Leadership Sandoval celebrated the completion of a project at The ASK Academy with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rio Rancho charter school.

The project consisted of installing new turf and concrete in front of the academy and building bleachers near the basketball court. Leadership Sandoval is nonprofit group within the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber that aims to enhance the quality of life in Sandoval County by improving participants’ knowledge of the community and increasing their leadership effectiveness. Associates develop and refine their leadership skills through a 10-month educational experience.

During the program year, participants explore current challenges facing Sandoval County and learn how to become agents of change. Upon completion, these new members become a part of a network of graduates who keep in touch with each other as they serve on boards and committees across the county.

Leadership Sandoval provides the opportunity for the class participants to work together to provide a sustainable project to help local community organizations’ needs.  The class groups research, plan, develop and work using their connections and leadership skills to implement a specific quality project to be completed within the seven-month deadline. The Leadership Sandoval County alumni have completed more than 500 projects during the 28 years of the program. Each year, projects are completed as part of their graduation requirement.

The project for the Class of 2023 was the work done at ASK.

Members of Leadership Sandoval and the chamber were joined by County Commissioners Dave Heil and Michael Meek to present ASK Academy CFO Patrick Kelley with plaques to celebrate the completion of the project.

“The day after this turf went in, the whole student body was out here at lunch, like, laying on it. They had blankets, they had umbrellas, the P.E. class is out here doing jumping jacks,” Kelley said. “Everything has made an impact immediately, and it’s been great; it was awesome. So, thank you.”

Jerry Schalow, president and CEO of the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber, also presented Kelley with some leftover funds from the project and boasted about the work Leadership Sandoval has done and will continue to do in the future.

“We’re so excited about this project. This is another impact project this group did,” Schalow said. “We’ve done a number of projects throughout years with Leadership Sandoval. We normally do anywhere between two to four projects every year, and it’s the impact that these folks made today. So they’re here today, they’re completing their project. Years from now, you know ASK has plans for an addition, you guys will keep growing, but the turf and everything else will still be here showing the impact that you guys made today.”