Our vision is one that is shared by our founder and director, Lou Ellen Kay, our students and parents, and, yes, the public schools, and modeled on the Perth Modern School – about which, more, shortly. It is to give gifted and advanced students the best education, with freedom to explore their deepest interests. Consequently, the children will fulfill their own potential. At the same time, they will be encouraged to become not simply academics but conscientious community leaders. Such leaders are very much needed in the Las Cruces community with its very low economic standing (330th out of 335 statistical metropolitan areas in median income) and its correlated educational standing (Dona Ana county reflects the state of New Mexico’s ranking, consistently in the lowest 5 states). Finally, the Academy helps to attract sound businesses whose employees ask for an area with high-performing schools for their children. Las Cruces has lost existing and potential employers from the perception of its educational offerings. Parents of many of our students decided to remain in Las Cruces because of the Academy. Testimonials from parents, past and current, attest to our vision.
Our vision is shared in the broader community. Outreach is explicit in our Articles of Incorporation filed with the state of New Mexico. In May, 2011, we met with the assistant superintendent for instruction in the Las Cruces Public Schools, the school board member for district 3, and a public school teacher to explore common interests. All three expressed very clearly that they appreciated our work, work which they acknowledged is critical and not within their current capabilities. We have done outreach as events open to the public, at our school (on our own, with NASA), at NMSU, at the Las Cruces Plaza, and as weekly podcasts on science (https://www.krwg.org/show/the-science-digest).