A first-year student at The University of New Mexico-Gallup found a way to express his creativity and connect to his culture while also commemorating the start of his higher education journey.




Darrel Watchman, who is pursuing an associate degree in human services with a concentration in family studies, created a red rug with a white UNM logo in the center alongside two butterfly designs for a project in his Navajo Weaving class.




“I wanted to weave UNM into the rug because, in a sense, I wanted to weave UNM into my life,” he said. “It becomes a part of me, and I become a part of it. … This is a reminder for me: ‘This is what you asked for. This is what you and your...

The Leopold Writing Program invites New Mexico students in grades 6-12 to submit original essays for their 2024 Writing Contest. Students are asked to consider the following and then respond to the essay prompt below:


Aldo Leopold is most widely known as the author of A Sand County Almanac (1949), in which he articulates his land ethic: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”

Today, we can look to Leopold’s writing to help guide us in addressing changing realities brought about by climate change, biodiversity loss, growing demand for fresh water, and other global...

Navajo Nation residents claim to have seen the creature

In November of 2020, 58-year-old Emerson Jim of Window Rock, Arizona, set out to hew down some trees in preparation for winter. Mapping out his route, he and other family members set out past Saint Michaels heading to the Summit. With the cold season coming up, Jim wanted to gather as much firewood as he could in hopes of not having to make the tedious trip again. Little did he know that this trip would cease any future firewood gathering in this area for him, as he believes he had an encounter with Bigfoot.

Bigfoot is said to be a large and mysterious creature that inhabits the wild forest areas of North America. Bigfoot is also...

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield: 60 cookies



Ingredients1 cup butter, softened 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup whole almonds 1 (.75 ounce) tube red decorating gel

 

Directions

Place softened butter, sugar, egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl; beat together with an eclectic mixer until smooth. Gradually add flour, baking powder, and salt, continually beating until combined, refrigerate dough for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325...