Post by blackcrowheart on Oct 8, 2006 14:28:46 GMT -5
From mesa to mansion
[Courtesy Photo] Science fair win, travels change Pinon teen's life
By Cindy Yurth
Special to the Times
CHINLE - You could title this story "A Series of Fortunate Events."
Then again, it was Garrett Yazzie's brains, pluck, and shy country
charm that led him to where he is now, as much as being in the right
place at the right time.
You might recall that when we last left the Pi�on Middle School
science whiz about a year ago, he was fresh off a seventh-place finish
in the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge.
Because his project used the radiator from a 1967 Pontiac , General
Motors had invited Garrett and his mom, Georgia Yazzie, to tour GM's
plant in Detroit .
It was a great story, this Navajo kid whose school didn't even have a
chemistry lab, getting on a plane for the first time and flying to
Washington, D.C., to compete with the nation's brightest young
scientists and finishing in the top 10.
But wait till you hear what happened next.
Fast forward to July 2006. A top GM engineer and his family meet
Garrett and Georgia at the Detroit airport and whisk them around for
two weeks: the Ford, GM and Chrysler plants; the Henry Ford Museum ;
area universities; Mackinac Island; Niagara Falls .
Like everyone who meets Garrett, the family falls in love with this
appreciative, soft-spoken 15-year-old. They encourage him to take a
placement test at the exclusive boys' school their son attends, St.
Mary's Preparatory.
Surprising no one, Garrett passes the test. But there's a little
problem. Tuition is $17,000 a year. And it's in Michigan .
"Garrett was determined to go," said Georgia, a widow with two other
kids to raise. "I told him we'd find a way."
Upon inquiring about financial aid, the Yazzies discovered St. Mary's
had a Native American scholarship that covered some expenses. In the
school's 129 years, they'd never had an Indian student, so it had gone
unclaimed until Garrett showed up.
The Clarkston, Mich., family who had shown the Yazzies around (they've
asked to remain anonymous) offered to put Garrett up while he attended
St. Mary's and kick in a bit for tuition as well.
Georgia, who works as an aide at Pi�on Middle School , thought
that if she scrimped she could come up with $500 a month to make up the
difference.
So the shy, brainy kid from Pi�on , Ariz. , is now a freshman at
St. Mary's, living in a big house and rubbing shoulders with the
children of millionaires. He's not even the most exotic student at the
school.
"He says there's kids there from Japan , China , Australia ,
Switzerland . at least Garrett already knew how to speak English," his
mom said.
He's on the rowing team, and he's getting his learner's permit so he
can drive his foster dad's Fiat in car shows.
But this is not the end of the story. A Navajo woman from Salt Lake
City got wind of Garrett's story and wrote to the show "Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition."
A crew flew out to interview the Yazzies and by late November they'll
know if they made the cut and will have a lovely new home built for
them.
"They asked us what our dream home would be," Georgia recalled. "I
told them I'd like a room for traditional ceremonies. Garrett said it
would have to have a windmill or solar power."
His winning science project last year was a solar-powered space heater
and water heater. This year's project was an electricity-producing
water wheel made from a cable spool.
Garrett's luck didn't extend to being chosen as a finalist in this
year's Young Scientist Challenge - unfortunately, he learned, you're
disqualified if you were in the top 12 the previous year. But his mom
says he wasn't too disappointed.
"He's really busy right now, trying to adjust to a more challenging
school and a bigger city," she said.
And fending off the paparazzi. So many media types have called at all
hours to chronicle this Navajo Cinderella story that his foster folks
have made a rule: no more giving out their phone number to reporters.
But Georgia is happy to act as Garrett's spokeswoman.
"He's my little celebrity," she laughed.
Is he homesick for the rez?
"I don't know," mused Georgia . "Last time he was home, he couldn't
wait to get back on the plane. He said, 'Mom, I can't miss this flight.
We have a rowing tournament.'"
What he does miss is his mother's cooking.
"They've been introducing him to all sorts of foods he never had
before," Georgia said. "He says, 'It's all right, but it's not like
Mom would make it.'"
Apparently, even Cinderellas need their fry bread and mutton.
