Tag Archives: opportunity

Children Incorporated | April 30, 2024En Español

Today we hear from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, about her trip to New Mexico last fall, where she and our Assistant Director of U.S. Programs, Kristen Walthall, visited eight affiliated sites.

Understanding the Navajo Nation

“The Navajo are the largest Native American tribe in the United States. The Navajo Nation also has the largest land mass of any tribe. The nation is located in the greater ‘Four Corners’ region of the United States, where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet in a quadripoint, the only place in the U.S. where this occurs,” said Renée.

“The entire school has worked hard to showcase to the community the advantages of a smaller school where the children get more personal attention.”

“Children Incorporated’s affiliations within the Navajo Nation are located in Arizona and New Mexico. The lands within the northeastern part of Arizona area belong wholly to the Navajo Nation, with the exception of a part carved out for the Hopi Nation. However, the lands within northwestern New Mexico belong to a variety of jurisdictions: federal, state, tribal, private, and allotment. This is why the Navajo region in New Mexico is popularly called ‘The Checkerboard.’ As Kris and I were driving in this part of New Mexico, we were going in and out of various parts of the checkerboard.”

“In recent years, the Navajo Nation has been working hard to (among other things) formally enroll its residents as Navajo citizens. There are requirements to formal enrollment in a tribe, with the intention of preserving the unique character and traditions of each tribe. The tribes establish their own membership criteria based on shared customs, language, traditions, and tribal blood. These criteria for membership are set forth in the tribes’ constitutions, articles of incorporation, and/or ordinances. Uniform membership requirements do not exist; it varies from tribe to tribe,” explained Renée.

Veronica and Jeanette are pictured with some of our sponsored children at Lake Valley.

“The enrollment numbers matter, not only for emotional reasons such as tribal identity and history, but for practical reasons as well— tribes are often allocated money based on their number of enrolled citizens. Before the pandemic, the Navajo enrollment was around 306,000 people. During the pandemic membership drive, the Navajo Nation was able to have many residents formally establish their eligibility and then enroll. By 2021, the Navajo’s tribal rolls had grown to almost 400,000 people. With this achievement, the Navajo Nation surpassed the Cherokee Nation (whose enrollment is 392,000 people). A recent example of the importance of enrollment numbers is the money awarded to tribes, based on their enrollment numbers, from the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.”

“Every amount of assistance helps, because according to a special article in 2019 by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the state had the third-highest rate of child poverty in the U.S. (24.9%). This means nearly one in four New Mexico children lived in poverty in 2019. Only Mississippi and Louisiana were higher. When analyzing the data by ethnicity, the rate for Native Americans was higher than for all other groups. During the pandemic, things actually got a bit better for families, due to federal relief payments. Now that the pandemic relief has ended, the situation is worsening again. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2023 Kids Count databook shows that New Mexico’s children rank last in the nation for well-being. The poverty rate is high, and New Mexico also ranked last in education and 45th in health,” said Renée.

About Lake Valley Boarding School

“The remote town of Crownpoint is located in northwestern New Mexico, near the Arizona border and the vast Navajo Indian Reservation. Despite the wealth of natural beauty in this area, the Navajo Indians who live in this region are desperately poor. There is virtually no employment. Broken homes, alcoholism, and inadequate food are constant manifestations of poverty.”

“Both expressed their deep appreciation for the Hope In Action grants that Lake Valley Boarding School received during the height of the pandemic.”

“Though one of the smaller schools in the Bureau of Indian Affairs system, the Lake Valley Boarding School provides a safe haven where Navajo students, whose homes are far away, are able to live and learn in a healthy, supportive environment. Most parents struggle to afford clothing, school supplies, and basic necessities for their children. Were it not for the Lake Valley Boarding School, so many children would have little opportunity to dream or to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances from which they come,” explained Renée.

Renee’s Visit

“With a name like ‘Lake Valley,’ one would expect water and green grass, but that is not the case. The lake dried up years ago and is largely a sand trap now. The elders remember when the lake was full, there were farm fields, and two active trading posts. In the olden days, Lake Valley was a stagecoach stop between Crownpoint and Farmington, and the lake and a spring offered cool water to travelers and their horses.”

