Students from Aspen Elementary receiving the 2024 Devi Raju Citizenship Award, with Principal Liz Janusz and Assistant Principal Shannon Trujillo, include front row from left, Ethan Brunner, Julia Granja Reyes and Paxton Condrey; second row Ava Plants, Moon Dang and Eva Sandoval; third row Elke Klagmann, Luke Miller and Tabitha Chiou; fourth four Benjamin Padilla, Xander Henne and Broderick Euler, fifth row Kimberly Rascon, Logan Beaulieu and Aden Serna; sixth row six Gabriel Saentz Gandara, Julian Quintana and Natalia Tuzel and seventh row Julia Schollenberger, Zoe Romero and Dillon Regele. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Los Alamos Middle School students awarded the 2024 Devi Raju Citizenship Award front row from left, Mateo Gonzales, Morgan Treat and John Adams. Back row from left, Elliot Work, Emily Dolence and Cameron Davis. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Los Alamos Online Learning Academy students who received the 2024 Devi Raju Citizenship Award are First grade: Lynae Gasca. Second grade: Camden Sanders. Third grade: Robert Skinner. Fourth grade: Renee Ramsey. Fifth grade: Adrienne Garcia. Sixth grade: Ben Blea. Photo Courtesy LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
For the second year in a row, Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) has presented the Devi Raju Citizenship Award to students at each elementary school and the middle school.
Recipients received a certificate and a chamber check.
At the elementary schools, students were selected by their classroom teachers based upon
demonstrated exceptional kindness and generosity of spirit towards their fellow students. The
same criteria applied to student selections at the middle school, with the addition of service to
the community.
Dr. M.R. Raju, a retired LANL scientist and former Los Alamos resident, established the
citizenship awards for fostering and rewarding the kindness and humanity of LAPS children in honor of his late wife, Devi Raju, the long-time executive director of Self Help.
Not pictured students include Barranca Mesa Elementary students in Kindergarten Blane Cotten, Owen McCarrell and Emberly Ontiveros; First grade Emery Apperson, Audrey Artnak and Ava Zadina; Second grade Ellie Hemphill, Frankie-Jean Montoya and Alexander Yampolsky; Third grade AnnMarie Allen, Emilia Blackburn and Braelyn Porto; Fourth grade Sydney Chen and Aaron Quezada; Fifth grade Jennifer Kroupa and Sixth grade Chloe Blackburn, Ava Martinez and Lillian Schmidt.
Award recipients from Piñon Elementary, posing with Principal Ivanna Austell, are front row from left, Bridget Benedict and Adley Fountain. Center row from left, Nomi Chang, Dakota Rowan, Heather Gauss, Miller Gausee, Aaden Griego and Calvin Clark. Back row from left, Presley Hopwood, Bayley Ferguson, Elizabeth Adams, Kimberly Gates, Aden Purdy, Ruby Starrett and Kyson Peterson. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Mountain Elementary students receiving the award this year include back row from left, Atticus Kozimor, Javier Chacon, Lane Metcalf, Maliyah Vigil, Emme Payne and Donna Fleming. Front row from left, Jiyoo Park, Shilo Ulrich, Lane Cleveland, Maxwell Merrigan, Shafer Hansell and Zachary Williams. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Also receiving the citizenship award at Mountain Elementary are from left, Ainslee Robertson, Eva Buras, Therese Mathew, Ava Garsik, Gyu Kim, Morrigan Curry and Jakub Cincio. Not pictured: Walter Evans and Julian Wright. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Chamisa Elementary students in Kindergarten: Bella Doughty and Marcos Sandoval. First grade: Juniper Gauss and Lora Stupka. Second grade: Jayde Salazar and Morgan Smith. Third grade: Hailey Kennard and Aly Martinez. Fourth grade: Daniel Miera and Amara Viramontes. Fifth grade: Miranda Coffey and Addy Coggeshall. Sixth grade: Mila Garcia and Alex Gurule. Photo Courtesy LAPS