Education Briefs: Frank crowned SJC’s Ms. Indigenous

FARMINGTON

San Juan College student Cassie Frank, Diné/Navajo, was recently crowned Ms. Indigenous San Juan College 2021-22.

Jessica Greymountain was first runner-up and Margaret Kirk was second runner-up.

Frank is a 2020 graduate of Kirtland Central High School.

Her clans are Dibéłzhíní, Bit’ahnii, Táchii’nii and Tábąąhá.

She is a full-time student studying business administration.

When she completes her associate program at San Juan College, she plans to continue her education at Arizona State University where she plans to pursue a master’s degree.

Following graduation from ASU, she plans to open a business in her hometown, Tóta’ (Farmington)
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Frank’s platform as Ms. Indigenous San Juan College is to encourage her peers, friends, family and mentors to motivate each other to keep learning and expanding their knowledge.

She said, “As someone with a chronic illness born into many cultures, I would like to show people that it’s still possible to do what they want either by going to school or traveling to Mars.

“It doesn’t matter where you are from, your skin color or gender identity,” she said, “I believe in you and want to motivate you. Life is short and you should do things that make you happy.”

During the pageant, Frank demonstrated chii?chin (tsii?chin), red sumac berry pudding, as her traditional food demonstration.

She spoke about traditional Diné outfit and the cultural significance behind the items she wore as a traditional talent/skill.

For her contemporary talent, she spoke of Native jewelry showcasing her own work, primarily bead work.

Frank’s reign will run through the fall of 2022.

The pageant usually is held during the annual powwow but this year’s powwow was postponed to April 2022.

The selection of Ms. Indigenous is made by a judges’ panel made up of former title holders, area royalty and members of the San Juan College community.

Information: nac@sanjuancollege.edu.

San Juan College student Cassie Frank was recently crowned Ms. Indigenous San Juan College 2021-22.

Navajo Prep participates in youth cultural exchange

FARMINGTON – In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, students at Navajo Preparatory School on Oct. 11 participated in a youth cultural exchange hosted by Georgetown Day School junior Roshan Natarajan and the Princeton High School Philosophy Club in Princeton, New Jersey.

Philosophy Club founders and presidents Maya Lerman and Nivan Dhamijae and their club advisor, John Bathke, invited Navajo Prep students Watson Whitford and Yi?nazbah Wauneka-Yellowhorse to join via Zoom and share their perspectives on the federal holiday that was signed into effect just days before.

The event was well attended by more than 40 PHS students during their lunch hour on Monday.

Whitford and Wauneka-Yellowhorse and their teacher, Donna Fernandez, opened the event with traditional introductions in Cree, Navajo, and Pomo, respectively.
Whitford followed with his views on the effects of colonization of the Americas.

Wauneka-Yellowhorse then presented her stance on the impact of the nationally-celebrated Columbus Day holiday on Indigenous people.

Finally, the discussion was opened to PHS students who were curious about the biggest challenges facing Native American communities, the government’s role in restricting Indigenous identity through blood quantum, and how students like themselves can fight against the ongoing effects of colonization.

Whitford, Wauneka-Yellowhorse and the students at PHS want to continue these conversations on a regular basis and are excited to expand the youth cultural exchange across the nation, focusing on New Mexico, Montana, Washington, D.C., California, and New Jersey.

Stay tuned for future events!

Diné College students publish peer reviewed papers on cancer

TSAILE, Ariz. – Three Diné College undergraduate students published peer reviewed papers on cancer. These studies were retrospective analyses of cancer clinical trials in the United States.

Harrison Cayatineto, Gilberta Yazzie and Chantanielle S. Clyde have been working in the Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Health Care Disparities under Diné College Professor of STEM & Biomedical Sciences Dr. Joseph de Soto.

The professor said, “It is incumbent for Native Americans to develop their own scientific and medical research programs as for 500 years we have been alone and excluded.”

The first paper by Cayatineto, “The Systemic Exclusion of Native Americans from Cancer Clinical Trials,” was published in the Journal of Medical Research and Health Science.

A second paper, by Yazzie, “Colon Cancer: The Exclusion of Native Americans and Hispanics from Clinical Trials in the United States,” was published in the Acta Journal of Medical Science.

The third paper, by Clyde, “The Underrepresentation of Minorities and Non-Generalizability of Breast Cancer Clinical Trials?”, was published in the “Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science.”

Dr. de Soto added that in the paper by Yazzie, only two Native Americans could be identified out of half a million clinical trial participants for colon cancer.

“These papers provide substantial evidence for the higher death rates from cancer in Native Americans though they are less likely to get cancer in part due to the non-generalizability of cancer clinical trials, which in turn is due to the exclusion of Native Americans and other ethnic minorities from clinical trials,” de Soto said.

Natural Resources Conservation Service internships

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Indian Higher Education Consortium is recruiting students for Natural Resources Conservation Service internships as soil and range conservation trainee specialists.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides undergraduate and graduate-level students with a challenging internship opportunity.

The program is designed to promote public service and create access to higher education for students attending one of the 1994 land-grant institutions, the accredited tribal college and universities.

Desired majors include agriculture, natural resources management, agronomy, environmental science or related field. Students with at least six credit hours completed are eligible.

Submit completed application (include unofficial transcript and letter of recommendation) and note interest in any and all positions (16 positions available across the U.S.).

Information: John Phillips, 706-310-4199 or jphillips@aihec.org.

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