Rio Rancho, N.M.

POINTING THE WAY TOWARD A PRACTICAL FUTURE

-I0d choose Taco Be"",- Adam co)n'e%s. -/o) ha%d", ha1e 'o ha1e an ed)ca'ion, and ,o)0d !e' $%ee 'acos.- Ac%oss 'he c"ass%oom, Me"issa 'e""s Ro%, 'ha' a "a2,e% has mo%e 3o( sec)%i', 'han a $a%me%4 Ro%,, a $a%me%0s son, oin's o)' 'ha' as a "a2,e%, -,o)0d (e a2a, $%om ,o)% 5ids a "o'.- Na'a"ie s ea5s ) $o% a)'o mechanics, (eca)se -,o) !e' 'o ()i"d ,o)% o2n ca%.An!e"a 2onde%s, -Do ,o) need 'o "ea%n ano'he% "an!)a!e 'o (e an a%chi'ec'6I' ma, seem "i5e id"e (an'e%, ()' Rio Rancho Hi!h Schoo"0s Pa'h$inde% co)%se, mode"ed a$'e% simi"a% ones in 7"o%ida and I""inois, is a"" ()siness. 8ha"5ed on 'he ("ac5(oa%d a%e c%i'e%ia $o% a de(a'e on ca%ee%s, inc")din! sa"a%,, (ene$i's and %e9)i%ed '%ainin!. La'e% in 'he semes'e% 'he 'eens 2i"" "o! on 'o In'e%ne' cha' !%o) s 'o disc)ss di$$e%en' occ) a'ions, and 'he, 2i"" shado2 ad)"'s d)%in! 'hei% 2o%5da,. Be$o%e 'he, !o on 'o *:'h !%ade, s')den's m)s' %esen' o%'$o"ios on a ossi("e ca%ee%, e# "o%e 'hei% o2n s'%en!'hs in de'ai"ed %es)mes and o)'"ine a s')d, %o!%am $o% 'h%ee ,ea%s and (e,ond. -This isn0' 3)s' a(o)' 0Wha' I 2an' 'o (e 2hen I !%o2 ) ,0- sa,s 'eache% 8h%is 7ane""i. -I'0s a(o)' 2ha'0s %e9)i%ed 'o !e' 'he%e.-Re"e1an'- ma, (e one o$ 'he (i!!es' c"iches in ed)ca'ion. B)' i' 2as 'he 2a'ch2o%d in 2o%5in!&c"ass Rio Rancho ; o . <:,:::= 2hen, nea%", 'h%ee ,ea%s a!o, $aced 2i'h a d%o o)' %a'e o$ >?@, 'he 'o2n se' o)' 'o ()i"d a mode" hi!h schoo". A com& mi''ee o$ A:: ci'iBens, %an!in! $%om s')den's 'o ()siness "eade%s, s "i' in'o !%o) s 'o de"1e in'o c)%%ic)")m, a%chi'ec')%e, 'eachin! me'hods, sched)"in!, 'echno"o!,, d%ess and (eha1io% codes. The, ")m(ed %esea%ch $%om ed)ca'iona" ins'i')'es and 1isi'ed A: inno1a'i1e cam )ses $%om 8a"i$o%nia 'o Maine. The common 'hemeC s')den's a%e (o%ed in -sho in!&ma"" hi!h schoo"s,- 2he%e 'he, 'a5e a smo%!as(o%d o$ co)%ses 2i'h no $oc)s. So Rio Rancho Hi!h Schoo", 2hich o ened in A)!)s' 2i'h >,:<: s')den's, di1ided i's cam )s in'o $i1e academies, an o)'& !%o2'h o$ 'he e# andin! schoo"&'o&2o%5 mo1emen' 'ha' see5s 'o $oc)s s')den's on e1en')a" ca%ee%s. 7%eshmen, 2ho a%e o$'en "os' in 'he anon,mi', o$ a "a%!e ins'i')'ion, ha1e 'hei% o2n $i%s'&,ea% academ,. O"de% s')den's choose $%om h)mani'ies, science, $ine a%'s, and ()siness and 'echno"o!,. Each academ, is in a se a%a'e ()i"din!, 2i'h o)'doo% s'ai%cases "eadin! 'o a co)%',a%d am hi'hea'e%. And each 'ies in 2i'h "oca" em "o,e%s 2ho o$$e% !)idance

