Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico
@gafnm.bsky.social
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Excellent teachers inspire students to learn, think, and create. At the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico, we catalyze teaching excellence through recognition, professional development, and community engagement. https://goldenapplenm.org
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday 🌱
Meet Amanda Montoya, 4th grade teacher at Pecos Elementary and a From Seeds to Golden Apples Micro-Grant recipient! “I am so grateful for this award. It will help me gain great tools and resources for my classroom.”
goldenapplenm.org/teachers/grants-scholarships/
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It’s always inspiring to see our Teachers of Distinction and Fellows in action! 🎶Miguel Jaramillo, a 2025 Teacher of Distinction, is the Choir and Music Teacher at Lincoln Middle School in Rio Rancho, and has spent over a decade helping students find their voice through music.🍎
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday! Spotlight on Erick Hernandez Montanez, a Golden Apple Micro-Grant recipient at Native American Community Academy. “Thanks to GAFNM, I finished my final micro-credential for my Level 2 license.” 💛 New teacher? Apply: goldenapplenm.org/teachers/gra...
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🌍✨ It’s World Space Week! 🚀 New Mexico educators inspire the next generation of explorers, scientists, and dreamers to reach for the stars through STEM, creativity, and curiosity. Here’s to the educators who make the universe feel within reach! 💛🍎
#WorldSpaceWeek #GoldenAppleNM
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Teachers give so much and support is here for them. 💛 The Core Connection offers confidential, flexible, and culturally responsive counseling for educators across NM. Stronger teachers mean stronger schools and communities. 🍎
👉 goldenapplenm.org/teachers/res...
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📢 Golden Apple NM presents the New Teacher Collaborative: Create & Cultivate a Student-Led Classroom 🌟 Led by 2025 Awardee Mary Kershaw.
📅 Sat, Nov 8 | 12–1:30 PM | Online
👉 Register: forms.gle/qX2m1Bz2LpoJ...
✨ Thanks to Intel for sponsoring!
#GoldenAppleNM #NewTeacherSupport #EducationMatters
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday 🌱 Meet Annabelle Vigil, a Golden Apple Micro-Grant recipient at Pablo Roybal Elementary! 💛 Thank you, Annabelle, for your dedication to students. Learn more about our Micro-Grant Program: 👉 goldenapplenm.org/teachers/gra...
#WatchThemGrowWednesday #GoldenAppleNM
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Had a fantastic time at the Grant Readiness Workshop with Groundworks NM! Grateful to connect with fundraisers, friends & presenters from NM DFA, Senators Heinrich & Luján’s offices, SWNM COG & The Grant Plant. 🌟🍎✨ #GoldenAppleNM #GroundworksNM #CommunityImpact
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Had the pleasure of visiting Chris Chakeres, one of this year’s Teachers of Distinction, at Santa Fe Prep on a perfect New Mexico fall day! 🍂 With 23+ years in education, Chris continues to inspire. Congrats again, Chris! 🍎✨
#GoldenAppleNM #TeacherOfDistinction #NewMexicoEducators
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Honored to join the 82nd Annual Convention of the NM Assoc. of Educational Retirees in Santa Fe! 🎉 Grateful to the City Different Retired Educators for your hospitality & to all who continue inspiring, supporting, & strengthening education across NM. 🍎✨💛 #NMAER #GoldenAppleNM
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🍎✨ Know an elementary school superstar? 🌟 Nominations for the 2026 Golden Apple Award are OPEN! Deadline: Nov 8, 2025. ✅ Full-time ✅ 6+ yrs teaching (4 in NM) ✅ Elementary classroom. Nominate here: goldenapplenm.org/awards/nomin... #GoldenAppleNM
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GAFNM is proud to launch The Core Connection, expanding access to counseling for NM teachers. With trusted partners, we’re ensuring every educator has confidential, culturally responsive support. 💛🍎 Learn more: goldenapplenm.org/teachers/res...
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The 29th Tribute to Teaching Excellence Luncheon was a success thanks to our sponsors, Fellows, partners, and friends! We honored 5 new Fellows and 3 Teachers of Distinction and shared exciting news about programs and initiatives shaping education in New Mexico.
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday 🌱 Meet Karina Arvizu Acosta, 2nd-year Culinary Arts teacher at Albuquerque HS. Inspired by her own mentors, she’s building hands-on opportunities for students with support from our Micro-Grant Program! 👉 goldenapplenm.org/teachers/gra... #GoldenAppleNM
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday 🌱 Meet Rachel Pacheco-Duran, teacher at Del Norte HS. She shared, “I am truly grateful for this grant, which allowed me to enroll in APL Level Up classes that enhanced my teaching strategies, technology use, and classroom management.” #GoldenAppleNM
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Thank you to NMPED, LANL Foundation, LESC, and WestEd for hosting the Albuquerque community session on the Martinez/Yazzie Action Plan. Inspiring to join educators, parents, and community leaders working for equity, strong teachers, and meaningful learning in NM. #EducationNM #EquityInEducation
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Since February, Golden Apple NM has supported new teachers through the From Seeds to Golden Apples Micro-Grant Program, easing financial barriers and fostering community. Apply today: goldenapplenm.org/teachers/gra... #NewTeachers #TeachersMatter #EducationNM #InvestInTeachers
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✨ Less than a month away! ✨ We met with Board President Amanda Reyes, AVP Financial Wellbeing at Nusenda, to finalize details for the Sept 13 Golden Apple Tribute Luncheon honoring amazing middle school educators. 🍏 Learn more: goldenapplenm.org/awards/events/
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For today’s #FellowsFotoFriday, we spotlight Billy O’Keefe (2000 GAFNM Fellow), a field entomologist for Oregon State University and museum volunteer. From agricultural outreach in Spanish to teaching astronomy, Billy shares his passion for science and education.
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday 🌱 Meet Melissa Hawker-Roybal, K-8 teacher at Mountain Mahogany in ABQ and recent From Seeds to Golden Apples Micro-Grant recipient. Inspired by her PE teacher, she now inspires students. Learn more: goldenapplenm.org/teachers/gra...
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🍏🔬 Celebrate National Science Week with GAFNM! From hands-on experiments to captivating presentations, explore science in action and honor the incredible educators who inspire the next generation of innovators. #NationalScienceWeek #STEM #GoldenAppleNM
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For today’s #FellowsFotoFriday, we’re spotlighting 2012 Fellow Gretchen Bahm, who just returned from Italy with this reminder: “Conquering challenges starts with believing you can. Like climbing a mountain, it takes preparation, perseverance, and community.”

#GoldenAppleNM #BackToSchool
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🌱 Watch Them Grow Wednesday 🌱
Meet Lindsay Rivera, a 6th–8th grade teacher at Eagle Ridge MS, who says her micro-grant empowered her teaching and affirmed that educators are seen, supported, and valued.

#FromSeedsToGoldenApples #GoldenAppleNM #GAFNM #NMTeachers #EducatorSpotlight
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🖍️ August is National Crayon Collection Month! Since 2016, this effort has kept crayons out of landfills and into classrooms where they’re needed most. Donate, share, and support creativity in schools. 💛
Learn more: crayoncollection.org
#CrayonCollectionMonth #GAFNM
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Today is Triple M — Miskee Magazine Monday!
Congrats to Miskee Blatner, 2017 Golden Apple Fellow, for being named one of Albuquerque The Magazine's Heroes of ABQ in the July issue.

Thank you, Miskee, for all you do as an outstanding educator and Fellow!