Albuquerque Public Schools
Young Writers Shine in First-Ever Elementary English Expo
Students earn top honors in a new competition celebrating literacy and creativity.
Albuquerque Public Schools students are proving that a love of language and storytelling starts early.
This spring, five APS elementary schools, including Alameda, Hubert Humphrey, Monte Vista, S.Y. Jackson and Zia, participated in the first-ever Elementary English Expo, a pilot event designed for fourth and fifth graders.
For more than 35 years, English Expo has hosted a statewide competition for middle and high school students, highlighting skills in literature, writing and performance. This year marked the first time younger students had the opportunity to take part in a similar experience.
After a preliminary round, top students advanced to a final competition held at the Albuquerque Museum, where they showcased their talents in poster design, poetry recitation and short story fantasy writing.
APS students earned multiple medals across all categories.
In Poster, Amelia Anda and Ayla Whooley from Zia Elementary were recognized, along with Sofia Corral Mellone and Rosalie Schneider from Hubert Humphrey Elementary.
In Poetry Recitation, Charlotte Johnson and Adrian Muro from Alameda Elementary earned medals, as well as Charles Henrie from Zia Elementary and Monroe Werenko from Monte Vista Elementary.
In Short Story Fantasy, Elizabeth Pendleton from Hubert Humphrey Elementary was recognized, along with Autumn Smolensky and David Carey from S.Y. Jackson Elementary and Evalyn Ochoa from Zia Elementary.
The competition was judged by local educators, including high school language arts teachers and members of the English Expo board, as well as volunteers from the Delta Kappa Gamma society of educators.
The new elementary division provided students with an opportunity to express their creativity, build confidence and engage with language arts in a meaningful way. As the program looks to expand in the future, APS students are already laying a strong foundation.
For more information or to participate in English Expo 2027, contact oragnizers via email at englishexponm@gmail.com