The new year may be scarcely two months old, but already Artesia Public Schools students have been busy making it one of their best yet. Special events, activities, programs, and learning opportunities provide the sort of hands-on experience that allows kids of all ages to not only grow but thrive in the classroom environment. In addition, it's always vital to take some time for the sort of pure fun that keeps young minds engaged and reminds them their teachers and administrators care about their interests and well-being.

Check out just a few of the awesome things APS students have been doing since returning from Winter Break, starting with this week's Fifth Grade All-City Choir performance at the Artesia High School Auditorium!

ARTESIA HIGH SCHOOL

Staff vs. Varsity Basketball Game

A group of mostly men with one woman wearing black t-shirts with orange numbers and names on the backs huddle up in a gym as a crowd in bleachers looks on.

PICTURED: Members of the AHS Staff team huddle up prior to a Basketball Homecoming showdown between the Old 'Dogs and the Current 'Dogs.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Artesia High School Student Council tipped off 2026 with a hardwood grudge match for the ages, pitting current members of the Bulldog and Lady Bulldog basketball teams against AHS staff members. Many of the educators were hoops alumni themselves and were out to prove they haven't lost a step. The pre-game hype was, to put it mildly, hilarious. (Don't take our word for it; check out the staff bios in this StuCo Facebook post.) But when the smoke had cleared -- and the Icy Hot had been liberally applied -- the Old 'Dogs taught the youngsters a few new tricks in a 22-14 retro victory at the old boys' gym. Click here to see a full photo album of the bout.

A male coach in black leaps high in the air above a teen basketball player in orange and black during the opening tip-off.

PICTURED: AHS science teacher and coach Taylor Null shows off his ups during the opening tip against Bulldog senior Cael Houghtaling.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

A woman in black shorts and a black shirt reading "Staff" in orange shifts the basketball to her right hand as she looks up at the basket.

PICTURED: AHS Assistant Principal Rhea Lynn Kaufman goes in for a layup during pre-game warmups.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

A male coach in black shorts and a black shirt with an orange "02" on he back prepares to dribble around a teen boy in orange and black as another teen and another male coach look on and smile.

PICTURED: AHS head boys' basketball coach and math teacher Michael Mondragon, far right, prepares to dribble around Bulldog senior Diego Morales as history teacher/coach Elvis Acosta and senior Jack Byers (33) look on in amusement.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

PARK JUNIOR HIGH

Something's Cookin' at Park

A teen girl smiles for the camera as she stirs a pot containing a chocolate liquid on a gas stovetop.

Park Junior High's bright, shiny, and newly renovated kitchen was christened in February by the Family Consumer Science classes, who fired up the ranges and whipped up batches of delicious no-bake cookies to share with friends and staff.

Two teen girls and two teen boys pose for the camera. One boy holds a tray of chocolate cookies.

Two teen boys and two teen girls pose for a photo in a kitchen classroom. The students hold small paper trays containing chocolate cookies.

One teen boy and three teen girls smile for the camera in a kitchen classroom. he students hold paper trays containing chocolate cookies.

Two teen girls smile for the camera as they hold a cookie sheet filled with chocolate cookies.

ZIA INTERMEDIATE

Zia Students Flex Those Lexicons

Two preteen girls and two preteen boys smile for the camera while holding certificates.

Zia Intermediate students recently took place in a WordMasters challenge, hosted by Vocabulary.com, and these top finishers are, in a word, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! WordMasters helps English teachers build and expand their students' vocabularies through a competition-based program that enhances verbal reasoning with the help of analogies. Earning first-place awards were Martin Quiroz II, far right, and Damien Phillips, second from right, while Reece Waters, second from left, took second place and Sophia Banda, far left, third.

CENTRAL ELEMENTARY

Bulldog Hoopsters Pass Along Love of Learning

Two young male and three young female students sit on the floor in a semicircle around a teen boy seated on a chair. The students have worksheets in front of them.

The Bullpups of Central Elementary have been receiving regular visits from the Bulldog basketball team, and it's been a slam dunk for learning. The Runnin' 'Dogs recently ran Central students through their paces in math facts, adding an element of fun to the sometimes tricky subject.

