Eastern New Mexico University will celebrate homecoming, Oct. 2-3. 

Highlights will include the 2 p.m. football game against Angelo State on Saturday, Oct. 3, as well as the 10:30 a.m. parade through downtown Portales that morning.

The Homecoming Golf Experience will have two tee times, 8 a.m. or 1 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 2.  To sign up, contact the Department of Athletics at 575-562-2153.

The 50-year Class Reunion Luncheon will be in the Pecos Room at 12 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2.

From 6-9 p.m. that evening visitors are invited to stop by the Dawg Houze in Portales to hang out with friends. 

At 8 p.m. that evening there will be a pep rally and bonfire at Greyhound Arena where the 2009 Homecoming King and Queen will be announced. 

Other events will include the ENMU Foundation’s 34th Annual Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Campus Union Ballroom (open to donors), the ENMU Educators’ Hall of Honors Gala at 6:30 p.m. that evening, and the ENMU 75th Anniversary Musical Theatre Revue at 7 p.m. in the University Theatre Center Studio on Oct. 2-3.

In addition, there will be a homecoming buffet from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Campus Union Dining Hall, the Greyhound Grill backyard party from 6-8 p.m. that evening at 1401 W 17th in Portales, the College of Education School Carnival on the Education Building lawn from 3-7 p.m. that day, and a luncheon for the 1969 NAIA national championship basketball team at noon that day in the Campus Union Zia Room.

The Council of Professors Emeriti will host a reception from 3-5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 at 1700 S. Ave. I in Portales, Family and Consumer Sciences and Early Childhood Education will host a tour of their areas from 4-6 p.m. that day, and there will be a Bible Chairs Reception at the Baptist Student Union next to the ENMU campus from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Tickets are required for the football game, basketball luncheon, the musical theatre review, the buffet, and the educators’ hall of honors gala. 

For more information, call ENMU Alumni Affairs at 575-562-2125.

Complete Homecoming Schedule for October 2-3 – [schedule]

Eastern New Mexico University is presenting five alumni awards during the ENMU Foundation 34th Annual Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Campus Union Ballroom during homecoming activities.

ENMU will present Distinguished Service Awards to Shirley Gail Ferguson (posthumously) and Jimmy Shearer, Outstanding Alumni Awards to Lyn Brinckmeyer and Don Holden, and an Honorary Lifetime Alumni award to Sen. Timothy Jennings.

Below are their bios:

Distinguished Service Awards

Gail Ferguson (posthumously)

Shirley Gail Ferguson received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in communicative disorders from Eastern New Mexico University.  After graduation, she became an instructor in the Department of Communicative Disorders at ENMU. She led a very long and distinguished career as a teacher and friend. 

She was devoted to her students inside and outside of the classroom. Hundreds of students went through the department under her guidance and nurturing.  Ferguson had a passion for her profession of speech-language pathology and was considered “top notch” by her students.  Even after graduation, many of her students continued to stay in touch asking her advice about a particular client or patient or just to visit. Often while traveling, she would visit her former students at their place of employment.

She received many honors throughout her 25-year career.  In 1993 she received a Distinguished Faculty Emeritus Award from Eastern New Mexico University.  She was a member of the American Speech and Hearing Association, the New Mexico Speech and Hearing Association, and a faculty advisor for the local chapter of the National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association as well as the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. 

Jimmie Shearer
           
Jimmie Shearer, president, chief executive officer, director and owner of Sunland Inc., and ENMU teamed up to produce scholarships for students.  Together with ENMU's Department of Communicative Arts and Sciences, Department of Art, and College of Business, Shearer spent the better part of a year preparing the groundwork for the new scholarship program. 

The ENMU "Peanut Project" is a student-run effort.  With guidance from faculty members, students began the campaign, "Investing in Education: One Peanut at a Time." Sunland Peanuts has donated peanuts at cost for the fund-raising effort. Net profits benefit ENMU scholarships that all students are able to apply for. ENMU is one of very few universities in the nation to team up with a local business to fund scholarships.

Sunland is a charter member of the Foundation Flagship giving club at the $10,000 Stellar Level annually. Shearer received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in management and data processing from Eastern New Mexico University. 

