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Students awarded in essay contest

County essay contest winners (from left, in order from first-third) Darren Ray, Rosie Caballero and Malcom Sumerall.

County essay contest winners (from left, in order from first-third) Darren Ray, Rosie Caballero and Malcom Sumerall.

The Coconino County Inter-Tribal Council hosted its annual essay contest last November to all Native American students in eighth grade.

This year's winners are all from Grand Canyon Middle School.

First place was Darren Ray, second place was Rosie Caballero and third place was Malcom Sumerall. They each won scholarship money to be used to help assist them with costs of high school organizations and activities.

Darren Ray

First place

As a Navajo you must keep the native language within you. To me, that's what I still need to do so I can speak the language correctly, understand it and respond to it. For ceremonies you have to listen to what the medicine man tells you to do. For example, you can't touch blood and you can't see an owl or a coyote. You can't eat with salt for four days. You also can't see anything that's dead, shake hands, chop wood, or take a shower. That's what he's going say to after the ceremony is done. A medicine man helps you and your family to clear everything that is going on and clear the mind.

In the Navajo way you have to listen to your mother and father, and your grandparents. You need to listen to what they say and take it and use it in life so it can give you a better life to follow. A medicine man tells you if you will have a good life and keep it that way, if there's something wrong he can fix it by a prayer. We have to listen and make it work for us, so it can be all fixed and make everything easier. We must have a good positive mind and have good thoughts about good things and don't let anything get in the way so it won't affect you negatively in life.

To maintain your identity you can draw and paint any Navajo design. You can make rugs, jewelry and painting contributing to the Navajo way. Also you can herd sheep, and ride horses and bring water from the well. As a medicine man you must help people and tell people what was going to happen if you didn't see him. For me, I need to listen and do what my mother and father tell me to do in order to keep my heritage.

Rosie Caballero

Second place

As a future leader I foresee that there will be world hunger, crime and cancer. What I would do is to try to have many businesses help with these issues. My business would be helpful to different areas around the world. I believe that we would be able to get an organization together to focus on providing help where needed.

In a natural disaster, our group would to and help people in danger. A crew would take victims to safe places and help where needed. We can create a safe haven for them and make them feel secure until they can return to their homes.

For world hunger, I would send food to people in need as well as medicines. Foods that can be sent are corn, rice, bread, fruit, vegetables and meat that can travel. Useful animals such as cows can also be sent. They can provide milk and meat.

World crime will be addressed by sending professional crime fighters to support their police. The members would be there as soon as possible and be professional and helpful.

In order to find a cure for cancer, business members must use the periodic table and other natural substances. They will test out different medicines. Once a cure is found, I will give it to hospitals all over the world.

My business and other partners would demonstrate our best effort in trying to help the world every chance they get. I would ensure that children and babies will be able to have a happy life without any suffering or unhappiness. My hope is that my business and partners will help the world to be a better place.

Malcom Sumerall

Third place

I'm a Navajo and proud to be one. My native language is slowly vanishing away. I want it to come back because I want my kids to speak it also. Also learn it so I can speak it proudly and strongly. My family can speak it and I can speak a little like five or six words in Navajo. It's one of my goals in life to do.

After going to the Air Force Academy, I'm going to take a class on my native history that people don't learn school. The reason for doing this is to pass on the same knowledge I learn to my children. I want them to speak it and know some history in their native culture. My family told and taught me many things in my own native culture; also I'm glad and thankful for them telling me that.

People think that I'm black, but I tell them that I am half native too. The reason people think that is that my dad is black, so my skin is darker than a Navajo's skin to people. Some people don't believe me so I say a three or two words in Navajo. I let people know that I'm native.

In my family I don't know some things in our culture. I learned other things from my native friends. For example, all Navajos can't look at snakes at all. They also teach me new words in Navajo like to say dog, sheep, and grandpa. That's how I learn new things in my culture is though my friends.

My grandparents make jewelry and they are really cool. My grandpa makes earrings, rings, and bracelets. My grandma makes necklaces and makes the other part of the earring. Also this is one of the goal and it is to do what they do to. I hope I can do this goal after the air force, too.


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