday’s Class 5A/4A state track and field meet. Consider the Rio Rancho girls, who trailed Eldorado by two points entering the meet’s final event, the 4×400-meter relay, at the University of New Mexico complex. The Rams […]

By Sean Reider / Journal Staff Writer When they needed it most, the Lobos got a major boost from one of their underclassmen. Freshman Clark Sonnenberg shot a blistering four-under 68 Tuesday, steadying New Mexico men’s golf to a fourth-place finish in the second round of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional. After carding a one-under 71 […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy’s girls and boys swept first place Tuesday in Farmington. The girls won by 37 shots (673-710) over Kirtland Central, with Lovington (712) a close third. Academy has won five consecutive state championships in girls golf. Academy’s boys, in going back-to-back in 4A, prevailed with an 11-shot […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer At Piñon Hills Golf Course, Albuquerque Academy’s boys and girls both are leading following the first round. The Chargers’ 306 leads Lovington’s boys by 12 and Artesia by 13, with Los Alamos (324) and Goddard (325) looking to win a trophy as well. There are nine boys within […]

By Sean Reider / Journal Staff Writer As the sun set on another season, the loudspeaker at Jerry Cline Tennis Center crackled to life and for another year, the most dominant sound in New Mexico high school sports casually warbled over the courts: ”… Congratulations, Albuquerque Academy Chargers …” Not much else needed to be […]

Martin Doyle | The Irish Times Gustav Parker Hibbett has received the 2025 John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize for their debut poetry collection, High Jump as Icarus Story (Banshee Press) at an award ceremony in Trinity College Dublin this evening, Thursday, May 8th. This is the seventh year of the prize, which is awarded […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer There was a repeat state champion. There was a tremendous comeback story. One school produced a state champion for the first time. The state singles tennis championship matches Thursday at the Jerry Cline courts offered quite a variety. A freshman, Savannah Reiman, gave Organ Mountain its first-ever tennis […]

When 22 Albuquerque 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, an Indigenous people in eastern Costa Rica and northern Panama, where they made meaningful contributions and took home important life lessons. Having experienced E. coli outbreaks due […]

Albuquerque Academy’s theatre program continued its tradition of excellence at this year’s New Mexico High School Musical Theatre Awards — known locally as the Enchantment Awards — earning top honors for Best Actor and Best Director.   Senior Addie Nayback was named Best Actor for his role in THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY, while David Sinkus received […]

Aarush Tutiki ’26 has qualified for the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Columbus, Ohio, after earning top honors at the New Mexico State Science Fair. He took second place in the overall ISEF Grand Prizes section for New Mexico and first in the Environmental Engineering, Energy & Materials Science category for […]

By Adrian Gomez / For the Journal Kenneth Miller ’07 went from living on his personal Texas ranch to the set of “Ransom Canyon” last year. The Albuquerque native is one of many celebrating the success of the Netflix series as it continues to hold in the top five in its third week of streaming. […]

By David Steinberg / For the Journal Kit Rosewater’s book “All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey” is a thoughtful, luminous romance novel for young adults. It’s a tale not unlike the rival families in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” — the Montagues and the Capulets. In the novel, two young people overcome team rivalry […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer The team standings at the Albuquerque Metro Track and Field Championships followed exactly the standings from the previous week, at least at the top as Cleveland’s boys and Albuquerque Academy’s girls claimed the gargantuan metro trophies. The Storm put up a huge number, 125 points, which was 49 […]

Austin Curtis ’25 / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque Academy senior is headed to college on a scholarship to play flag football. At a recent showcase in Houston, Emanee Cerda caught the eye of Mars Hill coach Max Switzer, who offered her an opportunity to be on the Division II college’s inaugural women’s team. Cerda […]

Academy sophomore Grace Erinle, coming off a high-point performance at her home Harper meet, made her final attempt in the long jump her best, soaring 17 feet, 5 inches. Her sister, Funmi, an eighth-grader, finished second. Read the full article in the Albuquerque Journal.

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Call her a weapon, call her an asset, call her completely invaluable to the cause. On Tuesday, Melissa Purcella fit all those descriptions in bulk. The Albuquerque Academy senior has a Division I career awaiting her on the East Coast, at Rider University in New Jersey, but she […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer A birdie binge sent a Manzano freshman to the Albuquerque Metro Golf Championship on Tuesday. Isaiah Schmedes overcame a poor start and finished with a flourish to shoot a 2-under par round of 70 — the only player in the field to finish in red numbers — and […]

Aarush Tutiki ’26 was one of 48 students recognized for his work – ICEFAB-Nano: An Integrated Computational-Experimental Framework to Accelerate the Development of Highly Biofunctional Nanotherapeutics for Healthy and Cancerous Applications – at the 63rd National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). Aarush placed second, earning an $8,000 scholarship, in the chemistry oral presentations category. […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer The thing about a good short game is that it translates just about everywhere. On Monday afternoon at Ladera Golf Course, consider the dilemma facing sophomore Addy Haas of Albuquerque Academy: In the second hole of a playoff with West Mesa’s Alyssa Rodriguez, Haas turned a perfect tee […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer One of the athletes who found herself surprised at her victory was junior Antonella Begay, the daughter of former Academy athlete and New Mexico golfing legend Notah Begay III. Begay, a Charger like her dad, was among the final three in the girls high jump, along with Highland’s […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer The difference Saturday afternoon between an outright team championship for the Albuquerque Academy girls track and field team, and a first-place tie with Los Alamos, was this: 0.08 seconds. The Richard A. Harper Memorial meet at Academy was in doubt — at least for the girls — until […]

By Tristen Critchfield / for the Journal Austin Curtis and Ketan Garg have been playing tennis against each other since elementary school, but the stakes were arguably at their highest for their showdown on Saturday. The latest chapter in their rivalry played out in the finals of the APS Metro Tournament, with Albuquerque Academy’s Curtis […]