He was appointed to the National Peanut Standards Board by the United States Secretary of Agriculture and named the NM Marketer of the Year by the NM USDA and has been the treasurer of the New Mexico Peanut Research Board since its inception.   Shearer has served as the president of the Portales Rotary Club and president of the Portales School Board.

Honorary Lifetime Alumni Award
           
            Senator Timothy Jennings

Senator Timothy Z. Jennings was appointed to the New Mexico Legislature in July of 1978, serving District 32 which includes Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln and Otero counties. During this time, Sen. Jennings has held numerous positions on various committees and has been instrumental in the Senate's leadership.

He has served as the Minority Whip, Majority Whip, Majority Floor Leader and, most recently, the President Pro Tempore. Born and raised in Roswell, N.M., Sen. Jennings attended the New Mexico Military Institute and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Creighton University in Business Administration.  He is a rancher and businessman.

Sen. Jennings has established himself as a strong and tireless advocate for the unique opportunities his constituents are confronted with in southeastern New Mexico, as well as the entire state. Sen. Jennings is the state's second-longest serving senator. Not only is he a leader in the state, he is active in his community, having served as past board chair of the Red Cross and Sertoma.

Outstanding Alumni Awards

Don Holden

Don Holden received his undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology from Eastern New Mexico University in 1973.  Holden was instrumental in establishing the social work program at ENMU.  Social work is both an academic and an applied discipline based on values of service, social and economic justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, and integrity and competence in practice.

The essence of social work is helping people, organizations and communities. The curriculum is designed to provide the basic knowledge, skills and values necessary for competent and ethical generalist social work to those entering the profession, as well as those already practicing in social service settings. The curriculum helps prepare students and practitioners for licensure and advanced study.

Holden once held the position of director of CARC Inc. in Carlsbad, whose mission was to provide services for people with special needs and helped found the Oasis Program, a voice for sexually abused children in Roosevelt County. He is currently the regional manager of the Children Youth and Families Department for the southeast counties of New Mexico.

Lynn Brinckmeyer

Lynn Brinckmeyer received a Bachelor and Master of Music Education from Eastern New Mexico University.  She later earned her Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Kansas.  Since graduation, she has served as the national president of the Music Educators National Conference, the largest Arts Education organization in the world, with more than 120,000 members from all levels of teaching from elementary to graduate schools.

In New Mexico she taught elementary music and middle school choir and went on to teach higher education in the Pacific Northwest.  In addition to chairing the Eastern Washington University Music Department for six years, she received both the PTI Excellence in Teaching Award and the CenturyTel Award for outstanding faculty. Now at Texas State University, Brinckmeyer serves as associate professor of music and director of choral music education. She is a contributing author in The Music Director’s Cookbook: Creative Recipes for a Successful Program and The Choral Director’s Cookbook: Insights and Inspired Recipes for Beginners and Experts. She has conducted, lectured, presented master classes and performed across the United States, Korea, Taiwan, Amsterdam, Italy and the British Isles.

Marion Lecil Richards – Attended 1945-47; 1953, BA in Secondary Education; 1958 MA in Education
Marion Richards is a native and 1945 graduate of Dora High School.  Richards retired in 1983 following 36 years of service in education. Despite a paralyzing accident in 1984, he continues to inspire the best from his family and friends by his positive view on life and public education.  His career led him to the Causey, Dora, Chaves County and Roswell schools.

Delman Shirley – 1960, BS: Math, 1965, MED: Secondary Administration, 1972, Education Specialist
Delman Shirley retired in 1995 after 35 years in public education. He served as teacher and principal in elementary and secondary schools at Raton, Portales, Cimarron, and Clovis. Shirley served in NEA-NM leadership beyond the scope of his classroom years. He served on the Educational Retirement Board continuously from 1984 until 2007 and for several years on the Legislative Committee of the New Mexico Association of Educational Retirees and chaired the committee in 2008.

Lonnie L. Leslie – 1971, BS; Industrial Education; 1973, MS; Educational Administration
Lonnie Leslie was continuously employed for 33 years by the Clovis schools in teaching and building/district level administration.  He retired in 2005 but continues to provide community service to civic associations, church, service clubs, the medical center, and schools. His most rewarding years were as a drafting and electronics teacher watching students succeed in life and careers. 

The Eastern New Mexico University Foundation will present awards to a local Portales business, a Volunteer of the Year posthumous award to a former regent, and Philanthropists of the Year award to the family of a late graduate.