“The community is only seven miles from the famous Chaco Culture National Historic Park. Residents dream of drawing in tourists with an RV park and a little restaurant. But for now, improvements are still only a dream. In reality, due to budget cuts, services to this area are very limited. Community health representatives have had to reduce their visits to homebound elders. Young families had been leaving, and it got worse during the pandemic,” said Renée.

Lake Valley Boarding School is located in a remote area of New Mexico with few options for shopping.

“After going down a dirt and gravel driveway, I reached a small cluster of buildings with pretty trees planted to provide some shade for everyone. I walked to the main entrance at Lake Valley Boarding School — Home of the Mighty Lakers. I was warmly greeted by our two co-coordinators, Jeanette and Veronica, and taken to the library for a meeting. They explained to me that they drive almost 60 miles north to shop in Farmington. They like to go either to Walmart or to JCPenney, which has really good sales. They meet the parents there, and pay for the items after the parents and children have made their selections. Sometimes they drive about 35 miles south to Crownpoint, which has a Bashas’ grocery store where they will occasionally purchase food for families in need. Both Jeanette and Veronica are very conscientious about getting the best value for every donor dollar.”

Adjusting since the pandemic

“Both Veronica and Jeanette shared that during the pandemic, they lost even more of their students. In some cases, families moved from the area. But in other cases, the parents felt their children would have more services at the bigger schools in Farmington. The Farmington Municipal Schools buses will actually drive halfway to Lake Valley to pick up and drop off the children,” said Renée.

“The entire school has worked hard to showcase to the community the advantages of a smaller school where the children get more personal attention. In fact, Jeanette and Veronica shared that one of the students had withdrawn at the end of last school year. The girl started the new school year in August at Farmington, but she was not happy, and so her parents re-enrolled her this week at Lake Valley. Her classmates had missed her, and they were thrilled to welcome her back.”

“Both Jeanette and Veronica were initially hired to work in the dorm. However, during the pandemic the dorm was shut down when the school moved to fully remote instruction. Because some staff left during the pandemic, this created openings so that Jeanette and Veronica didn’t lose their jobs. They were instead transferred to other duties. This year the dorm has reopened, but there are only five children living there during the school week. Jeanette and Veronica take turns staying there overnight, but they do other things for the school to keep up their full-time hours. Both are hoping more children will be enrolled in the dorm over time, as things continue a slow return to normal there,” explained Renée.

“As the dorm starts to add more residential students, Jeanette and Veronica said they will be applying for Hope In Action funding for new bedding sets as well as hygiene items and supplies.”

“When the pandemic started and the dorm shut down, Jeanette and Veronica gave away much of the bedding to the children as they were checked out. They realized that, due to policies on infection, the bedding could not be reused. As the dorm starts to add more residential students, Jeanette and Veronica said they will be applying for Hope In Action funding for new bedding sets as well as hygiene items and supplies. Both expressed their deep appreciation for the Hope In Action Fund grants that Lake Valley Boarding School received during the height of the pandemic. While the school and dorm were closed and the children were doing remote learning in their homes, our organization helped with cellular service and hotspot boxes,” said Renée.

“This is the second school year that school is supposedly back to normal with fully in-person instruction. But many of the families have not returned. There are only 22 students enrolled at Lake Valley Boarding School – and everyone is enrolled in our program and is sponsored. Jeanette and Veronica are doing a beautiful job. They are eager to enroll more children, as more families move to the community.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

You can sponsor a child in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Kristen Walthall | April 24, 2024

Having worked directly with Children Incorporated’s U.S. Division for two years now, I have had the opportunity to visit numerous affiliated sites in all factions of our U.S. Division: Appalachia, the Inner City, the Navajo Nation, and Puerto Rico. Our most remote U.S. sites are found in the Navajo Nation. I was struck by the isolation of our affiliations in Arizona and found that the schools with which we affiliate in New Mexico are generally located even further from towns with grocery stores, medical offices, and the like than the ones in adjacent Arizona.

Visiting New MExico

Approximately half an hour by car from Gallup to the east, Grants to the west, and Crownpoint to the north, the unincorporated community of Prewitt is part of the “Checkerboard Area” of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, which means that while it in part encompasses tribal land, it is not connected to the largest area of the Navajo Nation in the state. Prewitt is home to Children Incorporated-affiliated site Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School, which is run by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and is our newest Navajo Nation affiliation.

