Nevaeh Yazzie, a junior at Tohatchi High School, was recently crowned Miss Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise on August 1st, 2026. Her role is to serve as a cultural ambassador, promoting Navajo artistry and craftsmanship.
Nevaeh competed in six categories, including a presentation highlighting her commitment to serving her community. She presented her School of Business mock business project, Łikan Coffee and Sweets, a community coffee shop centered on affordability and Navajo culture. Using ingredients such as chííłchin, blue corn, and Navajo tea, her coffee shop would share culture through traditional recipes. She demonstrated how the district's Graduate Profile can be applied to a real-world business. Her presentation highlighted the importance of lifelong learning through continuous improvement, creative and critical thinking in business decision-making, effective collaboration with employees and vendors, and a commitment to serving and strengthening her community while honoring her culture. She finished the competition as a winner, stepping forward into her new duties.
As she begins her term, Nevaeh is determined to inspire Diné youth to take pride in Navajo culture and wear their jewelry with meaning. She believes Native youth have a responsibility to keep their culture alive through art. She wants younger generations to become future silversmiths, jewelry makers, artists, and continue to uphold tradition.
Nevaeh treasures her culture and language. Her family has been the heart of her journey, nurturing her connection to Navajo traditions. As a child, her grandmother and brother filled her days with stories and lessons in Navajo. Their home is alive with the language, and her brother inspires her as an HLC teacher. “I want to tell the youth we need to prioritize our Navajo language.”
While her family gave her the foundation of cultural teachings, her education allowed her to deepen the connection. HLC classes at school introduced Nevaeh to new stories and expanded her understanding of her culture. She remembers elementary school being the time she was most absorbed in the language. She shared that she was the first in her class to count to 100 in Navajo, and she often showed off this skill at home. “I would just go around the house and count to a hundred. My family thought it was funny.” This moment made her proud and motivated her to keep learning. She kept looking for chances to speak Navajo at school, whether it was during presentations, assemblies, or other events. Education became a top priority and a powerful way to preserve and share her language. As her cultural education strengthened, she found the confidence to run for titles within her school.
Nevaeh began her pageant journey when she became Miss Twin Lakes Elementary from 2018 to 2021. In 2022, she became Miss Tohatchi Middle School and held that title through 2024. She has inspired the younger generations of her family to follow in her footsteps. Her younger sister, Teagan, currently holds the title of Miss Twin Lakes Elementary, while her cousin, Elishia, is Little Miss Twin Lakes. With her newest title, Nevaeh feels ready to balance her new duties with school and dreams of one day competing for Ceremonial Queen.
Beyond her titles, Nevaeh continues to demonstrate leadership through academics. Nevaeh is in BPA, MESA, and is the President of the Navajo Language and Culture Club. She recently went to regionals and state for BPA, participating in a solo and group event. She has future goals for the new school year to try out for Junior Class President.
Nevaeh plans to attend college at either the University of Southern California or Northern Arizona University, where she plans to study business management or education. She has always dreamed of becoming a teacher. Friends and family often tell her that her outspoken personality and leadership skills would make her a great educator. Inspired by her culture, family, and community, becoming a Navajo Language teacher would be a dream come true. Nevaeh also wants to start her own business one day. Her business would focus on sharing her culture with others and helping to strengthen her community.
Nevaeh hopes to continue to inspire the next generations to embrace where they come from. She encourages others to take initiative, to lead and inspire. Like the younger members of her family, Nevaeh encourages others to run for titles and celebrate their heritage.
“Have fun with it, even if it is a test run, even if you don’t win it, you still have the experience. You can always try again. The main thing is to keep culture and language with you. It’s your blood, your background, your home.”
Nevaeh’s ability to serve as an ambassador is rooted in the warmth and encouragement of her family, especially her grandmother, Rosita Tso, who spent 34 years as a bus driver for GMCS. In elementary school, Nevaeh received her first set of Navajo jewelry from her grandparents. She recalls an overwhelming feeling of honor and joy from the gift. “I never thought I would have my own jewelry set. I would always wear my grandma’s jewelry,” something she still does from time to time. Beyond sharing her jewelry, her grandmother continues to share wisdom and guide Nevaeh as she carries the responsibility of her new title.
Her grandmother’s words echo in her heart: “Two of the same people don’t learn something the same way. Always try to have happiness within and always be nizhoni-ful.” Inspired by these lessons, Nevaeh hopes to encourage others to embrace their heritage, believing that while every journey is different, they are all woven together by the traditions that feel like home.
Gallup-McKinley County Schools is excited to watch Nevaeh embrace this new chapter. We are confident she will continue to inspire others and leave a lasting impact on her community. Congratulations, Nevaeh!
