This year, for outdoor school, the eighth through -12th graders went to Bryce Canyon National Park. We stayed a week out in the wilderness. As we spent time out of school, staff and students started forming a closer bond with each other and God. Before outdoor school, the seniors and juniors left a day early to secure campsites for everyone.

Slade, Senior (Class of 2024)

Holbrook Indian School has seen many faces over the years. This year, we had many returning and some new ones. Seventy-seven students came on registration day. "This is the highest enrollment since my employment," says registrar Mrs. Optiz. She stated that it's been around 59-68 every registration day in the last five years. 

In this month’s HIS Nation post, guest blogger and HIS junior Slade (entering senior year as of the time of publishing) shares the impact of the new boy’s dorm barber shop that is currently under construction. Slade is working during the summer as our grounds assistant, and during the later part of the 2022/23 school year, he worked as our content coordinator assistant.

Every year, the eighth- through 12th-grade students help to plan and coordinate the details of their Outdoor School excursion. Outdoor School is one week of classes in the great outdoors. Each year the students travel to one of five locations that have been selected. Four of the five locations include Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. 

The week of August 28, 2022, has been a sad week for us here at Holbrook Indian School. HIS student Kiarra Alma Gordon was killed and six others were injured in a bus accident during a field trip to Window Rock, Arizona.

Kiarra was in the 11th grade and was loved and admired by her family and her classmates. The entire campus community regarded her with affection. Read the complete story of this tragic week, the immense love and support from thousands around the world, and a tribute highlighting Kiarra’s life at Holbrook Indian School.