CORONAVIRUS: STRONGER TOGETHER

Groups Pack 1,700 Kits For Students On Navajo Nation Affected By Pandemic

Oct 23, 2020, 2:15 PM | Updated: 2:19 pm

KAYENTA, Ariz. – Students in the Navajo Nation now have much-needed school supplies thanks to more than 150 donors across the country.

The team dropped off more than 1,700 education packs on Thursday.

Items such as pencils and paper aren’t the type of school supplies you’d normally stress over when it comes to your child’s education. But the pandemic has sent children across the country home and forced a new kind of learning, and those supplies don’t come easily in every part of the country.

“In these places we visit, some of these kids have to go to a hill just to sit there next to a sage brush on a sand dune to see if their little hot spot will work or to see if their cell phone can connect to their Chromebook, if they have one, to be able to see what their teacher is trying to tell them,” said Mylo Fowler, Native American community liaison.

Fowler grew up on the Navajo Reservation, which stretches from southern Utah into northern Arizona and extends into northwestern New Mexico.

Homes on the reservation don’t have running water or electricity, not to mention WiFi or lights to keep on after the sun sets.

“I did all my homework under a kerosene lamp … in front of my wood-burning stove in my house,” Fowler said. “So I fell behind in my grades, and that kept me from being able to participate in things like sports.”

“The hill is harder to climb, and this allows the kids to at least have a little bit of a jumpstart in that challenge we have,” he added.

On Thursday, the Heart of America, Swinerton Renewable Energy, Goal Zero and The Real Salt Lake Foundation headed to the Navajo Nation – and they didn’t go empty-handed.

“We’re packing 1,700 distance learning kits,” Fowler said. “One-hundred are going to stay here in Salt Lake City and the rest are going down to Kayenta, Arizona, which is just a little south of Utah on the Reservation.”

The kits include school and art supplies, grade-appropriate books, hand sanitizers, masks and wipes. They also include a solar lantern so kids can study after the sun goes down.

Students will also get STEM solar cars to put together.

“You just never know what domain a kid’s going to go through,” Fowler said. “With STEM activities, it allows them to be able to put a model solar car together and see the science behind how that is able to move in the middle of nowhere.”

He said even before the pandemic, education on the reservation was a struggle.

“The education gap that exists among the Navajo Nation really isn’t a sliver,” he noted. “It’s like the Grand Canyon, if you think about it.”

This is the sixth time the groups are taking kits to students on the Reservation, and Fowler said they’re already seeing a difference.

“With the pandemic, this is really helping the teachers and the students continue to learn,” he said. “We’re finding that some teachers have even developed curriculum around the (packets’ contents), which is really cool.”

KSL 5 TV Live

Coronavirus: Stronger Together

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: A pharmacist prepares to administer  COVID-19 vaccine booster sho...

Jed Boal

University Health recommends getting omicron booster and flu shot now

The CDC approved the COVID-19 bivalent boosters that target the most recent omicron variants on September 1. Since then, tens of thousands of Utahns have rolled up their sleeves.

8 months ago

Only 50% of Utans are vaccinated and cases are surging because of the Omicron variant BA.5. FILE PH...

Jed Boal

BA.5 variant driving new surge of Utah COVID-19 cases

President Joe Biden’s positive Covid case Thursday was a sober reminder that Utah is not done fending off COVID-19 in many communities.

10 months ago

Utah COVID testing site. Getty images...

Cary J. Schwanitz, KSL TV

New mobile COVID-19 testing sites open in Utah

With the summer travel season underway and a steady stream of people still testing positive for COVID-19, Nomi Health opened several mobile testing sites across Utah.

12 months ago

The lawn of Timpanogos Regional Hospital was adorned with flags to honor the lives lost to COVID-19...

Ashley Moser, KSL TV

Hospital ceremony honors survivors, healthcare heroes as U.S. hits one million COVID-19 deaths

The lawn of Timpanogos Regional Hospital was adorned with flags to honor the lives lost to COVID-19, those who survived it, and the caregivers and healthcare workers who cared for the sick.

1 year ago

...

Debbie Worthen, KSL TV

Utah County couple gives Minky Couture blankets to medical team at Utah Valley Hospital

Russell Greene doesn't call himself a COVID-19 survivor, he calls himself a COVID-19 miracle. His family thanked medical workers for saving his life.

1 year ago

Salt Lake City's streets were deserted in the early days of the pandemic. (KSL TV)...

Alex Cabrero, KSL TV

A reporter looks back on two years of pandemic in Utah

Two years ago on March 11, 2020, the world changed for many Americans as COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Today, things are slowly getting back to normal. 

1 year ago

Sponsored Articles

Asian little girl playing arcade game on the computer machines at the shopping mall outlets...

Get Out Pass

Family Fun Activities in Utah You Have to Try This Summer

These family fun activities will entertain you all summer, so if you ever feel stuck in a rut wondering what to do, refer to this guide!

Woman IT specialist in elegant suit working on notebook computer in data center next to server rack...

Les Olson

Your Complete Guide to Outsourcing IT Services

This guide covers everything you need to know about the different benefits of outsourcing IT services to meet your small business needs.

diverse group of friends dance outside under string lights...

Lighting Design

5 Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Lighting

Read for the most frequently asked questions about outdoor lighting to help narrow the search for your home.

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

Groups Pack 1,700 Kits For Students On Navajo Nation Affected By Pandemic