Local Students Head to State Civics Bee

Three students from area schools have made it to the state competition of the National Civics Bee. San Juan Regional Medical Center’s new president and chief executive began his tenure on May 1st. And two local elementary schools have received $50,000 grants to generate plans for community schools. You’re watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by Traeger’s Bar and Boon’s Family Thai Barbecue. I’m Hayley Opsal. Three area students who participated in the 2023 National Civics Bee Regional Competition on April 20th are headed to represent Farmington and Aztec at the state level. The National Civics Bee aims to help young people and their families better understand the role of civics in local communities. In order to enter the competition students had to submit a 500 word essay on the topic of something they would like to see changed in their community or something important to them and their community. The top students were selected to compete in an in-person event run much like a spelling bee. All three selected students Victory Miller, sixth grade and Michael Magee’s seventh grade from CV Koogler Middle School in Aztec and Ronin Montano seventh grade from Heights Middle School placed in the top 10 in the regional competition. They will be competing in the statewide competition with the other winners of regional competitions on August 19th. The Farmington Chamber of Commerce worked with the Civic Trust, US Chamber of Commerce and the Rio Rancho Chamber of Commerce to bring the Civics Bee to the community. San Juan Regional Medical Center welcomes its new President and Chief Executive Officer Jason Rounds who started May 1st. Rounds has over 30 years of experience at the executive level and not-for-profit and academic medical centers. Most recently serving as Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Finance at the University for Arkansas for medical services. Of his time at San Juan Regional Medical Center, Round said, “I look forward to working together with the community. I want to be the sure that San Juan Regional Medical Center is doing all it can to live up to our mission of better as a community hospital.” We are all about better lives, better health, and better care. Animus and Apache Elementary Schools have both received a $50,000 grant from the New Mexico Public Education Department to conduct assessments of school assets and needs to develop a community school plan. Community schools are designed to offer programs and services beyond a traditional school educational model including services like adult education, tutoring, family support, after school programs, counseling, and more. The two schools have already implemented some aspects and a philosophy of a community school prior to receiving the grant which school officials believe will enable the schools to create a more targeted plan that will best suit the communities around the schools. Animus Elementary School held a community fair event earlier this year, encouraging family and community involvement, host regular family nights and has begun a community garden project to provide fresh produce for school families. Apache Elementary School has a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Farmington offering a popular afterschool program. It implemented a tutoring program last year and it provides students with backpacks of non-perishable goods from Echo Food Bank as most of the students are on a free or reduced lunch plan. The grant will enable both schools to continue the existing projects and introduce more that targeted the needs of their students and families. Learn more about these and other stories online at farmingtonlocal.news. Thank you for watching this additional Local News Roundup. I’m Hayley Opsal.