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In this issue:
 • ENM Announces Third Graduating Class
 • School Choice Debate
 • Thoughts on School Choice

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ENM Announces Third Graduating Class
Educate New Mexico is pleased to announce its third class of graduating seniors! Five students receive their high school diploma this year after at least three years of tuition assistance from Educate New Mexico.

LaVonne Miller graduates from Temple Baptist Academy in Albuquerque on May 26th, where she is on the “A” Honor Roll and serves as Vice President of Student Council. LaVonne has received tuition assistance from Educate New Mexico for four years. She credits her private education with “keeping her our of trouble” and likes the smaller student/teacher ratio of a private school giving her “the opportunity to have a closer relationship with my teachers.”

LaVonne will attend Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Texas majoring in Business with a minor in Youth Ministry. She hopes to play volleyball as well.

“Thank you for helping me get such a great education!”

     LaVonne Miller
Kevin Gonzales has received an ENM scholarship for three years. He has used that scholarship to attend St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque where he will graduate on May 23rd. While at St. Pius X, Kevin played running back for the football team. This fall Kevin will attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas on scholarship.

“Educate New Mexico allowed me to attend a school with smaller classes where the teachers really care about you.”

     Kevin Gonzales
Jesse Herrera also graduates from St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque. Jesse has received three years of partial scholarships from ENM. While at St. Pius X, Jesse was on the honor roll, ran cross country and track, and participated on the Speech and Debate team. He was also this year’s Homecoming King!

Jesse will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts on scholarship. He wants to major in Aerospace Engineering.

“I think private school is more demanding and has better prepared me for the future. Thank you!”

     Jesse Herrera

Courtney McAndrews will attend the University of New Mexico this fall and major in Psychology. She graduates from St. Pius X High School, where she participated in the Liturgical Choir, was a peer mediator, and headed up community outreach for Key Club.

“If it weren’t for ENM, I would not have had the chance to attend Pius for four years. Pius made me focus on academics and realize that academics are important for me to move forward. Thank you very much!”

     Courtney McAndrews

After four years in ENM’s program, Nathan Garcia will graduate from Sandia Prep in Albuquerque on June 4th. Nathan will attend College of the Southwest in Hobbs, NM on a soccer scholarship.

“Sandia Prep provided smaller classes and the opportunity to get to know the teachers a lot better. Thank you Educate New Mexico!”

     Nathan Garcia

Congratulations and Good Luck to our graduating Seniors!!!

Where are they now?
Anna Berry, a 2004 ENM graduate, has completed her first year at Eastern NM in Portales with a 3.55 GPA. She is headed to Merida, Mexico as an exchange student for five weeks this summer. Robert Salaz, also a 2004 ENM graduate, just completed his first year at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. His summer plans include working for an electrical contractor and pursuing his passion for rock climbing.

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School Choice Debate
Throughout this week, Clint Bolick (President and General Counsel for the Alliance for School Choice) and Laura Underkuffler (Professor at Duke Law School) will debate the following on-line:

Fifty years ago, Brown v. Board of Education promised desegregation "with all deliberate speed." But according to the U.S. Department of Education, the benefits for minority students from that landmark ruling fall short of expectations. In 2003, just over half of black and Hispanic high school students graduated compared to 72 percent of white students.

One potential solution to the racial disparity is school vouchers. Advocates say vouchers increase graduation rates and empower minority students. Critics suggest that the program's results are less clear and, because vouchers are often used at parochial schools, violate the separation of church and state. Would vouchers help fulfill the promise of Brown?

Please log in and follow the debate at:
http://www.legalaffairs.org/webexclusive/debateclub_vouchers0605.msp

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Thoughts on School Choice
“What we pay for, we pay attention to. What we get for free, we feel free to ignore. To the extent that government scholarships defray the cost of tuition, they dispense with parental financial responsibility… The requirement to contribute to the cost of their children’s education is one of the greatest incentives for parents to take the time and care necessary to make wise decisions.”

     Andrew Coulson—Market Education: The Untold History
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