The awards will be presented during the ENMU Foundation 34th Annual Breakfast in the Campus Union Ballroom at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.  Tickets for non-donors are $10 per person.  For ticket information, call 575-562-2412.

Business of the Year—Super 8
The Super 8 hotel opened in Portales in 1992. The owners of Mischel’s LLC that owns the Super 8 hotel, Sherry Mischel and Timothy Finlay, currently live in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Super 8 has been a consistent supporter to the ENMU Athletic Department as a corporate sponsor for the past eight years, contributing over $23,400. Mischel and Finlay own seven other Super 8 hotels with four others in New Mexico, two in Colorado and one in Arizona. 

The owners give back to these communities in numerous ways. They support the local hospitals in the various communities by offering low cost or free accommodations for patients having treatments. The company is also a strong supporter of the American Cancer Society and the Relay for Life. Sherry and Timothy are generous with the Crow Canyon Archeological Center in Cortez, Colo. supporting its programs and elementary school outreach projects. 

Mischel has been a long-time Rotarian.  This year she chartered the new Rotary Club of Scottsdale North and currently serves as the district secretary. Finlay has volunteered for Junior Achievement and for the I.R.S. as a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistant) helping senior citizens and low income individuals complete their tax forms. (photo from Super 8 Web site).

Volunteer of the Year—Alva C. Carter (posthumous)

Alva Carter was born April 18, 1940, and died Nov. 20, 2008. For those 68 years, Carter was always one to take on a challenge and demonstrate his strong work ethic and dedication to what was right. 

He was born to support eastern New Mexico and especially Roosevelt County and Portales. He was appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Bill Richardson in 2003 and was serving as president of the ENMU Board of Regents when his life ended in an automobile accident. “Mr. Carter’s commitment to the University and his strong support of this community was well-known and he will be sorely missed,” said Dr. Steven Gamble, ENMU president.

Besides leading ENMU into the future, Carter was also the past president of the New Mexico Peanut Growers. He served on the National Peanut Board and was most recently serving on the National Corporate Board of Dairy Farmers of America, as well as several other local and national dairy boards.

His wife, Mary Helen, recalls when he was instrumental in establishing the first Portales girls softball league and helped to prepare a new field for the team to practice on and use for games.

Philanthropists of the Year—Ralph and Jan Fort and Family

Ralph and Jan Fort were very proud of their son, Frank Wilburn Hilliard Fort, who graduated from ENMU with a B.S. in communication education in December 1995. His life was dedicated to helping others.

For 14 years, Frank served as a leadership consultant for the New Mexico Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (NMFCCLA). Later he served on the National FCCLA Board of Directors representing the Pacific region. Frank was honored in 2007 in Anaheim, Calif., with the FCCLA Alumni Achievement Award. He was the state advisor for the CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization). Later, he became a training specialist for Pegasus Solutions, which gave him the opportunity to travel around the world conducting leadership training. 

Frank Fort died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty heater in his Albuquerque home at the young age of 36. His parents, Ralph and Jan Fort, and his family have chosen to honor him with a $50,000 gift to establish the Frank W. Fort Memorial Scholarship. 

The family has also committed to making significant annual contributions to this scholarship to help more students in Frank’s memory. Ralph and Jan Fort visited with their daughter, Wendy Branstine, and decided that ENMU was the best place to memorialize Frank because he cared so much about the school and was very involved as a student.

Ty Touchstone from the football team, was selected as the Greatest Greyhound after the 2004 season, which saw the Hounds post a 5-2 mark in the Lone Star Conference South Division, including a dramatic victory in the Wagon Wheel game over West Texas A&M. He was invited to the Waldorf Astoria to receive the National Academic Award. Between football and track, Touchstone received three First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All American honors in addition to making second team once. He was chosen Second Team Don Hansen All-Southwest Region in 2004 and made all-conference twice.

Christabell Mariner was selected Greatest Zia after the 2002 volleyball season and was a three-time first team all-conference selection. She also was selected First Team Daktronics All-Southwest Region in 2000. Almost a decade later, she still holds the two top Zia marks in single-season kills at 575 and 567 and is tied for third in single-season service aces. Five times, Mariner was named LSC South hitter of the week and she twice led the Zias to the LSC tournament semifinals. During her four seasons, Eastern posted an amazing 94-47 record.

