School readies students to excel in the world

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As survivors of the brutal residential schools of the past embark on the painful journey of healing, some 38 miles southeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico, students from the first graduating class of the Native American Preparatory School will have very different memories of the education system from the memories of their grandparents and parents. At this school they have found empowerment.

Unlike its notorious predecessors, at this boarding school, Native history and languages are taught and Native culture is respected, while at the same time providing students with an education that allows them to access and pursue opportunities, where anything is possible.

"[The Native American Preparatory School] is unique because we embrace both Native traditional values in addition to Western studies. We invest time to address those two components and try to find a balance. We want to be open. We try and teach our students that we can all learn from one another. This is like an international school because there are so many tribes represented here," explained Edison Eskeets, Navajo, associate head of school.

Established as a non-profit institution in 1988 by Richard Ettinger, son of the founder of Prentice Hall publishing company, the school started out as a summer enrichment program for middle school Native American students. In 1995, a challenge grant of $10 million from the Educational Foundation of America (whose chairman of the board was Richard Ettinger) was awarded to the school, which resulted it opening its doors as a year-round residential school.

With yearly tuition, room and board running at $24,000 US, virtually all students receive full scholarships, which are provided through private, corporate and foundation sponsors.

Presently, 72 students from 32 tribes are enrolled at the Native American Preparatory School, which offers a curriculum for Grades 9 through 12. And come September, all 21 students from the school's first graduating class will be attending colleges and universities across America, some at Ivy League institutions such as Amherst and Yale.

For many of the students - 80 per cent of whom attended Bureau of Indian Affairs schools on reservations - achieving and maintaining high grade point averages at this school has taken a lot of hard work. They feel the education available to them back home is grossly inadequate.

"My friends back home think this is a really great opportunity for me. It means a lot to them that I'm here," said Grade 11 student, Rae Cisneros from the Lac Courte Orielles Tribe in Wisconsin. "Back on our reservation we're going through a lot of problems with the [Bureau of Indian Affairs]; the school there is four grades behind and there are kids graduating and not going on to do other things. I think I'm the only one in my tribe on my reservation that is doing anything to prepare for college. I'm trying to set a good example for my younger cousins."

Rick Williams, executive director of the American Indian College Fund, agrees that Native youth are at a great disadvantage when it comes to receiving a proper education and he feels schools like the Native American Preparatory School proves that when young people are given a healthy and safe environment, a place where they are encouraged and supported, they will excel.

"The issue of education has never been seriously addressed for Indian people in America. Only 50 per cent of our people graduate from high school, and then we have only a 3 per cent graduation rate in mainstream college institutions, " said Williams.

"Today, for the first time, you see models of success cropping up on reservations that have been driven by the communities themselves. Community colleges, the tribal colleges are good examples of models of success in education, very similar to the model developed by [the school]. It's those kinds of things - Indians educating Indians, modifying the education system, making whole systemic changes to meet the needs of Indian peope. What I hope for in the future is what I mentioned to Barbara Ettinger [Richard Ettinger's daughter, who is the current president of the school's board of directors]. Wouldn't it be wonderful if a place like this could become an extension to the schools." He said the Native American Preparatory School has demonstrated a successful model and it needs to be available to more students.

"The current enrollment of 72 students is such a miniscule number of students who could take advantage of this kind of school," said Williams.

But the school isn't just about striving for higher academic SAT scores or GPAs. In fact the school's greatest gift to Indian Country may be that it infuses young people with a sense of empowerment, and nurtures an environment where traditional values such as compassion becomes the thread that weaves students from 32 nations together as one community.

"Just coming here was a total culture shock for me. I'm from Wisconsin. I've been in the mid-west all my life. I came down here and everyone is really immersed in their language and they have really strong beliefs - they've really kept their culture," said Cisneros.

"I've learned a lot about humanity, about people being judgmental, people making mistakes; you learn a lot about things like that at a place like this because you're around the same people every day. Sometimes you get to know too much about people, and you hear rumors really quickly. I've learned a lot about getting over grudges, forgive and forget, because you don't know where they've come from and what they've been through. I feel I have an advantage over a lot of kids - after you've been here awhile you're not so naive anymore and I think that's really important for us so that when we do go out there we won't be taken advantage of anymore."

As the graduation ceremony came to a close at the Glorieta Conference Center, 21 students proudly held their diplomas and said an emotional farewell to teachers and fellow students. For many faily members and friends, being present for the commencement exercises of the Native American Preparatory School's inaugural graduating class was witnessing a moment of history.

"For all of mankind, the sun has always been viewed with great respect. Today, NAPS is dancing underneath the sun," said Edison Eskeets in welcoming those gathered at the ceremony. "We are filled with joy, accomplishment, celebration, recognition, growth, pride, history, life, prayer, song and not to mention the education. In the past four years I've seen a class work very hard and now we will receive a gift. This gift will be unwrapped in our own communities."