One young male and three young female students sit on the floor in a semicircle around a teen boy seen from behind, also seated on the floor. The students have worksheets in front of them.

One young male and two young female students sit on the floor with their attention on worksheets as two teen boys also seated on the floor look on.

Central students also took a short walk to Artesia High School's new Career Technical Education building, where the Bulldogs utilized the culinary arts classroom to prepare a hearty breakfast for the 'Pups to start their school day off right.

A line of young children files past a long table from which four teen boys fill the children's plates with breakfast foods.

A teen boy, seen from behind, arranges small orange juice bottles on a table. In the background, other teen boys can be seen serving food to young students.

Young students are seen seated in orange chairs at multiple tables in a large room. The children are eating breakfast foods.

'Art Washes Away from the Soul the Dust of Everyday Life'

A child's drawing features yellow, pink and blue lines representing the northern lights against a dark-blue snowy background.

The Bullpups have been releasing their inner artists throughout the school year with APS art teacher Shama Bootzin, and pictured are just a few examples of their creative minds at work. The public will have the opportunity to not only view Central students' works but purchase them as well on Monday, March 30, when the school hosts its annual Masterpiece Monday event. A silent auction will be held at noon and a live auction at 6 p.m. More details will be distributed in the coming weeks.

Multiple children's drawings hanging on a wall depict colorful sunsets against silhouetted desert landscapes.

Multiple children's drawings hanging on a wall depict arrangements of flowers.

When I Grow Up...

A young girl seated at a desk turns and smiles for the camera as she writes on a piece of paper with a pencil.

Central Elementary welcomed medical student Samantha Lester into their second-grade classrooms in early February for a visit that not only provided the students with insight into the medical field but encouraged them to think about what they might like to do when they grow up. The Bullpups wrote "Dear Future Self" letters they can look back on for inspiration in the years to come.

A woman in dark-blue scrubs stands in front of a row of desks and speaks to a young girl, who is listening attentively.

Fourth-Grade Fiesta

Young students stand on either side of a TV featuring an image of a Spanish dancer. Some of the students are dressed in flamenco attire.

The Bullpups joined other elementary schools in the district in celebrating a Fourth-Grade Fiesta last month, allowing students to immerse themselves in culture as they learned about New Mexico and its history, participated in Spanish dance and songs, and enjoyed tasty New Mexico treats. Click here to view videos from the event.

Two male and three female students sit on a bench and smile for the camera alongside a door decorated in brightly colored papel picado and a sombrero.

Small cups of guacamole, each with a tortilla chip protruding from them, sit on trays on a table.

Those Pearly Whites

A classroom of young students, seen from behind, raise their hands to ask questions of two women at the front of the room.

Central's Bullpup first-graders had the opportunity to learn all about keeping their teeth in tip-top shape Feb. 20, as representatives of Smile Xpressions visited the school to talk dental hygiene. Missy Williams and Emily Sanchez passed along plenty of pearly-white pointers, followed by a Q&A session.

Family STEM and Book Fair Night

Children gather around a table manned by a female teacher. On the table sit two laptops and piece of fruit with wires protruding from them.

Central Elementary held its annual Family STEM and Book Fair Night Feb. 24. In addition to the irreplicable childhood joy that is picking out books from the book fair, Bullpups and their family members were able to perform engaging science experiments and put their names in the hat for prize drawings that included books and science kits.

A woman and four children gather around a table manned by a female teacher. On the table sit plates of colorful plastic bugs.

Several young children gather around a table manned by a female teacher. On the table sit several cardboard circles, yellow string, and a tub full of colored markers.

Children and adults mill around a school gym filled with tables. On the tables sit books.

HERMOSA ELEMENTARY

Constellation Station

A large black inflatable dome is pictured in a school gymnasium.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), which operates the Very Large Array in Socorro, brought its Portable Planetarium to Hermosa Elementary in February. Designed to serve as an interactive presentation of the universe, the inflatable dome welcomed Superkids inside to not only learn about but experience constellations and other wonders of the night sky. Students were also able to take home additional informational materials and space-themed stickers.

A man, a woman and a male child stand at a table examining the space-themed stickers laid out on it.