There is nothing quite like getting to know the selfless champions who manage our sponsorship program and special projects in person.

After an hour-and-a-half-long trek from Albuquerque to the great wide-open, I finally arrived at the school, which is only eight miles off Interstate 40. Our volunteer coordinator and the school counselor at Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School, Jimmy, is a real jokester; when he came to the front office to meet me, he introduced himself as “John,” just to throw me off. That set the tone for what was my most enjoyable site visit ever — and his nickname Jimmy-John; I eventually followed suit and ended my day there cutting up not only with Jimmy but with other staff as well.

The relationships that we make and maintain with our volunteer coordinators mean everything to the programs teams at Children Incorporated. There is nothing quite like getting to know the selfless champions who manage our sponsorship program and special projects in person. We ask a lot of them regularly, and they are all volunteers who go above and beyond not only for our beloved sponsors and donors – but most importantly for the children that their schools serve. Our work is made possible only by those who contribute financially to our mission of offering education, hope, and opportunity to children, and the volunteers who make hope happen.

Getting to know the community

Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School houses students from the Family and Child Education (FACE) program to the sixth grade. The FACE program was brought about by the BIE in 1990 as a complement to early childhood education, and to foster parental involvement in child education. Its tenants include supporting parents/primary caregivers as children’s first and most influential teachers; strengthening connections between families, schools, and communities; augmenting parental participation; celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity among Native American communities; and fomenting readiness for school and life.

Pictured is one of the sponsored children that Kristen visited during her time in New Mexico.

Jimmy told me a lot about his community during my visit, and about the specific challenges that it faces. Some of the families that Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School serves lack water and/or electricity in their homes, which is a great barrier to hygiene, nutrition, and learning. Many of the families live in homes where there are multiple generations sharing space; as a result, some folks have no other option than to sleep on the floor. Jimmy told me that, due to food insecurity that is exacerbated by Prewitt’s isolation from necessary resources, thirty students at his school receive food for their respective homes regularly. Additionally, alcoholism is unfortunately rampant among the school’s families and is yet another perpetual impediment to students having their basic needs met.

One of the school’s most influential partners is Americans for Native Americans, which is “Dedicated to improving the quality of life for Native Americans on the Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Nations by providing essential goods and programs which foster self-reliance and mutual understanding” (americansfornativeamericans.org). The Children Incorporated child sponsorship program and our special projects supplement this outstanding companion, as well as Jimmy and his staff’s great care for the children that attend Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School.

Jimmy proudly shared with me that, as a strategy to assess the day-to-day temperaments of his students, he has them do check-ins every time they approach or meet with him: “Say your name, then the truth,” he says – to which they reply with their name, age, and how they’re feeling today. Jimmy had a student demonstrate this practice with him for me so that I could witness it firsthand. Sure enough, the student knew exactly what to do after Jimmy’s prompts. Jimmy also encourages his students to practice other types of mindfulness along with deep breathing exercises to mitigate stress and stay present and focused.

Our work is made possible only by those who contribute financially to our mission of offering education, hope, and opportunity to children, and the volunteers who make hope happen.

Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School is adorned with signs boasting encouraging phrases, such as, “Learn from your culture. It is there to help you.” Jimmy took me by the Navajo culture teacher, Mr. Begay’s, classroom, where I learned a bit about tribes and clans. Mr. Begay is of Apache descent, but his grandmother was “adopted” by the Navajo Nation. Mr. Begay’s enthusiasm was palpable, his knowledge, solid – and his sense of humor had me laughing until my belly ached, Jimmy’s humorous commentary punctuating the themes Mr. Begay addressed with the ease of a pro!

Just as our incredible volunteer coordinators are one of a kind, so too are our affiliated sites. While school communities tend to reflect the tone and challenges of the larger communities in which they are located, each school within each larger community has a culture all its own. Jimmy is an exemplary extension of an ally to his school community – and it’s almost 200 students that are better for his presence there.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | April 22, 2024

Here we go, folks, we’re almost another year in and another year wiser. As our fifth graders begin to visit the middle school and prepare for elementary graduation, we sincerely thank sponsors and organizations such as Children Incorporated for all of the care and love shown to our students. The Family Resource Center (FRC) is feverishly finalizing summer Enrichment & Educational programs for families & students. Your financial assistance helps students enjoy summer activities with proper clothing and shoes they need for summertime fun!

