Hundreds of children celebrate Ashkii Happy Kids Day at 77th Navajo Nation Fair

By Karen Francis
Special to the Times

 WINDOW ROCK

Thousands of children took part in the Ashkii Happy Kids Day celebration Wednesday, Sept. 3, during the 77th Annual Navajo Nation Fair.

Three fifth graders from Názlíní Community School shared their highlights: “I liked the skateboards.” “I liked friends and family out here and the skateboards and all the activities.” “I liked the snow cones!”

Francelia Tom, the principal of Názlíní Community School, brought 55 students. She said it was a valuable day for students to see the resources available in the Navajo Nation through the educational booths.

“One of the main things my students wanted to pick up was the skateboards, so that was pretty fun. I’m just appreciative of what our students are able to do today – enjoy the Navajo Nation Fair and also see the royalties and know there are role models out there for the students,” Tom said.

David Propst, the principal of Cottonwood Day School, brought 115 students.

“I think the students deserve it from all the hard work they’ve been doing. I really appreciate the students, and this is a good time for us to show our appreciation to them,” Propst said.

He added that the day carried cultural value. “This is phenomenal – bringing the Navajo Nation together. I think it’s beautiful,” he said. “They’re embracing everything. They’re taking in everything.”

Valerie Tom, the program supervisor for the Fort Defiance Agency Office of Diné Youth, coordinated the Ashkii Happy Kids Day activities at the Veterans Memorial Arena. The event is held each year in recognition of Ashkii Happy’s birthday.

“The fair hosts Ashkii Happy Day just to celebrate all the children and youth from across the Navajo Nation and to set aside a day where it’s a day of fun, filled with activities, informational booths promoting prevention awareness, recreation, health, nutrition, exercise, character development, and self-esteem,” she said. “But it’s also an opportunity to have our parents, grandparents and educators come out to bring the children.”

The day featured team-building activities, entertainment and a school supplies scramble. Tom said the scramble encouraged students to stay in school and continue their education.

At least 21 schools and more than 2,000 kids from across the Navajo Nation registered for the activities, she said.

Amy Denet Deal, the founder of 4KINSHIP and executive director of Diné Skate Garden Project, and her team brought 2,000 skateboards and 7,000 pairs of shoes to give away at the Good Medicine Youth Day.

“These skateboards are skateboard complete, which means they have the wheels and trucks on them. We just want to make sure our kids get really, really good equipment that will last them until next year,” she said.

“Skateboarding is one of the most amazing sports they can be a part of,” Denet Deal said. She said it’s not tied to school and doesn’t require a uniform. 

“It’s simply for them to have that joy whenever they want to skate and when they want to skate with their friends and learn those basic life lessons of falling down and getting back up, practicing a trick until you achieve it,” she said. 

Denet Deal also noted that the Navajo Nation president skateboards. She said skateboarding has the potential to change young lives.

“I think that’s an investment we need to make – raising these funds and getting them into sports and keeping them free of diabetes, free of ideation of hurting themselves, free of ideation of addiction, so this is a great way to give them a healthy start,” she said.

Get instant access to this story by purchasing one of our many e-edition subscriptions HERE at our Navajo Times Store.

 

---