Alliance Française d’Albuquerque awarded prizes of excellence to eight Albuquerque Academy students at the organization’s Distribution de Prix 2025 ceremony. French I – Arundhati Satpathi ’29, Claire Geballe ’29 French II – Tochi Adi ’29, Marco Fossuo ’27 French III – Imani Kassam ’27, Adelyn Haas ’27 Advanced French IV – Grace Wascoe Bauman ’26 […]

To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. By Ted Alcorn ’01 Ian Bourland ’00 was in fifth grade when his world fell apart. Up until then, he’d led, in his words, […]

Several Albuquerque Academy students were recognized for their performance on this year’s National Latin Exam. Intermediate Latin Audrey Finkelstein ’27 earned a Gold Medal and Summa Cum Laude honors for the third year in a row. “Audrey’s achievement is especially notable because she has worked independently with me for one hour a week, 52 weeks […]

Albuquerque Academy’s record for the 3200m was broken again this season, by Elliot Hickey ’26 at the Mt. SAC Relays in California. His time of 9:14.46 edged out the record set by Nicholas Ponte ’26 on March 21. “This record, as impressive as it is,” says Coach Adam Kedge, “may be trimmed and sliced a […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer This was just about the purest definition of a team win you could find. And it put Albuquerque Academy’s baseball team on the verge of a district championship. Friday afternoon’s showdown against Valley was a prime opening for the Vikings — win at home, and they’d tie the […]

Austin Curtis / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque Academy junior who created a clinic to introduce Black youth to tennis has been recognized for her efforts with one of the highest distinctions in Girl Scouting — the prestigious Gold Award. Naomi Brundage welcomed a group of Black students who had little prior exposure to the […]

THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY — the Academy’s 2025 spring musical — has received six Enchantment Award nominations from the New Mexico High School Musical Theatre Awards organization. Best Lead Actor: Loic Lewish-Kraitsic ’25 and Addie Zamora Nayback ’25 Best Lead Actress: Nori Little Kai ’25 Best Supporting Actress: Adelyn Haas ’27 and Hayden Wagner ’27 […]

Nash Jones, a 2006 Academy grad and most recently the local host and reporter for NPR’s All Things Considered at KUNM 89.9 FM, is joining New Mexico PBS’s news and public affairs show New Mexico in Focus as host and a reporter. “I’m committed to serving New Mexico through public media and am grateful to […]

Twenty-three students in grades 9-12 participated in 36 competitions at the HOSA State Leadership Conference, with 13 receiving awards and recognition. Many of them will attend the International Leadership Conference in June. Academy’s HOSA (Future Health Professionals) chapter has grown from four students to close to 30 students in four years. 1st Place TJ Miller […]

Ten Academy students — twice as many as last year — have qualified for the National Speech & Debate Championship, and four were crowned district champions, at the 2025 District National Qualifier Tournament at the end of March. They are: Aarush Tutiki ’26 — International Extemporaneous Speaking District Champ Ayla Zomermaand ’25 — International Extemporaneous […]

Open to students in grades 5-12, the PNM-UNM Statewide High School Mathematical Contest aims to promote mathematics education in New Mexico. The contest features two rounds: an online preliminary exam and an in-person final round at the University of New Mexico. Finalists not only compete in a challenging written exam but also attend a presentation […]

Seventeen members of the Science Fair Club took part in the Central New Mexico STEM Research Challenge, with Ahana Kushik ’28 and Sowmya Sankaran ’27 earning spots at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May and several students qualifying for the state science fair on April 12: Andrew Auyang ’31, Max Berger ’30 […]

Albuquerque Journal Staff Report Albuquerque Academy on Saturday recognized a $1 million gift from a family of former students who donated the funding to honor two former Academy teachers and to improve the school’s academics and athletics. The grant was used to both enhance a summer school program that introduces young students to the school, […]

By Rozanna M. Martinez / Branded Content Editor Some talented New Mexico musicians, including an Albuquerque Academy alumnus, are returning to their roots for a one-night film concert of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog.” Austin, Texas-based composer Joseph V. Williams II, who is originally from Belen, was commissioned by the […]

By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer For hours, they fought hard and, with the ding of the bell, dropped like flies — bested by words most people won’t hear in a lifetime. It ended in dramatic fashion Saturday as two eighth graders, barely tall enough to see over the microphone, went back and forth […]

Research by Simon Scarpetta ’10, an evolutionary biologist at the University of San Francisco, and his team proposes an answer. Read the article from NPR.

Nicholas Ponte ’26 set a school record in the 3200-meter run during the Chandler Rotary Invitational in Arizona on March 21. His time of 9:15.87 broke the existing record of 9:16.65 set by Benjamin Johnson ’08 in 2007.

By Danny Packer To help celebrate Spring Day of Giving on Wednesday, April 2, which honors 50 years of Bear Canyon and experiential education, former history teacher and Ex Ed leader Danny Packer reflects on his years guiding students through outdoor adventures. Click here to support Spring Day of Giving.  The Bear Canyon Project. The […]

“When I got the email, I had to read it three times to make sure I wasn’t imagining it,” says Gabby Sanchez ’25. “Then I just sat there, frozen. It didn’t feel real.” For Gabby and classmate Ari Rosner-Salazar ’25, being named UNM Regents’ Scholars is a tremendous honor; the award covers tuition and fees, […]

To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. By Ted Alcorn ’01 When Jim Meketa ‘65 set his eyes on the stars above Albuquerque, he had no idea how far they would […]

