The Sandoval County Treasurer’s Office announced the two high school students selected to participate in this year’s Junior County Treasurers program.
Sandoval County Treasurer Jennifer Taylor picked Rio Rancho High School senior Mario Templeton and Giavanna Almanzar, a junior at the ASK Academy, as the 2024 Junior County Treasurers for Sandoval County.
Taylor visited individually with both students on Sept. 16, Templeton at Loma Colorado Library and Almanzar at the ASK Academy, to provide the students with an overview outlining program activities and expectations for the next several months. The program started with this introduction and will continue with one-on-one meetings with the treasurer throughout the fall semester.
“With the success of the 2023 Junior County Treasurer Program, we knew this opportunity should continue for another year,” Taylor said. “Both candidates display a wealth of talent and interest in local government. One program element is that they will jointly conduct a mock Board of Finance meeting later in the year.”
The Junior Treasurer program accepts one junior and one senior from Sandoval County high schools. Taylor visited several county high schools to speak to the students about the program.
This is the second year of the program.
Taylor said participation in the program is an excellent addition to a student’s resume or higher education application.
Natalia Shije, from Zia Pueblo, and Daniela (Dani) Villatoro, from Rio Rancho High School, spent their fall semester last year in the Junior County Treasurers program.
“As one of the Sandoval County junior treasurers, it was a great honor to participate in the program,” Villatoro said. “It was an amazing experience for personal growth that required leadership and commitment. Being provided with the opportunity to develop my management skills alongside adept professionals was new, but they were dedicated to making the project as digestible as possible. Not once was I made to feel inferior nor ashamed about my lack of experience.”