Commitment to community was a point of interest at the Navajo Preparatory High School graduation ceremony in Farmington on Saturday as 61 graduates took their next steps toward success.
Tribal and state representatives joined family and faculty members, including Vice President of the Navajo Nation Richelle Montoya and first lady of the Navajo Nation Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren.
“Today’s graduation is a celebration of our school mission Yideeską́ą́góó Naat’áanii – leaders now and into the future. Our graduates are rooted in Diné language and culture and prepared for college and beyond,” said Shawna Becenti, head of school. “We are proud to support our students who we know return to be great leaders and support the development of our 110 Chapters and local communities.”
New Mexico Rep. Michelle Abeyta delivered an address as the commencement speaker touching on support, uncertainty and strength in moving forward.
“I remember struggling through an unfortunate family dynamic of hardship,” she said. “Economic challenges, family separation, domestic violence and substance abuse.”
Despite the struggle, she said she found belief to carry her through and said the graduates earned their place that day as they look toward their futures.
“Belief that where you come from does not define your limits, it defines your strength,” she said.
Abeyta said the graduating class submitted more than 647 college applications to over 195 colleges and universities around the world.
“Every single one of you today, 100%, was accepted to at least one college, and that’s not just impressive. That’s historic,” she said.
Student endeavors include enlisting in the military, studying overseas and continuing athleticism at the collegiate level.
Abeyta also included the 15 Chief Manuelito scholarship-eligible students, the highest number in school history, and the 11 students who earned the Navajo Nation Seal of Bilingual Proficiency.
“You carry possibilities that have no limits,” she said. “One day you will look back on this moment and you will remember that even without having an answer you chose to move forward.”
Avery Himmelreich, valedictorian, delivered an address to graduates that had a theme of reflection while acknowledging the next steps.
During her speech, she mentioned the definition of a valedictorian speech being a farewell or goodbye. However, as a descendant of Navajo and Ojibwe, there is no word for “goodbye,” she said.
“Instead, let us think of this moment as an acknowledgment of the work we have done, knowing that matters have been settled, and saying with assurance that we will see each other again,” she said. “To this moment, I say, yá’át’ééh. Let us greet the next step of our journey by thinking of the lessons we will carry with us.”
In preparing her speech, Himmelreich said she wanted to include reflection while touching on community and culture.
The valedictorian submitted her application to Navajo Prep after being drawn by the school’s integration of the cultural teachings and language in the classrooms. Raised in Beclabito, Arizona, she said those teachings were lost when her family moved to Massachusetts.
While at Navajo Prep, Hemmelreich was selected to travel to New Zealand where she said a sense of confidence returned in her and instilled pride of where she comes from.
She plans to study biology at Northeastern University in Massachusetts and eventually go into veterinary medicine to bring spay and neuter clinics to the reservation.
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