Eighth-grade teacher Bobbi Sandoval helped serve hamburgers and hot dogs to 312 Tucumcari Middle School students at Damon Kvols Park on Friday. School officials hosted the picnic to reward students for meeting the state's AYP standards.

Teachers, staff and school administrators for Tucumcari Middle School held a picnic lunch for the students on Friday, honoring them for a third consecutive year of meeting New Mexico’s Annual Yearly Progress standards.

“It was no surprise,” said Principal Roberta Segura. “The students work very hard and did such an outstanding job.”

The teachers formed a serving line as 312 students loaded their plates with hamburgers and hot dogs at Damon Kvols Park.

Volunteers Gail and Dereck Owen and Tiffany Davis handled the cooking chores.

“This is our way of rewarding the students for all of their hard work,” Segura said.

The students were treated to the meal and music at the park and then watched a movie at the Tucumcari High School Auditorium.

“This is wonderful,” said Superintendent Aaron McKinney. “We are doing a lot of work with the high school and elementary to get them back to meeting AYP standards.”