Alan Kenneth, the long-time “Voice of the Rams” at many Rio Rancho High School and state sports events, parent booster, and a volunteer on district and community committees, was named Rio Rancho Public Schools Volunteer of the Year last week during the annual awards ceremony honoring volunteers, teachers, and staff. 

Kenneth, whose booming voice has brought on-field and on-court acclaim to RRHS soccer, volleyball and basketball players through the years — even after his own kids had graduated — has been battling health problems for the past year and only recently has been attending Rams athletic events again.

The district also announced the grade-level Volunteer of the Year winners. Sarah Raybourn, from Shining Stars Preschool, is the Elementary Volunteer of the Year; Alicia Ahluwalia, from Eagle Ridge Middle School, is the middle school honoree; and Stacey Templeton, from the Mid-High, is the High School Volunteer of the Year. 

School board members Don Schlichte, left, and Craig Brandt present the Volunteer of the Year award to Alan Kenneth, right.

Each school and the district office nominate a Volunteer of the Year. A committee then reviews the nominations and chooses an elementary, middle school and high gchool Volunteer of the Year, and an overall winner district-wide. 

Other nominees, who were their sites’ Volunteers of the Year, are Pat Delgado, Cielo Azul Elementary; Denise Romero, Colinas del Norte Elementary; Val Hawn, Enchanted Hills Elementary; Bill Smith, Ernest Stapleton Elementary; Becky Farley, Maggie Cordova Elementary; Elizabeth Jacome, Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary; Debi Fillion, Puesta del Sol Elementary; Cathy Fairhurst, Rio Rancho Elementary; Christine Holland, Sandia Vista Elementary; Sabrina Abeyta, Vista Grande Elementary; Jennifer Whittenbrink, Lincoln Middle School; Kim Gray, Mountain View Middle School; Terri Spencer, Cyber Academy; Angelica Montoya, Independence High School; and Mitchell Robison, RRHS.  

Staff members from each school chosen for special recognition were Margie Anderson (Cielo Azul), Amanda Bell (Stapleton), Karen Boulanger (Maggie Cordova), Roseann Cochran (RRHS), Rachel DeRamus (PdS), Camille Fanelli (district office), Bruce Fuller (Mid-High), John Garcia (IHS), Captain Bruce Gustin and Sergeant Robert Will (ERMS), Tonia Harris (Enchanted Hills), Lisa Hughes (Shining Stars), Gay Jucha (Cyber Academy), Paula Kelly (Sandia Vista), Chris Kokaly-Evans (CdN), Kim Legendre (Rio Rancho Elementary), Elizabeth Lockhart (MVMS), Melodee Moeller (LMS), Marianne O’Sullivan (MLK) and Rebecca Weaver (Vista Grande).

One surprise highlight of the evening event was the presentation of a “15th Anniversary” cake to Superintendent Sue Cleveland, school board members, and the assembled staff and volunteers. RRHS and Mid-High student government volunteers assisting at the dinner sang “Happy Birthday” to the district, in its 15th year of operation. Mayor Tom Swisstack extended his congratulations to the district on behalf of the city.

The ceremony also recognized retirees, employees with 10 years of service, Golden Apple Award winning teacher Christina Lytle of MVMS, New Mexico Teacher of the Year Blythe Turner of Rio Rancho Elementary, and national board-certified teachers Jennifer Daddio and Khristina Krohn of MLK and Selena Lammers of Rio Rancho Elementary.

Rio Rancho area state legislators were special guests at the ceremony and were thanked and recognized for their service and dedication to the community’s children.

Dinner for all of the attendees was donated by Sodexo Food Services.