A Seventh-day Adventist Boarding Academy Serving Native American Youth Since 1946
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Where Are They Now?
ave you ever wondered what happens to our students after they graduate and leave Holbrook Indian School (HIS)? For many, getting a higher education or attending trade school isn’t always at the forefront of their minds. It might be due to a lack of resources to pay for college or trade school or the fact that no other member of their family has attended college. Maybe it’s for other reasons. However, there are those who desire to discover what they are capable of and who want to give back to their community. We had the blessing and privilege of catching up with three of our HIS alumni, Shawnewa, Adrienna, and Israel, to ask, “Where are they now?” Continue reading to learn more about the impact their time at HIS had on their lives. Adrienna (Class of 2019) Adrienna is originally from Chinle and attended the Chinle Adventist Elementary School on the Navajo reservation there. After elementary school, she followed in her siblings’ and cousins’ footsteps to attend HIS. Adrienna - HIS Alumni Upon completion of high (2019): U.S. Army, ETS school, Adrienna joined June 2023 the U.S. Army. When asked why she chose this route, she replied, “From early
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Holbrook Indian School
childhood, I was a supporter of the military. I worked at home after school, babysitting my niece. I wanted to do more. I wanted to be a firefighter in the Army.” She spoke with a recruiter and learned about the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. The recruiter explained the job that Adrienna qualified for, and she was interested. Her Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 14 Echo, which is PATRIOT Fire Control Enhanced Operator Maintainer (missile systems maintenance and operation). Adrienna’s Expiration Term of Service (ETS) was June 6, 2023. Now that she has completed her military contract, Adrienna plans to attend Northern Arizona University (NAU) Police Academy. She has a sponsoring agency while completing the program; however, she is still deciding which city she would like to work for. Adrienna said that one of the greatest impacts on her life from her time at HIS was the staff, who still keep in contact with her. “It helped me a lot during my time in the military.” Shawnewa (Class of 2020) Shawnewa is originally from Low Mountain and is of the Navajo and Hopi tribes. She mostly attended public schools before considering HIS. During her eighth-grade year, she was asked where she would attend high school. The idea of HIS came up, but she wasn’t interested. However, her grandfather wanted her to attend, and after he died, as a way of honoring his memory, she decided to enroll. Post-graduation, she went straight into college and