IGH ON A WINDSWEPT MESA OUTSIDE ALBUQUERQUE, inside an im osin! com "e# o$ och%e&'in'ed ()i"din!s, a !%o) o$ *+& ,ea%&o"ds onde% 'hei% $)')%e. -I choose mechanica" en!inee%in!,- sa,s .amae". -/o) can ea%n si# di!i's.-

and e1en in'e%nshi s. -Dids 2an' 'o see 'he %e"e1ance o$ 2ha' 'he, a%e "ea%nin!,- sa,s s) e%in'enden' S)e 8"e1e"and. -The, 2an' mo%e %ea"&"i$e e# e%ience.Ac%oss 'he co)n'%,, h)nd%eds o$ hi!h schoo"s a%e o$$e%in! ca%ee%&o%ien'ed %o!%ams. B)' Rio Rancho ma, (e )ni9)e in com(inin! so man, c)''in!&ed!e %e$o%ms, %e9)i%in! a"" i's s')den's 'o adhe%e 'o 'hem and desi!nin! a cam )s 'ha' is %adica"", di$$e%en' "oo5in! $%om 'he !%o)nd ) . The $ine&a%'s academ, ho)ses a E<:&sea' 'hea'e%. The science academ, $ea')%es a !%eenho)se. The h)mani'ies academ, o$$e%s a )("ishin! "a(. And 2i'h 'h%ee 'o $i1e s'a'e&o$& 'he&a%' com )'e%s e% c"ass%oom ;FA? machines in a""=, e1e%, 'eache% is enco)%a!ed 'o )se 'hem in "essons. -In '%adi'iona" hi!h schoo"s s')den's "ea1e c"ass 'o do a 0'echno"o!,0 "a( a' a se' 'ime,- sa,s Dim Banni!an, head o$ 'he ()siness&and& 'echno"o!, academ,. -B)' com )'e%s a%e a%' o$ dai", "i$e. We need 'he same seam"ess access in 'he c"ass%oom as in 'he 2o%5 "ace.In 8a%" B%ad,0s chemis'%, c"ass, *< s')den's c")s'e% a%o)nd $i1e com )'e% 'e%mina"s, 'a5in! ')%ns ana",Bin! 'he n)c"ea% deca, o$ e"emen's. -Tha'0s 'he iso'o eG- B%ad, sa,s, moni'o%in! 'hei% e$$o%'s on an o1e%head sc%een. -I need 'o see 'ha' on ,o)% sca''e%!%ams. Did ,o) sa1e 'ha' 'o 'he ha%d d%i1e6- B%ad,, a $o%me% Na1, $i!h'e% i"o', 2en' in'o 'eachin! on", '2o ,ea%s a!o. -He%e0s 'hei% home2o%5,- he sa,s 2i'h )ndis!)ised de"i!h' as he ho"ds ) a s'ac5 o$ discs, -This amo)n' o$ 'echno"o!, in one c"ass%oom is )nhea%d o$, ()' no ma''e% 2ha' 3o( 'he, !o in'oH2he'he% a)'o mechanics o% n)c"ea% h,sicsH 'he,0"" )se com )'e%s.The hi!h&'ech em hasis is $i''in! $o% a 'o2n 'ha' ho)ses In'e"0s main semicond)c'o% "an'. In $ac', me!a& chi ma5e% In'e" ()i"' 'he IA: mi""ion schoo" 'o o$$se' 'a# (%ea5s in an I? (i""ion ind)s'%ia"&%e1en)e&(ond dea" 2i'h San&do1a" 8o)n',. Ho2e1e%, i's conce%ns a%e "a%!e%C -Ho2 do ,o) !%ad)a'e a com )'e%&"i'e%a'e s')den' 2ho a"so has %o("em&so"1in! and in'e% e%sona" s5i""s6- as5s In'e" si'e mana!e% Da'h"een Ta,"o%. Rio Rancho has 'a5en 'he hin'C i's 'eache%s a%e as5ed 'o -coach- and 'o 0!)ide-H%a'he% 'han sim ", 'o "ec')%e, and s')den's a%e di1ided in'o 'eams 'o e%$o%m %o3ec's. B)' mone, and 'echno"o!, a"one do no' !)a%an'ee Academic e#ce""ence. Ins i%ed :~>y Breaking Ranks, 'he *FFE "i!h& schoo"&%e$o%m mani$es'o )("ished (, 'he 8a%ne!ie .ns'i')'e and 'he Na'iona" Jocia'ion o$ Seconda%, #4hoo" P%inci a"s, 'he Rio Rancho schoo" demands a 'o)!he% co%e c)%%ic)")m, %e9)i%in! $o)% ,ea%s each o$ ma'h, science, socia" sciences and En!"ish, 2i'h >F c%edi's needed $o% !