Meet our 2019-2020 Navajo Prep Scholars:Leaders Now and into the Future

 

See what a difference an Eve’s Fund Scholarship can make! Learn how we are transforming lives and creating future Native American leaders!  Meet this year’s thirteen scholarship winners attending Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, New Mexico. For each of these young people, a 2019-2020 Eve’s Fund Scholarship is helping them pursue their educational goals and aim for a brighter future.

These young students, against many obstacles, intend to graduate from high school and advance to higher education. Many will be the first in their families to do so. They are all embracing Navajo Prep’s motto of “Yideeskaago Naat’aanii – Leaders Now and Into the Future.” The students were chosen for the Eve’s Fund Scholarship based on demonstrated financial need, scholastic potential, and leadership skills. 

Read more about this year’s Eve’s Fund/Navajo Prep Scholarship Program here.

For the past nine years, in memory of Eve Erin Crowell, for whom Eve’s Fund was created, we have been able to provide financial support to students in need attending Navajo Prep School.  Many come from small, rural Navajo Nation communities, where good academic resources are not usually available. The majority of students stay in dormitories on campus during the week and are transported back home on weekends to be with their families. This year, thanks to the increasing generosity of our Eve’s Fund donors, we were able to provide our largest award yet of $12,000 to ten new students and three continuing students.

Meet these exceptional, motivated and grateful Navajo Prep scholarship awardees:

 

Joshua Begay, ­Sophomore

Hello, my name is Joshua Begay. My clans are Mud Clan and Born for Red Running into Water. My maternal grandfather’s clan is Red House and my paternal grandfather’s clan is Sleeping Rock people. I am from a very rural community on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico called White Rock. My community is so small that many people may not even know about it. Even though my community is very poor, we get by. Our roads are nothing but dirt and are sometimes very hard to travel on. There are many things that need to be fixed or equipment that is needed. I hope my education will teach me things that will benefit my community and me. I hope to go on and graduate and use the knowledge that I have acquired to help my community by rebuilding structures that need repair and by fixing the roads and meeting other needs of our residents. I would like to thank Eve’s Fund for giving me this opportunity to go to school at one of the best academic high schools in New Mexico. This acceptance means a lot to my family and me and it makes me feel proud that I could go to a high school that will help me achieve my career goals.

 

Uriel Benally, Freshman

Greetings! My name is Uriel Benally and, in my culture, we introduce ourselves by our clans. Translated into English, the names are Mexican clan, Zuni clan, Ojibwe/Chippewa clan and Mountain Cove clan. I am originally from Indianapolis, but I’ve been raised in Upper Fruitland on the Navajo Nation. In my small community, most of our events are held in a chapter house, which helps bring the community closer and helps us to solve problems when they come up. In the future, I want to use my education to become an environmental scientist and find other ways we can use energy as well as for our own uses. Especially in my community, this could help because we tend to get a lot of sun, which is perfect for solar energy. I want to thank Eve’s Fund for the opportunity to apply for this award.

 

Sky Harper, Senior

My name is Sky Harper and I am from the Near the Mountain Towering House Clan, born for the Red Running into Water Clan. My maternal grandfather is part of the Big Water Clan, and my paternal grandfather is the Towering House Clan. In fall of 2020, I will pursue higher education at Drexel University. I am drawn towards the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) field. Currently, I intend to become an anesthesiologist in order to help others. I plan to major in Health Sciences and minor in Mathematics. My hobbies are reading, writing short stories, cooking, and looking for arrowheads on my grandparents’ land. The Eve’s Fund Scholarship for the past two years has allowed me to continue learning at Navajo Preparatory School finish the International Baccalaureate program. Thank you, Eve’s Fund!

 

Keona Hosteen, Senior

Ya’at’heh, my name is Keona Hosteen. Call me “Ona.” I am a Navajo from Crownpoint, New Mexico but I reside in Standing Rock (Tse’ii’ahi), New Mexico. My traditional four clans that identify who I am: Red Bottom (Tł’ááshchí’í ), Red Running into the Water (Táchii’nii), Zuni (Tábąąhá), and Water Edge (Naasht’ézhi dine’é). As someone who has been at Navajo Prep for 4 years, I am very grateful for the education I have received. The curriculum at Navajo Prep is different from other schools on the Navajo Nation because of the International Baccalaureate Program, which is offered and is the only IB Program on the Navajo Nation. With that, Navajo Prep is a college preparatory school and I believe that it is preparing me well for college. Even though I am 2 hours away from home, I have adapted well which is great for someone who will be heading off to college very soon. I want to thank, Eve’s Fund, for allowing me to continue my education at such a prestigious high school. Ahéhee’.

