Month: January 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APS Foundation donates nearly $60,000 to Lowell’s Navajo-Hopi Program

On By Matthew Sakiestewa GilbertIn APS Foundation, Lowell Observatory Navajo-Hopi Astronomy Outreach Program2 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / January 30, 2013

Lowell Observatory is proud to announce a generous gift of nearly $60,000 from the APS Foundation to support the Observatory’s Navajo-Hopi Astronomy Outreach Program. The $59,246 donation will go directly towards supporting this groundbreaking, 17-year-old STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program.

“APS has been a long-time supporter of Lowell’s education programs, and we are very grateful for this generous gift in support of our outreach to Navajo and Hopi middle schoolers,” said Lowell Director Dr. Jeffrey Hall.

“We very much appreciate not only the APS Foundation’s financial support but their enthusiasm for our program,” added Dr. Deidre Hunter, Deputy Director for Science, Program manager and Program co-founder.

Mr. Mark Schiavoni, Arizona Public Service Executive Vice-President of Operations and APS Foundation Board Member, echoed the sentiments. “We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Lowell Observatory, which plays a critical role in educating our youth about astronomy and science. This grant will enable the Navajo-Hopi Outreach Program to further support STEM education that invests in today’s youth, developing future leaders for Arizona,” he said.

The goals of the Navajo-Hopi Astronomy Outreach Program are twofold: 1) to use astronomy to help teachers get Navajo and Hopi children excited about astronomy and science in general, encouraging a life-long understanding of science for all and advanced study for some, and 2) to help teachers of Navajo and Hopi students learn about astronomy and astronomy activities so that they will be better able to incorporate astronomy in their classrooms.

The Program was initiated in 1996 by Dr. Hunter and Dr. Amanda Bosh (Lowell/MIT).

For more about the Program, visit lowell.edu/news

APS Bill tears up

APSFoundationNHdonation

Image descriptions:

-Lowell Trustee Bill Putnam (center) gets a bit emotional as he and Dr. Deidre Hunter, Deputy Director for Science and the Program’s co-founder, receive the ceremonial check from Mr. Mark Schiavoni (right), Arizona Public Service Executive Vice-President of Operations and APS Foundation Board Member.

-Lowell’s Dr. Deidre Hunter and Trustee Bill Putnam (left) receive the ceremonial check from Mr. Mark Schiavoni, Arizona Public Service Executive Vice-President of Operations and APS Foundation Board Member; Mr. Bruce Nordstrom , Pinnacle West Board of Directors; and Mr. Richard Nicosia, Arizona Public Service Energy Delivery Manager, Flagstaff.
Tom Vitron
Media and Communications Coordinator
Lowell Observatory
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New website to be launched on Hopi runners

On By Matthew Sakiestewa GilbertIn Hopi Runners, HopiRunners.com, Wendell Sakiestewa3 Comments

HopiRunners.com logo

I have been working hard to develop a new website on Hopi runners: http://www.HopiRunners.com. The website will highlight the long tradition of running among the Hopi people of northeastern Arizona.

Here the public will find material on individual runners, links to photographs and videos, and articles and other sources related to Hopi running.

Every week, several people stumble upon BEYOND THE MESAS in search of information on Hopi runners. It seemed clear to me that an entire website ought to be dedicated to this topic.

I also want to highlight that the logo (above) for HopiRunners.com was designed by Wendell Sakiestewa of WenSaksDesigns. Wendell is Hopi, and he’s also a relative of mine.

The logo represents the continuity of Hopi running by depicting the transition of a traditional Hopi clan runner (far left) to a Hopi runner in modern running attire (far right).

I hope to have the website up and “running” at some point in February.