School program focuses on talent

Gallup Central High School students Sheldon Shakey, left to right, Joshua Halona, Charity Joe, Melanie King, Felicia Gilbert, Nathan Yazzie and O'steen Bob pose for a portrait in front of a display case featuring their artwork on display Tuesday in the lobby of the high school. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Students at Central High School were able to share some of their creative talents with their school community due to a program funded by the Gates Foundation.

Thirteen students competed in the first-ever Central High School Art Contest and three students demonstrated dance, musical, and athletic ability in an April 20 talent show. The events were coordinated by Evelyn Rangel and Sylvia DePauli, part-time asset coaches who work in a motivational program funded by the Gates Foundation.

Dexter Amesoli, Ray Garcia, Joshua Halona, Derek Harper, Charity Joe, Tyrell King, Lakin Luna, Kevin Naswood, Sheldon Shakey, Denise Thompson, and Nathan Yazzie entered artwork into the competition. Felicia Gilbert and Melanie King also contributed original poetry for the art exhibition, which was on display in the school's entryway showcase.

Naswood won the Best of Show award. First place honors went to Amesoli for Artistic Ability, Shakey for Creativity/Originality, and Harper for Showmanship/Presentation.

For the talent show, O'steen Bob demonstrated his expertise in powwow fancy dancing, Dana Cardy performed original music on the electric guitar, and Arthur Rascon exhibited his rock climbing skills by scaling a climbing wall and ceiling.

School librarian Chuck Moore helped bring the grant-funded program to Central High School this year. Moore cited the work of the Red Rock Coalition, a local organization of secondary school educators from public, private, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools who are working to improve education for area students. Using the Search Institute's "40 Developmental Assets," coalition members have been trying to incorporate those 40 identified building blocks of healthy development into local school curriculum.

"The idea is to work on and improve in the 40 assets," Moore said.

After polling teachers at Central High School, Moore targeted eight of those developmental assets to be the focus of the program. Rangel and DePauli, local substitute teachers and fellow marathon runners, were asked if they would like to come to the school once a week to bring the program to Central students.

"We wanted some people who we thought would connect with the kids... and make a positive impact," said Moore of Rangel and DePauli. "And they've done exactly that."

Prior to becoming asset coaches for the program, the two women had never been in Central High School before. Both said they have been very impressed with the students they have met at Central.

"These students are so polite," Rangel said. "They're so thankful for what you do for them."

Although Rangel and DePauli said they spend much of their efforts leading the students in group discussions about topics like goal setting or time management, they said they wanted to provide some creative outlets for the students because Central High School's curriculum doesn't offer much in the area of elective classes.

The art and poetry competition and the talent show revealed hidden talents that the students don't normally share with others, Rangel said. And according to DePauli, a number of the students were reluctant to share their artistic talent at first. It was only after a few students submitted their artwork, she explained, that the remaining students were willing to also submit their work for the competition.

However, Cherolyn Laughing, a local weaver who served as one of the judges for the art show, was impressed with the quality of talent demonstrated by the students. She encouraged the students to enter their work in the annual student art show and scholarship competition sponsored by the Southwest Indian Foundation.

In addition, although the talent show was small, DePauli said the audience was impressed by the skills of Bob, Cardy, and Rascon. "They were three awesome performers," she said.

Rangel and DePauli are hopeful the program will be funded again next year, something Moore believes is likely. But as this year's program comes to a close, the two teachers are looking forward to one last activity with their students an end-of-the-year hike up Pyramid Rock.