532 Spring 2015.pdf

From the Archive
Times of Transition
Life has a beginning and an ending. So do
essays, horseshoes, and our engagement in
school life.
For Sandia Prep families, there is the
day the student starts and the day the
student leaves. Faculty and staff have the
same. Some weave together comings and
goings as students, parents, grandparents,
trustees, faculty and staff, and through
other types of involvement. What happens
in between is the magic. Here are a few
such stories.
NM Gameday with Tommy Smith
& Boys Varsity Soccer
Tommy Smith, Faculty and Coach,
1998-present
“When I arrived at Sandia Prep to teach
and coach, it was exciting and challenging.
I was excited for the opportunity and I
relished the challenge of turning the boys'
soccer program into a powerhouse. I love
the fact that our school is a community and
very close knit.”
Sheila Ryan Hunter, ’78, Alumna,
Parent, Former Trustee
“I arrived at Sandia Prep in 1972, following
my sister Leigh who graduated in 1971.
Many of my teachers remembered her and
my perception was they expected me to be
like my super smart sister! I nearly flunked
out of Sandia Prep trying to be different
from Leigh! I was myself and thrived on my
own Prep experience - very different from
Leigh's and successful in my own way! I
graduated in 1978, went to college in Los
Angeles and later, the real world in Los
Angeles, Dallas and Charlotte, NC, only
to transition back to Albuquerque 12 years
ago so my daughter Maddie ’10 and son
Ryan ’15 could attend Sandia Prep. They
are the last of the third generation of my
family to attend Sandia Prep. Sandia Prep
is ingrained in our family heritage and has
been supportive of all our transitions!
Alex Munoz, ’09
“It was a great
experience to go to
Prep from 2002-
2009. The student
center and 200
building had just
opened up when I
was in 6th grade
and by senior year
there was the
new Field House.
Prep does have
a great balance
of the 5As and I
was lucky enough to take advantage of
Prep’s offerings from athletics, Junior
Civitan, SGA, and Camping Associates.
One of my favorite attributes about the
Prep community was how easy it was to get
involved in many different things and have
a variety of extracurricular experiences.
The transition into college after Prep was
very easy because I learned the importance
of getting involved with organizations.
Now that I am an Admission Counselor for
SMU and recruiting students, I value the
Prep experience even more, since I have
seen a wide variety of high schools and how
they function. A Prep experience is unique
and something I fondly remember. A well
balanced Prep student is exactly what
universities look for in future students; a
student who is academically prepared and
is well-rounded outside the classroom.”
Alex Munoz '09
Jan Randall, Teacher, College
Counselor, Admission Director, 1969-
2002, parent of SPS Alumni
“The Sandia Prep of today bears no
resemblance to the Sandia School of the
60s. The campus was not shabby chic, but
shabby…what would you expect for $1 per
year rent! I would not even say that it was
comfortable; we either were too cold or
too hot. Our furniture was of the second
hand nature: wobbly with splinters. Most
of our students’ desks were purchased
from APS surplus; the teachers’
desks were donated by supporters
of the school. Teachers and spouses
could be found prior to the opening
days of school painting classrooms.
With inadequate space, we shared
the use of classrooms. Teaching tools/
aids were practically non-existent
and those that were used belonged
to the individual teachers and not
the school. But, a school is not the
physical plant; it is the chemistry
between the teachers and the students
and between the teachers and fellow
teachers. Sandia School had energy and
soul! As faculty, we owned the mission
of working together to build a fine school
and to responsibly shape the whole
beings of the girls entrusted to us by their
parents. It was important to empower
these young girls to think outside the
box and to reach far beyond traditional
boundaries of the day. I vividly remember
the power of Paul Saunders’ humanities
class. Paula Degenhardt’s chemistry
class was feared, but taken. Ina Miller’s
French class intimidated all but the most
brave, but students enrolled. As a young
teacher, I grew through my association
with my peers and believe that my earliest
experience with incredible commitment
in the face of adversity shaped who I
am today. I treasure those wonderfully
rewarding days.”
- Susan Walton ’72
Maddie Hunter ’10,
Ellen Ann Lembke Ryan,
original Sandía School Alumna,
Sheila Ryan Hunter ’78,
Ryan Hunter ’15
Jan Randall, Teacher, College
Counselor, Admission Director
and parent of SPS Alumni -
photo 1990s
532 • Spring 2015 10