Congratulations to our Academy student-athletes for these winter sports honors. BOYS BASKETBALL All-State 1st Team Eli Dominguez ’25 All-Star Eli Dominguez ’25 Districts Player of the Year Eli Dominguez ’25 Coach of the Year Alvin Broussard 1st Team Hunter Aime ’26 2nd Team Ben Morgan ’25 Jadon Olson ’26 Honorable Mention Kasen Alter-Gonzales ’25 All-Metro […]

Art students taking the Academy’s new Advanced Senior Studio class participated in a two-part workshop with Adams Puryear, an opportunity made possible through the Jada B. Gonzales Visiting Artist Series. Adams, who presented his work and discussed his life and career with upper-school students at an assembly, is the second artist taking part in this […]

Akilan Sankaran ’25 was named the Seaborg Award winner and selected to speak on behalf of the Regeneron Science Talent Search Class of 2025 – 40 finalists of the U.S.’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Akilan’s peers identified him as the student who best exemplifies their class and […]

Academy Speech & Debate closed out the 2025 New Mexico State Tournament with seven state champs and the highest honor a team can receive – Overall School of Excellence! With 39 students competing across 10 different styles of events, the Academy had 34 entries vying for a shot at the state title in 10 events […]

It was the 12 seeds that stole headlines on the opening day of the boys state high school basketball tournaments. Farmington, a 12 in Class 5A, was an upset winner Saturday. So were Taos in 4A and Mora in 2A as the first round played out. CLASS 4A: Seven of the top eight seeds advanced. […]

Six Academy middle school students were among more than 400 archers in their division to participate in the New Mexico State NASP Bullseye Championship in March. “Competition in archery is friendly, and in archery, most of the competition is with oneself,” said Coach Dennis Fazio, “trying to improve one’s score by cultivating one’s sense of […]

Iris Huang ’30 placed first, individually, and Mark Goldman ’29 finished second at the MathCounts State Competition, earning them spots on the New Mexico team competing at nationals in Washington, D.C., in May. In addition, the Academy MathCounts team – Keith Lee ’29, Susheer Paladugu ’29, Iris, and Mark –  is the team state champion, […]

Albuquerque Academy’s DECA team was a dominant force at the state competition in March, with 60% of the 71 participants qualifying for nationals in Orlando in April. Of the 41 qualifiers, the team had: Six first-place finishes 11 second-place finishes Four third-place finishes Three fourth-place finishes And Rio Chavez ’26 earned the state’s highest exam […]

Young Alumni Service Award: Jane Fazio ’08  Created by the Alumni Council to recognize notable service to the community and society that exemplifies the spirit of the Albuquerque Academy mission, the Young Alumni Service Award is presented to an alum age 35 or younger who has made significant personal achievements in serving the local, national, […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer District 6-4A is heavy with ace starting pitchers: UNM-bound Jacob Gergen of Hope Christian, Uriel Castro at Bernalillo, Jayden Martinez at Valley and Matt Delaney for Academy. The Chargers lost in extra innings to Grants in the 4A state semifinals last May. Delaney, who also plays first base, […]

Albuquerque Academy’s middle school Science Olympiad team will represent New Mexico at nationals at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May following an outstanding showing at the state competition. The Chargers triumphed over 18 other middle schools with an impressive score of 79 points — well ahead of the second-place team’s 106 points. Their strong performance […]

Divers don’t often steal the spotlight at the state swimming and diving championships, but they did this year with noteworthy performances on the 1-meter board Saturday at the Albuquerque Academy Natatorium. La Cueva’s Chloe Ashe capped her three-year reign as champion with a record-setting performance and Albuquerque Academy’s Oliver Mattox not only shared the top […]

By Ted Alcorn ’01 To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. Mark Tafoya could hardly be more deeply rooted to the Albuquerque Academy campus. Descended from Spanish settlers who arrived in […]

Over two weeks in February, Academy students, faculty, and parents traveled to Santa Fe to participate in Asian American, Pacific Islander & Native Hawaiian Day, American Indian Day, Hispanic Culture Day, and African American Day at the Roundhouse. These special days, held during New Mexico’s legislative session, provide an incredible opportunity for students to engage […]

Sixth-grader Angel Love is ranked first of the 27 sixth-grade girl archers, 14th in the middle school girls category, and 36th of all girls at the State 3-D Archery Tournament. The tournament, sponsored by National Archery (NASP) in the Schools Program and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, runs through February, and the shooting took place […]

The Academy’s MathCounts team advances to the state competition after taking first at the Albuquerque Chapter Competition on February 15. Mark Goldman, Susheer Paladugu, Keith Lee, and Iris Huang were on the official Academy team while the remaining competed as individuals only. “All ten students represented our school well,” says team advisor Phihoang Nelson. Sai-Megha […]

Based on their high scores on the AMC10 or AMC12 competitions, Iris Huang ’30, Arjun Grandhe ’27, Aarush Tutiki ’26, and Akilan Sankaran ’25 have qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), a selective and prestigious 15-question, three-hour test. Learn more about the AIME here. 

Junior Addie Spratley scored her 1,000th point in a basketball game against Del Norte High School on February 13.

