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Community Partnerships

NACA has created many strong partnerships to support student success. NACA’s partnerships range from organizational to institutional; governmental to tribal; and corporate to community.  The Partnership Programs listed below in alphabetical order are significant programs established within the school that support NACA’s mission – and serve a large number of students.

Albuquerque Public Schools

NACA is a public charter school established under the umbrella of Albuquerque Public Schools (APS). APS is one of the prime NACA partners, and provides facilities and operating support to NACA.

Americans for Indian Opportunity

Weaving an international Indigenous network, Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) catalyzes and facilitates culturally appropriate initiatives and opportunities that enrich the cultural, political and economic lives of Indigenous peoples. Founded by LaDonna Harris (Comanche) and a cohort of her fellow Native American activists in 1970, AIO draws upon traditional Indigenous philosophies to foster value-based leadership, inspire stakeholder-driven solutions, and convene visionary leaders to probe contemporary issues and address challenges of the new century.

AIO collaborates with NACA in a number of areas in the school, including helping define our core values during the first two years of operation. AIO  works in collaboration with the Dean of Academics and College Prep in building the capacity of student leadership in the school, including our 8th grade leadership trip to Washington DC and senior trip to an international indigenous community. AIO continues to facilitate work with staff, students and parents that relate to and enhance NACA’s indigenous philosophy and curriculum. They provide presentations in core value work, Indian law and policy, and much more.

AmeriCorps VISTA & AmeriCorps

Each year, AmeriCorps offers 75,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. There are AmeriCorps members serving at NACA in several capacities and roles.

Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)

NACA partners with CNM in many different ways:

  • Dual Credit College Program. NACA high school students are enrolled in the dual credit program through a partnership with CNM, a nationally recognized and progressive community college in Albuquerque. This program provides an opportunity for students to take college-level courses to earn high school elective credit simultaneously with college credit when each course is completed satisfactorily.
  • The Center for Community Programs and Partnerships (C2P2) provides students with academic and non-academic support programs designed to improve the student’s life and academic coursework while enrolled at Central New Mexico Community College.  The staff is dedicated to providing students with a safe and exciting learning environment. C2P2 students can build upon their interpersonal skills and leadership development while completing their academic coursework.
  • Center for Working Families. A component of the Elev8 initiative is a partnership with CNM-Center for Working Families.   Achievement Coach with CNM, Karen Gomez (Laguna Pueblo) provides public benefits screening, financial services, workforce support, legal aid resources, tax preparation and higher educational opportunities to NACA families free of charge.   Ms. Gomez is housed within the Student Support Services office and works as an integral part of our program including attending program meetings and collaborating with families.

 

United Way

United Way of New Mexico partners with local and national organizations to implement a comprehensive, evidence-based program that includes and integrates three “best practices” to provide direct support and services and appealing learning activities to middle school students and their families before/after school, on some weekends and in the summer.

United Way New Mexico Components:

Extended Learning (Out of School Time Learning, or OST): OST offers a diverse choice of relevant, structured learning activities that are fun, challenging, and which reinforce the school curriculum. These activities, carried out with involved families and caring adults, embrace family and culture to promote children’s intellectual, physical and emotional growth for success in school and life. Students are also connected with caring, trained and competent adult mentors.

Institute for American Indian Arts

The Institute for American Indian Arts, a federally chartered institution that provides higher education in Native American arts and cultures, offers art instruction for NACA students as a part of the art curriculum two days each week.  Through the NACA College Preparatory Program, the Institute for American Indian Arts also offers two college-level courses, taught by an adjunct faculty member, right on our own NACA campus.  High school students can enroll in the Dual College Degree Program enabling them the opportunity to graduate high school with a degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts.

UNM Center for Rural and Community Behavioral Health

The Center for Rural and Community Behavioral Health works to provide community oriented services to underserved populations, engage in rural training and workforce development and strengthen the behavioral health services. Since 2007, Charlene Poola, LISW has been detailed to NACA Student Support Services from this department to provide direct clinical services (primarily assessment and groups), as well as to share her invaluable knowledge of Native American behavioral health in New Mexico for program development.

UNM Community Engagement Center

In its role, CEC primarily focuses on youth matters, leadership for community capacity building, local community projects and inter-governmental or institutional collaboration. CEC helps community members, leaders, and institutional representatives conduct needs and asset assessments, plan programs, develop youth/adult partnerships, and provide technical assistance and learning support designed to articulate community learning agendas. CEC works to provide a unique AmeriCorps program to NACA through the program detailed below.

Tribal Partnerships

NACA works with all 23 New Mexico tribes and pueblos.  View Map

Community Connections

NACA has created significant connections and collaborations in the community to provide success for students. Some collaborations help NACA to connect students to the community – while others provide resources for NACA academics, projects, activities, and initiatives.

Many of these collaborations provide exciting experiential education opportunities for students that help improve positive sense of self, positive associations with peers, healthy beliefs, and establish clear standards for behavior””ultimately keeping kids healthy, decreasing dropout and drug use rates, and minimizing depression among our students.

Below are some of NACA’s community connections and organizations that we collaborate with: