Young Adults

Options…

~ Jaclyn M. Roessel

Graduating from high school is often a frightening time. I remember when I graduated, I was so scared. Even though I knew my post-high school plans I was nervous about leaving the familiar and wondered if I would be successful. I went to school in a community on the Navajo reservation near Monument Valley and decided to leave Kayenta to attend Arizona State University in Tempe.

Flash forward to today and I am grateful for the path I ventured down. I graduated in 2005 with my bachelor degree in art history. Today I work in a world-class museum and it is due in part to the opportunities I explored while at ASU. College was a place for me to find my passion and share ideas with others. I was involved with many clubs and through them made contacts that help me in my current job. I even met my best friend at school.

For a long time, it seemed many people believed college was the only way to be successful. Today while college is a very important option for young adults, it is not the only option. What is key is finding the right opportunity for your interests and definition of what is success to you. I interviewed three fellow Navajo young professionals. One of whom is my sister and the other two are people I have respect for their perspectives and work. I hope you will find encouragement in their words and experiences. Knowing life after high school is always a daunting time in life allows us not to taken over by fear. As Native people, we face more challenges but we are also unique in the culture and have traditional teachings which prepare us for challenges. I believe post-secondary education planning should be a dialogue and opportunity to share what is important. I welcome questions and concerns. Ahe’hee’ (thank you).

*Profiles are paraphrased from three separate interviews as told by Jaclyn M. Roessel

Eric Peach – Kayenta, AZ

Finishing high school, I had a hard time seeing myself be successful since I had friends who weren’t the best influence. I wanted to become a civil engineer since I saw it as a way to shape the world. At the same time, I wanted to join the military but my family – the whole family – was against it because it wasn’t safe at the time. So I researched architectural schools and picked ITT Technical Institute against Arizona State University because it was a fast track and I could begin to work sooner. The downside was the cost, it was so expensive. I graduated with my associates degree in Architectural Computer Aided Drafting. 

For me being away from home was the easy part. The tough parts were the projects I had to work on especially because I put pressure on myself to better than my non-Native classmates. I wanted to show people Navajos were smart, that we could compete. In high school I thought having two vehicles and a house was success because this is what my Dad provided for my family. Today, this view has change for me. I think being successful is being a leader in whatever role you find yourself. In Navajo we say Nataanii (leader). This is important in our culture and it is what I want to pursue.

Looking forward, as an uncle to two cute kids, I want to help provide for my niece and nephew. I plan to go back to school for my bachelor’s professionally, and personally, I want to build a truck from the ground up. It’d also be nice to win a poker tournament! My advice for Native youth would be to read more, as much as you can to be book smart. Focus on that and not on material things, that is such a big distraction.

Michael Ornelas – Tucson, AZ

My future after high school was set and unknown at the same time. I knew I was going to college. But I didn’t know what I wanted to study once there. I didn’t have much choice in not going to school since my parents stressed the importance of obtaining a degree. I started school at the University of Arizona taking as many intro classes in a variety of subjects as a way to figure out what I was interested in. I knew I was interested in making video games so I began to study what was required to create them – computer programming. I met with a counselor at school and developed a plan. I graduated with my bachelor’s in computer science.

I was listening to a podcast and T.J. Miller talked about how you will never make it until you have redefined where you are at as making it. Looking forward I have two paths, the dream path – to make millions creating video games and build my own animation company – and my making it dream – to create video games and animation while I pay the bills. It is important for Native youth interested in anything creative to have something of their work to share. Because there will be someone willing to look. My advice would be to not be afraid to suck. You are gonna suck, but you have to get through the suck to get better.

Robyn Roessel – Kayenta, AZ

My future in high school was a puzzle. I didn’t know what school I wanted to attend, what program to major. It was like a hard-core Sudoku puzzle. I decide to join the AmeriCorps program in a nearby community, Rough Rock, because of my interest in childcare. I wanted study early childhood education and business so I can open my open childcare center. I thought AmeriCorps would help me by showing me what working with kids meant. And it did. I saw the energy and creativity required to work with kids.

I was placed in a second grade classroom and gained real work experience. I learned how to motivate students to stay on task. How to encourage students who were behind without making them feel ashamed of their performance. I also learned just how tough it is to control second graders. There were challenging moments when I was required to teach Navajo, even when I felt like I didn’t know enough. Then I saw I knew way more than I thought. The program taught me what it was like to have real work responsibilities. It showed me how cool it was to have students listen to me and look up to me. That was such a reward. I also felt blessed to have the opportunity to help members of the community through our service projects. To me being successful is being able to look forward and plan. The ability to work toward a goal and not live day to day. It is doing what you want to do.  My plans now include starting school using my educational stipend from AmeriCorps. I am interested still in education but also culinary school. I enjoy the possibilities now. In high school I wish I would have taken school more seriously. I would have liked it if someone explained the opportunities in high school and how they really can guide you in the future.

            As Native, youth have an inherent right to choose their own path. It is their responsibility to move themselves forward on their own terms.

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”
                                                               ~ Booker T. Washington




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