Creating a Literate Nation by Leveraging the Power of the Family

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Success Story: Robert Long

Rancher reaches higher with family literacy; Harvard may now be in his future

T’iis Ts’ozi Bi’Olta/Crownpoint Community School FACE Program
Tsayatoh, N.M.

He dropped out of school 18 years ago to help his family. Robert always planned to go back, but never made it.

He finally realized that to get a good job, he needed a high school diploma. Robert eventually overcame his fears of returning to the classroom and entered the Family and Children Education (FACE) program, which serves 39 programs at Bureau of Indian Education schools in 10 states.

At times, Robert wanted to give up. He worked, went to school and had to drive an hour to see his sick mother in the hospital.

But his daughter, teachers and classmates encouraged him to stick with it. That dedication earned him a high school diploma. Robert then enrolled as a full-time student at the Navajo Technical College, where he studies early childhood multicultural education.

This full-time rancher originally had a goal of obtaining his certified commercial driver’s license. His rodeo buddies are amazed that he chose this field of study, where he has maintained nearly a 4.0 GPA and has received scholarships and made the dean’s list. Robert was also selected as “Who’s Who’s Among Junior Colleges.” Upon completion, he enrolled at the University of New Mexico-Gallup Branch for his associate degree in early childhood multi-cultural education.

Robert also was invited to visit Harvard University through the Native American Indian program.

He also has made time to serve on the Parent Advisory Committee as vice president. Robert’s children are doing well in school, which he credits to the FACE program for giving him the tools for strong parental involvement.

His parents instilled in him a deep appreciation for Navajo cultural knowledge, which he continues to observe today and now passes on to his children, including teaching them to speak the Navajo Language. But Robert also has added to that legacy with one of his own – the knowledge that lifelong learning opens doors at all ages.