“My Grandchild, education is the ladder. Tell our children to take it.” -Chief Manuelito (Navajo)

Eve’s Fund is pleased to announce it has awarded $15,000 to fifteen scholarship recipients who attend the Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, New Mexico. 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 with an initial funding of $3,000, Eve’s Fund has awarded $102,500 to sixty-five individual Navajo Prep students, some of whom received the scholarship in each of their four years at the school. To qualify for the scholarship, students must also write a short essay on the subject of, “What I want to do with my education,” or “How a good education will help me achieve my goals.” All of these awardees are committed to their education and believe their future success and ability to give back to their communities requires a quality education and furthering their studies beyond high school.

Navajo Prep thanks Eve’s Fund

Shawna Becenti, Head of School at Navajo Prep, commented on the awards: “We are deeply grateful to Eve’s Fund for their generous donation of $15,000 for scholarships at Navajo Prep. These scholarships will alleviate financial burdens for our students and their families and enable our students to fully engage in their education, community, and leadership opportunities. We are incredibly proud of our students for their accomplishments and leadership in their families, communities, and beyond. Eve’s Fund has been a long-time supporter of our school, and we cannot thank them enough for their continued dedication to our students’ success.”

Eve’s Fund Scholarship Program

Barbara Crowell Roy and the late Dr. Robert M. Crowell — founders of Eve’s Fund for Native American Health Initiatives—established this scholarship 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 college. With support from Eve’s Fund, Navajo Prep students 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 to serve in the military, including some accepted to the highly competitive military academies.

Meet these talented and deserving Navajo Prep Eve’s Fund Scholars

Thanks to the growing generosity of the Friends of Eve’s Fund, with special acknowledgement to the Andrew Delaney Foundation for its unstinting support of this educational initiative, we are delighted to introduce the following impressive young men and women scholars:

Kierra Antonio, ­Freshman

Hello, my name is Keira Antonio. My clans are the Towering House People, born for the Salt People Clan.

My maternal grandfather’s clan was the Cliff Dwellers Clan, and my paternal grandfather’s clan was the Red House People Clan.  I am from the small community of Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, which is between Crownpoint and Cuba, New Mexico. My education helps me increase my knowledge during my school years and will help me become a successful person. When I finish my education, I would like to positively impact my community by returning home and helping my people, the main purpose of my going to school.  I want their voices to be heard and I want them to know they are not alone. We can all work hard and do our best to help each other. I really want to help my elders because they are the main people who really need our help.  Thank you, Eve’s Fund, for my scholarship to attend Navajo Prep.  This scholarship was a big help to my parents because you saved us from having to worry about how to pay the fees here at Navajo Prep. Thanks you for all you do.  I am so grateful for the scholarship that you have given me!

Laci Antonio, Sophomore

My name is Laci Antonio. My clans are the Towering House People, I am born for the Salt Clan, my maternal grandparents are the Cliff Dwellers People, and my paternal grandparents are the Red House People. I am from the small community of Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico. My parents are Woodrow and Latonia Antonio.  My maternal grandparents are Grace Antonio and the late Emerson Curley, and my paternal grandparents are Rita Antonio and the late Woody Antonio. I hope my education can positively impact my community by setting an example for the youth and giving the younger generation inspiration to continue with their education and goals. I believe my education will help me achieve my goals and help me become a better role model and leader to my peers. I want to say thank you to the Eve’s Fund Scholarship committee, which has given me this opportunity to pursue my dreams using my education from Navajo Prep.

Alexis Ball, Freshman

My name is Alexis Ball, my clan is the Tree Clump People, and I am born for the Towering People. I am also Ute Mountain Ute, and Anglo. I am from Shiprock, New Mexico. Growing up in this community taught me that not everyone is fortunate to have necessities, but that our people always help one another.

If we knew someone was lacking basics such as hygiene products, clothes and food, we would try to help them.  I enjoy learning about the different fields within science and I plan to choose one for my career that will suit my life and community. I would like to open the eyes of younger generations to science and hopefully, that can jump-start their interests to bigger things that will also help our community. As a recipient of an Eve’s Fund Scholarship, I will not disappoint you. You have helped my family and me in the greatest way possible.

