Hurford: What Other States Can Learn From New Mexico’s Bet On Literacy
By DAVID P. HURFORD Ph.D.
Executive Director
Center for READing, Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, Kansas
For too long, New Mexico’s students – especially Native American, Hispanic, and low-income kids – were denied foundational literacy skills that open doors to lifelong opportunity.
A sustained, science-based investment is starting to change that.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and New Mexico education leaders have made literacy a statewide priority since her term began in 2019. Over the past six years, New Mexico has invested more than $250 million in literacy initiatives, Read More
‘Space Futures’ Summer Lab @ SFCC June 22–25
STEM Lab News:
In a new partnership with Santa Fe Community College, curious minds ages 12-19 are invited to join an immersive “Space Futures” SciArt Summer Lab to collaborate with professional artists, technologists, scientists and philosophers to create original works that will be exhibited at the Los Alamos Science Festival in September and our exclusive World Space Week : New Mexico events in October.
Students will be mentored by exceptional STEMarts instructors from Los Alamos National Lab, NASA, UNM, and more to learn new tech tools and use AI for Good to imagine and help Read More
NNMC Student Dawniel Hayward Scores 2nd In Screenwriters Conference 2026 Pitch Competition
Dawniel Hayward at the Screenwriters Conference 2026. Courtesy/NNMC
From left: Omar Paz Trujillo, 1st place winner of the Pitch Competition, 2nd place winner Dawniel
Hayward and DezBaa’, Northern alumna and adjunct faculty. Courtesy/NNMC
NNMC News:
ESPAÑOLA — Northern New Mexico College is proud to announce that film student Dawniel Hayward has won 2nd place in the Screenwriters Conference 2026 Pitch Competition on June 7, 2026. Hayward’s winning pitch earned a $350 cash prize and attracted the attention of a major film producer. The first-place winner, Omar Paz Trujillo, is also a filmmaker Read More
Graduation Announcement: Serena Birnbaum Defends Thesis In Polymer Engineering
Serena Birnbaum after defending her thesis. Courtesy photo
By EVA BIRNBAUM
Formerly of Los Alamos
Serena Birnbaum defended her PhD thesis in Polymer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in May 2026.
Serena graduated from LAHS in 2017, and from Case Western Reserve University with her Bachelor of Engineering in 2021. She is the daughter of Eva Birnbaum and Thomas Mark McCleskey, and granddaughter of Ed & Amy Birnbaum, Alice & Earl Scheelar, and Thomas McCleskey. She will be working at Exponent in Boston.
Her thesis title is “Extending Adhesive Functionality Read More
LANL Foundation Awards $237,000 In Career Pathways, Graduate Scholarships
LANL Foundation News:
ESPAÑOLA — The LANL Foundation is excited to announce this year’s Career Pathways Scholarship recipients and the first-ever recipients of the National Security Workforce Graduate Scholarship, investing in a talented future workforce.
67 Northern New Mexico high school students, college students, and adult learners received a total of $152,000 to pursue an associate degree, certification, or professional trade credential. The Career Pathways Scholarship is supported by funding from Triad, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Employee Scholarship Fund (LAESF), Read More
IAIA Honors Patsy Phillips’ Legacy With Endowed Scholarship In Museum Studies
Courtesy/IAIA
IAIA News:
The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) today announced an initiative to establish the Patsy Phillips Endowed Scholarship in Museum Studies, a named scholarship honoring Patsy Phillips (Cherokee Nation), Director of the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA), as she prepares to retire at the end of June after 18 years at MoCNA and 30 years advancing contemporary Indigenous arts.
The scholarship fund is designated to support future qualifying IAIA Indigenous women students pursuing degrees in Museum Studies who will rise to fill much-needed roles Read More
PAC 8 Community Media Center: June 19-25, 2026
PAC 8 News:
PAC 8 Community Media Center is available for recording events, transferring old media, shooting and editing, live streaming and drone photography and videography.
For information, call 505.662.7228 or visit pac8cmc.com.
PAC 8 Television schedule for June 19-25, 2026:
Friday, June 19, 2026
- 06:00 AM Democracy Now! – Live
- 10:00 AM The Thom Hartmann Program
- 11:00 AM County Council Replay 6-09–26
- 04:00 PM Democracy Now!
- 05:00 PM PAC PAGES – Los Alamos County News Updates
- 06:00 PM Understanding Homelessness
- 08:00 PM LARSO Town Hall Meeting
- 12:00 AM Free Speech TV
Saturday, Read More
Los Alamos JJAB To Meet Wednesday June 17
Los Alamos JJAB News:
The next meeting of Los Alamos JJAB will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17.
The meeting will be held via video conferencing, and the agenda is available at www.losalamosjjab.com.
The public is welcome, please contact JJAB at info@losalamosjjab.com or 505.709.8125 for additional information. Read More
Local Youth Roller Hockey ROLLS In The Summer Fun At Los Alamos County Ice Rink
Coach Joe Artnak provides instruction and demonstration on proper skating techniques Wednesday, June 10, at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
Cayden Gong reaches in to try and steal the ball from Samuel Klumpp before he shoots Wednesday at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
SPORTS News:
Los Alamos County Parks and Recreation and the Los Alamos Hockey Association (LAHA) have partnered once again to bring another summer season of youth roller hockey to the Los Alamos community!
