Students learn the ropes as pages

By Karen Francis
Staff writer

WINDOW ROCK — Students from Window Rock High School had the opportunity to see the Navajo Nation’s lawmakers in action and experience being a part of the Navajo Nation Council fall session.

Pupils from Ed Leeper’s National, State and Local Government class attended the session Monday through Wednesday as pages on the Council floor.

Their duties as pages mostly included delivering messages to the Council delegates, getting copies of documents and running errands back and forth between the chamber and the offices.

The students sat on the sidelines of the Council floor, ready for when they were called upon for various tasks.

For Council Delegate Kenneth Maryboy, Mexican Water/Aneth/Red Mesa, the students were a big help.

“If we want some documents or a previous legislation, we can have them go run and get it,” he said, which allows for the delegates to remain on the Council floor.

That was the goal for Miss Window Rock High School Latasha Tom, who was there on Wednesday. When asked why she signed up to be a page during Council session, she answered, “To help.”

Tom, who is a senior, said that she didn’t know much about Navajo government but that she was learning about it from being there.

“It’s kind of cool,” Leona Tsosie, a senior, said as she watched the Council delegates vote on legislation to amend the Council rules of order.

Tsosie said she signed up to earn extra credit and was learning about the issues that were being discussed as she watched, including school boards and chapter names.

Tsosie, who plans to enlist in the armed forces after graduating, said she might be interested in one day being a Navajo Nation leader.

Ricco Bitsuie, a senior, volunteered to be a page because he was interested in how the Navajo government works.

“I’m learning about the different branches of government we have,” he said.

Bitsuie added he was learning about the legislative process through observing the session.

Matthew Nez, a junior, said that he signed up because he wanted to learn more about the government. He had previously attended a Council session when he was in middle school.

When asked what he learned from the experience, he said, “Basically how the whole legislation works.”

Council Delegate Katherine Benally, Dennehotso, said that having the students helping out was great for all involved.

“I think the schools that have these programs — they have the foresight to get our young persons to aspire to get involved in government,” she said.

Maryboy echoed her sentiments.

“I think they’re doing excellent work. It’s a good experience for them,” he said.

Window Rock High School students have been assisting during the fall and spring sessions for a few years now.

Typically, four to six different individuals on each day and a sponsor attend Monday through Thursday, arriving at the legislative complex at 9 a.m. for a tour and leaving by 2:30 p.m. to get back to school.