Continuing the Legacy

The year 2020 has been one of dilemmas. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many to make some tough decisions, and for our little boarding school in the desert, this has been no exception.

In doing our part to curb the spread of the virus, our students were unable to return to the Holbrook Indian School (HIS) campus to finish out the 2019-2020 school year. After leaving for spring break, they remained home, many of them living on the Navajo reservation. Our Summer Experience program was also cancelled.

The conditions for our students were dire. The Navajo Nation had the highest transmission levels in the country. This is significantly due to a lack of clean water, access to healthy foods, and adequate medical care, along with overcrowded homes. Lack of internet also posed a considerable obstacle to distance learning.

In the words of our principal, Pedro Ojeda: “The devil’s plot to keep us apart and severely curtail our God-given mission seemed to work.” Our staff fought courageously to keep in contact with our students. Once the state mandates were lifted, we sought a way to have them safely return to school as soon as possible.  

 Mr. Ojeda informed all about our intentions.

Our front office manager, Veronica Findorff, uses an infrared thermometer to check students and staff temperatures every morning.

“After much prayer and careful consideration, the Board of Trustees approved our reopening plan in our request to allow students to return to campus on Monday, August 17. Our rationale is centered on the belief that students are experiencing more harm at home than the potential of infection on campus, and our Native American students are at the top of that list.” 

 After five long months away, due to state government COVID-19 stipulations, we were happy that our students returned to campus in August. For nearly 75 years, Holbrook Indian School has been a safe place for Native American children and youth to live, learn, and grow in Christ. As we began the 2020-2021 school year, we wanted to continue that legacy.

In anticipation of our students return, we laid out a detailed plan to keep our students and staff as safe as possible. We started the year with 65 students enrolled. We believe it is vital to use the time we have to serve and minister to our students, especially since many of their most basic needs were not being met at home.

 Please continue to pray for our students and staff. For a detailed list of our COVID-19 re-opening plan, with visitor guidelines, click here.