The kickoff session for the Summer 2026 season Read More
Apply For Backyard Pollinator Garden Kits By June 12
PEEC News:
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) with its partner Bee City Los Alamos is offering the Backyard Pollinator Garden Program.
Registration closes today, June 12. Sign up free at peecnature.org or through the google doc. 40 “kits” of native plants, grown without pesticides or fertilizers, that are carefully chosen for their hardiness in our Jemez Mountain environment and for their benefit to native pollinators are available. Selected applicants will be notified June 30th.
The Backyard Pollinator Garden Project is funded by a generous grant from the Carroll Petrie Read More
LAFSF: ‘Oppenheimer & The Science Of Hinduism’ June 17
Courtesy image/LAFSF
LAFSF News:
The Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum (LAFSF) 2026 Summer Series Presents ‘Oppenheimer and the Science of Hinduism’ by Dr. Victoria Erhart on Wednesday, June 17, at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church (TOTH), 3900 Trinity Drive.
A light meal will be served at 6 p.m. The presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be recorded and streamed on Zoom at https://losalamosfaithandscienceforum.org.
This presentation examines the relationship between faith and science, as well as religion and science from a variety of angles. It references primary source texts Read More
LAPS Shares Leadership Changes For 2026-27 School Year
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools announces several leadership changes for the 2026–2027 school year.
Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) Principal Jill Gonzales will become principal at Los Alamos High School. LAMS Assistant Principal Alicia Cardiel will take the helm as principal at LAMS.
Caron Inglis has accepted the position of assistant principal at Los Alamos High School for the upcoming school year.
“Los Alamos is so fortunate to have these amazing leaders to lead our schools,” LAPS Superintendent Jennifer Guy said. “They all bring a great deal of experience to their new roles. They Read More
Applications For Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Now Open
NMHED News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico veterinarians who commit to serving rural, frontier and tribal communities can now apply for up to $80,000 in student loan repayment assistance through the state’s Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.
Administered by the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the program targets a persistent shortage in food animal veterinary care across the state’s rural and agricultural communities.
Recipients must commit to providing care for food-producing livestock, including cattle, sheep, goats and poultry, in New Mexico’s rural communities Read More
Recap Of June 9 Los Alamos Public Schools Board Meeting
2026 School Board Group Photo. Courtesy photo
LAPS News:
Members of the Los Alamos Public Schools School Board met June 9 for the first meeting following the wrap up of the 2025-2026 school year.
This was the second meeting for new board member Elisa Baker. Also in attendance were President Sondra Wyman, Vice President Lauren Coupland and Secretary Melanie Colgan.
The board approved installation contracts with HMM Services for heating and cooling in several locations at Los Alamos Middle School and Los Alamos High School. The contract was approved in the amount not to exceed $160,000. The contracts Read More
St. John’s College Graduate Institute Summer Lecture Series Begins June 24 With ‘George Eliot’s Beautiful Atheistic Religiousness’ By Richard McCombs
SJC News:
SANTA FE — The St. John’s College Graduate Institute has announced its summer lecture series. On Wednesdays throughout the summer, the college offers presentations by members of the faculty and visiting scholars from notable universities across the country.
Lectures will be held in person on the college’s campuses in Santa Fe and Annapolis, Md. They are free and open to the public; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each lecture will also be posted on the college’s YouTube channel.
The full schedule can be viewed at sjc.edu/summer-lecture-series. To learn Read More
Northern NM Youth Fund Recognized By DWS For Leadership And Innovation
LANL Foundation News:
ESPAÑOLA — The Northern New Mexico Pathways to Opportunity Strategy Table was recognized this May with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ first-ever “Future Ready Leader” Innovation Award for its leadership in launching the Northern New Mexico Youth Fund.
The award recognizes exceptional leadership in designing and implementing impactful workforce strategies that respond to industry needs and improve outcomes for job seekers. It highlights organizations that lead with vision, implement effective solutions, and create lasting change in workforce Read More
Hilltopper Youth Football Camp To Be Held July 13 & 14
SFCC Celebrates Launch Of Campus Microgrid After More Than A Decade Of Planning And Partnership
SFCC President Becky Rowley, Ph.D., spoke about the significance of the microgrid at the microgrid launch celebration. Courtesy photo
SFCC officials, industry partners, state and community leaders celebrated the microgrid launch on June 2, 2026. Courtesy photo
SFCC News:
SANTA FE — Santa Fe Community College celebrated the completion and launch of its campus microgrid June 2, marking the culmination of more than a decade of planning, partnership and investment in resilience, sustainability and community preparedness.
College leaders, elected officials, state representatives and Read More
Santa Fe Opera Welcomes 84 Technical Apprentices
Courtesy/SFO
OPERA News:
SANTA FE — The Santa Fe Opera is delighted to announce the 84 members of its 2026 Apprentice Program for Theater Technicians. Selected from a pool of more than 700 national and international applicants, the class of 2026 includes nine apprentices from New Mexico and two international apprentices, contributing fresh creativity and technical expertise to the Santa Fe Opera and the broader performing arts industry. Each season, the technical apprentices perform essential backstage functions within one of eight distinct crews: Audio/Visual, Costumes, Electrics, Read More