Thanks to parents, teachers, Nation

Editor’s note: Scholars from the 151 students who received the Chief Manuelito Scholarship and were celebrated at a ceremony on July 19 at Twin Arrows Casino continue to respond to questions sent to them by the Navajo Times. Following last week’s publication of students’ information, this week we feature more. Join us in celebrating and saluting this year’s class of the Navajo Nation’s best students.

Callie Edgewater

Yá’át’ééh shí éí Callie Edgewater yíníshyé’. Tótsohníí nishli. M? ’íí deeshgíízhíníí báshíshchíín, Kin?ichii’nii dashicheii, Lók’aa’ dine’é dashinálí. Hello, my name is Callie Edgewater. I am Big Water Clan, born for Coyote Pass Clan. My maternal grandfather’s allclan is Red House. My paternal grandfather’s clan is Reed People. In the 18 years of my life I have lived in Greasewood, Arizona, with my parents, Samuel and Clarissa Edgewater. My family is filled with educators and teachers. They have instilled in me the importance of education and have expected much from me at a young age.

They have taught me to be insightful and hardworking. My parents’ main goal was to shape me to a well-rounded figure. Besides expecting me to keep up with my academics they strived for me to be a strong, compassionate and most of all responsible young woman.

Although education is my family’s and my main priority, during our free time we enjoy participating in the sport of rodeo. Horses have taught us to respect every living thing, including ourselves. Caring for animals teaches us to be responsible. It reminds us that we are valued every day. The past couple of years we have participated in the INFR circuit and have had the opportunity of competing in the Indian National Finals Rodeo.

Now I look forward to competing at the intercollegiate level at Central Arizona College. This coming fall, I will be attending Central Arizona College to receive my associate. However, my ultimate goal is to receive my bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. With this knowledge I hope to design projects that lead to protecting the environment from water contamination, air pollution, and uranium pollution.

Since the Four Corners region has many oil and gas fields, there are many refineries and other oil- and gas-related operations throughout the area.

Once I receive my degree and gain experience, I plan to come back to the Navajo Reservation and preserve our sacred land. I would like to say thank you to the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship & Financial Assistance for all the hard work and the endless hours. It is an honor to be a Chief Manuelito Scholarship recipient. This scholarship will allow me to achieve my dream of higher education. Lastly, I’d like to give thanks to my family. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. With my educational journey I hope to inspire other Native Americans to achieve higher education.

Angel Gonzales

My name is Angel Gonzales. I am of the Mud clan, born for Hispanic. My maternal grandfather is Zuni Water’s Edge Corn People Clan, and my paternal grandfather is Hispanic. I’m from Sweetwater, Arizona. My mother is Hermina White and my father is Duke Gonzales.

My major is clinical psychology. I plan to pursue my career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist/therapist for teenagers and children. I noticed many people don’t have the right support nor access to mental health resources and I want to be able to help those who need it. Mental health is very stigmatized in the Navajo Nation and I want to break the stigma and make it normal to talk about.

Cash Harvey

First and foremost, I’d like to thank ONNSFA for awarding me the Chief Manuelito scholarship and I want to give my congratulations to the other scholarship recipients.

Shí ei Cash Harvey dashijiní. Kin Yaa’áanii nishli??, Tó’Aheedlíinii báshíshchíín, Dibé Lizhíní dashicheii, d?? Naaneesht’ézhí Tábaahí dashinálí. Lók’aachégaidéé naashá. Shimá ei Karen Thompson wolyé. Shizhé’é ei Benson Harvey wolyé. I will be attending University of Arizona in the fall as a major in political science with plans to attend graduate school afterwards. I would also like to thank my parents for encouraging me to have an interest in education.

I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish many achievements without this mindset. Living off the reservation will be a whole new experience for me.

Growing up around the culture, tradition, and language molded me into the person I am. I will always remember the teachings from my family going into the real world.

After college, I would like to return to the reservation and practice the newly acquired skills with the Navajo Nation government. Ahxé’hee’ kodóó nihich’ i haasdzíí, áádóó ahxé’hee’ dashíínóolts’?áá’íí. T’áá akoní?lsóhígo haasdzíí’ doo.

Trinity Manuelito

Shí éí Trinity Wahiya Manuelito yinishyé. Tódích’íí’nii nishli, Biligaana bashishchiin, Hashtl’ishnii dashicheii, Blackfeet dashinalí. My name is Trinity Manuelito. I was born in Shiprock. My parents are Shannon Manuelito and Nathan Tate. My area of interest is electrical engineering or mechanical engineering.

