First hill climbed, St. Michaels Head Start promoted

By Donovan Quintero | May 19, 2017 | Education |

Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
St. Michaels Head Start graduate Nikolett Wilson wears her cap with “pretty as a princess” written on it Friday at the Fort Defiance Chapter House.

FORT DEFIANCE

Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Mason Clark, 5, from St. Michaels, Arizona, holds his certificate of promotion Friday at the St. Michaels Head Start promotion ceremony at Fort Defiance Chapter House. Clark and 19 of his classmates were promoted.

Their first hill, perhaps one out of many more, is out of the way.

Twenty young students waited for their promotion ceremony to begin, seemingly unaware of what they had completed Friday afternoon at the Fort Defiance Chapter in front of smiling parents and family.

One of those students was Mason Clark, 5, from St. Michaels, whose mom, Latisha Clark, was taking pictures and screaming in celebration whenever his name was called.

“I hope he finishes school, graduates and goes on to college,” Clark said of her son.

Clark said she didn’t get a chance to go to college but wanted all three of her children not to stop after high school and to keep going.

“I wanted to go to school, but I put a stop to it to take care of my kids,” said the stay-at-home mom. “He makes me smile everyday.”

In addition to his promotion certificate, Mason also received an award for perfect attendance.

Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Parents and family watch the 2017 class of the St. Michaels Head Start during the promoting ceremony Friday in Fort Defiance.

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