My name is Stephan Joe. The reason I became an educator is my passion to see students grow academically as they learn about and appreciate the world they live in, and develop interpersonally as they continue to discover their truest potential. I want to help them contribute to their families, communities, and the broader world in a positive way.
I love two things about Saint Michael’s Indian School. I love that at the heart of my school’s mission is to instill in our students lifetime values that will guide them when they leave the school setting and go and take on the world-leading by their service. Our school’s primary demographic is Native American students– being Native American, I love that I can relate with students on a cultural level.
It is important that all families, regardless of income, be able to choose the school that is best for their child because the ability to choose is a fundamental aspect of free will. Free will is an attribute of the human spirit which no external force can take away. It is important that lower-income children can attend schools of choice because it empowers students to achieve academic success as well as improve in areas of their social life, and therein developing a lifetime of positive emotional wellbeing.
It’s important that families have the right to choose the best education for their children if the current system is not invigorating growth to allow for their students to thrive or, at worst, failing. When a family chooses a school that’s best for their children, the school becomes a standard for other schools to follow. Access to good, quality education should not be limited to the locality or demographic nor should it be an option reserved only for those who are well off but for those who are most often forgotten.
“It is important that all families, regardless of income, be able to choose the school that is best for their child because the ability to choose is a fundamental aspect of free will. Free will is an attribute of the human spirit which no external force can take away.”
My siblings and I received quality education in the Navajo Nation, where poverty is high, because my grandparents knew best and were able to choose where we attended school. Now I teach music and engage students in STE(A)M on the Navajo Nation hoping to help students see and achieve their fullest potential.
