St. Pius X High School Class of 2021
Presenting the 153 graduates of the St. Pius X High School Class of 2021 and the college choice of those who have decided.
Honoring the SPX Class of 2022
Outstanding Graduate Award
Sela Boswell
Using the motto of St. Pius X, “Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge,” St. Pius X faculty select a student whose life truly embodies these traits to name Outstanding Graduate. This is the highest award presented each year at the St. Pius X High School Senior Honors Convocation.
Senior Choice Award
Haley Cordova and Elijah Barela
Each year the seniors choose a young woman and a young man who represent the best of their class. Seniors are asked to vote for the two students whom they most respect and admire as good people and as good Christians, and are asked to consider the following qualities in nominating a peer from their class who represents the all-around ideal St. Pius student: intellectual integrity, respect and caring for peers, sensitivity, congeniality and leadership.
Principal’s Leadership Award
Marco Ybarra
The Principal’s Leadership Award recognizes a student who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in school, community and campus ministry activities and has grown as a person academically, spiritually and in their love for St. Pius X High School.
Academic Awards
St. Pius X Class of 2022 Valedictorian
Sela Boswell
St. Pius X Class of 2022 Salutatorian
Susanna Lanucara
St. Pius X Class of 2021 Top Ten
These students are honored for earning the best grade point averages in their class over four years of high school.
Sela Boswell, Valedictorian
Susanna Lanucara, Salutatorian
Onyinye Anozie
Mia Hernandez
Sophia Kassam
Leo Kim
Sandy Lopez
Divina Maestas
Kieran Stamber
Sara Swinson
National Merit Scholarship Program
Leo Kim, Certificate of Merit and Advancement to Finalist
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. Approximately 1.5 million high school students, typically juniors, enter the program each year through their scores on the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). This year there were 16,000 Semifinalists named in September who met all the requirements to advance to the Finalist standing in the Competition.
Manuel Lujan Excellence in Education Scholarship
Elyse Lovato
As a twenty-year member of the United States House of Representatives, Manuel Lujan, Jr. saw the need to help young people with their college costs. A fund was established in his honor and an award of $500 per year renewable over four years is awarded to 24 graduating seniors from central New Mexico attending a New Mexico four-year college or university.
Academic Decathlon
The 2022 St. Pius X Academic Decathlon Team earned Second Place in National Competition and are New Mexico State Champions for the 21st time. These seniors were recognized for their commitment and performance with the team.
French Honors
Madrid Castillo and Susanna Lanucara received The Société Honoraire de Français Francophone Studies Scholarship. Madrid and Susanna were among 10 national recpients of the award and each received $2000 for French travel this summer.
Winning medals in the National French Contest, Le Grand Concours, were Susanna Lanucara, Gold Medal; Sela Boswell, Silver Medal; Raphael Lente, Bronze Medal; and Madrid Castillo, Certificate of Merit.
Excellence in Social Studies Award
Sela Boswell
For excelling in the St. Pius X social studies program and exhibiting a passion for history and government.
Renaissance Award
Nicholas Talbert
The Renaissance Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Fine Arts department. Each year, the Fine Arts faculty selects a student who has excelled in multiple areas of the Visual and Performing Arts to receive this prestigious award.
CHI-RHO Yearbook Award
Antonia Mondaragon and Jessica Otero
The CHI-RHO Award is given to students who have excelled in their leadership role in bringing to life the school’s BEST STORY of the year, the Yearbook. They showcased much enthusiasm, amazing organizational skills, maturity in solving problems, strong work ethics, initiative and creative design. They went above and beyond to produce this important piece of school history.
Service Awards
Marcita Marek Award
Antonia Mondragon
The award is given to a young lady who embodies the qualities of athletic leadership and service valued by Marcita Marek, a physical education teacher at St. Pius X for many years.
Primo Contreras Award
Antonia Mondragon and Tashina Parker
The award is given to students selected by the Theology Department who have demonstrated joy in serving others on campus as well as outside the school community, a love of St. Pius X High School, and exemplary character.
Liturgical Choir and Orchestra Pin
The St. Pius X High School Liturgical Choir is an integral part of our school Masses celebrated on campus and consists of our singing choir members along with our members from the orchestra. The Liturgical Choir is a group of singers who may or may not be in a chorus class. These singers give of their free time to practice and lead us in song at Mass. These seniors are awarded for exemplary service to the St. Pius X High School Liturgical Choir and Orchestra. Receiving 1st year Letters: Ronan Braun and Sandy Lopez; 2nd year Letter Pin, Elicia Rowe; and 3rd year Letter Pins, Isabella Apodaca, Rafael Lente, Antonia Mondragon and Simone Sandoval.
SPX Campus Ministry Letters
The St. Pius X High School Campus Ministry is an integral part of our school Masses. Campus Ministry is a select group of students that give of their free time to help prepare, set up, and take down for each Mass. They plan and prepare for the School-Wide Rosary and Stations of the Cross. They also help with MADAH before and after packing day. To qualify for a letter or pin, the Campus Ministry member must accrue at least 200 points throughout the school year by attending meetings, participating in Masses and other activities around the school.
Native American Leadership Award
Tashina Parker and Danielle Eklund
Awarded to members of the St. Pius X Native American Club who demonstrate leadership in school and in their communities.
Volunteer Service Award
The following seniors have given more than 300 hours of community service to others over the course of 4 years at St. Pius X: Carmen Brandt, Erica Olguin, Ariana Rivera and Katherine Smith.
A special recognition goes to Elyse Lovato who did this in one year and to Matthew Walden who gave more than 600 hours of service.
National Honor Society Officers
Athletic Awards
St. Pius X Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Sara Swinson and Leo Kim
The recipients excel equally in both academics and athletics. The requirements for this award include being an honor student (3.5 GPA and above) and a varsity multi-sport athlete or a year-round varsity athlete of exceptional leadership and performance.
Athletes of the Year
Demonstrating the highest skills, leadership, teamwork, coachability and work ethic of athletes in all sports.
Female Athletes of the Year: Alyssa Portee and Jocelyn Chavez
Male Athletes of the Year: Jordan Rodriguez and Marco Ybarra
Danny McKay Memorial Manager of the Year
Simone Sandoval
The Danny McKay Memorial Manager of the Year Award is given yearly to an individual who reflects Danny McKay’s spirit of service to athletes
Outstanding Sports Medicine Student of the Year
Ariana Rivera
The St. Pius X Sports Medicine program focuses on providing direction and hands-on skill application for students seeking a career in the medical field. These students often give very generously of their time and are the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave.