Voting for Best in Class Underway

Your votes will decide which innovative APS program will receive a $15,000 grant to expand.

Albuquerque Public Schools and the APS Education Foundation are proud to announce and share three 2024 Best In Class nominees! The winner, decided by you, will receive $15,000 in grant funding to expand their innovative program!

The voting opened April 12 and the winner announcement will take place at the Gold Bar event on April 19. 

Learn more about this year's Best In Class nominees and VOTE!

The nominees

APS Esports

Launched at APS in 2019, esports has become a growing and thriving tool for student engagement and social emotional learning. It also fosters STEM tech skills, builds confidence, and provides a space where students feel safe and where they can learn, lead, and grow. If it wins Best in Class, it plans to use the money to continue growing and expanding by purchasing Nintendo Switches and other equipment for middle and elementary schools. Those schools currently rely on grants and fundraising efforts to purchase gaming equipment. They’d also like to provide scholarships for graduating seniors.

Middle School Leadership Program for Archery 3D

The archery program quickly evolved and expanded to all APS JROTC programs. It focuses on collaboration, utilizing teaching, coaching, and mentorship methods to build bonds between middle and high school cadets. The program also hosts statewide archery competitions for students from fourth to 12th grade. The program is hoping to continue growing, and if it wins Best in Class, it plans to buy more equipment and supplies to allow it to get bows into the hands of more APS students.

Roosevelt Middle School for SMART Farm/Engineering Club

Students in this program explore solutions to problems like climate change, overpopulation, dwindling habitats, and the challenges facing food production for the future. The Roosevelt Engineering Club, an extension of the school’s engineering elective classes, designed electric vehicles, rockets, bridges, towers, and wind turbines and even did extensive research on the pros and cons of alternative energy. The school’s Smart Farm Project created an indoor vertical farm that optimizes food production while saving habitat, farmland, energy, and water. If the program wins Best in Class, it plans to expand.