We sincerely thank sponsors and organizations such as Children Incorporated for all of the care and love shown to our students.

Summer fun for everyone

One community partnership in the works this summer is a “Junior master’s Gardening Club” in collaboration with our local UK Cooperative Extension/4-H Office. The FRC is co-sponsoring a weekly Gardening Club for 25 students at Catlettsburg Elementary each Wednesday until the end of the school year. These same students will come to school this summer one to two days each week to cultivate plants, help pull weeds and water the garden.

At least two field trips are being planned this summer, one being a trip to the Extension Office to visit our local farmers market. The second will be a visit to a local greenhouse to learn about how to properly care for plants, in order to harvest healthy fruits and vegetables. Once our garden has bloomed, we plan to allow the students to use the food they have grown themselves in cooking classes. Students will learn how to measure ingredients, how to read a recipe and how to make healthy dishes.

In addition to the Garden Club, the local FRYSC’s are once again hosting the “Longest Day of Play” with several community partners. This event will be held June 20, 2024 at Ashland Central Park (summer Solstice-the longest day of summer). With over 1,000 in attendance last year, we are strategizing ways to make this year’s event as successful as last. Families will take a “Scavenger Hunt” around the park and try to find all of the hidden treasures.

Along their journey, they will have to stop at over 50 community partner tables to receive their next clue. Outdoor family activities such as: basketball, inflatables, volleyball, badminton, tennis, yard games, etc. will be found along the way for everyone to enjoy. Agencies will distribute information about free family events being held this Summer to encourage families to “go outside and play” for better physical fitness. The Boyd County FRC’s will also be hosting a collaborative “family movie night” later this same evening at the old Boyd County High School football field. Free food & fun activities will be included for any family residing in Boyd County.

Making sure children have what they need

During our spring break, we met our currently enrolled Children Incorporated sponsored children and parents at our local Walmart to purchase spring and summer clothing. The children were thrilled to be able to try on new shorts, sandals, tennis shoes, and tank tops to stay cool while enjoying the fifth grader, Tori, shopped with her older sister & brother and fell in love with all of the justice clothes. She squealed with delight when she found a tie-dyed bathing suit to wear to the pool. Fourth grade student, William, could not wait to show off his new “multicolored” tennis shoes and wanted his mom to let him wear them out of the store that very day!

Fifth grader, Louis, was excited to find a ton of basketball shirts and shorts that will keep him active and dry in the hot summer sun. Second Grader, Alice, chose a mix of “girly” tops and shorts, along with a few sundresses to look “cute” while in the summertime heat. Her third grade brother, Brad, wanted a good pair of shoes to ride his motorbike and to go on hikes with his family so he could climb up steep hills and walk for miles.

You have touched the lives of hundreds of Boyd County students and families over the years in so many ways.

After the summer programming comes to an end and the FRC staff spend some quality time with our own families, we’re ready to roll into a new school year starting with our county-wide READIFEST program. READIFEST will be held at our BCHS August 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. All Boyd County students (including Children Incorporated sponsored students) can attend and receive new school supplies, hygiene items, socks, underwear and health screenings. In addition to READIFEST, we also partner with a large community partner to purchase new backpacks, back-to-school clothing and school supplies for students to begin a new school year ready to succeed.

Alleviating Fears

Last but not least, are our annual kindergarten jump-start programs which are held approximately a week before school begins. Students and families get the chance to tour their new school, meet their kindergarten teacher, meet their new classmates and learn about policies & procedures before school begins. The goal of this program is to alleviate fears students may have of starting a new school and/or starting school for the first time. It helps families to prepare the children on what to expect on that very first day of school.

As you can see, it truly takes a village to raise a child, and we are so very grateful to have Children Incorporated in our village. You have touched the lives of hundreds of Boyd County students and families over the years in so many ways. It is our pleasure to work beside your staff & sponsors to assure that all children arrive at school ready to learn.

