How did you first come to Red Cloud?
I was born in San Diego; my mom, who is from the Navajo Nation, was in the Navy and my dad, who is Lakota, was in the Marines. When I was 4 or 5, we moved to South Dakota, and I went to first through fourth grade in Rapid City, and then we moved to the [Pine Ridge] reservation. I went to Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL), Red Cloud’s sister school, for a year, but then my parents got divorced and…and I moved back and forth between South Dakota and New Mexico for a while.
There were a lot of difficult transitions at that time, especially with the divorce. But I came back to OLL for 6th grade, stayed through 8th grade, and then came to Red Cloud for all of high school. I feel more comfortable and confident now, being at Red Cloud. Looking back at being a freshman, and reflecting on that time, I can see the slow transition to the person I am now. And I’m pretty proud of that.
What filled your days here, and what was important to you?
Running cross country and track was really important to me, because it was time when I could reflect and de-stress.
And I opened myself up by joining student organizations, like the Spiritual Formation Team on campus. During my freshman year I tried to run for student council but was really disappointed when I did get it. I shared that with Garrrett [Gundlach S.J., a former staff member who helped to lead campus ministry services] and he suggested that I think about Spiritual Formation. I didn’t really know what it was then, but it ended up being a highlight of my high school career. Without being a part of it, I wouldn’t have gained the public speaking skills I did, or put myself out there more in the community.
What or who at Red Cloud made a difference in your life?
A lot of people made a difference, but some of the main people are my teacher Katie Montez, and Garrett. Looking back at my freshmen year, I didn’t really have a great start in high school. I was shy and reserved, and that restricted me from going out and making friends. It was a lonely time. But I think going to Katie and to Garrett, talking to them about how I was feeling and trying to deal with the loneliness I was facing, really helped. If it wasn’t for their encouragement and support, and my academics and extracurriculars, I don’t think I’d be where I am now.
Katie also encouraged me to apply to be a part of the Native American Health Scholars Program , and that’s another one of the highlights of my time here. That’s how I’ve been able to go to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society conferences every year. It was such a source of empowerment, seeing all these Native people — and especially Native women — doing their own research projects in different STEM fields.
What impact did studying Lakota language have on you?
In my childhood years, I learned Lakota from my grandma and grandpa. I wasn’t fluent, but I could understand a lot. Once we started moving around more, I lost touch with that. So when I got to Red Cloud and began taking language classes, it was all brought back to me. I definitely plan to continue to learn, both Lakota and the Navajo language as well. I’ll be attending Stanford in the fall, and they offer both…and I’m planning to take them.
Talk about your plans for next year!
While I was in middle school, my cousin Savannah was accepted to Stanford, and everyone in my family was talking about it. My mom told me it was in California, where I was born…and I told her, that’s one of the schools I want to go to. If I get in, that’s where I’m going. And it happened.
My academic advisor at Stanford is a Native woman, and it’s really nice to know that I’ll have the support of someone who understands my needs. That was certainly a factor of the colleges I decided to apply to, the support available to Native students. I read a lot about how Native students who go to predominantly white schools have a hard time finding support and fitting in, so I wanted that Native community.
How did the Red Cloud community support you in your path to college?
Without Red Cloud, I probably wouldn’t have come this far. I had so many teachers double and triple check my essays, to make sure everything was perfect. And January Tobacco [Red Cloud’s Director of Student Advancement and Alumni Support] is a Stanford alumni, and she looked over my entire application and provided so much help with the Stanford process. I’m so thankful for her.
Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?
I would say to my younger self that your only competition is yourself. Everyone else is in their own race. If you’re at times lonely, because everyone will be, you have to recognize that this whole time, you have yourself and that’s where you have to find comfort.