New Mexico State University (NMSU) was awarded a five-year grant (2022-27) to serve 500 disadvantaged students attending the Alamogordo Public Schools District target area.  The target schools that this project serves are Mountain View Middle School and Alamogordo High School, which serve a combined student population of approximately 2,076.  

Otero County, where the target schools are located, is situated in the southern part of the state of New Mexico. The county adjoins to the Texas border to the south and encompasses a total area of 6,613 square miles. The target schools are part of the Alamogordo Public Schools District.    

There are more than 5,600 students in the Alamogordo Public Schools district enrolled in one high school, three middle schools, nine elementary schools, and two preschool programs. More than 1,000 of these students are dependents of active duty service members and an additional 10-12% are considered to be "military connected." 

According the US Census Bureau, Alamogordo ranks among the poorest in the United States in average per capita income, with 20.3% of the total population living below the poverty line. In the target area, 83.5% of persons over 25 years of age have a high school diploma or equivalent.

According to the New Mexico Public Education Department, Alamogordo is the fourteenth largest school district in New Mexico. In Alamogordo and Otero County, the need to provide the educational services offered by Talent Search is critical to enhancing the futures of the youth in the target schools and area.