Thank you to my parents and younger brother for all their love and support. I plan attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall. I am looking forward to this opportunity to learn and I hope to give back to my community in the future.

Brandee Keyonnie

Hello my name is Brandee Keyonnie and I plan on attending Northern Arizona University within the coming years. I plan to pursue a major in civil engineering with a minor in mechanical engineering.

My parents are Mathilda Denny and Alvin Keyonnie and my hometown and where I raised is in Low Mountain, Arizona. Tódík’ózhí nishl?, Honágháahnii báshischíín. Kinyaa’áanii dashicheii. ‘Áshííhíí dashináli. Thank you for your time. photo

Shalee Allison

My clans: Tl izi Lani nishli (I am of the Manygoats Clan). Kinlichii nii bashishchiin (I am born for the Red House People Clan). Tabaaha dashichei (My maternal clan is Water’s Edge Clan). Tachii nii dashinali (My paternal clan is Red Running into the Water Clan).

Hometown: Mesa, Arizona.
Parents: Eileen (Coppermine, Arizona) and Shawn Allison (Two Grey Hills, New Mexico).
Major: Construction management.

I attended Desert Ridge High in Mesa. I competed on the girls’ varsity golf team for the past four years. Each year we qualified for the Division 1 State Golf Tournament and placed in the top 10. I have been recognized as a scholar athlete during those years.

Being a student-athlete throughout high school taught me how to manage my time efficiently and develop skills to succeed in my future. I also studied journalism and wrote articles and took photos for our high school magazine. My career goal is to become a project engineer. I have always been interested in the STEM fields.

After my sophomore year of high school, I participated in the Native American Science and Engineering Program at the University of Arizona.

This program gave me the opportunity to live on campus for a week and experience a college environment. I learned from professors, built a computer and took campus and lab tours.

Through NASEP, I was able to explore the STEM fields and complete a geoscience college-level research project that focused on water quality in the Phoenix Metro area.

I also attended the Inspire program at Arizona State University. This college readiness program allowed me to live on the ASU polytechnic campus for a week. I met faculty, staff and students. I attended workshops and hands-on activities that focused on academic and personal success, which helped spark my interest in the construction management program at ASU. I am continuing the Sun Devil legacy in my family as my parents, brother, grandma and aunts are ASU graduates.

I am thankful for my family members’ examples. My family has always stressed the importance of attaining a higher education after high school.

Thank you to the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship & Financial Assistance. Thank you to my family for their continued love and support. Ahehee!

Haley Weston

Yá’át’ééh, Shí éí Haley Weston yiníshyé. Tsénabahilnii nishl?.Bilagáana báshishchíín. Naasht’ézhí dine’é dashicheii. Kinlichíi’nii dashinalí. I was born and raised in Farmington, New Mexico. My parents are Josephine and Randall Weston. My major area of interest is biology with an emphasis in pre-physician’s assistant, which I will be in at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

I have two older sisters who also received the Chief Manuelito Scholarship, and I want to thank the Navajo Nation for allowing all of us to further our education in college. I am most grateful to God for giving me my wonderful parents. They have always pushed me in everything I’ve done and supported me in every way they could.

Thank you Mom and Dad, I love you guys so much! It is a huge honor to receive this scholarship and I am so grateful for everyone that makes this opportunity possible. Ahéhee’!

Samantha Yazzie

Yaa’a t’eeh. My name is Samantha Yazzie. I am Tl’aashchi’í, born for Honagháanii. My maternal grandfather is Tabaahí and my paternal grandfather is Bit’ahnii. My family is originally from Bluff in Utah. However, I live in Many Farms, Arizona, with my father and paternal grandmother.

My parents are Sandra Benally and Matthew Yazzie. I plan to study environmental science at the University of Portland in the fall. First off, ahehee’ to all the sponsors and leaders that made this opportunity possible for me. I grew up in a traditional family that nurtured my interests and allowed me to strive for the best I could be.

To be more specific, it was my nali hastiin and asdzaan that raised me with the utter importance of education, since they did not receive much of it. They were inspired by my determination to learn Navajo and English in my studies and incorporate it in my life. In turn, their interest inspired me back and it has become one of the biggest influences on my education and life goals. So, ahehee’ shinali hastiin doo asdzaan. Naasgo holáagoo nizhonigo o?ta á adeeshliil!

Lauren Nells

Yá’át’ééh, shiéíyá Lauren Nells yinishyé. ‘Adóone’é nishlínnígíí ‘éí Naakai nishl?. Tó dích’íi’nii éí bá shíshchíín. Naakai éí dashicheii, nánáá, ‘Ásh??hí éí dashinálí. Yes, I am half Navajo and half Mexican.