If you'd like to pitch in for Garrett's tuition, Georgia says she'd be
grateful for the help. Send checks to Georgia Yazzie, P.O. Box 535 ,
Pi�on , AZ 86510
[Courtesy Photo] Science fair win, travels change Pinon teen's life
By Cindy Yurth
Special to the Times
CHINLE - You could title this story "A Series of Fortunate Events."
Then again, it was Garrett Yazzie's brains, pluck, and shy country
charm that led him to where he is now, as much as being in the right
place at the right time.
You might recall that when we last left the Pi�on Middle School
science whiz about a year ago, he was fresh off a seventh-place finish
in the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge.
Because his project used the radiator from a 1967 Pontiac , General
Motors had invited Garrett and his mom, Georgia Yazzie, to tour GM's
plant in Detroit .
It was a great story, this Navajo kid whose school didn't even have a
chemistry lab, getting on a plane for the first time and flying to
Washington, D.C., to compete with the nation's brightest young
scientists and finishing in the top 10.
But wait till you hear what happened next.
Fast forward to July 2006. A top GM engineer and his family meet
Garrett and Georgia at the Detroit airport and whisk them around for
two weeks: the Ford, GM and Chrysler plants; the Henry Ford Museum ;
area universities; Mackinac Island; Niagara Falls .
Like everyone who meets Garrett, the family falls in love with this
appreciative, soft-spoken 15-year-old. They encourage him to take a
placement test at the exclusive boys' school their son attends, St.
Mary's Preparatory.
Surprising no one, Garrett passes the test. But there's a little
problem. Tuition is $17,000 a year. And it's in Michigan .
"Garrett was determined to go," said Georgia, a widow with two other
kids to raise. "I told him we'd find a way."
Upon inquiring about financial aid, the Yazzies discovered St. Mary's
had a Native American scholarship that covered some expenses. In the
school's 129 years, they'd never had an Indian student, so it had gone
unclaimed until Garrett showed up.
The Clarkston, Mich., family who had shown the Yazzies around (they've
asked to remain anonymous) offered to put Garrett up while he attended
St. Mary's and kick in a bit for tuition as well.
Georgia, who works as an aide at Pi�on Middle School , thought
that if she scrimped she could come up with $500 a month to make up the
difference.
So the shy, brainy kid from Pi�on , Ariz. , is now a freshman at
St. Mary's, living in a big house and rubbing shoulders with the
children of millionaires. He's not even the most exotic student at the
school.
"He says there's kids there from Japan , China , Australia ,
Switzerland . at least Garrett already knew how to speak English," his
mom said.
He's on the rowing team, and he's getting his learner's permit so he
can drive his foster dad's Fiat in car shows.
But this is not the end of the story. A Navajo woman from Salt Lake
City got wind of Garrett's story and wrote to the show "Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition."
A crew flew out to interview the Yazzies and by late November they'll
know if they made the cut and will have a lovely new home built for
them.
"They asked us what our dream home would be," Georgia recalled. "I
told them I'd like a room for traditional ceremonies. Garrett said it
would have to have a windmill or solar power."
His winning science project last year was a solar-powered space heater
and water heater. This year's project was an electricity-producing
water wheel made from a cable spool.
Garrett's luck didn't extend to being chosen as a finalist in this
year's Young Scientist Challenge - unfortunately, he learned, you're
disqualified if you were in the top 12 the previous year. But his mom
says he wasn't too disappointed.
"He's really busy right now, trying to adjust to a more challenging
school and a bigger city," she said.
And fending off the paparazzi. So many media types have called at all
hours to chronicle this Navajo Cinderella story that his foster folks
have made a rule: no more giving out their phone number to reporters.
But Georgia is happy to act as Garrett's spokeswoman.
"He's my little celebrity," she laughed.
Is he homesick for the rez?
"I don't know," mused Georgia . "Last time he was home, he couldn't
wait to get back on the plane. He said, 'Mom, I can't miss this flight.
We have a rowing tournament.'"
What he does miss is his mother's cooking.
"They've been introducing him to all sorts of foods he never had
before," Georgia said. "He says, 'It's all right, but it's not like
Mom would make it.'"
Apparently, even Cinderellas need their fry bread and mutton.
If you'd like to pitch in for Garrett's tuition, Georgia says she'd be
grateful for the help. Send checks to Georgia Yazzie, P.O. Box 535 ,
Pi�on , AZ 86510