The Path

Rebel with a Cause

Dona Sosa ’95 is Part of a Revolution in Early Childhood Care

The yearbook editors had their reasons for crowning Dona Sosa the class "terror." Her Nissan Sentra was fitted with McLean wheels, hydraulics, and a sound system that announced her arrival in the parking lot well before her arrival. Bravado came easily. “I was a little on the edge there,” she recalled.  It is hard to discern that teenager in the Bel-Air Elementary School teacher she’s become, sitting in a hushed circle of three- and four-year-olds. The class is incubating chickens’ eggs, and the children quieted to listen for the tapping noise as they begin to crack out of their shells.  Dona has devoted the last 25 years to human beings at the threshold of their own world — three-, four-, and five-year-olds who have historically been viewed as too young for structured school. It is not a career she anticipated. She grew up in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights, and when her grandfather developed Alzheimer's disease, her family relocated to the South Valley to take care of him in his home. She skated through school — “I was kind of just going through the motions” — but in 10th grade, her mom decided she should apply to the Academy.  “It was a whole culture shock because I had been in public school my whole life,” Dona recalled. “I did not fit the norm at all.”  

Her new classmates had been together since sixth grade, and gaining entrance to their circles took time. Some of her closest relationships were with people other youth passed without a glance — the security guards, whom she’d bring breakfast burritos in the mornings. Classes were hard, too. John O'Connor was a particularly unsparing English instructor, drilling students on “the four C's,” foremost among them being concise. (Years later, when Dona aced the writing portion of her teacher-licensure exam, she thought of him.)  As she approached graduation, she had been imagining going out of state for college, maybe law school. But life had different plans. She was five months pregnant when she graduated. “So that was a learning lesson as well, to figure out how to navigate that.” She took just a year off before enrolling at the University of New Mexico, where she chose the Early Childhood Multicultural Education Program because she wanted to understand how to give her own daughter the best possible start. And what began as a largely personal endeavor quickly became a calling. “Once I started teaching, I felt like that's where I needed to be. This is what I was meant to do." For more than a decade afterward, Dona taught kindergarten at Armijo Elementary in the South Valley — "back to my roots," as she put it. When the public school system eventually incorporated pre-K, she taught it there and then moved to Bel-Air Elementary, which is designated a Title 1 school because a large share of its students come from low-income families. Dona said she’d been offered jobs at private schools but turned them down. "These kids deserve a chance to have a good teacher and a good start."

Over those years, she became convinced that no lesson reaches a child who has not first been seen. "Building those relationships is probably the piece that a lot of teachers don't understand," she said. "If you don't have a relationship with them, they're not going to be able to learn from you." As part of her own continuing education, Dona has also embraced a pedagogy called the Reggio Emilia approach, which treats even very young children as competent, active participants in their own learning. That has reshaped how she runs her classroom.  Instead of hanging standard didactic posters in the classroom, her students and their families make their own. Instead of passing out finger paints, she entrusts the three-year-olds with charcoal, watercolors, and clay and wire for sculpting — and students express themselves visually even before they can write. Last winter, her class spent months studying the New Mexico sky — clouds, contrails, the slow drift of snowflakes — and rendered it in watercolor. "It's not just play," she said. "They're constructing meaning."

She has since become a prominent advocate for the approach in the state and beyond, presenting and publishing about the practice. State officials now route observers to her classroom as a model of what good early-childhood education can look like.

And it’s starting to look like the vanguard of something truly revolutionary. New Mexico has lately garnered headlines for announcing what will eventually be universal free pre-K and subsidized child care — the kind of expansion Dona, in her quiet way, has been pushing for the better part of two decades. "The whole world is seeing that New Mexico is offering this," she said. "It's my goal to make sure that we're making progress with these kids."

To highlight the impact of Academy alumni in the field of education, Alumni Council member Ted Alcorn ’01 is sharing the stories of graduates who have devoted their careers to teaching, learning, and inspiring others.