Retired U.S. Army Special Operations Command Captain Joshua Martin, a 2008 Academy grad, has won gold in the Men’s Novice IAS2 – Standing Ski event at the 2025 Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and ill active duty and veteran military personnel. Josh felt a strong calling to serve his country after […]

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By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer A night of regret for Hope Christian, and a night to celebrate, kind of, for Albuquerque Academy. Academy, Class 4A’s fourth-ranked girls basketball team, surely was nowhere near its best on this Tuesday night as the Chargers visited the second-place Huskies in a matchup of the top two […]

The high school chess team clinched its third straight state championship at the 2025 NMAA 4A/5A State High School Team Chess Tournament in Las Cruces on February 6-7. The team opened with a 3-3 tie against Los Alamos but won its remaining matches – sweeping Santa Teresa 6-0 and defeating Centennial and La Cueva 4-2 […]

By Kevin Opsahl / Journal Staff Writer High school students Alexis Limary and Olivia Davis had never met before an interview with the Albuquerque Journal on Friday, but next month both will be waving to their parents during a parade at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Limary, an Albuquerque Academy junior, and […]

When Keith Lee ’29 first encountered the National Civics Bee®, he saw more than just a competition — he saw an opportunity to grow, which is fitting for an essay topic advocating for community gardens. At a time when many worry about youth civic participation, Keith’s journey offers a compelling glimpse into how curiosity, dedication, […]

Philip Friedman, a member of the Academy’s computer science department, has been selected as one of 15 educators nationwide to join the prestigious Limitless Space Institute. This yearlong program brings together educators from across the country to develop and test curriculum to help encourage the next generation of students to explore interstellar space travel. Participants […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Whatever else that can be said about Albuquerque Academy senior forward Eli Dominguez, this much is definitely accurate: Dominguez rates as one of the premier boys basketball players in New Mexico, regardless of classification. The 6-foot-4 Dominguez was a menace all afternoon against visiting West Mesa. He hurt […]

Senior Maile Maldonado notched her 100th wrestling win at the Senior Night meet on January 29 against Rio Rancho. She is the first female Academy wrestler to reach this milestone.  

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Among the roster of Class 4A boys basketball teams in New Mexico, few of them tipped off the 2024-25 season with more glaring question marks than the Albuquerque Academy Chargers. “We really didn’t know what we had,” new coach Alvin Broussard said. This was an extremely guard-heavy group […]

By Ted Alcorn ’01 “There are two rabbits in the room,” says Google engineer Abi Hunter ’15, who I just prompted to explain her interest in linguistics. “How are you able to know that is true?” The animals’ wire pens are visible on the Zoom behind her, two massive furry buns dozing within, neither the […]

Remember those days of doodling in notebooks or daydreaming during lectures? Peter Gloyd, a 1998 Academy alum, math teacher, coach, parent of three Chargers, and the school’s director of Diversity, Culture, and Belonging (DCB), has turned such distractions into tools for learning with his creation of Class Bucks – a platform designed to enhance engagement […]

Albuquerque Academy’s debate program has reached a remarkable milestone this year, with three Varsity Public Forum (VPF) debate teams earning bids to the prestigious Tournament of Champions (TOC). The TOC, hosted annually by the University of Kentucky, is widely regarded as the premier national speech and debate championship for high school students. Leading this impressive […]

Senior Akilan Sankaran has advanced to be one of the top 40 finalists in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) 2025, a highly regarded national science and math competition for high school seniors. His project, From Walking to Tunneling: An Investigation of Generalized Pilot-Wave Dynamics, was part of a comprehensive evaluation that considered research […]

Skip to My Rick, an almost-two-minute film created by seventh-grade drama students at the Academy, is one of 16 films selected from nearly 450 submissions from around the globe for the Experiments in Cinema v. 20.0 Youth Lens Festival. “The students wanted to make a film, and this is what they came up with,” says […]

Most 17-year-olds are enjoying their senior year of high school and imagining what mark they may leave on the world someday. Evan Chang decided not to wait to find out. Chang, who earned the rank of Eagle Scout – a feat fewer than 4% of Boy Scouts ever achieve – used the leadership skills he […]

Work by dozens of Albuquerque Academy artists has been recognized by the New Mexico Art Education Association (NMAEA), in conjunction with the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and will be shown at The Orpheum Community Hub beginning January 31 through March 1. Gold and silver key pieces will be physically displayed; honorable mention works […]

Congratulations to these student-athletes for receiving state, district, and metro honors at the close of the Fall 2024 athletic season! VOLLEYBALL All-Metro  1st team: Kiki Brown ’28 and Kristin Newell ’25 2nd team: Rowan Jaime ’28 and Sadie Jorgensen ’27 3rd team: Ruby Winham ’27 All-District 1st team: Kiki Brown ’28, Rowan Jaime ’28, and […]

Teaching the Next Generation of Indigenous Environmental Scientists By Ted Alcorn ’01 As her mother remembers it, Ranalda Tsosie ’96 did not tell anyone she had applied to Albuquerque Academy until she was accepted. Somehow, word of the school had reached the eighth grader at Red Mesa Junior High, up the road from the Four […]

Starting next school year, Charger families—both current and new—will have the option of using of a convenient bus service. One route will make stops in the Nob Hill/UNM area near Carlisle and I-40 and downtown near the Albuquerque Country Club. Another route will make stops on the westside near Coors and Alameda and in the […]

After four decades, Charger cheer is back! The new 48-member, all-gender, no-cut team made their debut at the boys varsity basketball game on December 3, where they honored cheer alumni Karroll Candelaria-Bauer ’81, Becki Branch ’84, Dee-Dee Butterfield ’84, and Robin Napoleone ’84. The squad was founded by seniors Miel Padilla and Izzy Romero with […]

Twenty-four students from Albuquerque Academy’s Thespian Troupe attended the New Mexico Thespian Festival and NMAA One-Act Competition along with over 560 students from 25 other schools. They made friends with students from other schools, participated in workshops such as Dancing to Hamilton and Creating Short Films, and watched over 20 one-act plays. For 17 Chargers, […]

At the December 7 Levanta concert featuring the music of former performing arts faculty member John Truitt, Head of School Julianne Puente welcomed guests with the exciting news of a new fund honoring him. Diane Sansonetti and John Batty, parents of Academy alumni Clare ’10 and Luke ’12, have created the John Truitt Classical Guitar […]

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 […]

The Academy girls cross country team has been recognized as the National High School Coaches Association’s 2024 National High School Small School Champions! Chargers cross country “is a storied program unparalleled in success,” said the NHSCA in a social media post. “Tradition runs deep, expectations run high, Albuquerque Academy has claimed over three dozen State […]

