
Fall Sports
Got School Spirit?
By Daisha Mackey
As you guys know we just had our 2017 Fall Sports assembly, this was the freshman’s first assembly and the seniors last. As I was in the assembly/ watching the assembly, I realized that they are entertaining, but are they entertaining enough to get the students attention? In my article I decided that I should go around asking students about their feelings on the assembly: Did they enjoy it, if no then why not ? I also wanted to know what would they change to approve our assemblies? What things can they do to get the students attention and be happy to go to our AHA assemblies. When I went around the AHA campus, I asked a few students these questions and this is how they responded….
I asked Fernanda Tena, a junior AHA student, about the fall assembly and this is what she said, “ I felt like the assembly was fun honestly because I got to be with my friends and we had a good time. I would change the student sections and make them bigger and I would also would want to change maybe the entertainment like add more music and have more fun games to play to just get the students involved more at the assembly. I also feel like the performances should be longer because we only got to see the cheerleaders for a little bit it wasn’t really that long. Things for the school to change about our assembly’s is maybe to have more involvement with the Atrisco students”.
I also asked Ashley Durante ,also an aha student, about she felt and she said …” I think the fall assembly was the same like always there wasn’t really nothing different about it. I would honestly probably change the assembly in ways like maybe have a certain type of theme for each assembly to make it fun and to get the students who aren’t in the assembly involved too. Maybe like a glow in the dark theme or an Hawaiian theme or a celebrity type theme like for the teachers and have them do a little skit or perform a little dance routine. I honestly feel like that would be super fun and the students would enjoy themselves and still have a good time. Otherwise the assembly was good I liked watching the dancers and cheerleaders but the dancers did really good”.
As I went around asking students these questions I realized that most of them really just wanted more entertainment at their assemblies, just to catch their attentions more and involve them in it. Assemblies can be serious and fun at the same time. Our assemblies are very good, but they could also improve on some things. At the end of the day, we all still know how to represent our school and show good school spirit.



First Graduate to Teach at AHA
By: Fernanda Tena and Arriana Muller
Felipe Beltran is the first graduate ever to teach at Atrisco Heritage Academy. Beltran graduated in class of 2013. He attended Oklahoma Panhandle University after graduating from Atrisco Heritage Academy. He came back to his hometown to teach health. He has always had the goal to start teaching and coaching. Felipe is very appreciative of Atrisco Heritage Academy because it helped him become who he is today and helped him achieve his goal. He feels that current students at Atrisco Heritage can be inspired by him because he is a former Atrisco student. Felipe says he wants to be there for students for whatever they need and wants to build trust with them. The goal he has during his first year teaching at Atrisco is getting situated as a teacher and a coach. Felipe was a former baseball player and will be getting involved this year with the baseball team. He has coached the B legion team for the past two summers, and he says it’s been a great experience to get to know the players that will hopefully be making an impact in the varsity level for the next season or so.

Katelyn Estrada
Every month the official Atrisco Heritage Academy High School website posts their students of the month. There are certain requirements to be the student of the month that you must do to win the acknowledgment. You must value your core values, have a good attitude, willingness to overcome and achieve hard tasks, and overall be an amazing student. Having good values and following them is important because then your individuality would stand out from the rest of the 3,000 students attending Atrisco Heritage. It’s also a great way to stay true to yourself and to not sink in into peer pressure. Having a good attitude is a great way to make your teachers like you in their class and it’s also a good life motivation. Overcoming hard tasks such as assessments, projects, or even homework is a great way to show that your taking school seriously. It will also show your teacher that you are a hard-working student who gets every chance they get to better their grade. It doesn’t matter if you had a bad grade, what matters is what you are doing to fix that grade. It can be anything like doing extra credit, retaking tests, taking more time and patience on homework, paying more attention in class, studying more, etc. Being an amazing student takes dedication, willingness to work hard, and be focused in school. The students of the month this October are Alicia Arredondo, Jordan Arroyo, Xavier Cardona, Harley Carter, Damian Cuevas, Karina Gallegos, Alfonso Lerma-Dominguez, Meagan Lloyd, Esperanza Najar Ibarra, Jessica Olives, Michelle Perez, Sal Quesada, Alexis Solis, Keshia Tenequer, Brayan Valdez Rodriguez, and Alexander Valencia. This list of students was posted by Salvatore Treppiedi on October 10th of 2017. These students worked very hard to win this acknowledgment. They are great role models for Atrisco Heritage Academy High School, congratulations.
Honoring AHA's Finest

