Each month, the Sun recognizes a local teacher for his or her determination to help students go above and beyond. Anyone can nominate a teacher by emailing the Sun at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and providing the teacher’s name, where they teach, and why they should be selected as that month’s winner.

This month’s award went to Seth Weidenaar, or “Mr. Dub” as his students call him. Seth teaches high school English at Rehoboth Christian High School but has been teaching at Rehoboth at different grade levels for over 20 years.

 

PATH TO TEACHING

Part of this longevity is all thanks to a Chicago traffic jam.

Seth grew up in Chicago and did his student teaching there as...

GMCS counselors HELP students face substance abuse problems

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study on Feb. 8 that stated teenagers with suspected substance use problems say they turn to drugs because of a need to relax and escape worries.

Nearly three-quarters of students surveyed —73%— said they used drugs or alcohol “to feel mellow, calm, or relaxed.” Forty-four percent used drugs, such as marijuana, as sleep aids.

The same percentage cited drug use as a way to “stop worrying about a problem or forget bad memories.” And 40% said they used substances to cope with depression or anxiety.

 



CLOSE TO HOME

In an interview with the Sun...

New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9% in February, down from 4% in January and up from 3.6% in the previous year. The national unemployment rate in February was 3.9%, up from 3.7% in January and up from  3.6% in February 2023.

Total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 13,700 jobs, or 1.6%, between February 2023 and February 2024. The majority of gains came from the private sector, which was up 6,300 jobs, or 0.9%. The public sector was up 7,400 jobs, or 4%.  Within the private sector gains, the private service-providing industries were up 3,500 jobs, or 0.6%, while the goods-producing industries were up 2,800 jobs, representing an increase of...

WASHINGTON D.C. — In a step toward cultural collaboration, the Honorable Crystalyne Curley, Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, and His Excellency Baktybek Amanbaev, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the U.S. and Canada, met at the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic to discuss avenues for strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Navajo Nation on March 20. Also joining the discussion was the Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Washington Office, Justin Ahasteen.

The meeting was held at the invitation of Amanbaev, who is interested in pursuing a cultural exchange to explore similarities between the Navajo people and the Kyrgyz...