Pacific Union Recorder

During the past five years, Holbrook Seventh-day Adventist Indian School has been richly blessed. The presence of the Holy Spirit has been felt and seen as students have responded in giving their hearts to Jesus. We have experienced 53 baptisms from 2008 to present with four more planned. Rejoice with us — for while we are an educational institution — sharing and bringing these precious children to an understanding of the love of Jesus is the most important work we have been given to do.

Following the completion of Colson Hall, the boys’ dormitory, in 2006, the HIS Board approved a proposal to remodel the old boys’ dormitory rather than demolishing the building. Work would progress as monies and workers became available. Since then, numerous mission groups from across the United States have helped to deconstruct and begin rebuilding the interior spaces. The building is now called the New Education Center and plans include four classrooms, a working museum for the history classes displaying HIS history and memorabilia, a large conference meeting room, administrative offices, and a student center.

The summer of 2007 saw a change in leadership for the HIS campus. Dr. Janet Claymore-Ross arrived to become the 16th principal. Her cultural heritage is of Lakota descent, and she is the first enrolled Native American to lead the faculty and staff in dealing with our Native students.

Arriving on campus in January 2010, Fred and Pam Bruce brought with them their love of horses. They proposed and developed a horsemanship program. The old red barn has been refurbished and a new arena and paddock are in place. Students are enjoying this additional outlet for outdoor activity.

A renewed interest in building alumni relationships resulted in the development of an alumni newsletter and an alumni garden. There have been three editions of the newsletter, and the pipes for the watering system have been installed for the alumni garden. In addition, Sharon Dedman Vecchiarelli, the pastor’s wife and a graduate of HIS, is maintaining a Facebook page for alumni.

With 12 members, the class of 2011 is the largest class of graduates in the 65 years of HIS. Our students represent different tribes — Navajo, Apache, Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai — all come to HIS for different reasons. Yet they all find friendship and a purpose as a result of coming to our campus. May God continue to pour out His blessings on Holbrook Seventh-day Adventist Indian School.