Patricia Seltzer, principal of Monument Valley High School in Monument Valley, has worked to overcome the disadvantages and build on the strengths of life on a Navajo reservation. The school's 227 students, many of whom live in homes with no running water or electricity, have access to 175 Internet-ready computers at the school, as well as comprehensive technological training. Mrs. Seltzer blends this technology with Navajo culture in her "In'da hooaah" program (a Navajo term that means "re-learning" or "new learning"). Through the program, local college students teach Monument Valley students to use a computer program that applies geometry to traditional Navajo rug designs. Meanwhile, Navajo elders from the community teach students how to weave the rugs.
1973 Colorado State University System, B.A.