Congratulations to the many talented Academy music students who have been selected for the Youth and High School All-State Festivals. The All-State 2025 Concert is January 8-11 at UNM, and All-State Jazz is January 24-26 at UNM. Youth All-State Choirs Chelsea Avila-Rodriguez ’30 Naomi Biffa ’31 Logan Birkey ’31 Aspen Boswell ’31 Lucia Flora ’30 […]

Albuquerque Academy is proud to announce it has received two gifts totaling $1 million through generous contributions from a family with close ties to the school – the Garcia Automotive Group Family. These new funds were developed in honor of former faculty members (Vincent Cordova and Darell Gage) who positively shaped the young lives of […]

To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. By Ted Alcorn ’01 The tide has gone out, stranding thousands of starfish on the shore, and a person walking along the beach is […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer CLASS 4A: Albuquerque Academy swept the team trophies. For the boys, it was their 16th state championship, and first since 2017. Los Alamos had won five of the last six 4A titles, including the previous three, but the Chargers edged the Hilltoppers 50-54. “The difference in cross country […]

By Tristen Critchfield / for the Journal As Alex Jackson stepped up for what could potentially be the decisive penalty kick in a marathon Class 4A championship game, he called upon a technique he learned exactly for these types of moments. “Our coach calls it box breathing,” he said. “Just something she learned in the […]

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Several Academy musicians were recognized for their talent and dedication at the 15th Annual Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival at the University of New Mexico. Chargers received prizes in statewide age-group and general divisions. Collaborative Piano Division Pianist Ida Shelton ’27, first prize, for her performance of a Tchaikovsky song with vocalist Alex Raskin ’25 […]

Journal Staff Reports ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY 2, LOS ALAMOS 0: Academy midfielder Evan Chang scored both goals for the second-seeded Chargers (18-3-1), who persevered through intermittent rain and snow to defeat the No. 6 Hilltoppers (14-9). “(Playing for a championship) has been three years in the making,” Chang said. “We went to the quarters two years […]

Journal Staff Reports ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY 2, LOS ALAMOS 0: At the Academy, behind two goals from Kai Gehres, the second-seeded Chargers (17-4-1) deflated No. 3 Los Alamos (15-6-1) and will return to the championship. “We were there last year and obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted,” Gehres said. “But we’re excited to have […]

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Brian McTaggart | mlb.com news Third baseman Alex Bregman will hit free agency with a Gold Glove on his résumé. Bregman was named Sunday as the American League winner of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at third base, which goes to the best defensive player in each league at the position. Bregman, a first-time Gold […]

Sheryl Clemmer, a 1969 graduate of Del Norte High School and Albuquerque Academy employee since 1985, was inducted into the Del Norte Athletics Hall of Fame on October 13. Sheryl began playing sports with her brothers and neighbors, and she joined the AOC Track Club, where she “competed in almost every event you can think […]

By Brody Foster – Reporter, Albuquerque Business First Hub International has added a new leadership position to oversee its day-to-day operations in the Land of Enchantment. Eric Weinstein was named president for Hub International’s New Mexico operations on Sept. 16. He spent the last 24 years at Aon, an insurance brokerage firm in Albuquerque, where […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer In Class 4A, the host Chargers had the biggest haul of any school. Not only did Anna Hastings (18:23.50) and Nicholas Ponte (15:40.82) win individual Extravaganza titles, but the Charger boys beat rival Los Alamos 37-51 for the boys, and the girls finished second. “We were really pleased […]

To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. By Ted Alcorn ’01 When Chamiza Pacheco de Alas ’96 drops off her sixth-grader at the Academy, she sometimes thinks about arriving there herself […]

He Could Probably Design an Experiment to Explain It. Bravery has been brewing inside David Eagleman, Albuquerque Academy Class of 1989, for a long time. On a fall day in the 1980s, when he’d only been a sixth grader at the Academy for a matter of weeks, hot-air balloons touched down on campus, and one […]

The Academy’s strong English program and focus on writing and clearly expressing ideas have both attracted and produced a number of outstanding authors. If you’re planning to settle in with a good book as the nights get long and temperatures drop, try one of these. (And please contact the alumni office if you have an addition [...]

To shine a light on the transformative power of tuition assistance, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is telling the stories of alumni who were grateful recipients during their Academy years. By Ted Alcorn ’01 As she neared the end of eighth grade, Ava Dellaira ’02 received an offer she couldn’t refuse.  She’d gone through […]

The T.S. Eliot Prize has announced the ten poets named to the 2024 shortlist — an eclectic list comprising seasoned poets, two debuts, two second collections, and two previously shortlisted poets from both long-established, and small independent presses. High Jump as Icarus Story by 2014 Academy grad Gustav Parker Hibbett is among the honorees. Gustav is a […]

A different way to understand your community — and yourself. By Nick Pachelli (Academy Class of 2009) In 2021, I moved from Harlem to leafy Fort Greene, Brooklyn. I’m a longtime competitive tennis player, and one of my first outings in the neighborhood was to an annual community tennis tournament in the park that a […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy has recognized its 2024 class for its Athletics Hall of Fame. This year’s group is headlined by Alex Bregman (Class of 2012), the former baseball standout who later shined at LSU and is the longtime third baseman for the Houston Astros. He has multiple World Series […]

By Glen Rosales / for the Journal On homecoming weekend at Albuquerque Academy, the host school put on a boys and girls soccer show in the annual Chargers invitational tournament, sweeping both championships for the first time since 2018. Boys ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY 4, PIEDRA VISTA 1: After giving up a goal on a 40-yard bomb […]

When Brad Scott ’70 learned Julianne Puente had been named the head of school for Albuquerque Academy in 2019, he was pleased that his top choice would be taking the reins. Brad had accepted the school’s invitation to get involved in the head-of-school selection process and felt strongly that it was time for the Academy […]

The National Merit® Scholarship Corporation has announced that 17 of the Albuquerque Academy seniors who competed in the National Merit Scholarship Program last school year have been named semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. As juniors, they entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test […]

The Albuquerque Academy visual arts department is seeking applicants for the Jada B. Gonzales Artist Series – a visiting artist and speaker program that brings recognized artists to campus to inspire, inform, and enhance our students’ creativity and knowledge of the arts.  “For many students, the life and career of a visual artist is less […]

Meet New Admission Director Juaquin Moya At Albuquerque Academy, we know education is more than a stepping stone; it’s a lifelong journey. This sentiment rings especially true for Juaquin Moya, the Academy’s new director of admission and enrollment management, whose passion for education is deeply intertwined with his roots in our state. “I’m from New […]

Long-time Academy Cross Country Coach Adam Kedge was one of three coaches to be inducted into the New Mexico High School Coaching Association (NMHSCA) Hall of Honor during the New Mexico High School Sports Summer Conference on July 25. The New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor is the highest award recognized in […]

Albuquerque Academy sports have been ranked #1 in New Mexico and 40th in the U.S. in MaxPreps’ annual rankings! The Chargers took home six state championships (girls cross country, girls swimming, girls golf, boys golf, girls tennis, and boys tennis) and were runners-up in five sports (boys cross country, girls soccer, volleyball, girls track, boys […]

By Austin Curtis / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Academy girls and boys golf teams, as well as the Volcano Vista boys and individual golfers from Piedra Vista and La Cueva recently teed off in the PGA High School Golf National Invitational, a prestigious tournament. In order to qualify for the invite-only event, teams and […]

Four Academy thespians — Nate Shay ’24, Ainara Vecchia ’24, Addie Nayback ’25, and Ariana Rosner-Salazar ’25 — attended the International Thespian Festival in June at Indiana University Bloomington with Performing Arts Department Chair Richard Hogle. They participated in several workshops, including dance for theatre, playwriting and directing, stage management skills, props making, portfolio development, […]

Thirteen Chargers represented the Academy at the 2024 HOSA International Leadership Conference in Houston, with Kashvi Rai ’28, the team’s youngest competitor, taking second place in Health Career Preparation’s middle school division and TJ Miller ’25 advancing to the final round in Biotechnology. Over 12,000 students gathered to learn about careers in healthcare and compete […]

Academy Chargers are winners of the NMAA 4A Director’s Cup for the sixth consecutive year and for the 16th time since the award was introduced in 2005! The Director’s Cup is awarded to the top NMAA schools based on success in activities, athletics, and sportsmanship. The top three finishers in 4A are Albuquerque Academy with […]

Three Academy students are 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards national medal winners. Lex Kelly ’24 received a silver medal for “Ungirlhood” in the personal essay category. Camilla Lujan ’26 received a silver medal in ceramics and glass for her work titled “Eat Me.” Jaelyn Yu ’25 received a silver medal in painting for her […]

BOYS TENNIS: Connor Dils, sr., Albuquerque Academy The future UNM Lobo was sheer perfection, literally, in his senior season with the Chargers. He had an undefeated singles record, capped by a dominating performance at the Class 4A state tournament last month. He also won metros, with a victory over longtime friend Leo Rocca of Albuquerque […]

Kevin Hendricks/Rio Rancho Observer Assistant Editor The New Mexico Chamber of Commerce hosted the second annual National Civics Bee state finals on June 1 at the University of New Mexico’s main campus in Albuquerque, and two Rio Rancho students were the stars of the show. Seventh grader, Keith Lee, a Rio Rancho resident who attends […]

The Albuquerque Academy Class of 2024 will matriculate to 89 different college campuses in 24 states, the District of Columbia, England, and Scotland. American University Arizona State University (Downtown Phoenix) Arizona State University (Tempe) Barnard College Baylor University Boston College Brown University Bryn Mawr College Cal Poly Humboldt California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Academy senior catcher Satish Raichur capped a terrific career with the Chargers with an excellent final season. Raichur batted .564 with 13 doubles, five triples, 26 RBIs and 20 runners caught stealing. He’s behind the plate on the All-Metro first team. First Team Catcher: Satish Raichur, sr., […]

By Megan Gleason / Journal Staff Writer Seventeen-year-old Ada Ovitt has lived in New Mexico her whole life and feels a connection to the beautiful mountains and desert. She doesn’t want to see climate change take that away. She’s trying to put together a Youth Climate Leadership Council to do more to address the warming […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Here are the metro-area team/individual state champions for the 2023-2024 school year. [List reduced to only Albuquerque Academy teams/athletes] GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Albuquerque Academy (4A) Anna Hastings, Albuquerque Academy (4A) GIRLS SWIMMING/DIVING Albuquerque Academy (4A-5A) Maya Van Atta, Albuquerque Academy (50 free) BOYS SWIMMING/DIVING Albuquerque Academy, 200 free […]

The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation announced that Aarush Tutiki ’26 was named a finalist in the national John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest for High School Students. In his essay, Aarush profiled Leonidas Dyer, former U.S. Representative of Missouri. For this year’s contest, 2,313 essays were submitted from students in 50 states and […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Josh Skarsgard is a former standout player at Albuquerque Academy; he was a teammate of James Borrego, who is one of the men who has interviewed for the current Los Angeles Lakers coaching vacancy. Skarsgard on Tuesday was named the new head coach of the Academy girls basketball […]

Albuquerque Academy celebrated the 16 graduates from the Class of 2024 who will participate in athletics at the college level. The Academy has a rich history of student-athletes who compete at the college level. Click here to learn more.  Baseball Mark McNaney, United States Air Force Academy Satish Raichur, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges Basketball Joe Jack, Chapman […]

The Class of 2024’s Karen Zhang has been named one of 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars by the Department of Education. The 161 high school seniors are selected based on their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields. Karen will attend Princeton University to study computer and electrical engineering. As a Charger, […]

Despite already securing a scholarship that funds his undergraduate degree, don’t expect Akilan Sankaran ’25 to take it easy. The Academy junior and recipient of the prestigious Coolidge Scholarship is actively involved in many activities, ranging from music and sports to scientific research, and always gives his best effort. Akilan learned he was named one […]

By Tristen Critchfield and James Yodice / Journal freelancer and staff writer NO. 6 ACADEMY 4, NO. 3 BELEN 1: Once Matthew Delaney got some momentum, there wasn’t much the Eagles could do to slow him down. The Chargers (18-10) star hurler shook off a slow start and got stronger as the game progressed, pitching […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Alvin Broussard coached the Sandia High boys basketball program from 2008-09 through the 2018-19 season. He is back in the fold. Broussard, 41, will be the new head coach at Albuquerque Academy. Marcos CdeBaca had to resign recently because of demands with his regular job; he led the […]

By Glen Rosales and James Yodice / Journal freelancer and staff writer Golf renegades would not exactly be the way most people would describe the Albuquerque Academy girls program. But don’t tell that to some private course operators around town. “We got kicked out of courses multiple times,” said No. 1 player Anya Parasher. Wait, […]

Journal Staff Report CLASS 4A: At neighboring Santa Ana Golf Club, Albuquerque Academy’s boys (312) have a five-stroke lead on Kirtland Central and Silver, with St. Pius sitting nine shots off the lead. There were three sub-70 rounds on Monday. Skyler Woods of Kirtland Central and Jacob Alcorta of Silver both finished with 5-under 67s, […]

6. Albuquerque Academy boys tennis There may not be a more dominant school in any high school sport in New Mexico than the Chargers boys tennis team. Academy won its 21st straight title (and 27th overall) over the weekend, this time playing in the 1A-4A class. The last time Academy didn’t win a state title […]

By Sean Reider / Journal Staff Writer Saturday at the Jerry Cline Tennis Complex had all the feel of a countdown, seconds ticking by on a long day that only got longer. Because, in a literal sense, that’s how the early afternoon was spent. With each lightning strike in a 10-mile radius pushing the final […]

Pieces by 11 Academy students have received regional recognition from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program. Gold Key-awarded entries are automatically considered for national awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards, in June. Jurors look for works that exemplify the awards’ core values: originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Longtime friends Connor Dils of Albuquerque Academy (1A-4A) and Leo Rocca of Albuquerque High (5A) dominated their state championship matches Thursday. Those two and Vivica Corley were joined by Avery Williams of Goddard, the 1A-4A girls champion. Rocca and Dils have been rivals — and good friends — […]

Eight students from the 6-7 Robotics team participated in the 2024 AFRL New Mexico Robotics Challenge Expo on May 10. The Coders won the trophy for best pageant costume — awarded to the team that earns the most votes in the Flashy Chassis Pageant — and Ohio Programmers took honorable mention. Students work in teams […]

Albuquerque Academy’s theatre program had another strong showing at this year’s New Mexico High School Theatre Awards, known as the Enchantment Awards, again taking home Best Actress and Best Director Awards. Nori Little ’25 was named Best Actress for her role as the witch in the Academy’s production of INTO THE WOODS, while Alexis Scott […]

Work by five Academy students has been honored by the 2024 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing Contest. Anagha Devarakoda ’26: First Class Jasper Smith ’26: First Class August Steele ’25: First Class Alexis Limary ’26: Superior Addie Nayback ’25: Merit The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to […]

Aarush Tutiki ’26 was among 230 students from around the country presenting original research at the 62nd Annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), where he placed second in Oral Research Presentation and Paper in the chemistry category for his work, A Two-Pronged Method for the Identification of Highly Biocompatible Nanomaterials. JSHS, the premier […]

Harrison Schiek ’26 placed second in the 2024 Supercomputing Challenge, a yearlong challenge open to middle and high school students, during which they tackle complex issues using science, technology, engineering, and math. Harrison’s project, Water Runoff and Diversion Simulation, was sponsored by Jay Garcia of the Academy’s computer science department. Harrison was recognized at the […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Cleveland’s boys and Albuquerque Academy’s girls were the team champions at the final major event on the regular-season calendar. Everyone is into district competitions next week, and state for the Class 4A and 5A athletes is coming up May 17-18. The Storm piled up 109 points, nearly double […]

Forty Chargers competed in DECA’s International Career Development Conference in April, with three earning top recognition. In Principles of Business Management and Administration, Lur Jacoby ’27 scored in the top 10 on the exam and was a top-16 international competitor and finalist. His events measured proficiency in knowledge and skills across marketing, finance, hospitality, and […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Anya Parasher landed in Albuquerque, fresh from Stanford, California, at 12:30 Monday morning. About 14 hours later, working on precious little sleep, the Albuquerque Academy senior won one of the season’s most important prep golf tournaments and kept intact her undefeated 2023-24 season. Parasher and St. Pius’ Cade […]

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has published the sixth edition of its Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling textbook, which includes expert insight from Dean of College Guidance Ralph Figueroa on the current landscape of higher education. The textbook is popular among college counseling graduate programs across the country. In the book’s first […]

By Tristen Critchfield / for the Journal No. 1 seed Connor Dils vanquished some demons from last year’s defeat in the Metro finals when he rallied late for a hard-fought victory over second-seeded Leo Rocca of Albuquerque High 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. The Academy senior had to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the final set to […]