 

Isaiah Morris, Junior

My name is Isaiah Morris. I am 16 years old. My clans are Bitter Water and Big Water Clan. My parents are DeAndra Wagner and Olyne Morris. I am from Window Rock, Arizona, which is the capitol of the Navajo Nation. Growing up Window Rock has been a great experience because it is where I was introduced to playing basketball. I was always fascinated watching the basketball high school games in Window Rock. Being a student at Navajo Prep has motivated me and helped me plan for college. In the future, I would like to go into Electrical Engineering. Thank you, Eve’s Fund, for my scholarship to attend to Navajo Prep.

 

 

Lance Gilbert Morris, Senior

Hello, my name is Lance Gilbert Morris. I am Bitter Water (Tódich’ii’nii) born for the Big Water clan (Tótsohnii). My maternal grandpa’s clan is the One who Walks Around clan (Honágháahnii) and my paternal grandpa’s clan is the Weaver Zia clan (T ł’ógi). I am from Sheepsprings, New Mexico; a small community located at the bottom of the Chuska mountains between Newcomb and Naschitti, New Mexico. Sheepsprings is a great place where you can get away from the world and get your mind right. It is not busy and all that’s there are the land, a store and the people who reside there. My education will allow me to make better decisions for my life, it will help me become more wise and independent and it will strengthen me for the tough times that I will experience in my life. The most important thing education will provide for me will be a good work ethic and I believe that with hard work you can achieve anything. Thank you so much, Eve’s Fund, for giving me this scholarship. It is helping my family and me a lot. I am so thankful for this award and I will continue to work hard throughout the rest of the school year to prove that I deserve it.

 

Jaden Shirley, Junior

I am Jaden Shirley. My clans are the Red Bottom clan and I am born for the Red Running into Water clan. I am originally from a small community called Sanostee, New Mexico. Sanostee is a rural place with a small population and not many opportunities. With my education, I hope to become a biochemical engineer to build biodegradable plastic because at this moment of time we are struggling with the environmental impacts from humans. Subsequently, I want to encourage Navajo youth to go to school and to not be afraid because there are solutions to your financial burdens. This scholarship is one such solution that helped me continue going to school at Navajo Prep. I want to encourage young people to never give up on their dreams because no matter how big or small, your dreams do matter! The Eve’s Fund Scholarship helped with my family’s financial strain, and I am grateful because this scholarship helps me achieve my dreams. The only obstacle that is holding me back is my mind but once you overcome your mind, you can achieve anything and no matter what situation you’re in, you’ll find a way. I challenge you to overcome the greatest challenge anyone can face, your mind, and to set big dreams for yourself, don’t be mediocre.

 

Kenny Sloan, Junior

Hello my name is Kenny Sloan. My mother’s clan is Grey-Streaked People, my father’s clan is Tobacco People, my maternal grandfather’s clan is Manygoats, and my paternal grandfather’s clan is Black-Streaked People. I am from Tonalea, Arizona. Tonalea is a very small town with about 200 people. The houses are spread out and we only have 2 stores. I hope that my education will allow me to teach in my community. I want to teach at the school in nearby Tuba City. My dream is to open a music academy on the reservation. Many people on the Navajo Nation don’t even know what music theory is. I want to bring this to a lot of reservation children who are musically inclined. Music education will also help keep kids off the streets and away from gangs. I want to truly thank Eve’s Fund for providing me with one of your scholarships. Yeego Axhe’ee’e. I hope to surpass your expectations and learn more in the future.

