With a 3-1 win over St. Mike’s on Saturday, October 20th at Brother Abdon Field, the Prep boys’ varsity soccer team secured the district championship for the second time in three years. Senior Alex Kensil scored the first and third goals against St. Mike’s; junior Paawee Lee Rivera struck a volley from the 18-yard line that found the back of the net for Prep’s second goal. The boys’ win secured entry to the State tournament, which begins with pool play (two games) to be played between Thursday, November 1st and Saturday, November 3rd. The winners in each of the four “pools” advance to the semifinal round the following Thursday and Friday. The Prep girls team is also in the State tournament owing to their second-place district finish. Dates and times for games, all of which will be played at the Santa Ana Soccer Complex in Bernalillo, can be found on Prep’s website in the Athletic Calendar section by Monday, October 29th.

Prep senior Ben Goldsmith earned the highest score of any competitor and came within one question of winning the $2,000 top prize at last week’s invitation-only competition, “Who Wants to be a Mathematician.” Sponsored by the American Mathematical Society, the competition is modeled after the popular TV show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Eight outstanding math enthusiasts from high schools around the state, including Albuquerque Academy, Los Alamos High, La Cueva and Prep, played two rounds of the game with four students competing in each round.  Ben dominated his round and went on to face a sophomore from Los Alamos in the final round.  Both Ben and his challenger played well, but neither answered the final question correctly so didn’t take home the prize money.  Some 25 Prep students and faculty were in the audience, cheering Ben on, and math teacher James Taylor served as Ben’s “lifeline.”

Eleven Prep students were recognized this year in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.  Melissa DeMers, Ben Goldsmith, Malika Hale, Susannah Klopf, Ben Lichtner and Natalie McDermon were named semi-finalists in the competition and will go on to compete as finalists and possibly scholarship winners.  Hila Landau, Luke Reid-Grassia and Jenna Ross were commended by the program.  Additionally, Courtney Lovato was named a National Hispanic Scholar and Gino Ferrand was commended in the National Hispanic recognition program.

The National Merit Scholarship Competition is based on PSAT scores.  New Mexico had 107 semi-finalists this year, out of 4861 students from 120 high schools who took the test statewide. 

The 7th grade went on its annual trip to Bandelier National Monument on Friday, October 5th.  The all-day field trip is an introduction to the New Mexico History unit on early peoples and cultures in New Mexico.  Students were greeted with a presentation by a park ranger on history and wildlife in Bandelier, and then enjoyed a hike through Frijoles Canyon.  They were able to view the cliff dwellings, kivas, petroglyphs, and excavated villages.  Students also climbed up 150 feet of ladders on the canyon wall to see the ceremonial kiva.