Although St. Pius X High School students are not on campus for the fall 2020 semester and are meeting in virtual classrooms due to the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, they continue to excel in academics, service and fine arts.
The New Mexico Music Educators Association has named numerous Sartans to be part of its 2021 Virtual All-State Music Conference. Students prepared audition materials and were selected via online audition. All-State performances will be held virtually.
Choir
Selected to the NMMEA 2021 Virtual All-State Choirs are: Noah Eldredge, All-State Mixed Choir-Bass 1; Jocelyn Huffaker, All-State Treble Choir – Soprano 1; Gabriella Mantelli, All-State Mixed Choir – Alto 2; Emma McGonigle, All-State Treble Choir – Soprano 1; Antonia Mondragon, All-State Treble Choir – Alto 2; Elicia Rowe, All-State Treble Choir – Alto 2; Maia Sanchez, All-State Mixed Choir – Soprano 2; Isabela Sena, All-State Mixed Choir – Alto 2; and Meghan Stone, All-State Treble Choir – Soprano 2.
Orchestra
Selected to the NMMEA 2021 Virtual All-State Orchestras are Tashina Parker, All-State Symphony Orchestra – Harp, and Sara Swinson, All-State Concert Orchestra – Bass.
Band
Selected to the NMMEA 2021 Virtual All-State Bands are Benicio Gutierrez, All-State Symphonic Band – Trumpet (Cornet 3); Leo Kim, All-State Symphonic Band – Clarinet (Bb) (Clarinet 3); Mark Stotzer, All-State Symphonic Band – Horn (Horn 2); Brendan Tierney, All-State Symphonic Band – Clarinet (Bb) (Clarinet 2); and Tashina Parker, All-State Band – Harp.
Benicio Gutierrez also made the top All-State Jazz band as 3rd trumpet.
St. Pius X held a virtual Honors Convocation on Oct. 22. Among the many honored students was senior Maria Allocca, recipient of the Florence Offtermatt Doughty Memorial Award. Allocca was recognized for being an exceptional writer, thinker and AP English student. “(Maria) consistently demonstrates insightful and poignant understanding of language and communicates eloquently with clarity and precision” said SPX English Department Chair Charla Smith ’89. “Though soft-spoken, she speaks decisively and effectively and has remarkable writing skills.”
In 2010, Francis Doughty bestowed the English department with a generous gift in memory of his beloved wife, Florence. Mrs. Doughty was an incredible communicator and held the fields of written and spoken communications in high regard. Each year Florence Offtermatt Doughty Memorial Award winners receive a financial award towards their current school year tuition.
Senior Jayden Bates received the George Washington University Book Award for demonstrating leadership, integrity and academic strength. Bates received a book, George Washington’s Leadership Lessons written by the late James C. Rees (GW Class of 1978), former executive director of Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. The book documents President Washington’s visionary and inspirational leadership skills, which guided our young nation through the uncertainty of its beginnings to its place at the table as one of the world’s great democracies.
SPX students also excelled in Le Grand Concours (The National French Test). During the 2020 fourth quarter quarantine, 21 SPX students took the 2020 test online remotely, proctored by French teacher Jaqueline Prugar. In spite of the stress and technical challenges of taking the test, eight SPX students received national and state honors: Susanna Lanucara, level 2, platinum medal for placing first in New Mexico and first in the country; Onyinye Anozie, level 2, bronze medal for placing eighth in New Mexico and eighth in the country; Benicio Gutierrez, level 3, silver medal for placing second in New Mexico and fifth in the country; and Charlie Woodcock, level 3, bronze medal for placing sixth in New Mexico and 12th in the country. Four level 1 students also earned state honors: Madrid Castillo, fourth, Gabriel Moreno, 10th, Amaryllis Santiago, 10th and Meghan Stone, 10th.
In March 2020, just before the pandemic hit, the Saint Pius X Academic Decathlon Team won its 19th State Championship, by far more than any other school in New Mexico. The team was scheduled to represent New Mexico at the National Finals in Anchorage, Alaska, when the spread of COVID-19 led to the cancellation of this event.
The senior members of the team were honored during the Senior Awards last May. The Honors Convocation honored the New Mexico Champion Team members who are still continuing their education at Saint Pius. In the Honors Division, junior Susanna Lanucara won State Gold Medals in Art, Literature, Science, Economics, and History, and also took First Place for overall score among all students in New Mexico. Junior Sela Boswell won State Silver Medals in Essay, Science, and History. Senior Danny Pham won the State Gold Medal in Math and Silver in Essay.
In the Scholastic Division, junior Raphael Lente won State Gold Medals in Art, Literature, and History. Senior Jacob Moehn won State Silver Medals in Science and Math. Junior Ella Hooks won State Silver Medals in Essay and Literature
In the Varsity Division, senior Ulban Aragon won State Gold Medals in Art and Economics and State Silver in History and Science. Senior Monica Penn won State Gold in Math and State Silver in Essay.
The West Point Leadership Award was presented to Carisa Salcido for her high level of academics/leadership/athletics and citizenship — all qualities that West Point is looking for in a future cadet. Another five students represented St. Pius X High School at the West Point Leadership Luncheon last spring as juniors and were named as a finalist for this prestigious award: Amanda Garcia, Joseph Godshall, Ezekiel Jaramillo, Nicholas Pascuzzi and Joshua Salas.
Consistent with our Mission as a college preparatory school, St. Pius X High School offers a number of Advanced Placement courses to its students. The AP Scholar Award is granted to students who earned a score of 3 or higher on at least three full-year AP Exams. Honored as AP Scholars were Maria Allocca, Benicio Gutierrez, Danny Pham and Charlie Woodcock. Receiving AP Scholar with Honor awards for receiving an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams were Lukus Lucero and Luke Waddoups.
DECA awarded First Year Letters to Sophia Kassam, Aiyana Chavez and Jill Brown and special congratulations to Simone Sandoval, Nationals Qualifier representing St. Pius X High School.
DECA students were extremely busy last year. On selected days, before and after school, and during special events the DECA students learned hands-on business skills in the snack bar, volunteering nearly seven hundred hours as a class and earning a gross profit of over $5,000. Profits from DECA have been used to award scholarships and will be donating $1,200 to purchase new trees for the campus.
The St. Pius X High School Liturgical Choir and Orchestra honored 11 students with a letter and three with a multi-year pin for attending practices, planning meetings and participating in Masses. Honored students were Tashina Parker, Liam Ruggles, Elizabeth Nuňez, Presley Olguin, Isabela Serna, Meghan Stone, Isabella Apodaca, Raphael Lente, Antonia Mondragon, Simone Sandoval, Amanda Garcia, Hannah Nguyen, Maia Sanchez and Sydney Sandoval.
Letters to veterans and service members, a winter supplies drive and a children’s books drive are opportunities the officers of the St. Pius X High School Chapter of the National Honor Society have created to help NHS members serve their community despite the restrictions of COVID-19.
St. Pius X High School senior student athletes made their commitments to play college sports on National Signing Day this fall. Six SPX Varsity Cheerleaders made the 2020 Universal Cheerleaders Association All-American team.
Remembering alumni and family of alumni who have passed away in recent months. Please send your announcements to Jean Marie Skipp at jskipp@spxabq.org.