Source: NPS Digest
Canyon de Chelly National Monument and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) joined together for a second summer to host an all Native American high school work crew, providing the local youth with valuable job and service-learning experience that enriched their lives and brought them a greater sense of connection to the resources of Canyon de Chelly.
The SCA crew at Canyon de Chelly is the first all Native American crew in the program’s history. Support came from various partnerships with private donors and government or non-profit agencies, including an National Parks Foundation “America’s Best Idea” grant, which supports educational and conservation-minded programs.
This summer’s SCA participants call the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona home, with some having family ties to the Canyon itself. Chelsea Gorman, whose family has been living and farming in the Spider Rock area of the Canyon for many generations, reported that the SCA made her appreciate the environment and rethink how she lives her life on a daily basis. Continue Reading.