ROSELAWN ELEMENTARY

Roselawn L.O.V.E.S. Its S.R.O.s

Three male police officers stand behind a group of children who are holding large crafted police badges covered in smaller badges colored by children.

The Roselawn Roadrunners kicked off the third nine weeks Jan. 9 by celebrating National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day with its School Resource Officers. Pictured above, students present Ricardo Huerta, Lorenzo Cardona and Simon Flores with badge-shaped thank-you messages from the school.

Rubber Ducky, You're the One

A female teacher poses for a photo in a school hallway. She is dressed as a yellow duck.

The Roadrunners took a day to celebrate another awesome bird on Jan. 13: the rubber ducky. National Rubber Ducky Day was observed enthusiastically by SPED/D-Level Assistant Gena Farmer, who organized a duck hunt for Roselawn students that was as benign as it was adorable. To keep up the avian theme, eagle-eyed students were able to earn prizes for spotting certain quite well-concealed quackers.

A tiny, pink, glittery plastic duck is pictured sitting on a wooden seat next to a tote bag.

A young boy in a blue-grey hoodie smiles for the camera as he holds a small yellow rubber duck in his palm and a packaged foam dart gun in his other hand.

A young boy in a silver and black shirt smiles for the camera as he holds a small yellow rubber duck in his palm and a packaged miniature pool table set in his other hand.

100th Day of School

A group of young boys and girls pose for a photo. They wear shirts decorated with multiple small objects.

Roselawn students celebrated the 100th day of school on Jan. 21 by dressing up as either a 100-year-old individual or in outfits decorated with 100 items. While some Roadrunners arrived covered in teachers' pushed buttons, butterflies, Band-Aids, LEGOs and even raccoons, others took a moment to reflect on the grey hairs they can sometimes give their teachers.

A group of young boys and girls poses for a photo. The children are dressed as elderly people.

Two young boys and a young girl pose for a photo. They were shirts decorated with raccoons, the house from "Up" with balloons created from plastic gems, and Band-Aids.

A shirt covered in colorful plastic buttons is shown. It reads "Pushing my teacher's buttons 4 100 days."

Perfect Penmanship

Three young boys smile for the camera and hold up certificates, pens, pencils, and workbooks.

National Handwriting Day on Jan. 23 gave the Roadrunners a chance to show off their impressive penmanship in the age of digital everything. Using standardized prompts designed for each grade level through the National Handwriting Day Contest, students reflected on the importance of clear and legible handwriting and submitted their best examples for judging. Winners included, below from left, Abel Ramirez, a first-grader in Olga Olguin's class; Christiano Ornelas, a third-grader in Haley Rodriguez's class; above from left, Daniel Castaneda, a second-grader in Vanessa Teel's class; Xavier Luna, a fourth-grader in Maribel Flores' class; and Julien Grado, a fifth-grader in Monica Almanza's class. Ramirez wrote that he loves to write his letters' "neatly and proudly." Castaneda noted that good handwriting "helps others read [his] work easily." Ornelas pointed out that his handwriting "shows effort" and that he "takes pride in [his] learning." Luna expressed that, when he writes clearly, his "ideas make sense to everyone," and Grado wrote that "strong handwriting" is a skill that helps him "communicate with confidence and clarity." The winners received writing-related prizes and certificates of honor.

Two yoiung boys smile for the camera while holding certificates, pens, pencils, and workbooks.

Honoring Old Glory

Young students are seen seated in a school gym. A woman in a yellow vest hands a small American flag to one of them.

The Artesia Downtown Lions Club brought its annual American flag appreciation program to Roselawn Elementary on Feb. 17. Through this nationally recognized program, students are taught about the history and significance of the Stars and Stripes, including the meaning behind its colors and proper procedures for raising, lowering and retiring American flags. Small American flags were distributed to each student, and the Roadrunners were also able to hear from retired, disabled veteran Nathan Ryno, a local Lion who served for 22 years in the U.S. Army.

A man is seen standing at a podium in a school gym.

YESO ELEMENTARY

Science in My World

Six young boys stand in a row behind an experiment built from paper tubes and plastic tub lids.

