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Northern New Mexico College awarded nearly $1 million—and more area updates.
September 1, 2016
The Community Builders Youth STEAM and Cultural Conference was a collaboration between the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Explora Museum, and Sundance Educational Consulting.

The Community Builders Youth STEAM and Cultural Conference was a collaboration between the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Explora Museum, and Sundance Educational Consulting.

Contacts  

  • Director, Community Partnerships Office
  • Kathy Keith
  • Email
"My granddaughter's greatest achievement [from the Rudolfo Anaya Summer Reading Program] was that she doubled the number of words she can read a minute."- Vera Vigil

Northern New Mexico College awarded nearly $1 million

The National Science Foundation awarded a grant of $999,999 to Northern New Mexico College for a project titled “Biology and Environmental Science Training (BEST),” which will assist undergraduates students pursuing science careers.

On August 22, New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich and NSF Director Frances Cordova toured the college and met with students impacted by the programs made possible by NSF funding. 

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On August 22, Senator Heinrich tweeted this photo with the text: “This morning, @NSF Director Córdova & I met with students studying STEM at @NorthernNNMC.”

Inaugural summer reading program shows great success

The Rudolfo Anaya Summer Reading Program kicked off June 1 and ended on August 1. More than 35 elementary students in grades K–6 from Los Alamos, Pojoaque, Rio Arriba, and Santa Fe counties (including tribal schools) participated in this wildly successful pilot program. 

“My granddaughter looked forward to each day of reading,” says Vera Vigil of Española. “Her greatest achievement was that she doubled the number of words she can read a minute; she is a mentally delayed child so this was a great accomplishment for her.” 

Students kept records of books read and received recognition for participating; the five students with the most books read were eligible for prizes that included gift cards and books by local authors.

Second-grader Keri Nadler submitted a list of 78 books that she read over the summer. “They vary from short children's books to longer and more advanced novels,” explains her father, Brett. “Obviously she loves to read (we’ve found her curled up at night under her desk many times this summer), and the chance to try for free books made her squeal. Thanks for putting this together!”

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Middle school students may be able to participate in the Rudolfo Anaya Summer Reading Program in 2017.

Science on Wheels

The Bradbury Science Museum presents Science on Wheels, a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunity available to Northern New Mexico educators.

BSM educators drive their van to your schools and provide free hands-on science demonstrations. Chose from “It’s Not Magic”, “Let’s Rock”, or “Starlab” classes, which are equally participatory and highly engaging. Visits are scheduled, on a first-come first-served basis. 

To  schedule a visit, please contact Liz Martineau at lmartineau@lanl.gov or edu-bsm@lanl.gov or visit the website.

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Science on Wheels: Coming soon to a school near you.

Community Builders conference winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 Community Builders Youth STEAM and Cultural Conference, which took place in Albuquerque from July 13–15. The event was open to teams of students adults, parents, and others who wanted to learn more about science, technology, engineering, math, Native arts and culture, wellness, and conference planning. 

The following teams were awarded cash prizes:

  • First place: Bloomfield Schools
  • Second place: Office of Dine Youth—Crownpoint
  • Third place: Pueblo of Zuni
  • Fourth place: Pueblo of Jemez
  • Fifth place: Pueblo of Zia 

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The conference also included tae kwon do demonstrations, dance activities, Native American hip hop, and guided recreation.

Pojoaque High School seeks mentors

Pojoaque Valley High School is looking for Lab employees interested in becoming part of its mentoring program. Employees must be able to commit to one complete academic year mentoring students and be willing to undergo a background check completed by the school.

A mentor’s role is to inspire students to reach their potential, build upon their strengths, and create goals for their future. Mentors also should be able to meet with their student at least twice a month, have a valid drivers license, and have reliable transportation.

Interested parties are encouraged to contact Carole Rutten of the Community Partnerships Office at 665-4400.

Mental Health First Aid—for free

Community members are welcome to enroll in an Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course offered by the Laboratory each month this fall. There is no cost to badged LANL workers, and others need only pay $15 for the course book.

The interactive, 8-hour course provides an overview of mental illness and substance-use disorders and an introduction to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems. Participants learn a five-step action plan encompassing the skills, resources and knowledge to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional, peer, social and self-help care. 

The course is generally taught in two, 4-hour blocks. Participants must complete the full course to be certified in Mental Health First Aid. To register, contact the Laboratory Ombuds Office at 505-665-2837.