Starlit Begay, Junior

Hello friends and family, my name is Starlit Begay. I am Towering House Clan, born for Black Streak Wood People. My maternal grandfather’s clan is Hopi clan, and my paternal grandfather’s clan is Towering House clan. My mother’s name is Michelle Johnson and my father’s name is Nelson Begay. First off, I want to thank Eve’s Fund for funding my scholarship to continue attending Navajo Preparatory School. I am from the community of Fort Defiance, Arizona. My community is very quiet and calm most of the time, though school sporting events help bring the community together. Through my education, I want to be able to reach my goal of working in the medical field. There aren’t many Navajo doctors in my community, so, I want to become one, and hope someday there will be many. I want to be able to help my community by donating my help or coming back as a med student to be trained. Then, I want to be able to encourage others to keep going on with their education. I want to go to other areas and be able to give my help in those areas too.

Thomacita Begay, Junior

Hello, my name is Thomacita Begay. My clans are Deer Spring, Tangle People, Red Bottom, and Towering House. I am from Tuba City, Arizona, which is a very small community compared to Farmington, where Navajo Preparatory School is located. Navajo Prep has provided me with so many opportunities to strengthen my education and prepare me for college. I am confident that my education will have a good impact on my life and help me achieve my goal of becoming a lawyer so I will be able to help people in need.  I want to become successful and independent in my life and be able to give back to my community and be able to help my family in any way that I can. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to attend Navajo Preparatory School with the help of an Eve’s Fund scholarship.

Luke Damon, Junior

My name Is Luke Damon, I am currently a Junior at Navajo Preparatory School. My clans are, Red Running into Water, the Mud Clan, The Hairy Ones, and the Coyote Pass clan. I am the middle child out of my five siblings, and I come from a small town named Crownpoint. I currently live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the community I come from, people don’t seem to have goals for themselves or believe in themselves and what they can do.  Also, many of the people don’t seem to have the support that is needed from their families. I plan on moving to New York City and going to college at N.Y.U. to major in business and marketing. Education plays a big role in my future because it will be the gateway to my success. While making my education a priority at this moment in time, when others might not take it as seriously, I would like to show my community that it takes a lot of discipline to achieve your goals, and that we are each responsible for our own actions and our own success. I would like to give a big thank you to Eve’s Fund for this scholarship, for giving me the opportunity to attend Navajo Preparatory School.

Walleen Decheeney,  Junior

My clans are Bitter Water and Born for Red Running into the Water People Clan. Black Sheep Clan and Chiricahua Apache are my grandpa’s (nali’s) clan. I was raised and currently reside in Klagetoh, Arizona. The area where I live is a very sad setting as there is alcohol and drug addiction and homelessness.  Dropping out of school is common, as are teenage pregnancies. Seeing these problems in my community, I do not want to add to the problem, so my goal is to obtain my education and someday help my community heal in any way I can. I realize education is very important because today no one can succeed without an education.  Education allows us to grow and learn intellectually. I look forward to another challenging academic school year as a junior while also participating on the boys’ basketball team. I find it important not to give up and I try to give it my all at Navajo Prep, one of the best high schools in the Four Corners area. Thank you so much for this scholarship, this means a lot!

Christopher Francis, Senior

Yá’át’ééh, my name is Christopher Francis. My maternal clan is the Mexican Clan, my paternal clan is the Folded Arms People Clan, my maternal grandfather’s clan is the Deer Spring Clan, and my paternal grandfather’s clan is the Water’s Edge Clan. I come from a small community named Ignacio, Colorado. I grew up in Ignacio during my elementary and middle school years, but now I live in Bloomfield, New Mexico. Ignacio holds a very special place in my heart because it is a peaceful town that has beautiful scenery. The mountains are always a glistening blueish color that contrast with the dark-green trees. My education is important to me because I want to expand my knowledge which will impact my life. My education will help me succeed because I will make better life decisions and learn important skills. Furthermore, I can help others in my community as well as teach them self-advocacy. I thank the people at Eve’s Fund for granting me this scholarship to attend Navajo Prep. I will live up to the expectations of Eve’s Fund to make a difference on campus and inspire my peers to make positive changes as well.