By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Spencer Womack of Piedra Vista claimed the boys triple jump (45-3), and added a third-place showing in the high jump, an event won by Academy senior Sam James (6-2). “It’s awesome. I get to practice here every day, so I feel comfortable here,” James said. He said he […]

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller presented Ryan McKee ’25 with the city’s Youth Volunteer of the Year Award in recognition of his work with refugee organizations Immigrant and Refugee Resource Village of Albuquerque (IRRVA), UMOJA, and AMIGOS de las Americas. Ryan began volunteering as a tutor through the Academy but soon recognized the need to create […]

Abhishek Narahari ’24 was one of two New Mexico students chosen for the 62nd Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), giving him the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. in March to attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, and leaders of cabinet agencies. The USSYP was […]

Six Academy seniors won the blue trophy at the 2024 Esports League of Legends state tournament: Logan Clark ’24, Cooper Ferrance ’24, Max Fabian ’24, Kimli Leger ’24, Mathew White ’24, and Jay Winegardner ’24. “These students have been playing together for four years,” says Coach Jen Alford, “and were our JV team up until this year. […]

The Levanta Institute for Music and Creativity at Albuquerque Academy was proud to host Clarice and Sérgio Assad for a three-day residency packed with performances, teaching sessions, and coaching for Academy students. Their visit included collaborating with the Advanced Guitar Orchestra, particularly in refining Clarice Assad’s challenging piece, “Dusty Grooves.” Additionally, they conducted a two-hour […]

On Spring Day of Giving 2024, held April 10, the Albuquerque Academy community exceeded our goals by raising more than $200,000 and 500 gifts. These donations will directly support the Academy Fund, providing essential, unrestricted dollars to meet the school’s most critical needs. Faculty support, professional development, tuition assistance, academic departments, and extracurricular and enrichment […]

More than 20 Academy students competed in 16 events at the HOSA State Conference, bringing home 12 medals across nine events. Students spend the school year choosing the health-profession areas they want to learn about and competing with others from around the state. These competitions are completed in a variety of styles, ranging from students […]

Iris Huang ’30, Arjun Grandhe ’27, and Akilan Sankaran ’24 were the top scorers in their grades at the 2024 UNM-PNM State Math Contest. Congratulations to these talented math students for their outstanding performances: Sixth graders Iris Huang (1st Place | 19th Overall) and Sahana Paruchuri (3rd Place) Seventh graders Susheer Paladugu (2nd Place), Mark […]

Eight Academy students competed in the 2024 New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair, following months of work as they developed a research plan, conducted their work, and presented their findings. Their research received recognition and prizes in a variety of categories. Making a Faster Stealth Bomber Julian N’getich ’30, Junior Division – Jaynes Corporation […]

Congratulations to these athletes for receiving state, district, and metro honors at the close of the winter athletic season! Boys Basketball All Star Joe Jack ’24 Justin Mask ’24 All State First Team Joe Jack ’24 All District District Player of the Year Joe Jack ’24 First Team Justin Mask ’24 Dillon McClesky ’24 Honorable […]

All eight Academy Latin students were recognized for their achievements on the National Latin Exam. Kashvi Rai ’28 earned gold with a perfect score on the introductory exam. Only a fraction of a percent of exam takers earn a perfect score. Audrey Finkelstein ’27 and Anna Hastings ’26 earned gold/summa cum laude on the Latin […]

Kyo Torres-Chen ’24 and Dante Lucero ’24 have been recognized with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s 25th Annual Youth Awards, which honor high school seniors nationwide for innovative leadership in the community and in the classroom. Kyo was selected as the gold recipient for the technology category, and Dante was chosen as the silver recipient for […]

By Kathaleen Roberts / Assistant Arts Editor, Albuquerque Journal 516 Arts has announced its 2024 Fulcrum Fund grantees, comprising of 13 recipients. A total of $70,000 has been awarded in varying amounts determined by this year’s jury, supporting the development and presentation of independent, artist-led projects and programs. This year’s funded projects include independent and […]

Leela Young ’24 has been chosen to represent our state at the 2024 National Youth Science (NYS) Camp. Hosted in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, NYS Camp is a residential science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) summer program designed to honor and challenge some of the nation’s rising STEAM leaders. Leela was selected through […]

To help remind the Academy community about the pleasures of reading, Simms Library is hosting a reading event April 4-25, featuring currently reading or favorite books from our community members – students, faculty, staff, parents, and more. “It’s a way to start conversations and make connections, bringing us together through shared experiences,” says Director of […]

By Gino Gutierrez / Journal Staff Writer Four students were awarded the opportunity to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, which is taking place next month in Los Angeles. Among the four selected were brother and sister Akilan and Sowmya Sankaran. The siblings, who have shared a common love for the STEM field […]

By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts Editor Inside Keith Lee’s head lives thousands of words – including definitions and origins. The seventh-grade student at Albuquerque Academy lives in a world which requires balance. Along with his general studies, he’s in jazz band, on the baseball team and studies for the upcoming New Mexico State Spelling […]

Academy’s MathCounts team sent five students to the New Mexico State Competition – seventh graders Mark Goldman ’29, Susheer Paladugu ’29, and Keith Lee ’29 and sixth graders Iris Huang ’30 and Sadye Bruce ’30. Despite stiff competition, the Academy performed exceptionally well. The top 12 competitors battled it out in the countdown round, with […]

More than three-quarters of the Academy DECA team that competed at state qualified to represent New Mexico at the national competition. Of the 54 students competing at state in independent role play events, team role play events, or written events, 41 have the opportunity to compete at Nationals in April. First Individual Events Harper Craig […]

By Evan Chang / Albuquerque Academy Junior Have you ever scrolled through your Instagram feed while under your bedsheets past your bedtime? You see your “frenemy” laying out on the beaches of Turks and Caicos, sipping a coconut drink and looking out into the sunset — picture perfect right? The post has 250 likes. Shifting […]