Sincerely,
Jenny

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | April 22, 2024

Children Incorporated has been such a blessing for all sponsored students. Specifically at Christmas, there were an abundance of students needing assistance this past year. Students weren’t being sponsored by staff or community members like in the years past. I never have to worry about my Children Incorporated sponsored children getting what the need. I am blessed to have the funds to well take care of all of their desired wishes and immediate needs.

I never have to worry about my Children Incorporated sponsored children getting what the need.

Parents giving their thanks to sponsors

Parents know the funds are here when they need support and don’t hesitate to reach out if their child has outgrown a pair of shoes or if it is a change of season and the children need new clothes. One particular parent couldn’t thank me and Children Incorporated enough for not only the sponsor providing funding but for allowing her daughter to pick out her own clothes and what she liked and would actually wear.

Another parent remarked how her child’s day was made after receiving her new spring clothes and shoes she picked out and what a positive impact this program had brought to the whole family. Not only me, but the parents of these students will forever be grateful for the blessings Children Incorporated bring us.

Sincerely,
Heather

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | April 21, 2024En Español

Ensuring children are able to stay in our sponsorship program from their earliest days in school until graduation is something that our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, works hard to do. With the public school system in the United States often times having three different schools — elementary, middle and high school — for children to attend, it’s crucial that we partner with each school to ensure sponsorship support is not interrupted — especially for children who need it the most.

Today we hear from a former sponsored child, Susan*, who grew up in our sponsorship program and attended Menifee High School in Kentucky, and writes to us to describe how her experience having a sponsor was formative to helping her become the adult she is today.

SUSAN’S STORY

Dear Children Incorporated,

Students hold many memories from their school days, and one memory that I hold dear is having the privilege of being a Children Incorporated student starting during some of my most formative years.

Like many children in Menifee, my family was not privileged. My family owned a small farm, and both my parents worked; however, having three growing children, money was always tight for our family. Shortly after I started the 6th grade, my school’s Resource Center Coordinator sent home paperwork to my parents asking permission to allow me to participate in the Children Incorporated program.

“I can truly say that being a Children Incorporated participant helped shape the person I am today.”

I was unaware of what all the Children Incorporated program entailed in the beginning, but was very thankful for the opportunity that was given to me. Like many within my county, I grew up wearing hand-me-downs that were far from perfect, but I knew my parents were doing their best to keep us kids clothed and fed. Middle school years are hard years for any student, but it was tougher for the children that came from poor families. Often, I was made fun of because my clothes were not like others; they may have had stains, or may have even been a little bit too big, but that’s all I had. Because of the comments I received, my self-confidence slowly began to dwindle. I was too proud of my parents to ever let them know what other kids were saying about me, and I knew that my parents loved me and were trying their very best to provide us with what we needed.

A BLESSING TO HAVE

As I began my journey as a Children Incorporated student, I was given a sponsor that was truly an angel in disguise for me. I will forever remember my first gift from my sponsor; she gifted me several outfits that were really trending at the time. I was in complete shock when I received the gift. She also sent a letter telling me all about herself and what she enjoyed doing during her free time. This letter was the first of many conversations that took place between the two of us over several years. I was so excited to send my sponsor a letter back telling her how thankful I was for the gifts she had sent. Through each letter we shared our life experiences with each other, and even though I never met this person face to face, it seemed as if we had known each other our whole lives. As I continued through school, I had a total of three different sponsors. Each of my sponsors and I shared many experiences together even though we may have been hundreds of miles apart.

Being a Children Incorporated child was a blessing for me, not just for the gifts I received but the self-confidence and encouragement it gave me throughout my school years. I can truly say that being a Children Incorporated participant helped shape the person I am today. Many people may think of this program as a handout for poor families, but that is far from the truth. This program is much more than that; this is life changing for those that are eligible to be a part of such a wonderful program. I will forever be thankful for the wonderful memories that I hold from each of my sponsors, and there isn’t any way that would be enough to thank them for all that they have done for me over the years. The sponsors in the Children Incorporated program are truly a gift from God.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES IN LIFE

Now as a soon to be 30-year-old, as of March 2024, I will finally be able to say that I am the first out of my immediate family to obtain a bachelor’s degree. I have made leaps and bounds since graduating from high school. I currently work within our local elementary school and have the pleasure of interacting and making an impact on the next generation of students.