%ad)a'ionHse1en mo%e 'han 'he s'a'e no%m. Be$o%e 'his ,ea% Rio Rancho0s s')den's a''ended o'he% a%ea hi!h schoo"s, sa,s %inci a" Da', Ha%1e,, -and i' 2as ho%%i$,in! 'o "oo5 a' '%ansc%i 's $)"" o$ c%edi's "i5e ce%amics and (as5e'(a"" 'heo%,. The,0d !o 'o co""e!e, $")n5 o)' and $ind 'hemse"1es 2i'ho)' 3o( s5i""s.- Rio Rancho 'ai"o%s co%e s)(3ec's 'o s')den's0 in'e%es'sC a h)mani'ies co)%se in 'he ()si&ness&and& 'echno"o!, academ, e#amines 'he his'o%, o$ 'he oi" ind)s'%,4 $ine&a%'s&academ, s')den's "oo5 a' 'he NaBi ")nde%in! o$ ain'in!s. 8onsis'en' 2i'h 'he '%end 5no2n as -in'e!%a'ed c)%%ic)")m,- his'o%, and "i'e%a')%e a%e 'a)!h' in 'he same h)mani'ies co)%se, a""o2in! a smoo'h '%ansi'ion $%om 8o"onia" o"i'ics 'o The Scarlet Letter. Wha' ma5es 'ha' easie% is ano'he% %e$o%m 'ha' has s %ead $%om 8anada 'o h)nd%eds o$ U.S. schoo"sC + # +, o% ("oc5, sched& )"in!. Ins'ead o$ s')den's0 %)shin! $%om one <:&min)'e e%iod 'o ano'he% si# 'imes dai",, 2o%5 is di1ided in'o $o)% e%iods o$ ?< min)'es each4 a ,ea%0s 2o%'h o$ each s)(3ec' is co1e%ed in a semes'e%. Teache%s see $e2e% s')den's each 'e%m and !e' 'o 5no2 'hem (e''e%. A "ec')%e, a disc)ssion and a hands&on %o3ec' can 'a5e "ace a"" in one e%iod, -I'0s mo%e in& 'e%ac'i1e,- sa,s R)d, McDona"d, *E, "o)n!in! in 'he s)nn, co)%',a%d d)%in! ")nch. -I'0s no' 3)s' 'eache%s 'e""in! ,o) some'hin! and ,o) s i''in! i' (ac5.Rio Rancho 'eache%sHa"" o$ 2hom had 'o 2%i'e 'h%ee essa,s on schoo" %e$o%m as a%' o$ 'hei% 3o( a "ica'ions&2i"" '%, a"mos' an,'hin! 'o a1oid 'ha' !"aBed&o1e% "oo5. On a %ecen' a$'e%noon .ohn Hende%son dic'a'es 'o his 2%i'in! c"ass, -An a"ien "anded a' Rio Rancho and sa2 ...- Each s')den' is 'o con'in)e 'he s'o%, $o% a sen'ence o% '2o. -And 2hen I C sa,, 0S'o G,0- Hende%son e# "ains, - ass ,o)% a e% 'o 'he ne#' e%son.- The hi"a%io)s %e&

s)"'s a%e in'ended 'o con1e, some'hin! a(o)' cha%ac'e% de1e"o men' and na%%a'i1e, i$ on", (, 'hei% a(sence. -S')den's ma, no' (e a("e 'o h,sica"", d%o o)' a' *+,- sa,s Sha%i GonBa"es, head o$ Rio Rancho0s $i%s'&,ea% academ,, -()' men'a"", 'he, can.- A$'e% '2o mon'hs, i' is 'oo ea%", 'o 'e"" i$ Rio Rancho 2i"" %e1en' 'ha'. B)' i$ ed)ca'ion %e$o%ms a%e 2o%'h an,'hin!, 'his hi!h&dese%' inc)(a'o%, e%ched Ac%o o"is&"i5e o1e% 'he Rio G%ande Ka""e,, means 'o sho2
and 'e"".
Rio Rancho

HB, LWa%!o' Hornhloweri

?<