Holmes. Lopez. Dominguez. Poole. Dalton. Johnson.

More than 300 slips of paper with the names of students hoping to get into the seventh grade at Monte del Sol Charter School were tumbled in a spinner Wednesday and plucked out one by one by George McLaughlin, vice chairman of the Monte del Sol Foundation board, in front of parents and students at the school.

With only 45 spots open in the seventh grade for students selected in the lottery, and 311 applicants, many families left the school having to consider plan B, but for those whose numbers were called, it was quite a relief.

Steven Duran III, number 19.

"I just didn't like the quality of the education I've seen here, so I wanted to get him into a better school," said Steven Duran's mother, Deborah Duran, who works as a teacher's aide. "I really just wanted to see him get a better education."

The annual lottery is a way to make sure everybody has the same shot at getting into the school, said Monte del Sol Principal Angela Ritchie.

"It's a very fair and just process," Ritchie said. "My own daughter didn't get in last year, so there's no hanky-panky with the lottery, if you know what I mean."

For most students, the lottery is a big deal and is something they remember throughout middle school and high school, said Lisa Otero, who teaches world history and is the dean of students at Monte del Sol.

"I got number 13 and I was 13 when I came here," said 10th-grader Sarah Petry.

"It's a community," Petry said. "Literally everyone knows everything about everyone, and we all care about each other."

"I've heard good things," said City Councilor Ron Trujillo, who was hoping his son Hunter would get picked in the lottery. "I think the children get more one-on-one with the teachers. In the public school, some classes might have 20, 24 kids. The smaller classroom, the more attention a child is gonna get from the instructor."

Hunter Trujillo's name was not part of the first 45 names selected.

For those chosen, parents couldn't wait to start spreading the news.

Suzanne Jordan immediately sent a text message to her husband when her stepson Gabriel Kessler's name was chosen 39th.

"Nobody knows I'm here. I just decided I couldn't wait until morning," said Jordan, who had been out running errands.

"There's such an anticipation for the kids that they're hoping they're going to set their path and not have to try again for eighth grade," Jordan said. "It's a pivotal age where you wanna get in with your peers and make your friends."

Contact Veronica Cruz at 986-3042 or vcruz@sfnewmexican.com.