The Golden Apple Scholars Program: Nurturing Exceptional Educators in New Mexico
Hatch, New Mexico, is world famous for its green chile, but when Carlos Carranza left his hometown for college, he was happy to put horticulture on hold in favor of a different kind of nurturing.
Toiling in the chile and onion fields near his home, Carranza learned the value of hard work from a young age. But what he gained in perseverance, he says, he lacked in direction. It wasn’t until he crossed paths with a few great teachers that Carranza found his calling and set his sights on a future far from the fields.
“I did not always have the motivation to go to college or pursue anything,” Carranza says. “I didn’t know what to do with my life, but my teachers pushed me to be better and inspired me to want to be a teacher myself.”
As countless aspiring teachers like Carranza have learned along the way, teaching is more than a career. It is a calling to help the next generation build a better future. And yet nationwide, teacher retention rates have dropped to alarming levels, and school districts are struggling to fill open positions. In New Mexico, the Golden Apple Scholars Program is hard at work to reverse these trends and ensure that every student has an exceptional teacher.
‘Exceptional, Well Prepared Educators’
Carranza, like many Golden Apple Scholars, learned about Golden Apple from his high school teachers, who knew he was eyeing a career in the classroom and identified him as an excellent candidate for the program. Two years in, Carranza says he’s gained a slew of new skills to support him on his teaching journey.
“They’re helping me to achieve my goals,” he says. “I get to learn from other educators, find out what worked for them and what didn’t, and learn how to be supportive and inclusive of my students. I’m really excited to learn more.”
As part of the program, Carranza and his fellow Scholars receive up to $15,000 in financial stipends, along with hands-on classroom experience, instruction from award-winning teachers, personalized mentorship, and job placement assistance.
Golden Apple was founded in Illinois in 1985. For nearly 40 years, the organization has worked to train — and help retain — outstanding teachers. The program expanded to New Mexico in 2022, with a goal of helping to fill teaching vacancies, which had climbed after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a 2024 report by New Mexico State University, New Mexico’s K-12 classrooms face a shortage of about 737 teachers, down from 751 in 2023.
Filling those vacancies is critical — but the Scholars Program in New Mexico is reaching even higher.
"Our goal is not just to fill classrooms but to transform them by placing exceptional, well-prepared educators where they are needed most," says Julie Lucero, Golden Apple’s chief program officer in New Mexico.
Leaning Into New Mexico’s Heritage
Since its launch in 2022, the Scholars Program has enrolled 120 aspiring teachers like Carranza, who hail from 23 of New Mexico’s 33 counties. The cohort is as diverse as New Mexico itself, with 73% of Scholars identifying as people of color. By 2026, the program aims to place 100 new teachers in classrooms across the state — a boon for students and for New Mexico’s student-teacher ratio, which ranks 49th in the nation.
New Mexico has the largest proportion of Hispanic residents in the country, with nearly half (49%) of its populace identifying as Hispanic. Another 12% identify as Native American. In New Mexico’s classrooms, it’s a different story, with just 36% and 3% of teachers identifying as Hispanic and Indigenous, respectively. Lucero says Golden Apple is in a unique position to help change that.
“Students learn better and feel more supported when they see themselves reflected in their teachers,” Lucero said. “New Mexico is better off for its rich diversity, and we are committed to preparing Scholars of all cultural backgrounds to teach in our classrooms.”
When Golden Apple Scholar Gladys Mendoza entered Kindergarten years ago, she spoke only Spanish — which was a “big struggle,” she says. Now that she’s headed for a career in teaching, Mendoza says she can’t wait to support students like her and encourage them to take pride in their language and culture.
“Having the support of a teacher when I was in school was incredible, and that’s something I want to offer my students," she says.
Strengthening Communities With Local Talent
A cornerstone of the Golden Apple Scholars Program is its emphasis on local impact. The program recruits future teachers from New Mexico communities, preparing them to return home and serve where they are most needed.
This community-driven approach not only builds trust and continuity within schools. Nationwide, only 56% of teachers remain in teaching for more than five years. In Illinois, where Golden Apple’s Scholars Program is in its 35th year, retention is 80%. Lucero says the program is on track to mimic those results in New Mexico.
“When you combine high-quality training and support with a connection to place, you get a recipe for retention,” she says. “Scholars are returning home not only with skills but with a passion for their communities and a reason to stay.”
To learn more about the Golden Apple Scholars Program in New Mexico, and to support our vision of an exceptional teacher for every New Mexico student, visit https://www.goldenapple.org/scholars-new-mexico.