Fall 2027 Admission Opportunities

Thinking about a sibling joining the Charger community for Fall 2027? Or do you know someone who’d be a great addition to Albuquerque Academy? We’d love to welcome everyone back on the Path for a Tuesday Tour! Whether it’s been a while since your last tour, you want to see the campus through the eyes of your younger child, or you’re discovering the Academy for the first time, please join us at 8:15 a.m. in front of Simms Library. Summer Tuesday Tours: June 16 | June 30 | July 7 | July 14 | Register now! Are you interested in learning about the Academy’s admission process, including our tuition assistance program? Join us online for a summer admission information session. Online Information Session: July 16 at Noon | Sign up here. Pro Tip: The application for the 2027-28 school year opens September 1, 2026. Save a little time on the process by completing the interest form by August 1.

Full Circle Partnership Transforms Campus Waste into Local Soil

During Earth Month, Albuquerque Academy announced a landmark sustainability partnership with Soilutions, New Mexico’s premier composting and soil company, to divert the school’s food and green waste from landfills. This “closed-loop” initiative turns the Academy’s food scraps and green waste into nutrient-rich compost, some of which is then returned to the campus to nourish its own landscape. The collaboration was sparked by an introduction from Albuquerque Academy Trustee Lia Armstrong, who recognized a shared mission between the school’s environmental goals and Soilutions’ expertise in regenerative waste management. Read the full article in The Paper. Listen to the KKOB interview with Academy CFO Shawn Ricketts and Wendy Blair, Soilutions master gardener.

Make This Summer Musical: Adult Classes at Levanta

This summer at Levanta, adults are invited to explore new skills, make music, and connect with others in a welcoming, hands-on environment. Whether you’re strumming your first ukulele chords, joining a joyfully offbeat guitar ensemble, or discovering the vibrant sounds of the steelpan, each class offers a chance to learn by doing — and to enjoy the process. With a focus on creativity, collaboration, and musical exploration, these courses are designed for beginners and returning musicians alike. All classes run during our summer session from June 1 through July 17. Summer 2026 Adult Classes at Levanta

• Strum and Shine: Summer Ukulele for Beginners — Thursdays, June 4-July 9
• Really Bad Guitar Orchestra: Third Summer Celebration — Tuesdays, June 2-July 7
• Steel Drum Band for Adults — Weekdays, June 8-17

See the website for more information and to register. Spots are limited, and classes tend to fill quickly.

Renovations Underway at Bear Canyon Recreation Area

Work is ongoing to renew the school’s Bear Canyon recreation area, with improvements focused on safety, functionality, and expanded use of the property. Initial efforts have focused on improving safety and opening up the landscape around the cabin. Some entrepreneurial students have participated in some of the landscaping efforts, contributing to the project while gaining hands-on experience. “We have been doing a lot of work on the Bear Canyon property including clearing overgrowth and removing dead trees and undergrowth to mitigate fire danger and create a more open area,” says Adam Delgado, executive director of operations. Significant updates have already been completed inside the cabin, including patching and painting walls, refinishing wood flooring, installing new carpet, and upgrading fixtures with energy-efficient LED lighting.  Exterior improvements have also expanded access and functionality. The parking area has been enlarged and graded, with a base course surface installed to accommodate additional vehicles. The patio has been leveled with concrete, and new stairs with a landing have been added. A new metal patio covering, designed to match the existing roof, provides increased shade and protection from the elements. “We will begin renovations on the inside of the cabin over the next few months, including new cabinets and countertops and a new cooktop,” Adam said. Plans also call for continued development of the outdoor areas to support increased use of the site.

Photo (right): Expanded two-wheel drive vehicle parking lot

Celebrating Our Corporate Partners

We are immensely grateful to our corporate partners, whose investment in Albuquerque Academy underscores a shared commitment to excellence. Their support creates immediate pathways for student success and ensures the Academy continues to evolve as a hub for future leaders. This year, we are proud to welcome two new corporate partners to our network, further strengthening our ability to innovate and expand the opportunities available to every student. Learn more about the Academy’s Corporate Partnership Program here.

Upcoming Events

• Commencement | Saturday, May 23 | 9:15 a.m. | More details.
• First Day of School and Convocation | Thursday, August 13
• Game Under the Lights | Boys Soccer: Thursday, September 24 | Girls Soccer: Tuesday, September 29 | Football: Friday, October 30
• Homecoming & Reunion Weekend | Friday and Saturday, September 25-26 | Registration opens in June.