Albuquerque Public Schools
Students Shine at State Spanish Spelling Bee
Middle school students earn top honors and advance to national competition.
The Department of Language and Cultural Equity is celebrating the outstanding achievements of Albuquerque Public Schools students who recently competed in the State Spanish Spelling Bee at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Students from Hayes Middle School, Ernie Pyle Middle School and John Adams Middle School proudly represented APS, competing against top Spanish spellers from across New Mexico. Throughout the competition, APS students demonstrated exceptional skill, determination and confidence.
After eight challenging rounds, two APS students emerged as the top finalists in the state.
Milena Pestana Sotolongo, a sixth grader from Hayes Middle School, earned first place, while Jackie Calzadias Valenzuela, a seventh grader from Ernie Pyle Middle School, earned second place.
Milena and Jackie will now represent the state of New Mexico at the National Spanish Spelling Bee this July.
APS also recognized all participating students for their hard work and dedication, along with the families and teachers whose support helped students succeed.
The competition highlights the district’s commitment to multilingual learning and celebrating students' academic excellence across languages and cultures.