Barbara Nuckols (St. John) from the women’s basketball team, was selected as the Greatest Zia in 1982 and twice was chosen as NAIA District VII Player of the Week. She was named Rookie of the Year in 1981 and Most Valuable Player in 1983-1984. Barbara still stands at eighth in the Zias’ all-time scoring list, with 1,189 points.

Jeff Fontanilla, who played men’s golf at Easteron, was a 1987 Lone Star Conference champion and National Collegiate Golf Coaches of America All-American. He made first team all conference in twice  and was a Division II national championship qualifier in 1988, leading the Greyhounds qualification to the event. He also won the Grand Canyon Invitational in 1988.

Steven Harmon has been a longtime supporter of Eastern Athletics and a member of the Bench Club for over three decades. He has served as both director and president of bench club and currently is director and president elect of the ENMU Alumni Association.

Kay Sewell-Lambert had an amazing 1978-79 season for the ENMU women’s rodeo team, taking first in the southwest region in goat tying and was the runner-up all-around cowgirl. In 1979, she was the NMGRA rookie of the year. She followed with a strong 1979-80 season, winning the regional championship in barrel racing and earning All-Around Cowgirl status. She also led the team to the regional championship and finished tenth in the national finals rodeo in barrel racing, while the team placed tenth in the country. In 1980 she was the North American Rodeo Commission’s World Champion Barrel Racer. The 1980-81 season was no difference for Sewell-Lambert, as she was the Barrel Racing and Goat Tying Champion for the region, again finishing as the regional All-Around Cowgirl. For the second straight year, she led ENMU to the regional title.

Bobby Kirkley still is the second leading career scorer for the Hounds’ basketball team after two decades and still holds the single-game record for points (50), set against New Mexico Highlands on January 31, 1978. He was the only NAIA player voted to play in the Wilson Pizza Hut All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Following the 1975-76 season, he received the Al Garten Award. He was the leading scorer in the nation, averaging 30.9 points over 19 games and made third team small college all American in 1977. Following the 1977-78 season, he was named Greatest Greyhound.

Samuela Yavala set ENMU track records in the 440, 440 sprint relay, sprint medley relay, 880 relay and distance medley relay. He was an All American in 1973, running the third fastest sprint medley relay time in history. In 1972, Yavala competed in the Munich Olympics. As an athlete, won six overall gold medals, and two silver medals in the South Pacific games. Also represented his country in the Commonwealth games (1974, 1986).

The recipients of the 2009 Distinguished Faculty Emeritus Awards will be honored at the ENMU Foundation’s 34th Annual Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 during homecoming.



Dr. Carl Richardson
Carl Richardson was a professor of physical education and served Eastern New Mexico University for some thirty-seven years in health and physical education. He was the coach for five sports during his tenure. His baseball team won fifty-two games between 1949 and 1953, losing only twelve. He coached track during the 1952-53 year.  Between 1954 and 1963, the football teams he coached won fifty-nine games and lost thirty-seven, with an undefeated season in 1957 and a fourth-place national finish. Seven players from those teams were All-Americans. In 1964, Carl became the head tennis coach and led those teams to one-hundred thirteen wins, thirty-two losses, and four NAIA District 7 Championships. In 1975 he began coaching golf, producing four NAIA District 7 Championships, fourteen NAIA All-District 7 golfers, one All-American, and four All-Lone Star Conference golfers. Carl has been named NAIA District 7 Coach of the Year nine times in three different sports. He was also director of the School of Health and Physical Education. He retired in 1986 as professor emeritus of health and physical education.


Dr. Thurman Elder
Thurman Elder came to ENMU as an assistant professor of mathematics in fall 1969. He received tenure in 1974 and advanced through the academic ranks to professor in 1983. Thurman was chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences from 1981 through 1997. He published his research in journals of applied mathematics and presented at professional meetings. He was a visiting research professor at the Institute for Numerical Transport Theory. Thurman served on many committees and chaired search committees for faculty, coaches, athletic director, deans and vice presidents. He was the faculty athletic representative to the NCAA for many years. He was inducted into ENMU’s Athletic Hall of Honors in 2004. After thirty-seven years, Thurman retired in 2006 as professor emeritus of mathematics and computer science, of which the last nine years he served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  After his retirement, he was asked to come back and be the director of the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Program working with students primarily in New Mexico and Texas, as well as students from around the country.

