Navajo Nation finds new hope in computer initiative

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. hopes a new computer education initiative will help high school dropouts gain new opportunities.

The program, to be made available at 110 community centers on the Navajo Reservation, will allow youths to achieve a "digital literacy" certification, high school diploma, college credit and new career direction.

It is focused on "zeroing in on making education number one" on the reservation, which spans parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, Shirley said.

"It's all on behalf of our Navajo youth, Navajo people who for whatever reason didn't finish high school," he said. "With education we have better chance of getting back on our own feet."

The Navajo Nation, Utah Valley State College and Certiport entered into a memorandum of understanding Thursday to establish the program. The agreement was signed Thursday following a meeting with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. at his office.

While details had yet to be worked out, the initiative's goal is to raise the graduation rates of Navajo students and to provide them with the ability to enter the digital economy.

Certiport, an American Fork-based company, will provide an educational program that teaches how to use computers, the Internet and other digital media. Students would be able to earn a certification, and also credit at UVSC.

UVSC President Bill Sederburg said most of his college's 548 Native American students are Navajo. He's interested in retaining those students and attracting more.

The initiative, he said, would provide college credit to participating students, along with access to UVSC's multicultural center and digital learning program.

The program is possible because of a wireless Internet infrastructure and computers put in place by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the 110 community centers.

David Stephens, chief executive officer of OnSat, helped facilitate a gift of about 550 computers. He called the new initiative the "next layer," helping people learn how to use the technology in an area where many people have no electricity in their homes.

The initiative will be implemented in conjunction with the Navajo Nation's existing "Web Warriors" educational program. The cost to the Navajo Nation had yet to be set.

While no state funds will be used for the program, Huntsman said the program is an important means of bringing economic development to the southeastern corner of the state.

"It doesn't seem to matter where you live, you can be competitive," Huntsman said. "There must be a level of education."

David Saedi, president and chief executive officer of Certiport, said the program requires an eighth-grade level of English-language literacy. As youths gain their certifications, he said, they could in turn help educate others in the community.

"The most important part is to get them engaged," he said.

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com