 

Alana Smith, Sophomore
Hello my name is Alana Smith and my clans are Ashįįhí (The Salt People Clan), nishłí, Kinłichiinii (Red House Clan), bashishchiin, Hashtłishnii (Mud Clan) and dashicheii, Honágháani (The One Who Walks Around Clan) dashinalí. I am originally from Shiprock, NM, but I have grown up in Farmington, NM. I love to play video games, travel, and run. I plan to graduate with an IB Diploma and attend Stanford University, MIT, or Colorado State University. I hope to become a cardiologist or a software designer—my two dream jobs. Attending Navajo Preparatory School is helping me prepare for college and my future. I would like to thank Eve’s Fund for making this happen. This has truly been a relief financially for my parents and myself. Without this support, I would not have been able to attend a good school that challenges us students academically and individually.  Thank you.

 

Kalani Williams, Sophomore

Hello my name is Kalani Wiliams. I am Diné. I am born for the Honey Comb Rock people clan, from my mother’s side of the family and the Mud clan, from my dad’s side of the family. My third clan is the “The Red Bottom People” clan which is from my maternal grandfather’s clan and my fourth clan is the “Within his Clover Leaf People,” which is from my paternal grandfather’s clan. These clans are a kinship that keeps us Navajos together since the beginning of time in each world we were created. I was born and raised in Shiprock, New Mexico, “Tsé Bitʼaʼí” which means the winged rock or the rock with wings. There is a meaning behind every Diné word, and the words mainly come from the traditional stories we are told. Shiprock is a small community that the Navajos call “hogan,” meaning home. Not much happens in Shiprock other than adults and people trying to work for a steady life for themselves or their kids. Since I was old enough to imagine, I always had this vision that my community will become a place where Native youth will explore the world and have endless options to create and accomplish many things in their life. The happiness of others is my motivation to work harder in life. I want to thank Eve’s Fund for selecting me as a scholarship student as it is helping me prepare myself for my future and the future of my community. I am very thankful for this opportunity. Ahéhee’(Thank you)

 

Kimberlynnibah Yazzie, Sophomore

Ya’at’eeh, my name is Kimberlynnibah Yazzie. I am Within His Cover Clan, born for Salt People Clan. My maternal grandfathers are Towering House Clan, and my paternal grandfathers are Deer Water Clan. I was born in Tuba City, AZ and raised in Standing Rock, NM. I have been raised on Bar WJ Ranch and, due to my upbringing, I have spent a lot of time around livestock, learning about range, livestock management and conservation practices. I live in a community where people care about their animals and know how to manage the land their animals depend upon. I am very fortunate to live this lifestyle, which has influenced my dream and goal to obtain my Doctoral Degree in Veterinary Medicine. I am thankful for the opportunity to get my high school education at Navajo Preparatory School. The challenges I face academically and intellectually will help me when I continue my college education from my undergraduate to my doctoral degree. I hope to influence my community members to finish their schooling and think about their future. I want to say thank you to Eve’s Fund Scholarship Program for providing the financial assistance to continue my education at Navajo Preparatory School.

 

Isaac Yazzie, Junior

I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 3rd, 2003. From then on, I lived in Farmington, New Mexico. I grew up with a complete family, mother, father, and an older brother, who I looked up to my entire life. He was, and still is, a good role model to me. My mother was a hardworking woman and still is. Even today, she balances our family and her work. Same with my father who, like any other father, works hard to support his family. I would say these people were the ones who molded me into the person I am today. Though I am not perfect, my family definitely made me a good student, which is reflected by my years as a student. I am doing all that I can to become a better person each day. Currently this scholarship is just another step in my journey to become the person I want to be. Thank you to the Eve’s Fund for believing in me!

 

Natalyn Yazzie, Freshman

Hello, my name is Natalyn Yazzie. My clans are Near the Water Clam, born for the Red Bottom People, Coyote Passing, and Towering House people. I come from a community called Fort Defiance, located in Arizona. The community is pretty small, but still has many people who live in the area. It was also a place where the Navajo people lived before the forced removal during the Long Walk. As I’m getting older and receiving this education, I hope that it helps me fulfill my goals and dreams by making me a better educated person who can go out in the world and get things done. I also want to make an impact in my community by reducing poverty and improving the quality of people’s lives. Without the Eve’s Fund scholarship for me to attend Navajo Prep, I wouldn’t be able to start my future. Thank You Eve’s Fund!

 

 

Congratulations to these exceptional Navajo Prep high school students who are truly leaders now and into the future!