Flagstaff High graduate earns full-ride culinary scholarship to Paul Smith’s College

Flagstaff High graduate earns full-ride culinary scholarship to Paul Smith’s College

FLAGSTAFF

Autumn Maxx just graduated high school and will be on her way to New York to study at Paul Smith’s College tuition free.

Maxx, 18, graduated from Flagstaff High School May 26. She’ll be attending Paul Smith’s culinary program in late summer. She is ’Áshįįhí and born for Tótsohnii. Her maternal grandfather is Chíshí, and her paternal grandfather is Bįįh Bitoodnii. She resides in Winslow.

When Maxx was about 5, she and her family went through many life challenges and misfortunes. She remembers watching her grandma, Eunice Begay, bake and cook during those turbulent times.

Maxx said, “She always looked like she was in the moment. She was always calm regardless of what was happening around her. Nothing seemed to faze her.”

In addition to learning from her grandma, she also watched many videos on YouTube. Her earliest attempt at baking was making sugar cookies. She said she didn’t follow the instructions well and ended up with pounds of cookie dough, making over 100 cookies, but each was fluffy and delicious.

Read the full story in the June 1 edition of the Navajo Times.


About The Author

Holly James

Holly James is Kinyaa'áanii (the Towering House Clan) and born for Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan). Her maternal grandfather is Kinłichíi’nii (Red House Clan), and her paternal grandfather is Honágháahnii (One-walks-around Clan). Ms. James was born in Tséhootsooí (Fort Defiance), Ariz., and grew up in Phoenix. She began her tenure with the Navajo Times as a freelancer, and a year ago, she moved from Nevada to Diné Bikéyah and became a full-time reporter. Her passion is sharing the light of her Diné People, the tenacity, pride, ingenuity, and resilience they show daily. She intends to enrich the hopes and aspirations of the Diné through the stories of contributions and hardships, survival, and culture revitalization.

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