Orion King, Junior

Ya’at’eeh, my name is Orion King. I am Tangle Clan, born for Red Bottom Clan. My maternal grandfather’s clan is Towering House, and my paternal grandfather’s is Bitter Water Clan. I am from Rock Point, Arizona with paternal roots in Naschitti, New Mexico and my nalis are from Cove, Arizona. This is the third year I have been awarded the Eve’s Fund Scholarship, for which I am truly grateful. My years at Navajo Prep have been challenging, as I come from a small rural community where the standards in education don’t compare to the vigorous academics at Navajo Prep. It is what makes this place unique as I expand my knowledge as well as filling the gaps from my old school.  I come from a close-knit family including my three brothers, my parents, my grandparents, and my aunts, who are all very supportive of me. I have enjoyed my three years at Navajo Prep and all the wonderful experiences plus the awesome educators at the school who have truly helped and guided me. My parents encourage me to make the best of my schooling and I really believe Navajo Prep is the perfect place for me. Eve’s Fund is a blessing to me and my family because all that I have prayed for is slowly coming to fruition. Being a recipient of an Eve’s Fund scholarship makes me want to do the best, to make the donors and Eve very proud of me. I also want to make my family proud, reach my highest potential and goals, and enjoy my last years here at Navajo Prep. Thank you, Eve’s Fund, for your continued support in my educational endeavors and for believing that I am worthy of this prestigious scholarship. This is affirmation that I am doing something right and it will continue to motivate me to reach my goals in life.

Nanabah Largo, Sophomore

My name is Nanabah Largo. I am from Casamero Lake, New Mexico, a very small community located in the Eastern Agency of the Navajo Nation. I am Salt Water clan, born for the Towering House clan. My maternal grandfather is Bitter Water clan, and my paternal grandfather’s clan is Sage Brush Hill clan. I believe the Eve’s Fund Scholarship will help me to someday bring opportunities to my community, to help nurture the talents in other young people. I know this scholarship will help me gain knowledge on how to achieve that goal. I am very grateful to Eve’s Fund for giving me the opportunity to attend a school like Navajo Prep. This support will relieve my family from financial stress. I hope that I can repay the favor by working hard on my education and making an impact in my community and helping it change for the better. I hope that I can continue gaining knowledge and experience to make my dreams a reality. Once again, thank you Eve’s Fund for giving me this opportunity.

Brooke Martin, Freshman

I am Black Streak Forest People and born for Salt Clan. My paternal grandparent is the Towering House Clan, and my maternal grandparent is the Bitter Water Clan.  I live in a rural area about 15 miles from the small community of Crownpoint, New Mexico. There are not many opportunities or resources available there to help you succeed in education. While my community has many positive attributes, from my perspective it does not offer many opportunities for youth to advance their education. It is a hard realization, as well, when past friends and classmates make choices that hinder their education.  Here at Navajo Prep, I have many opportunities to learn and grow every day. This is the education I want for myself, and my family encourages and supports my desire to receive a great education. I want my younger siblings, cousins and even community members, to know it is possible for someone from my hometown to strive and achieve a good education. This scholarship has been a big relief to me. I can focus on my studies instead of worrying about student fee payments. I hope to motivate and show my community that it is possible to get the education you strive for. I’d like to thank Eve’s Fund for their support of me and my fellow classmates and for giving me the opportunity to be a representative of their organization and the important work they do.

Winni Morgan, Junior

I am the Red Running into the Water People, born for the Over Hanging Ledge Rock People. My maternal grandparents are the Mexican People, and my paternal grandparents are the Bitter Water People. I am from the small community of Crownpoint, NM. In the center of Crownpoint is Navajo Technical University which provides numerous opportunities to encourage the growth in my knowledge about my Native heritage. Even though my community is small, it has brought me big opportunities to gain the knowledge I have now as a young adult. I hope my education will impact both my life and my community for the better in the future. I believe that my education will increase the chances that future generations of my family will obtain their high school or college degrees, of helping businesses grow in Crownpoint, or even enabling me to help the people within my community. I am thankful to Eve’s Fund for this scholarship, which is providing me with the financial assistance to be able to attend Navajo Prep and opening more opportunities for me in the future.

