Kyrene School District staff thanked parents, students and others who attended the Nov. 6 Title VI Native American Program - Kyrene School District’s Native American Heritage Celebration at Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School.

The district’s social media accounts said the event was an opportunity to learn about some of the diverse cultures that make up our Kyrene community, enjoy traditional cuisine, and watch performances in traditional styles and languages.

In a news release about the event, the district stated this year’s event was made possible, in part, by the Navajo Nation Johnson-O’Malley JOM grant.

“Kyrene is one of the first urban and non-reservation school districts to be awarded JOM funds as a Navajo Nation subgrantee,” the news release says. “The grant is to be used for cultural enrichment activities like this heritage celebration, as well as instructional initiatives aimed at improving academic success for Native American students.”

The release states the district serves more than 1,000 Indigenous students representing 38 tribal nations. District boundaries encompass part of the Gila River Indian Community.

“The heritage celebration is a meaningful opportunity to recognize and learn from the traditions and histories of our diverse community,” the release states.

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Kyrene School District staff thanked parents, students and others who attended the Nov. 6 Title VI Native American Program - Kyrene School …