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National Merit Scholarship semifinalists named

Several local high schoolers have been named semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

To become a finalist, the semifinalists and officials from their high schools must submit detailed scholarship applications, in which they provide details about their academic record, participating in extracurricular activities, leadership skills, employment history and awards received. 

Local semifinalists include: 

• Zoe Bent, Los Alamos High School
• Aksel Boukhalfa, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe High School
• Xiaran Chen, Los Alamos High School
• Olive Clay, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe Preparatory School
• Kieran Gattiker, Los Alamos High School
• Ziva Goldfein, Moriarty High School
• Linnhet Htoon, Los Alamos High School
• Zoe Marquez, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe Preparatory School
• Frederick Murray, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe Preparatory School
• Logan Moore, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe High School
• Henry O'Neil, Los Alamos High School
• Zane Pedersen, Los Alamos High School
• Inho Ryu, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe Preparatory School
• Gordon Zang, ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe Preparatory School

Daniels Scholarship applications open Monday

Applications for the Daniels Scholarship, a scholarship for high school seniors from New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, opened Monday.

The scholarship offers a full ride to 19 partner institutions — including the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and other colleges in the Mountain West — or up to $100,000 over four years at colleges outside the region. 

Applications are due Oct. 18. For more information and applications, visit . 

State Parks offers outdoor education grants

Applications are open now for the Kids 'n Parks Transportation Grants program, which helps schools pay to transport students to any of New Mexico's 35 state parks. 

In its 17 years in operation, the program has transported more than 170,000 students to state parks, division Director Toby Velasquez said in a news release. “State Parks strongly supports meaningful, hands-on outdoor classroom experiences,� he added. 

The deadline to apply for grants for the 2024-25 school year is Sept. 24. For applications, visit forms.gle/muj8oLhFVVzmPWDH9.

Education department receives $60M for literacy

Over the next five years, New Mexico's Public Education Department will receive $60 million in federal grant funds to develop and implement "evidence-based" literacy interventions. 

The department will use grant funds in collaboration with the Early Childhood Education and Care Department and Higher Education Department to improve pre-literacy skills for children under 5 and increase reading proficiency among K-12 students. 

The funding is contingent upon continued appropriations from Congress, as well as progress toward the department's literacy goals.

"This vital funding will enable us to enhance the literacy efforts we have been implementing across the state, reach more learners and provide the resources necessary to foster a lifelong love of reading and learning,� Public Education Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo said in a news release announcing the funding.