My parents are Reuben and Selena Nells, and I was raised in Cedar Springs, Arizona, for the majority of my life. I graduated from Winslow High and plan to attend Grand Canyon University this coming fall.

I will be majoring in sociology with an emphasis in social work, as well as minoring in criminal justice. In pursuing these degrees, I hope to become an advocate for those who feel they do not have the power or strength to stand up for themselves. The reservation is notorious for broken homes and families.

My hope is to change that stereotype and bring justice to the Navajo Reservation. I would not have been able to realize my passion or receive the Chief Manuelito Scholarship if it wasn’t for the constant support, motivation, and love from my parents, grandparents, sisters, close friends, and the rest of my family, but most importantly, God. Ahéehee’.

Mari Jennie Baudoin

Tl’ááshchí’i nishli, Bilagaana bashishchiin, Bit’ahnii dashicheii, and Bilagaana dashinalí. I’m from Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, and my parents are Michelle and Darrell Baudoin.

My mom is from Upper Fruitland and my dad is from Abbeville, Louisiana, but he moved here when my parents got married and finished their service in the Army. I plan to get my associate in psychology at San Juan College. From there, I plan to transfer to Fort Lewis College and get my bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in forensic studies. After that, I plan to further my education at the University of Denver.

At Denver, I plan to get my master’s in forensic psychology and also my doctorate in clinical psychology. First, I want to thank my parents. I want to thank them for being there every step of the way with their endless love and support. They’ve shown me that I can do whatever I set my mind to if I work hard for it.

Second, I want to thank my grandma, Joanne L. Benally. Like my parents, she’s been there for me every step of the way with her encouragement and support throughout my years of school, from preschool to where I am today. She’s also an important part of how I was able to learn the ways of the Navajo culture.

She passed down stories that have been told for generations and she continues to teach me about my role as a Diné woman. Last but not least, I want to thank the Navajo Nation. It is an absolute honor to be recognized and to receive the Chief Manuelito Scholarship. It will get me closer to my dream and that’s something that I will never forget. Being a part of the Navajo Tribe is such a blessing and I’m so proud to call myself a Diné woman.

Therefore, I plan to come back home and serve our people and hopefully, be a role model to younger generations, like my niece Caidence and nephew Les Baudoin.

Kianna Renee Pete

I will attend Columbia University in New York, New York.

My clans: Tó’aheedliinii nishli, Nashashi bashishchíín. Naakai lizhinii dashicheii. Naakai dine’e dashinali.

My hometown is Farmington. May parents are mom, Tamara Pete, and dad, Marvin Pete.

Major of interest: Political science and a minor in racial and ethnicity studies. After college, I plan to go to law school and become a civil rights lawyer, hoping to give back to my community and help many who are suffering under the justice system, at the same time, advocating for Native American rights and educating our youth.

I want to thank my friends, family and my parents, who have continually supported me to represent my culture and to speak my language. Also, stressing the importance of education and to be compassionate towards the world around me. Without them, I wouldn’t be given this chance. Ahe’hee.

Cheyenne Logg

Yá’át’ééh shí èí Cheyenne Evelyn Logg yinishyé. My maternal clan is Zuni people (Naasht’ézhí dine’é). My paternal clan is the Salt people (‘Ashiihíí). My paternal grandfather’s clan is Water’s Edge People (Tábaahá). My maternal’s grandmother clan is Black Sheep (Díbétzhíní). I currently reside in Gallup, New Mexico.

Shimà éíí Marlene Boye wolyé; shizhe’é Darrell Boye wolyé. I am going to be attending Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. I will be pursuing my bachelor’s in nursing. I am truly thankful to the Navajo Nation for providing me the opportunity to expand my career and educational goals. While at Grand Canyon University I plan to continue volunteering and giving back to those in need. Ahéhee’.

Dayanara Begay

Yá’at’eeh. Shí ei Dayanara Begay yinishye. Tachii’nii nishli. Todich’ii’nii bashishchiin. Kiyaa’aanii da shicheii. Dziltl’ahni da shinali. Hello, my name is Dayanara Begay.

I was born in Fort Hood, Texas, but grew up in Farmington. My parents are Melissia Begay and Darwin Begay. I also have an older sister and her name is Samantha Begay.

I plan to attend the University of New Mexico and major in biochemistry. I plan to get my bachelor’s in biochemistry then go on to medical school and eventually become a pediatrician.

I always had a big interest in the medical field and I also always liked to help others. There always is a high demand for doctors in every field including pediatrics. I hope to work at hospitals on the Navajo Reservation and give back to the people who always pushed me to be the best in everything I did. Ahee’hee.

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