“It’s my great privilege to know each of our graduates and celebrate their academic and personal achievements thus far. We are grateful for the support from individual and corporate contributors who partner with Catholic Education Arizona. We congratulate all the graduates nationwide; our prayers and blessings go with you into your future.”

-Principal Tazbah Yazzie

There were 34 graduates for the senior class of 2023! The valedictorian is Nizhonibaa Phillips and will be studying Biology at Dine College, and Sal is Rebecca Nez studying Chemical Engineering at the University of New Mexico. Rebecca is also a Gates Millenium Scholar. Other seniors attending Arizona state universities (NAU, ASU, UA) and out of state: Fort Lewis, University of Oregon, and Hawaii Pacific University. One to USMC military and two to trade – welding.

St. Michael Indian School has a rich and beautiful history. The school was founded by St. Katharine Drexel in 1902! Their long and storied history of providing Catholic education on the Navajo Reservation began with the mission of Saint Katharine Drexel–who was born into a family of power, privilege, and wealth–to found the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and serve the Indian people. With the help of Franciscan missionaries and local Navajos, we opened our doors on December 3, 1902  with 76 enrolled Navajo students.

Founded in 1946, their high school is a Catholic preparatory institution and a source of educational excellence in the Navajo Nation. Since its first graduating class of four students, the high school now over 120 students. Over 95% of our graduates go on to college or other post-secondary education. Graduates have been accepted to a number of prestigious institutions, including the University of Notre Dame, Dartmouth, Yale, and MIT–and they have been supported by noteworthy scholarships such as Gates Millenium. Our students compete in the school’s championship sports teams, stage plays, and contribute service to the local community.

To learn more visit: https://stmichaelindianschool.org/high-school/