On May 15, the Santa Fe Public School board gave our own Eleanor Brenner the 2018 Excellence in Student Achievement award. At the school board meeting where the award was given, the board members acknowledged the many things First Serve — New Mexico does for students in Santa Fe and Pojoaque.

“She gives so much of herself,” Superintendent Veronica Garcia said. “It’s not just that she founded this organization and supports it, and raises money. She’s there at the schools every day, she has personal relationships with those students, she sets high expectations for them, she treats them as though they were her own children or grandchildren, and with a lot of tough love, and we think the world of her and are so grateful. She is truly a gem.”

For the months of March, April, and May, First Serve students of all ages have been attending the school board meetings to speak in the public forum about how the program has helped them. If you would like to see the students’ speeches, or the award from May 15, follow the links below!

Students speaking at the school board meeting:

March 6

April 3

May 1

FSNM board member Scott Fuqua accepting the award on Eleanor’s behalf:

May 15