First lady makes SFIS graduation special

Posted by Arlyssa Becenti | Jun 2, 2016 | News |

Navajo Times | Adron Gardner
Fatima Garcia, right, presents First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama with a blanket during the Santa Fe Indian School graduation in Santa Fe on May 26.

SANTA FE

Santa Fe Indian School had over 100 seniors in their 2016 graduating class and of those, Dominique Justice Cotton was only one of the seven Navajo students graduating.

On May 16, Cotton, along with her fellow seniors sat together as classmates for the last time and made one last major memory together when they heard First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama give the commencement speech.

“I never thought I’d get this close to someone presidential, so I’m very grateful to be here,” said Cotton. “I’m honored.”

Adron Gardner | Navajo Times
The Santa Fe Indian school pueblo pavilion wellness center is a packed with visitors before graduates and commencement speaker Michelle Obama arrive in Santa Fe on May 26.

Santa Fe Indian School graduating class of 2016 was stated to have garnered at least $5 million in college scholarships. Most seniors would be heading to colleges such as Columbia, Harvard, Stanford and New York University. Not to mention, for the past three years alone grades 7-12th have met the Annual Yearly Progress.

But, having a reputable track record when it comes to their academia was not the reasons behind Obama speaking at the school, it was simply because the seniors asked for her to attend.

“When I heard you were first brainstorming who you’d invite to your commencement…me or my husband, some of you thought that was an impossible dream, that it wasn’t realistic that someone like us would ever visit a school like yours,” said Obama. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than right here with you.”

Obama’s speech gave more personal detail to her life as a daughter and a student. She emphasized that her working class upbringing in Chicago and her supportive, loving parents were the factors that led her to strive in academics, paving the way to attending two prestigious universities Princeton and Harvard. These events in her life she said could be seen as relatable to the graduating students that sat before her.