At Shiprock High School in Shiprock, social studies teacher Delphina John helps Navajo youth discover and develop leadership skills and cultural pride through an organization called the Nataani Nez Youth Council (translation: The Leaders of Shiprock). Formerly a peer counseling program for drug and alcohol prevention, Mrs. John and her students have broadened the program to include issues of Navajo history, tradition and spirituality. She initiated the Shiprock High School Pageant, an annual celebration of Navajo heritage that is planned and coordinated by students. Mrs. John spearheads a cultural exchange program with an affluent Denver-area youth group, allowing her students to share their experiences with their metropolitan peers.