Band-tober
AHA Pride's busiest month yet
​
​
By Savannah Ruiz
October 24, 2017
For the past three months Atrisco’s pride marching band has been working every morning and every Wednesday after school. Their show practice started mid-July when they were at school everyday from 8am till 4pm. This month Atriscos band has had a total of three competeions and three foot-ball games where they’ve performed. The Atrisco band has also had extra practice days this month just to get ready for everything; including Stadium rehearsals, after school rehersals and rehearsals with their instrument sections.
All three competitions have been rated their first competition was at Valencia High school (October 14th 2017) they earned a score/rating of Superior which is the highest score the school has earned. Their next competition was ‘Pagent of the Bands’ where they performed at Wilson Stadium and competed against other bands on October 21st 2017. Not only did they get an award for best soloist, but they also scored 3rd place in they AAAA band group It was the first year Atrisco has ever scored in the place 1st,2nd,or 3rd. Even though they got 3rd its still something to be proud of!
I went to talk to the band director for the Atrisco Jaguar Pride Band Christina Young, about how she feels the band did this season asking how she personally feels this Marching season went for everyone from the seniors who's its their last year on the Atrisco field to the Freshman who has many years too come "I think it went really well. . . I think we did really good better than we've ever done in the past.” I also went and talked to a Senior, Sylvia, “I think it [this marching season] went really well compared to last year; there wasn't a lot of fighting/arguing everyone got along and we weren't just playing music we were playing together as a family” I also was curious too see what they both (Miss young and Sylvia) see for the future of Atrisco’s Marching band. Young said, “I see us not only getting better but growing in size since we have such a small group of seniors.” One student, Sylvia said, “I see alot of good things like getting superior in most if not all competitions and a lot more fun and more from our band.” I noticed most thought and hopes for the future of Atrisco’s Marching band was similar in a lot of ways. One thing that stood out to me the most from talking to one of the band Senior class players was when I asked how she think bonds through out the band helped with the playing in one she said “I think our bounds helped because if we all weren't willing to hang out and be friends with each other we won't sound good together it helps we are willing to listen to each other not only as friends but as band and playing support.”
October was definitely a busy month for the Atrisco band but it only made everyone closer as a musical family!

A test should not determine whether or not you should be put in ESL or an English class, when your first language is English.
The ESL program is a class that begins in Middle School and continues towards High School. It also helps the students who are learning English as their second language, which is false. Some students who are in this class speak Spanish as their second language. There is a test taken every January to determine whether or not students will be put in a regular English Class. This is unfair for the students who already speak English and continue to be in a ESL class. A test should not determine whether or not you should be put in ESL or an English class, when your first language is English.
​
Fairness to the ESL Students
By Briana Aguilar

I decided to interview one of the ESL teachers, Mrs. Gonzales. I first asked her, Do you believe the test taken every January helps the students? She responded “I think it gives them an idea of where they stand.”
I then asked her, do you believe some students should not be placed In ESL? Gonzales responded “Yes, it’s only a good program for students that are having difficulties with the English language.”
Personally some students should be taken out of the ESL program. I believe students should take a challenge to a regular English class. No test should determine a student's knowledge.
​
With the growing number of Native American students from the respected nineteen pueblos, the Navajo and Apache tribes; as well as over 100 more from across the country, attending school at APS, they’re recognizing the importance of acknowledging the origin of yourself. The Zuni language is now being offered as a language class for it’s respected enrolled students. Granted, Atrisco Native students only have access to Navajo at the moment, the growing number of students thrown into the APS system that are of Native descent are obtaining more and more recognition for who they are.
With more and more students moving away from their reservations and respected tribal land as well as particular schools that focus on Indigenous Education, myself included, into public schools; there comes a time in a Native adolescent’s life where they realize from themselves and from the elders that they are the next leaders in their community. Whether those positions be political or traditional, you need to know your mother tongue.. Bernard Chimoni is the only Zuni language teacher and is working hard to travel the districts to help his youth. “Language is our identity, language is who we are,” said Chimoni. Many of the local tribes are losing their languages as more elders pass on, because the same amount of the younger generation cannot speak fluently yet. However, as sovereign nations that nurture sovereign youth, the next leaders rise up with the help of APS.
APS plans to bring in an added number of Indigenous languages as time goes on.
APS To Offer More Native Language Classes
By Emily Jaramillo

The Show Must Go On
By Arrriana & Fernanda
On November 3rd Atrisco Heritage Academy held “Open Mic Night,” an event where students are allowed to come and showcase their skills and talents. Being coordinated by Ms. Baca the show was a great success. The performers they look for are singers, bands, instrument players, dancers, rappers or poets. There is a large range of options for things to choose that you can perform. Normally AHA students are preferred to perform but don't mind students from other schools. “Open Mic Night” was originally coordinated by Ms. Medina but after she retired Ms. Baca took over the operation every year after she started working at Atrisco so that It could continue to be a tradition. “Open Mic Night” happens in the fall only, but there is discussion of doing it in the spring of 2018 as well. It is free to get in but the art club sells snacks such as chips, drinks, cookies etc. The money that they raise goes to the Atrisco art classes. It Is only for fun and not a competition there is no losers because everybody is a winner. It is said that the spring open mic night could possibly be a talent show
