MAS Charter School Blog

Xavier Visage, a former teacher and operations leader at Mission Achievement and Success (MAS) Charter School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, told the Class of 2026 that the next phase of life would call on their self-discipline, persistence, and sense of responsibility. Mr. Visage, who is launching a post-secondary trade school in Albuquerque, delivered a...

At MAS Charter School, Julian Burke says the best part came down to the people around him. His schoolmates, he says, were engaging and very creative. Julian also appreciated the supportive teachers he had, especially the ones who used different teaching techniques to help lessons click.

Ariana Zamora enrolled at MAS Charter School in the Fall of 2022, as a 9th grader, and she says the school’s structure helped her stay focused while building friendships that mattered. Outside of school, Ariana stayed involved through the technical team at her church and leaned into creative outlets like drawing and painting. In the fall, Ariana will attend...

Graduating senior Orion Wernke walked across the stage on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to accept his high school diploma, already planning for a future that includes owning and operating his own construction company. He plans to eventually build that life in Hawaii, with enough flexibility to surf at the end of the workday.

Some days can feel overwhelming for high school students, Naomi Venegas says, and time has a way of changing how those days look in hindsight. She enrolled in fall 2022, in the 9th grade, and she put that perspective to work while tackling dual college credit coursework and preparing for a future that includes...

Our next senior to step into the spotlight enrolled at Mission Achievement and Success Charter School in the fall of 2018 as a 5th grader, making him one of the longest-tenured students to participate in last week’s graduation ceremonies. By that time, Luke Stroud had completed 34 college credits through our dual credit program, the most in the Class of 2026, and...

Twenty-four. That’s the number of college credits Iommara Soto Guzman earned while in high school. To put that into perspective, an associate degree often requires about 60 credits, while a bachelor’s degree often requires about 120. That means Iommara is 40 percent of the way toward an associate degree and 20 percent of the way toward a bachelor’s degree.

A small garden can teach big lessons. For Safiyah Romero, time in a gardening club offered a hands-on way to learn about the environment and the satisfaction of growing food. Safiyah enrolled in seventh grade at MAS Charter School in fall 2020, and she says the years leading up to high school graduation helped shape the plans she’ll carry into the fall.

Joshua Rodriguez enrolled at Mission Achievement and Success Charter School in fall 2019 as a 6th grader. Over nearly seven years, he found his place by connecting with the people around him and developing healthy routines that helped him stay focused.

Jose Luis Rodriguez Molina has always made room for learning outside the classroom. Whether he is reading, collecting coins, or engaging with his with family, he says those activities help him appreciate the people around him and stay curious about the world.

Karina Rios Loera still remembers the nerves she felt during her freshman year of high school, especially as she faced growing up and the changes ahead. After enrolling at MAS Charter School as a 5th grader in fall 2018, Karina gradually realized how much the journey would teach her about life and about who she was becoming.

“For my future plans, I intend to keep believing in myself, because no one else knows my potential better than I do.” That mindset has guided Zai Reyes Martínez during his years at MAS Charter School. Zai enrolled in fall 2018 as a 5th grader, making him one of the 14 students in the Class of 2026 with the longest tenure at the school.

When Yair talks about what he liked best about attending MAS, he points to the people who made the experience meaningful, including the close friends he made. He also appreciated the chance to take college classes while still in high school, which helped him feel more prepared for what comes next: majoring in a STEM subject at UNM.

Video editing and production have become popular creative outlets for many young people. For Malik Reese, who earned an 11th grade Student of The Week honor back in May of 2025, that interest has shaped a clear plan for what comes next. After high school graduation, he plans to...

Showing up on time became a habit that mattered to the next member of the Class of 2026. After enrolling at Mission Achievement and Success Charter School in the fall of 2022 as a 9th grader, Cynthia Delgado says the habits she built in high school helped sharpen her focus and shape the goals she plans to pursue next.