** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

Highlands Education Graduate Saiz Receives Teaching Award

Highlands University School of Education graduate Jonathon Saiz received his first teaching award when OfficeMax selected him to receive $1,000 worth of teaching supplies for his new classroom.   Saiz was one of only 14 first-year Albuquerque Public School District teachers to receive the award. He is a special education teacher at Armijo Elementary School.  His principal nominated him for the honor.    “As teachers we spend a lot of our own money on supplies so when I received this huge box full of supplies from OfficeMax I was ecstatic,” said Saiz. “If it wasn’t for Highlands giving me the opportunity to get an education with small classes and great faculty I wouldn’t be prospering now in the classroom.”Saiz earned his bachelor’s degree from Highlands in 2006 and is finalizing his master’s degree in curriculum instruction with an emphasis in ESL.”What makes Jonathon such a successful teacher is he is all about the students,” said Merryl Kravitz, a Highlands’ education professor and the field-based coordinator.  “He is also a stellar student.”