Yeso Elementary School hosted a Family Science Night Feb. 26 in the school gym, library and science lab. Themed "Science in My World!", the event allowed Thunderbirds and their families to get hands on with lessons and experiments that focused on everyday objects. In addition, students were able to enter prize drawings for science kits and related items.

Two young girls stand at a science experiment station featuring a wooden tower and lightweight scarves.

A young girl reaches out to take a red balloon being handed to her by a female teacher at a science experiment station.

Children stand at a science experiment station featuring a large rock of pink salt as a man stands behind it.

A young boy and an elderly woman stand side by side as they work on folding a paper airplane.

A young boy smiles for the camera as he holds up a science kit.

Fight for Your Right to Fiesta

Four young boys dressed as avocados gesture from a stage featuring a large depiction of a New Mexico state flag.

After rescheduling its Fourth-Grade Fiesta due to January's winter storm, Yeso Elementary got the party back on track in early February. Thunderbird students worked diligently to study Mexican and New Mexican culture and aspects of the state's history, culminating in the presentation of a program for families and friends that was equal parts informative and fun. The Fiesta was streamed live by KSVP-TV and can be watched by clicking here and scrolling down to Artesia Public Schools Special Events.

'Our Most Inexhaustible Source of Magic'

A young boy marks a spot in a book with his finger as he reads while seated at a desk.

The Thunderbirds received their annual visit from the Artesia Rotary Club, which visits the school to present third-grade students with their very own Scholastic Children's Dictionary. The Rotary Dictionary Project has put millions of dictionaries in the hands of young learners since its inception in 1992. The Artesia chapter began participating in the program in 2008 and has since distributed more than 5,400 dictionaries to Artesia third-graders. Each dictionary is now also dedicated in memory of Gary Sims, longtime local businessman and Rotarian. The latest version of the Scholastic dictionary contains modern words and phrases kids are likely to hear every day but the meanings of which may be unclear to them. Rotarians stress to students the importance of always looking up new and unfamiliar words to expand their vocabularies and improve their spelling skills.

A young girl seated at a desk looks at an open book as a girl seated next to her makes a surprised face.

A young boy seated at a desk looks at an open book as he holds a letter in his hand.

Looking Back at Luminarias and Literacy

Children on a school playground work to fill paper bags with sand.

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind them, the Thunderbirds were also able to look back on the success of the school's annual Luminarias and Literacy event. Yeso's fourth-graders worked tirelessly to create and place luminarias on school grounds to be enjoyed by visitors over a cup of hot chocolate and traditional biscochos. Books were also distributed at the event, adding the gift of literacy to the season's many others. Click here to view a full photo album.

A woman stands behind a table as she speaks to a child about the books placed on it.

Three children pose for a photo in front of a table manned by two women. Large orange water jugs and cups sit on the table.

YUCCA ELEMENTARY

Ag Students Spice Up Bandits' Learning

A teen girl in an FFA jacket holds a plastic baggie filled with small green items as children in front of her take items from the bag.

Members of the Artesia High School FFA chapter paid a visit to Yucca Elementary Jan. 17 for a special Ag in the Classroom presentation. The subject was near and dear to every New Mexican's heart: "Seeds to Salsa"! Students were able to follow the journey of salsa ingredients from seeds through growth and harvesting and finally onto their tortilla chip.

A teen girl in an FFA jacket sits on the floor of a classroom surrounded by young children looking at diagrams.

Loco Hills

A group of children in goggles looks at a tin pan filled with sand.

Bulldog Bandits had fun learning how landforms are reshaped over time through a special STEM activity in January. Sand Shifters allowed students to use "wind" created by blowing through straws and "precipitation" from plastic squirt bottles to simulate sand dunes reshape the landscape over long periods of time through friction and impact. The phenomenon is particularly profound in arid environments such as New Mexico and the rest of the Desert Southwest, where natural "sandblasting" has created landforms such as the Grand Canyon.

A group of children in goggles use plastic straws to blow on sand in a tin pan.

A group of children in goggles looks at a tin pan of sand and books on a table.

A group of children examines sand in a tin pan.

2026 Fundraiser

One male and four female children pose for a photo around a woman covered in a plastic poncho. The woman has whipped cream in her hair and a pie plate on the plastic poncho.

