Top Row(Left to Right): Joshua Begay, Uriel Benally, Genesis Clark, Luke Damon; 2nd Row: Wallen Descheeny, Jillian Garcia, Lucius Hale, Orion King; 3rd Row: KayDence Low Dog, Winnie Morgan, Naomi Peshlakai, Alana Smith; Bottom Row: Madison Smith, Kalani Williams, Kimberlynnbah Yazzie, Natalyn Yazzie
In memory of Eve Erin Crowell, Eve’s Fund for Native American Health Initiatives has awarded $16,000 in scholarships to sixteen Navajo students attending Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, New Mexico, for the current academic year. Nine of the students are receiving the scholarship for the first time, and seven students are continuing from previous years.
The awardees are: Senior Joshua Begay (White Rock, NM), Junior Uriel Benally (Fruitland, NM), Sophomore Genesis Clark (Kirtland, NM), Sophomore Luke Damon (Albuquerque, NM), Sophomore Wallen Descheeny (Klagetoh, AZ), Senior Jillian Garcia (Dulce, NM), Junior Lucius Hale (Kirtland, NM), Sophomore Orion King (Rock Point, AZ), Sophomore KayDence Low Dog (Casamero Lake, NM), Sophomore Winnie Morgan (Crownpoint, NM), Senior Naomi Peshlakai (Counselor, NM), Senior Alana Smith (Farmington, NM), Senior Madison Smith (Sosela, AZ), Senior Kalani Williams (Shiprock, NM), Senior Kimberlynnbah Yazzie (Standing Rock, NM) and Junior Natalyn Yazzie (Fort Defiance, AZ).
Meet these students and learn about their academic and life goals
The photos and biographies of each student can be found at: Introducing our 2021-2022 Navajo Prep Scholarship Awardees. In Eve’s memory, please take the time to “meet” these motivated, empowered students.
These students were selected based on demonstrated financial need, scholastic potential, and leadership skills. Each recipient’s award covers in full the school’s required academic and residential fees. Since the scholarship program was established in 2011, Eve’s Fund has awarded $87,250 to fifty-seven individual Navajo Prep students, some of whom received the scholarship in each of their four years at the school. The total of $16,000 awarded for the current school year represents a forty-five percent increase versus last year, to address the increased need among families impacted by the ongoing pandemic.
Shawna Becenti, Head of School at Navajo Prep, commented on the awards: “During these challenging times for so many of our families, we are grateful that Eve’s Fund has not only continued their longtime support of our promising students, but has increased their financial support, enabling us to award a record number of scholarships this year. These scholarships help relieve the financial burden on families, so many of whom have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Upon completion of their studies, these sixteen exceptional young men and women will be well prepared for success in college.” She added, “Ahéhee’ Eve’s Fund for investing in the education of these future leaders in their communities.”
Remembering Eve Erin Crowell
“Being the recipient of an Eve’s Fund Scholarship makes me want to do my best
because I want to make the donors and Eve proud of me.” – Navajo Prep scholar
The founders of Eve’s Fund for Native American Health Initiatives, the late Dr. Robert Crowell and Barbara Crowell Roy, established the scholarship program to honor the memory of their daughter, Eve Erin Crowell, and to address the significant educational needs of high school students on the Navajo Nation. Native American youth are the least likely of any demographic group to graduate from high school. Among those who graduate, few go on directly to four-year colleges, and among those who do reach college, only a small minority manages to graduate in four years. With support from Eve’s Fund, Navajo Prep students are well prepared for success in college and are beating these odds. Approximately 90% of Navajo Prep students graduate successfully and, of these, over 90% go on to matriculate at a four-year college or university or to serve in the military, including some accepted to the highly competitive military academies.
February 24, 2022 marks the seventeenth anniversary of the passing of Eve Erin Crowell and the eleventh anniversary of the scholarship program established in her memory. Eve’s mother, Barbara Crowell Roy, president of Eve’s Fund, shared: “It is a fitting tribute to Eve that we announce the scholarship awardees on the anniversary of her death. We know Eve would be so proud of these talented and hardworking Navajo Prep students as they live their school’s motto, ‘Yideeską́ą́góó Naat’áanii” – Leaders Now and Into the Future.’ We hope these future leaders will be inspired by Eve’s legacy and we wish them much continued success.”
February 24 is always a challenging day for all of us who knew and loved Eve. Although the heartache over her loss will always be there, her spirit lives on through the work we are doing in her memory through Eve’s Fund.
At this special time, we hope you will visit the memorial website we created in Eve’s memory to learn more about her life and her work: https://evecrowell.com and, even if you never met her, it would warm our hearts if you would leave a message in her memorial guestbook at: https://www.ultraguest.com/view/1249551008
About Navajo Preparatory School
Navajo Preparatory School, located in Farmington, New Mexico was founded in 1991 and is the only Navajo-sanctioned, college-preparatory high school for Native Americans. The school recruits some of the best and brightest students of the Navajo Nation and provides them a rigorous academic program based on a strong foundation of Navajo Philosophy, supported by a residential environment that enhances individuality and independence. The school transports all residential students to their homes or to the homes of nearby relatives, so they can be with family on weekends and school holidays.
The International Baccalaureate Programme is an integral part of Navajo Preparatory School. The purpose of the program is to provide to students with an academically challenging high school education, which meets worldwide standards and criteria and is sanctioned by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
Armed with this impressive, balanced education, students graduate with the skills to succeed in college and an understanding of the world around them. Many will become leaders of their people and role models for future generations. For more information about the Navajo Preparatory School, visit the school’s website: https://navajoprep.com/.
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We are grateful to the Navajo Times for publishing an article about these scholarships in memory of Eve Erin Crowell on February 24, 2022— the 17th Anniversary of her death. You can read it here.
