Dine Youth Conference held in Ganado

More than 100 people attended Hinaah Azeea' Nihaa' alchinia' Yeea' Noosela'doo -- the fifth annual Azee Bee Nagaha of DinŽ Nation Youth Conference held July 30-31, four miles south of Ganado.

Council delegate Willie Tracey Jr. (Ganado/Kinlichee) organized the first three youth conferences and helped to organize the fourth one, but his duties as a legislator did not allow him the time to plan the fifth youth conference this year. His brother Emerson took over the job for him.

Tracey, who was the emcee of the event, began the youth conference to send area children back to school with a healthy mindset and an eagerness to learn. The two-day event includes a wellness clinic, drawing contests, lessons on drum tying, and presentations from various speakers. This year the participants heard from Education Committee Chairperson Leonard Chee (Birdsprings/Leupp/ Tolani Lake), President of the Navajo Nation Joe Shirley Jr. and Miss Navajo Nation Jannalee Atcitty.

Chee encouraged the youth to learn both at home and at school.

"Learn what you can at home, traditional teachings from your parents, and learn from teachings in the classroom. When you have that kind of knowledge, you can be a well-balanced person and know yourselves as Navajo people," Chee said.

He also challenged parents to get involved with their children's education. He said that they could have a positive impact on their children's education through promoting regular attendance at school and helping to increase test scores and eliminate drop-out.

Chee further commended the group for focusing on children and youth.

"We need to provide as much training and support for parents as we can," Chee said.

Chee said he is not associated with Azee' Bee Nagaha of DinŽ Nation (ABNDN), but that he attended to show support for the community and to encourage the youth to reach out to where they can find help.

Chee spoke briefly about the passage of legislation that amends the Education Code. The Council passed the Dine' Sovereignty in Education Act, co-sponsored by Chee and Wallace Charley (Shiprock) on Tuesday, July 19.

"Our Navajo children are unique. We need an education system that responds to the unique needs of our children. These amendments will help us to set our own standard for adequate yearly progress and eventually to close the achievement gap," Chee said.

He noted that parental involvement is essential in the success of a student.

Tracey also spoke about the need for parental involvement in light of new high school graduation requirements.

"The Class of 2005 was the last class to graduate the way we did," Tracey said to the parents. "Beginning with the Class of 2006, our children will have to pass the AIMS test to graduate. Remember, we have heard today that out of 195 juniors at Ganado High School, only 35 passed all three sections of the AIMS test. It's time that we stop looking at the teachers or the administrators. Let's look at ourselves as well."

Evelyn Begay from Ganado Unified School District gave a thorough presentation on parental involvement and the AIMS test. She encouraged parents to meet their children's teachers and principal, and to start encouraging good study habits at a young age. With the involvement of parents, she said the statistics can change.

Begay said that because of the new requirements, student schedules at Ganado will change where there will be 90-minute blocks of Language Arts, Reading and Mathematics. Students must now pass the three tests to graduate in the state of Arizona.

Miss Navajo Nation Jannalee Atcitty encouraged the children to look to their own minds to accomplish success in school. To do so, she said, requires that they lead healthy lives and avoid drugs.

Atcitty appreciated the opportunity to learn more about ABNDN, which she said she had only read about in the newspaper.

"I think it's very educational for the children because they are learning aspects of different religions," she said. "They are preparing their spiritual being for school. They are excited, vibrant and happy to go back to school. These types of activities further benefit the entire community."

Tracey said that the feedback for the fifth annual ABNDN Youth Conference was extremely positive.

"Maybe we need to do this more than annually," he said.

(Karen Francis is Public Information Officer for the Navajo Nation office of the Speaker.)

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