Seniors at Window Rock. From left to right: Josephine Khera (standing). Top Row: Allen Trujillo, Drew Fraser, Monte Valenzuela, Beth Jabs, Minnie Metcalfe. Standing on the right: Tru Ugarte, Zoe Pitts, Morgan Chaney, Aidan Finley, Avery Castillo. Seated: Michael Marriage, Trinity Martinez-Muniz, Angelica Sosaya, Phoenix Hogan, Rachel GulickAldo Leopold Charter School (ALCS) staff Jim McIntosh, Maria Casler, and Antoinette Castañón took the 12th grade class on a four-day trip to northern New Mexico to visit, explore, and write about key places in the state’s turbulent history. They camped at three sites: first, at Bluewater Lake State Park, then at Canyon de Chelly Campground, and finally Coronado Campground, adjacent to the Coronado State Monument in Bernalillo. They stopped at El Morro National Monument, Canyon de Chelly, The Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Coronado State Monument, and downtown Albuquerque.

12th grader Trinity Martinez-Muniz was most impressed by Canyon de Chelly. “It was amazing! It’s not like the modern world. They work hard to keep the cultural and natural value and you can really tell. Only Navajo women can own land.”

Aidan Finley was impressed with Albuquerque where he says, “I had sushi for the first time!”

Educational Assistant Antoinette Castañón states, “Students had the opportunity to learn beyond their textbooks and gain an indigenous perspective on various conflicts involved in northern New Mexico’s history.”

Aldo Leopold Charter School is a tuition-free public school with a focus on stewardship of the community and the natural environment. The school offers small class sizes, advanced placement courses, after-school academic support, opportunity for paid internship with Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), dual-credit coursework with Western New Mexico University, and the opportunity to play team sports with either Silver High School or Cobre High School.