Dr. Dale Davis
Dale Davis held many positions at ENMU, but is most proud of his role as a teacher.  His success as a teacher was validated in 2004 when he was selected the U.S. Professor of the Year for New Mexico by the Carnegie Foundation and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Dale began his career at ENMU in the College of Business in 1982 as an assistant professor of marketing. He was promoted to associate professor and tenured in 1986; he earned the rank of professor in 1997. He had previously taught at Berry College and Kennesaw College in Georgia. Dale’s scholarly pursuits involved applied research that supported his teaching. He was published in academic journals and presented numerous papers at regional, national and international conferences. During his time at ENMU, Dale served three years as coordinator of graduate business programs, two years as a department chair and three years as dean of the College of Business. In addition, he served on many standing and ad hoc committees, as well as performing community service in Portales and Roosevelt County. Dale retired in 2006 after twenty-four years at ENMU as professor emeritus of marketing.

Mr. Ray Gormley
Ray Gormley was hired the summer of 1974 as assistant professor in marketing.  He taught vocational teacher certification classes required for teacher certification by the State Department of Education through the College of Business – Business Education Department, as well as at other sites throughout New Mexico. Ray’s ENMU classes were for students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in marketing and business education. Other sites focused on classes primarily for individuals from industry who were hired to teach industrial education programs in high schools and community colleges.  In addition, his on-site technical assistance was provided to business and marketing education programs throughout New Mexico. Ray served as state advisor for New Mexico DECA (student organization for high school students enrolled in distributive education programs (now called marketing education).  He also served as state advisor for the collegiate division of DECA (Delta Epsilon Chi) and as state advisor for New Mexico OEA  - organization for high school business education students (now Business Professionals of America) for several years.  During the last five years at ENMU, Ray focused on providing services to five vocational student organizations in New Mexico.  He was recognized by National DECA for 40 years of service to New Mexico DECA and National DECA with DECA’s highest award (Honorary Life Membership) in April of 2008. He retired in 2005 as assistant professor emeritus of marketing.

Collaboration between Eastern New Mexico University’s Social Work Program and the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD) has resulted in the establishment of a Title IVE Traineeship Stipend Program for students interested in careers in public child welfare.  

ENMU will be awarded just under $144,000 to provide specialized courses in child welfare, supervised, intensive field placements, and stipend awards to eligible social work students. Funding for this program will be provided through section Title IV-E of the Social Security Act and is renewed on an annual basis.
Donald Holden, regional CYFD manager, commented that “stipends will benefit the university, the student, and CYFD by assisting the student financially, ensuring them a job upon graduation, and permitting CYFD to fill vacancies in hard-to-place locations.”

Through this program qualified social work students, following a selection process, will be awarded $9,000 for a two-semester senior level field placement and $4,000 for a one-semester junior level placement. Recipients of the stipend must contractually agree to work nine months for each semester of stipend support in full-time employment in a designated county CYFD Protective Services Office upon graduation from the BSW program.

Program manager Patty Saylor reports that, “Our child welfare curriculum will prepare students for work in permanency planning, foster care, and adoption services for children and families involved in child protective services due to child maltreatment and serious issues in family functioning.” 

The special topics class in child abuse and neglect at ENMU may also be useful for students in other majors who need to know about the symptoms and effects of abuse and neglect on children.

Speakers at the COB Speaker Series on Health Care on Sept. 24 included Dr. Michael Snipes, assistant professor of economics, James D’Agostino, CEO of Roosevelt General Hospital, Seferino Montano, CEO of La Casa Health Center, and Chris Simons, CEO of Simons and Associates. 

Topics discussed included the current state of health care in America, what is being proposed, and how this will affect the average citizen’s daily lives through doctor – patient relationships and quality of care and its impact on insurance. 

ENMU/CCC Secure Major Title V Grant
by Dr. Patrice Caldwell
Executive Director of Planning and Analysis

Clovis Community College and Eastern New Mexico University have received formal notification that their cooperative grant “Academic Preparedness for Educational and Career Success” has been funded for just under $3.5M by the US Department of Education.  