Because of the Children Incorporated program, I strive daily to make a positive impact on each student I serve. I am living proof that underserved children can overcome any obstacle that is thrown their way with a little encouragement and love, even if it comes from a stranger that they have never met. I will forever be thankful for the Children Incorporated program.

*Name changed to protect the individual.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Kristen Walthall | March 28, 2024

It is always a tremendous privilege to have the opportunity to meet the dedicated folks who make our programs possible at their schools. Our U.S. Division checks in with each of our affiliated sites in person about every other year, on average, so that we can stay up-to-date on goings on with our sponsorship program, as well as address and adapt to changing student and school needs. In our travels, we not only tour the schools with which we affiliate, but we also gain great insight into the families and communities they serve.

Even more impressive is that all seniors are required to have taken at least one college course to graduate from the school.

Visiting the Navajo Nation

On a recent trip to visit all of our affiliations in New Mexico, which are in the Navajo Nation, I had the great fortune of meeting Mr. Chapman, School Board Member and Licensed Clinical Social Worker for To’Hajiilee Community School in To’Hajiilee, a small section of the Navajo Nation that is east of the greatest portion of it in the state. Robert was a great fount of information, in particular about the geographic and social challenges that his students face – in particular because of To’Hajiilee’s distance from the larger, mostly connected section of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico.

Robert poses in front of a mural in the school.

Mr. Chapman explained that the police and rescue units that attend to emergency matters at To’Hajiilee come from Crownpoint, approximately two hours away — rather than closer Grants or Albuquerque, at about half the distance — due to “bureaucracy”; this small community that encompasses only half a percent of Navajo Nation land lacks a “deal” with the aforementioned towns, or with any closer Navajo communities that are large enough to have their own police and rescue forces.

Seeing the school in person

Mr. Chapman ushered me around a wide-open camel-hued campus comprised of a variety of external buildings and structures, including a hill beside the school track where some buzzards were sunbathing. The school is in dire need of relocation, as it has experienced devastating floods on two occasions. After the first flood, the primary building was condemned, and repairs had to be made to it. A trench system was dug around the property to divert water away from the buildings and structures. When the next torrential rainfall occurred, however, the system only served to exacerbate the flooding, very unfortunately.

As we walked, Mr. Chapman explained to me that for the first time in history, a Navajo Nation school — To’Hajiilee Community School — has been approved to receive a Federal infrastructure grant — and a ninety million-dollar one at that! Mr. Champan shared this information with such feeling because, in addition to the less-than-ideal location of the school on the property, his office is literally a closet. He hopes that the new school building will be finished before his retirement — though he doesn’t see that happening, even though his retirement is not imminent, because those sorts of things are typically slow-going.

The more Children Incorporated-affiliated sites I visit, the more I learn that each school has a culture and community of its own.

Mr. Chapman shared that the Navajo Nation schools have had an influx of retired state employees joining their efforts because they can continue working for the Navajo Nation and still receive their state retirement; this has been instrumental in the student’s education, as these seasoned individuals make great contributions to the general well-being of the schools they arrive to.

Mr. Chapman also explained to me during my visit that even though generational trauma reigns in the Nation, one hundred percent of all seniors in recent To’Hajiilee Community School history have graduated — except in 2021, which was a year severely impacted by COVID-19. Even more impressive is that all seniors are required to have taken at least one college course to graduate from the school.

The importance of culture

As we continued our tour, I found it most interesting to hear from Mr. Chapman that approximately eighty percent of To’Hajiilee Community School graduates stay on the Reservation; while some of them may wish to seek out higher education and employment opportunities elsewhere, parents oftentimes prefer that the young adults stay — even if that signifies a lack of current and future possibilities. Mr. Chapman often finds that parents are too proud to receive assistance and that it can therefore be difficult to help them at times.

He continued to explain that the To’Hajiilee Community School offers integrated learning: the option for students in certain grade levels to take some of their core curriculum classes in their native Navajo language. It also houses traditional practices and celebrates customary holidays, a gesture of the cultural fortitude of both the community families and its students.

As Mr. Chapman and I said our thanks and goodbyes, I found myself thinking about how the more Children Incorporated-affiliated sites I visit, the more I learn that each school has a culture and community of its own. How better to offer education, hope, and opportunity than to empower the very folks who can act on those higher tasks for the benefit of our future: the children.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD