This year marked the 50th anniversary for the United National Indian Tribal Youth conference in Oklahoma City, where thousands of Native youth joined together to celebrate empowerment and leadership.
The Naat’áanii Youth Council, representing Navajo Preparatory High School, attended the conference and was named as the 2026 UNITY Youth Council of the Year.
It was a recognition highlighting the years of service the council has been doing on campus, according to Denise Jensen, adviser.
In Navajo Prep’s history, the council at the time, named Sunset UNITY Eagles, was started by Betty Ojaye, executive director, Jensen said.
Now, the council continues to work on advocacy for Missing and Murdered Peoples, education on boarding school trauma, and support for resolutions with UNITY councils across the country, she said.
A project done by the council that was highlighted on the application process was the funding secured during the building of the campus hogan and shade house.
After working with the Navajo Nation Council to pass the Healthy Diné Nation Act, students were able to network and receive $15,000 through the Green Schoolyard Grant.
According to Jensen, that funding was put toward the construction of the shade house next to the hogan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jensen has been involved with UNITY for 17 years going back to the council started at Chinle High School. Through the council, Jensen said she was able to connect with other youth like herself.
“With all the disparities that young Navajo people go through on and dealing with on a daily basis within their own families and social problems. It’s really easy for young people to go down a not so good path,” she said. “I always say UNITY saved my life because it offered me an alternative.”
At the heart of her mission, Jensen said she hopes to build students into change makers at campus, in communities, and within their tribes.
“Through UNITY I’m able to at least give my students an opportunity to learn more about their situations – and how they can really truly become the problem solvers in their community,” she said.
It was the first council award won by Navajo Prep, said Jensen, who felt more intentional in the application process this year.
“I really focused a lot on legacy of leadership within this youth council,” she said. “Because it’s not just about what we did this past year, it’s about what we’ve done the past 17 years.”
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