The grant begins Oct. 1, 2009, and ends Sept. 30, 2014.   Only Hispanic –serving institutions are eligible for these highly competitive grants.  Successful cooperative grants must propose innovative, highly collaborative projects, from partnering institutions with strong track records for helping students succeed.

While CCC and ENMU could have submitted individual or stand-alone grant applications, they chose to partner — obviously a successful strategy in this hotly contested competition.  From New Mexico alone, 14 grants were submitted for funding, with well over 100 nationwide.   

The grant’s goals are two-fold.   First, the institutions will work to enhance students’ success in developmental courses that prepare students for college-level academic work  Second, the grant will work to strengthen the nursing “pipeline,” helping to prepare nursing candidates for their programs at CCC and then to increase the number of nurses who continue their education with a BSN at ENMU.

Both institutions also built a scholarship fund into their proposal that will assist CCC and ENMU students in continuing their education.  

Grant reviewers awarded high points for the collaborators’ long-standing institutional partnerships and their grasp of the issues to be addressed.  Evaluators commented on the high probability of the grant’s  success given the two institutions’ knowledge of each other, their preparation, and their commitment to students.

As the lead institution, ENMU will receive a slightly larger portion of the funds to cover project  evaluation and grant administration costs, as well as grant activities.   CCC receives approximately  $292,000 each of five years for its grant activities and will lead the nursing pipeline activity.

This is the second Title V cooperative grant that ENMU and CCC have secured. Another cooperative grant awarded in 2001  successfully addressed new technologies of distance education, diversity awareness on both campuses, and created support systems for students seeking careers in teaching.   

The institutions began discussing another collaboration over a year ago.  Lead grant writer Dr. David Caffey at CCC accomplished most of the grant writing in less than one month, with input from ENMU collaborator Dr. Patrice Caldwell. 

Video Alert
Watch a short clip from Rock Awareness [here].

Scenes From Recent Multicultural Affairs Events
Photos by Daniela Garcia, Danni Luo, Jazmin Loya and Jiang Zhongming

1984 – Eastern celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Dr. Gamble met with Governor Bill Richardson prior to the groundbreaking of ENMU-Roswell's New Mexico Rehabilitation Center to share the good news of ENMU’s record enrollment. He also met with State Representative Dennis Kintigh. Photos by Donna Oracion

Name: Brianna (left)
Age:  8
Gender: Female
Introducing Brianna!  Brianna is a creative, artistically inclined child who is curious about the world and loves to learn new things.  She loves music and has played the guitar in the past.  Brianna likes to play with art supplies, her dolls, or dress up.  No matter if she is playing with her sister or others Brianna likes to be silly and laugh.  Brianna likes school and does well with a set routine and a highly structured classroom.  Brianna has been described as an exceptional artist with a very keen, observant eye.  She can draw very well.  Brianna’s favorite snack is “Flaming Hot Cheetos”.  Overall she is an outgoing child but does get shy around people she does not know.  Brianna needs to be adopted with her older sister.  The ideal family should be patient, supportive of the girls individual interests, and provide structure.  Both girls are in need of a forever family that can offer them the stability they deserve.

Name: Imunique (right)
Age: 11
Gender: Female
Imunique is a beautiful young girl who is outgoing and friendly!  Like her younger sister she loves to sing and dance.  Imunique wants to grow up and go to college to be a teacher, singer, or dancer.  Her favorite subject in school is science.    She likes school but does not like homework.  She has the motivation to be successful but still needs help to develop the tools to succeed.  Imunique is described as a very thoughtful and fun child.  She is loyal to her friends.  She likes to play board games and work on arts and crafts.  She makes friends easily and gets along well with older and younger children.  She enjoys learning about different cultures and people.  She enjoys all of her toys and takes good care of them.  She likes to ride bikes or take walks.  Like her sister she is also a fan of “Flaming Hot Cheetos.”  She likes to help cook.  Imunique loves to participate in family centered activities like board games or hiking.  Imunique is in search of an adoptive family for she and her sister.  They need to be placed in a family that can be firm but loving, structured but patient, and offer them the forever home they deserve!  Fully approved and licensed families are encouraged to contact: Elisa Zachary Adoptions Consultant/Placement Specialist 505.841.6187 or emailelisa.zachary@state.nm.us