Joelle Morris, Freshman

I grew up in Window Rock, Arizona and in Sheep Springs, New Mexico. My mother is a single mom who raised me and my siblings on her own after my dad left. It was a hard and rough thing to go through, especially at a young age.  We are fortunate we had the help of my grandmother and other relatives. I have one older sister and two older brothers who I look up to, and a little brother who looks up to me. So, I help my mom with him and show him the “do’s and don’ts” of life. I so appreciate my mom, grandma, siblings and everyone else for what they do for me.  I want to be a role model for little kids. I can show them that while life can be hard, they can work hard, as I have, and they can achieve their dreams and still help others. The Eve’s Fund scholarship will help keep my life stable and reduce the financial burdens on my mom. This high school scholarship will help me pay for things like books for classes, sports that I love playing, dorms to keep me safe, and cafeteria food to keep me healthy and well fed. Careers that interest me include becoming a pediatric nurse, joining the Marines or the Airforce, and playing WNBA basketball for the Phoenix Mercury. In conclusion, this Eve’s Fund Scholarship will help make a big difference for my family, community and life. Thank you!

Cadince Woody, Sophomore

Hello! My name is Cadince Woody. I am a Navajo from the Red House Clan, born for the Water Flows Together clan. My maternal grandfather is from Two Who Came to the Water clan and my paternal grandpa is from the Red House clan.  I am a sophomore attending Navajo Preparatory School in the graduating class of 2025.  My hometown is Aneth, UT, a small community located north of the Navajo Nation within the Four Corners Region, where the scenery is indeed beautiful. Growing up in Aneth, I observed community members who really helped to make sure there was entertainment and work happening throughout the year. I enjoyed being a part of that, and I’m hopeful that future progress will continue to improve the community. I am so happy to be on a path to obtain a good education, as it will open up many opportunities for me and provide many different types of experiences. I would like to obtain a college degree and eventually use my education, knowledge and experience to give back to my community. Finally, I am humbled and grateful for being selected as a recipient of an Eve’s Fund Scholarship. Your generosity helps me continue pursuing my learning objectives at Navajo Prep. Thank you!

Natalyn Yazzie, Senior

My name is Natalyn Yazzie. I am a senior at Navajo Prep. My clans are Near the Water Clam, born for the Red Bottom People, Coyote Passing, and Towering House People. I am from an area called White Clay in Arizona, where I mostly grew up. The closest community is Sawmill, AZ, a small area that only has one gas station, a chapter house, and families with their own homes surrounding these two places. I hope that my education can help me to improve my community and surrounding ones as well. Education plays a big role in life because without it, we cannot reap its benefits, such as getting a good job. With my education I feel that I can come back to help my community by helping others.  I would like to thank Eve’s Fund for being able to give me the opportunity to go to school at Navajo Prep for all my 4 years in high school. This scholarship has helped me and my family so much.

Congratulations to these 2022-2023
Eve’s Fund Scholarship Navajo Prep Awardees!
Warm thanks to our generous Eve’s Fund donors for supporting this initiative and bringing hope and opportunities to these great young people  for the future.

Would you like to help us in supporting quality education on the Navajo Nation?

In the coming years, Eve’s Fund would like to be able to expand our scholarship program to support additional Navajo high school students in graduating, pursuing higher education and embarking on worthy career paths.  We are grateful for outpouring of generosity from our donors, as there is an increasing need to assist more students every year, particularly in light of the recent pandemic and the havoc it wreaked on the children and families served by our programs.

Please help these kids achieve their dreams and become leaders in their communities!

For this program, we rely solely on the support of donations from individuals, corporations and other philanthropic organizations.

Your tax-deductible gift in any amount will enable us to continue this important initiative in 2023 and beyond.

Please help us continue this critical work which is transforming young lives and providing hope for a better future.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution for 2023, please click below to donate through our secure Donation portal below or you can send a check payable to Eve’s Fund to us at PO Box 3592, Newport, RI 02840.

We are grateful for your support and will put every dollar to good use.

P.S. If you are on Facebook, you can make a donation to us directly on our Page and where all transaction fees are waived. Here is the link to our Eve’s Fund Page: https://www.facebook.com/EvesFund/.  Also, many companies support causes that are important to their employees by matching employee charitable contributions. Find out if your company will match, double, or even triple your gift to Eve’s Fund.

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