WINNERS
Patti Bushee
Santa Fe City Councilor Bushee refused to have anything to do with a closed-door meeting last week to discuss the fate of St. Catherine Indian School. It was a ballsy move to stand up to city officials, who are allowed to discuss city affairs privately when they involve real estate transactions. The old school is currently on the market for $8.6 million, and includes such amenities as graffiti and broken windows.
Carlos Santistevan
Santistevan is best known as a musician and High Mayhem's programming director but, earlier this month, he was crowned Santa Fe's outstanding teacher by the Santa Fe Institute. City schools nominate a teacher and a committee makes the selection. The award recognizes outstanding teaching in math, science and computer science. Santistevan, who until recently taught at the now-defunct Academy for Sciences and Mathematics (see Losers), was commended for his innovative approach to teaching biology and earth sciences to seventh through 11th graders.
Santa Fe Community College
It may not sound like a big number, but SFCC's recent graduating class of 356 students is a record breaker. A press release from the school states that 389 degrees and certificates were handed out at ceremonies on May 16. According to a school spokeswoman, some graduates received more than one degree-in fact one student received three associate degrees. Now, that's overachievement for you. Navajo poet Luci Tapahonso delivered the keynote speech; Native American flute player Andrew Thomas and a group called Mariachi Fiesta showed up with their instruments, lending a very New Mexican vibe to the festivities. Congrats, grads.
LOSERS
Academy for Sciences and Mathematics
Santa Fe's "little school that could" is closing its doors after a decade of serving Santa Fe's academically gifted young pups. How gifted, you ask? Five graduating seniors (from a total of 45 students) received scholarships totaling more than $1 million. Unfortunately, it's the school that needed the scholarships-the Academy is shutting down over money woes.
St. John's students' noses
The definition of Spartan Madball, according to Anna Sochocky, director of Communications and External Relations at St. John's: "It's a pared down version of rugby. The only rules are that no animals or vehicles are allowed on the field." It's played the weekend before graduation every year. One student wound up in the ER last weekend, his nose spewing blood, and at least three people ended up with broken noses, according to the school. If nothing else, Spartan Madball is testimony to Johnnies' need for some serious post-semester stress relief.
College of Santa Fe
There was flirtation, maybe a hint at a make-out session or two, but alas, no willingness to commit to a partnership: College of Santa Fe and Savannah College of Art & Design have broken off relations. Bruce Chong, dean of communications at SCAD, says, "We got together and took a close look at each other and the question was whether it will be a good fit and, internally at SCAD and internally at CSF, they decided it may not be a perfect fit. So CSF went on to talk to other people." It remains to be seen if those "other people" will help CSF deal with its dire financial situation.
