Out of the ordinary at Oñate
Students win R/C cars, visit from hawks
Kim Villescas holds a Swainsons hawk while speaking to Melissa Salazar's fourth-grade class at Juan De Onate Elementary on Thursday. Villescas, who is an educator with the Hawks Aloft organization, travelled from Albuquerque to give presentations to every class at the school. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff writer

GALLUP — Things were a little out of the ordinary on Thursday for some students at Juan de Oñate Elementary School.

Students who won a recent art and essay contest were awarded their certificates, and fourth- and fifth-grade students were treated to a visit by two native New Mexico birds as part as an educational outreach program.

Contest winners

Two fourth-grade girls won top honors in an art and essay contest for fourth- and fifth-graders that was sponsored by DUBDUB R/C, a radio controlled hobby shop owned by E.J. and Audrey Sanchez. First place winner Cameron Steffeson made a collage of a sunburst using scraps of fabric. For her art and writing efforts, Cameron won a radio controlled truck worth $265. Anjelique Valtierra took second place with a still life of a vase of flowers.

Two fourth-grade boys placed third and fourth. Anfrenne Pino won third place with his Dallas Cowboy decorated police car, and Davonte Cespedes, who was absent on Thursday, took fourth-place honors. Valtierra, Pino, and Cespedes won gift cards to DUBDUB R/C.

Although the students had been awarded their prizes earlier, E.J. and Audrey Sanchez came to the school on Thursday to present the students with award certificates. Rachel Rodriguez, principal of Oñate, helped with the event.

“We wanted to give back to the community,” E.J. Sanchez said of the idea behind the contest. The students were judged on both their art and writing skills, he said, and prizes were awarded from his store. Sanchez said radio controlled toys provide an outdoor activity for parents and children to share together, and he believes they allow children to use their imagination.

Cameron said she has been enjoying her radio controlled truck but has also been allowing her brother and cousin to share in the fun.

Sanchez said he and his wife chose Juan de Oñate Elementary for their first contest because their children, second-grader K-Leigh and preschooler Caleb, attend school at Oñate. Sanchez said he would like to sponsor similar contests at other schools in the future.

Hawks Aloft

Back in Cameron’s fourth-grade class, visiting presenter Kim Villescas from Hawks Aloft, Inc. of Albuquerque was talking to students about native birds of New Mexico. As part of her “Living with the Landscape” presentation, Villescas brought an American kestrel and a Swainson’s hawk for the students to see.

Hawks Aloft is a nonprofit organization that is involved in bird rescue, conservation projects focused on indigenous wild birds and their habitats, and education and research programs.

According to Cameron’s teacher, Heather Donley, the Hawks Aloft presentation was part of a yearlong grant program that will bring educational conservation presentations to students at Juan de Oñate Elementary.

Donley said she was awarded a smaller grant last year that funded visits to just one classroom. This year, she explained, she was awarded a larger grant that is providing multiple visits and more of an outreach to the entire school.

Later in the school year, Donley said, the school will host a “Conservation Night” so students can share what they are learning with their parents. In addition to the Hawks Aloft program, Donley said her students help with a school vegetable garden, assist her with composting organic materials, and recycle aluminum cans, paper, and ink jet cartridges.

Donley said she believes it is important for the public to know that local schools are educating students about environmental issues.

Information: www.dubdubrc.com and www.hawksaloft.org