Recently, Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance at an event hosted by Gila River Governor Stephen Roe Lewis where students were recognized for their good work in their tribal community as well as in school. More than a half dozen Native American students were in attendance, and Erica Dawahoya, a Business major at GateWay Community College, was one of them. Read an abbreviated version of her letter below to her former Accounting Professor Annette Torrey-Banks about her experience.
Also, check out the link to the media coverage of the event.
East Valley Tribune
__________________
Hello Mrs. Banks:
I wanted to give you a follow up about what I’ve been doing so far this semester. I’m only going to school part time this semester because I’m still not sure what I want to study, but I know I want to do something in the field of business. Slowly I will finally figure out what I want to do, but I know that I’ll be happy with whatever I choose.
I am still working at my job at the electric company on my reservation. I work about 24 hours a week, so I’m pretty busy with everything. I’m not sure if I told you but I’m the Youth Board Intern at the place I work. I’ve been working closely with the President of the Board who has been mentoring me so it has been an amazing experience so far.
When I have to attend board meetings, we always go over the financial part of it, and I find myself using the accounting methods I learned from your classes.
The main reason I am emailing you is because I know that you said whatever accomplishments we’ve achieved in life you would want to know. The President of the board I’m on told the Governor of my reservation about how good of a job I’ve been doing as an intern and how I’m going to school while working. So, I got asked if I could do an interview about Native American youth going to college to become educated and the struggles we face. I sent in my application and was picked to do a round table with the Governor.
I went to the Huhugam Museum and when I got there, they surprised the other six students participating and I by saying that we would be participating in a documentary that Michelle Obama was filming. I was very excited but also nervous. While talking to our Governor and telling our stories about our life, there were reporters and people filming our round table session.
While we were talking, they asked us about the campaign that Michelle Obama is having about wanting the Native youth to go to school and why we thought education was important. After we gave our answers to them, they surprised us again by saying that they were giving us tickets to the Michelle Obama show that she held at Comerica for her new book.
We were all excited to learn that we got tickets to the show, but then they told us that they had another surprise for us. We heard a commotion and cameras were flashing and when we all turned around, Michelle Obama herself was standing behind us! I was in total shock that Mrs. Obama was there in person. Us students had no idea that she was coming to see us, but everyone else knew. I am honestly still in shock that it happened. It was such an amazing experience being able to talk to Mrs. Obama about our educational and life goals. It was an amazing experience to even be able to meet her but it was unbelievable that we had a two-hour discussion with her about how important education is to us students.
I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of something great, and I wanted to share it with you. I am very grateful that you were a part of my education going through college and have helped me achieve my goals. I do hope that you are doing well and that classes are going good for you.
Erica Dawahoya