Alumni

Secondary Learning Center is now on facebook as Santa Fe Secondary School, since that is the name under which most graduates have attended the campus thus far. Please join us to learn about fellow graduates and their pursuits, upcoming events and more.

Nina Senutovitch

Nina attended Secondary from 1995-1998 prior to departing for a year-long study abroad program in Venezuela with a generous scholarship. 

“Secondary provided a supportive environment and the opportunity to pursue volunteer work in HIV/AIDS prevention while I completed my high school education. My time at Secondary was positive and encouraged the independence and critical thinking skills that I rely on as a scientist. The overall atmosphere demonstrated collaborative learning and compassion for students.

Secondary provided a flexible curriculum that allowed me to cultivate my academic interests and evolve into a budding scientist. My favorite coursework involved researching and presenting a current scientific controversy to my classmates. I received tutoring outside of class from Secondary instructors in order to better understand the techniques and concepts of modern biology.

Secondary focus on in-depth learning and mastery of material equipped me with the confidence to interview a leading expert in human evolution, Erik Trinkaus Ph.D., who at the time was faculty at University of New Mexico.

I later obtained my Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from New Mexico State University in addition to minors in both Spanish and Molecular Biology. I had a solid academic foundation upon entering NMSU and was particularly well prepared for rigorous honor courses.

Currently I am completing my Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA with the aid of a doctoral fellowship award. My research aims to develop and understand novel fluorescent protein platforms by studying protein characteristics and structure.

I continue to be grateful for the well-rounded education I received from Secondary, as scientists are increasingly required to have strong written and verbal communication skills. I plan to continue as a Research Scientist upon graduation.”

Naomi Keepin – 1998 Graduate 

“I came to Secondary in 1994 as a Freshman, straight from the public school system. Being a quiet and introspective kid, I knew I needed a school that would be able to provide me with more personal attention than public schools allowed. After doing extensive research on all of the alternative high schools in the area, I ultimately settled on Secondary for its small size and varied curriculum.

My Freshman year at Secondary was exactly what I had hoped it would be. I flourished in a way I never had before in school. Halfway through my Sophomore year, however, something changed. I began to again feel I was getting lost in the crowd. The classes no longer held my interest, and I felt it was time for another change. I definitely didn’t want to go back to public school, so my parents and I went back to the drawing board and began to once again explore the alternative high school options, this time seriously considering home schooling.

Near the end of the year, I told Dana and Avery that I would not be returning after the summer. They said okay, but requested a meeting with me and my parents.

As fate would have it, this would turn out to be one of the most significant happenings of my formative teenage years.

At the meeting, they sat me down and told me that I was the kind of student for whom they started Secondary, and if I was unhappy there, then they were doing something wrong. They asked me to tell them what I needed, and they would make it happen. So, I told them what was lacking for me and what changes might make it better. Together we created a curriculum that consisted of some normal classroom time, and some supervised independent study. As a result, I stayed at Secondary and graduated with my class two years later.

Those words have stuck with me through my college career and into my post-college adult life. It has influenced how I view myself in relation to my jobs, my professional career, and my personal relationships. Simply put, Dana and Avery taught me that if I am unhappy with an aspect of my life, I have the power to change it. Furthermore, hearing that your presence is valued and would be sorely missed was a very powerful thing for a shy, insecure teenage girl to hear.

After leaving Secondary, I enrolled in Wheaton College in Norton Massachusetts and eventually transferred to Mills College in Oakland, California where I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. I now run a small business services firm with my partner from our home in North Fayston Vermont, with clients from coast to coast.

Analyzing my life now, I am blessed to be able to say I am exactly where I want to be. It is undeniable that I owe this in no small part to all Secondary taught me–both in the classroom and in life.”

Rob Ward – 2001 Graduate 

Rob Ward (Shibuya, Tokyo)

Rob Ward went from Secondary Learning Center (then Santa Fe Secondary) to the nationally-ranked Grinnell College where he earned degrees in Physics and Political Science. “Secondary really made me love learning, and taught me the inquisitiveness and study skills that got me through two degrees in a very tough school.”

After college, Rob graduated with honors from the top-5 Evans School of Public Affairs in Seattle, WA, applying the skills he’d learned throughout his education to create Jet Set Zero – an international, new-media travel show, recognized by international press ranging from National Geographic to the Japan Times.

Rob currently makes his home in Santa Fe, NM where he is a Director for a large human-services nonprofit. “I simply wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if it weren’t for Santa Fe Secondary.”

Acacia Carr – 2000 Graduate 

Acacia Carr, San Francisco 2010

Acacia came to Secondary as a Sophomore in 1996.

“I came from a public school where there was little to no room for asking questions outside of the limited scope of the curriculum. I needed to be able to apply an interdisciplinary approach to everything I was learning.

At Secondary, there was not only room for this type of thinking, there was reward. My classmates and my talented teachers were all involved in this process of intuitive, contextual learning.

In high school, my favorite subjects were English and Physics. When I graduated in 2000, I was well-prepared to enter into a Liberal Arts degree program at Bennington College, were I had been accepted with talent based scholarships, or the College of Santa Fe, where I would have received the President’s scholarship. I ended up taking a more circuitous route, however, and after 10 years I have attended 4 colleges and pursued Creative Writing, Fine Art, Photography, Graphic Design and Web Design/Development.

When I was living in Santa Cruz, CA several years ago, I stumbled into Web Design. I spent some time in Silicon Valley, and got to visit the Google campus in Mountain View. I appreciated the way that the new web and the people who were creating it offered a different perspective on what a work day could look like. In Web Design/Development, I finally found a way to synthesize all of my interests in a way that satisfies me. I now design and develop web sites (including this site) for a living under the name Rock Paper CSS.

I would encourage any young person with an interest in technology to pursue their interests, and develop their skills. It has allowed me to work from home while raising a family. I get to meet interesting people through my work, and get paid to make art!”