Yucca Elementary held its raffle fundraiser in February. Some great prizes were awarded, and students also had a little extra incentive to perfect their sales pitches: Principal Amy Johnson's challenge. Johnson pledged that, should the students raise $10,000, the top-five sellers could take aim and hurl a pie at their principal. Raising $15,000 earned students the privilege of watching Johnson walk the halls in an inflatable costume for a day, and $20,000 got Johnson into a really sticky situation: Students would take turns duct-taping her to a wall. The Bandits understood the assignment, and Johnson has thus far taken each pie and all the bumping into furniture whilst dressed as an inflatable hippopotamus with a smile. Next up: becoming a temporary tapestry. Stay tuned to Yucca's Facebook page.

A woman seated on a chair and covered in a plastic poncho cringes as a pie plate thrown by a young girl seen from the back hits her in the head.

A woman sits at a desk and attempts to work on a computer while dressed as an inflatable hippo.

GRAND HEIGHTS

First-Ever 100 Days

A group of children smile for the camera. They wear "100 Days" hats and shirts decorated with multiples of small items.

While several schools marked their first 100 days in January, the Eager Beavers of Grand Heights Early Childhood Center had an extra reason to celebrate: It was these young students' first 100 days of school ever! The kindergartners enjoyed crafting shirts featuring 100 items -- everything from googly eyes to gumballs, Pokémon to creepy crawlies, and polka-dots to princesses -- and special 100 Days headgear.

A group of children pose for the camera wearing shirts decorated with multiples of small items.

The Family That Maths Together...

Adults and young children walk around a large numbered circle in a school gym.

On Feb. 2, Grand Heights hosted an event designed to introduce a love of mathematics to students at an early age: Family Math Night. Through a host of fun activities, kindergartners learned that math really can be their Valentine rather than their enemy. A scavenger hunt, cakewalk, card games, and other math-themed events Eager Beavers were able to enjoy with their parents and siblings were held at the school, and it all added up to a great time for all.

Young children stand at a table and examine bananas connected to wires.

Two young children watch as a man presents them with playing cards.

A young girl examines electrodes on a table as a female teacher smiles at her.

A child seated at a long red table moves halves of hearts with black dots on them as a man seated across from her looks on.

A young girl seated at a long red table with halves of hearts covered in black dots in front of her looks at a woman who is pointing at one of the hearts.

A small child looks at a worksheet featuring a colorful heart as a woman seated across from her looks on.

Go, Team!

A group of smile children pose for a photo. Many of them wear numbered jerseys and team attire.

The Eager Beavers were able to spend a day root, root, rooting for their favorite teams on Feb. 5, as the kindergarten hosted Jersey Day. Dozens of teams and sports were represented, from the Cowboys and Texas Tech to local AGSA squads and, of course, plenty of support for the Bulldogs.

Five children pose for a photo. They wear team attire.

A group of boys wearing jerseys pose for a photo. They appear to be yelling something.

Eager Beavers Get On Fleek to Celebrate Dr. Seuss Week

A group of children wearing paper red-and-white-striped hats pose for a photo alongside a female teacher dressed as the Cat in the Hat.

Artesia's kindergartners spent this week celebrating the genius of Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel through Read Across America's annual Dr. Seuss Week. Dr. Seuss has helped teach millions of children to read with his engaging, imaginative and heartwarming books, the first of which was published in 1937. The enduring impact of his catalogue of beloved stories is honored each year by schools across the nation and the students who continue to love them. Grand Heights themed a week of dress-up days around some of Seuss' most popular works, including "The Cat in the Hat" (wear stripes and/or a fun hat); "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" (wear red and blue); "Green Eggs and Ham" (wear green); "Fox in Socks" (wear fun socks); and "Sleep Book" (wear pajamas).

A group of children in striped hats and clothing poses for a photo.

A group of children smiles for the camera as they sit in a circle with their feet together. They are wearing brightly colored socks. A boy dressed as a fox stands beside them.

A group of children in green clothing smiles for the camera.

A group of children in red and blue clothing poses for a photo.

A group of children in pajamas poses for a photo.

Grand Heights Early Childhood Center

Artesia students making 2026 their year