Autumn Solecki and Skylar Gamache in the New Mexico Legislature hold their second-place trophy from NM BEST Robotics, a regional competition of 70 teams of students from New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona and Arkansas. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)
Autumn Solecki, a high school sophomore from Albuquerque, says she wasn’t really interested in learning until she joined her local after-school program.
“Honestly I was quite bored and didn’t want to do it. I wasn’t learning because I wasn’t interested,” Solecki said.
Now, Solecki says she wants to teach kindergarten when she graduates. She said after-school activities are “where people are able to invest in you.”
“That is where I’ve been able to find passion in school, and actually want to pursue things in education,” she said.
Solecki was one of many students from across New Mexico who took time away from their schooling on Friday to press for science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, as part of the advocacy day for the NM Out of School Time Network, an Albuquerque nonprofit that seeks to expand and improve after-school and summer programs.
She and Skylar Gamache, a junior high school student from Rio Rancho, had brief conversations with Minority Whip Rep. Alan Martinez (R-Rio Rancho) and House Education Committee Vice Chair Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque) about the importance of implementing science, technology, engineering and mathematics into the state’s education system.
Gamache said her cousins had done the advocacy day before and taken part in robotics workshops and competitions through R4 Creating, which is a Rio Rancho nonprofit that helps students and educators with career guidance and internships.
R4 Creating Executive Director Shelly Gruenig said when young people are engaged, they’re more likely to find a career.
“There are more than 124,000 kids on waiting lists to try to get into after-school programs in our state,” Gruenig said. “We really need to be able to expand and build on these really great partners all across the state that provide the motivation, excitement, hope and inspiration for our youth.”
Gruenig said one of the bills her group is tracking is Senate Bill 93, which would set aside $20 million for comprehensive, affordable out-of-school time programming for public school students.
It was also Career and Technical Student Organizations Day at the Roundhouse, hosted by the Public Education Department’s College and Career Readiness Bureau.
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Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate convened on Friday, in order to give time for legislative staff to print bills.
The House Appropriations and Finance Committee was scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss New Mexico’s economy and legislative proposals related to attracting new jobs and investments.
Looking ahead to next week, the Senate Conservation Committee is expected to hold hearings Tuesday on four bills related to greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, water quality and royalties from extractive industry.
Friday also marked Solecki’s first time at the Roundhouse.
“I learned a lot about the importance of coming here to let the legislators know what students think about the bills that they are passing,” she said. “It is also a very beautiful building.”
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