Nicolas “Nico” Corona is a senior at Sendero Prep whose experience shows the impact of re-engagement strategies for students who are at risk of dropping out. After determining that a traditional high school setting was not the right fit, Corona enrolled at Sendero Prep to access a more flexible, relationship-centered learning environment.

Corona remained academically engaged during his first two years. In his third year, however, increased responsibilities, including full-time work and family challenges, made it difficult for him to balance school and employment. Like many students navigating the transition to adulthood, these pressures led him to disengage from school.

“I had a lot of family problems and stuff going on, so I dropped out,” Corona explains.

Soon, he was working 40 hours a week in a tortilla factory—work that was physically demanding and ultimately unsustainable.

“I was in the heaters all day, making the tortillas,” says Corona. “You’re by a heater that’s at 200 degrees all day long, so you’re burning up.”

Thankfully, a Sendero Prep teacher reached out to Corona and his mother to share an alternative: the New Mexico Public Education Department's Graduation Re-engagement Internship Program (GRIP). Designed for students who have dropped out or fallen off track, GRIP blends credit recovery with community-based, real-world, capstone projects while offering ongoing support through innovative assessment, instruction, and partnership-driven learning. GRIP looks different for each student and students are able to demonstrate competency through their capstone projects.  

The program immediately interested Corona. Sendero staff helped him design a personalized plan that allowed him to continue working, recover credits, and graduate this year—without needing to return for an additional year. Corona incorporated an internship into his capstone, but the program is actually extremely flexible and could include things like group projects or larger community projects. Today, Corona is back on track, demonstrating renewed accountability, confidence, and commitment to his goals. The strong relationships that staff at Sendero built with him over time were key to re-engaging him and helping him envision a future that felt both achievable and meaningful.

Through GRIP, Corona is earning a science credit through a paid internship at Las Cruces Dental, where he is gaining hands-on experience in a professional healthcare setting. The internship allows him to connect academic learning to a career pathway while developing critical professional skills such as communication, time management, and workplace responsibility.

“Coming here and starting my internship, I see that I can have a career,” says Corona. “I don't have to go work a minimum wage job for barely any money.”

Through his experience, Corona has learned more about the field of dental hygiene and built valuable professional connections.

“It’s made me feel really professional—really grown up, in a way,” he shares. “I go to a professional setting, and I get to talk to these professionals and see what it’s like behind the scenes at a dentist’s office.”

Corona is now motivated by a desire to better himself and create a stable future. His long-term goal is to pursue further education in dental hygiene and eventually become a dental hygienist. He is currently enrolled in dual credit coursework at Doña Ana Community College, further demonstrating his commitment to postsecondary readiness and career advancement.

“We need more funding for opportunities like this,” says Corona. “I know a lot of other kids who would want to do this, but they can't because there's not enough funding. I just know that these kids will make something of their life with it.”

Corona’s story shows the power of personalized, career-connected learning. His experience exemplifies how targeted reengagement strategies, meaningful relationships, and work-based learning can support students in completing high school and transitioning successfully into postsecondary education and the workforce. Across New Mexico, schools have been using capstone projects to award credit recovery for many years, but now the New Mexico Public Education Department is offering funding to support students with their projects. GRIP offers a scalable model for addressing disengagement, improving graduation rates, and expanding equitable access to career-connected learning. 

For more about the GRIP program, learn more about our policy priorities for the 2026 legislative session.