Hopi High speaker outlines 5-point plan

By Stan Bindell
For the Independent

POLACCA, Ariz. — It is now the turn of Hopi High School graduates to meet the challenges of their time, keynote speaker Diane Humetewa told graduates last week.

Humetewa, senior litigation counsel and tribal liaison for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Arizona, addressed about 3,000 family members and friends of graduates May 25 during graduation.

Humetewa, who is Hopi, said this graduating generation faces peer pressure to use new and dangerous drugs, the burdens of seeing family and friends being sent off to war in Iraq, the challenges of global warming and a world full of new technology.

Humetewa said past generations faced eight-track players, cassettes, Walkmans and boom boxes while today's generation has seen CDs, cell phones, text messages and iPods. She noted that today's generation has computers while past generations have had typewriters and notebooks.

"You've lived through challenging and changing times," she said.

Humetewa said this generation has seen the rise and fall of Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton while the previous generation saw the rise and fall of Michael Jackson.

"We have our differences, but we're all the same," she said.

Humetewa told the graduates that each one of them has the ability to make a difference in their lives and gave them a five-point plan to reach goals.

First, think of high school graduation not as an end, but as a beginning.

Second, don't take time off. Instead be productive by setting short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Make steps to reach all of those goals.

Third, develop a strong character by being honest with yourself, making commitments, following through on those commitments, listening to others and using good judgment.

Fourth, realize that you will make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes.

Fifth, be a good citizen and vote to show that you have a voice.

"Meet tomorrow with great optimism, hope and a little hard work," she said.

Humetewa told the parents, guardians and relatives to encourage the students because children cherish words of support.

"Your words are what matters," she said.

Humetewa, who has her law degree from Arizona State University, has given many opening and closing remarks in front of judges and juries, but said she had to think for months about what she could tell graduates that would make a difference.