LAS CRUCES — As New Mexico grapples with an estimated 32,000 young people ages 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor participating in the workforce, one Las Cruces charter school is pursuing a different approach to help students reconnect with education and prepare for careers.

During a recent episode of The Chile Wire podcast, Sendero Prep Executive Director Caz Martinez outlined how the school is working to reengage students who have struggled in traditional educational settings by emphasizing career-focused learning, internships and individualized support.

Formerly known as Las Montañas Charter High School, the school recently rebranded as Sendero School of Academics and Career Preparation, or Sendero Prep. Martinez said the change reflects a broader shift toward helping students connect classroom learning with future employment opportunities.

“We’re really focusing on the individual student and what their needs are,” Martinez said. “Leading them into career skills and giving them opportunities that they can have a chance at success.”

Many students who enroll at Sendero Prep arrive overage and undercredited, meaning they are older than their grade level peers and behind in the credits needed to graduate. Martinez said traditional school structures often failed to meet the needs of those students, prompting the school to redesign its educational model.

Today, Sendero Prep offers five career programs of study, with a sixth planned for next school year. Programs integrate core academic subjects such as math, science, English and social studies with hands-on career and technical education experiences. Students choose a career pathway and complete projects tied to real-world industries while building workplace skills and certifications.

Martinez said the approach helps students see the relevance of their coursework and allows them to explore career interests before entering the workforce or pursuing higher education.

The school’s efforts have expanded beyond classroom instruction. This year, 33 of the school’s 34 graduating seniors participated in paid internships aligned with their chosen career pathways.

Martinez said the internships have encouraged more students to pursue postsecondary education because they gain firsthand experience in fields that interest them. He highlighted one student who had fallen behind academically but, after interning at a dental office, enrolled in a dental education program after graduation.

While the school’s primary focus is career readiness, Martinez said exposure to professional environments often motivates students to continue their education.

The model also reflects a broader shift in education discussions, as policymakers and educators increasingly recognize that a four-year college degree is not the only pathway to economic success.

Martinez said Sendero Prep aims to equip students with marketable skills that can lead directly to employment in high-demand industries while also keeping college and technical training options open.

The school faces challenges common among charter schools, including facility limitations and uncertainty surrounding long-term funding. Martinez noted that paid internship programs and career-focused initiatives often rely on grants and other temporary funding sources.

Despite those obstacles, he credited recent legislative changes, including expanded flexibility in graduation requirements and adjustments to at-risk student funding formulas, with helping schools better serve students facing academic and economic challenges.

For Martinez, however, success is measured by more than graduation rates.

“We’re more focused on making sure students have the skills, certifications and opportunity to succeed in life,” he said. “Not just increasing graduation rates.”

School leaders continue working to track graduates after they leave Sendero Prep, hoping to better understand how career-focused education affects long-term outcomes.

Martinez said the ultimate goal is helping students move into stable, high-skill careers and creating opportunities that can improve their economic futures.

“We want to make sure that kid has a better opportunity when they graduate with us,” he said. “That’s our motivation.”