Navajo Prep graduates 61 seniors, all accepted to college

Sixty-one Navajo Preparatory High School seniors left Farmington with a clear signal about where they are headed next: every graduate had been accepted to at least one college, and many said they planned to bring that education back to their families, chapters and communities across San Juan County and the Navajo Nation.

The ceremony on Saturday, May 17, drew tribal and state leaders to the Navajo Preparatory School campus, including Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya and first lady Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren. New Mexico Rep. Michelle Abeyta delivered the commencement address as families, faculty and students marked a class that school leaders described as unusually focused on service as well as academic achievement.

Head of School Shawna Becenti said Navajo Prep’s mission is Yideeskąągóó Naat’áanii, meaning leaders now and into the future. That message fit a class she said is grounded in Diné language and culture and prepared for college and beyond. For a school in Farmington that draws students from across the region, the ceremony underscored a larger goal than diplomas alone: developing Indigenous leaders who can strengthen the workforce, culture and civic life of the Four Corners.

The academic numbers behind the celebration were substantial. Abeyta said the class submitted more than 647 college applications to more than 195 colleges and universities around the world. She said 100% of the graduates were accepted to at least one college, while student plans also included military enlistment, study overseas and collegiate athletics. Abeyta also said 15 students were eligible for the Chief Manuelito Scholarship, the highest number in school history, and 11 students earned the Navajo Nation Seal of Bilingual Proficiency.

That emphasis on language and opportunity echoed the school’s recent graduation trends. In 2024, Navajo Prep reported 64 seniors certified to walk at its graduation at the football field, and in 2025, the Navajo Nation Council said 10 students earned the Navajo Nation Bilingual Seal. The Chief Manuelito Scholarship, which honors Hastiin Ch’ilhaajiin, also known as Chief Manuelito, provides $7,000 per academic year to qualifying students and recognizes the long link between education, tradition and cultural preservation.

For San Juan County, the ceremony was more than an end-of-year milestone. It showed a graduating class moving into higher education with a strong academic record and a stated commitment to return, lead and serve.