Kha'p'o Community School
Our Voice, Our Stories: Preserving Pueblo Culture Through Film and Art
It is the mission of the Kha’p’o Community School to nurture our children through education that embodies Kha’p’o Owinge culture, language, and values that is academically challenging and enjoyable. Working together as a community, we enable them to be proficient Tewa and English speakers, support their physical and emotional well-being, encourage their critical thinking and imagination, and inspire their love of learning.
From the generous support of the grant provided by the Santa Fe Community Foundation, our sixth-grade students were able to begin "Our Voice, Our Stories," which is a documentary filming curriculum. Teaching traditional arts and digital storytelling captures culture, language, and intergenerational learning.
Due to the reduction in funding, there is a continuous need for monetary support for art materials, to provide a stipend to artists, and funds towards an end of the year trip to Ancestral Puebloan sites including Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. This is a unique opportunity that our students deserve.
"Storytelling, intergenerational learning, and connection to self-identity and cultures define who our students are as Tewa people. "
As one of our students shared, "I am proud of who I am. I have a voice."
The students voices were captured in a year-long film documentary that captured Pueblo wisdom and strengths through learning traditional artwork, including pottery, building an outside oven, weaving traditional Native belts, sewing traditional Native dresses and ribbon shirts, making traditional Native moccasins, and capturing their stories of what it means to be of Kha'p'o Community School through the creation of individual seal paintings that are on display in the school. In addition, students had an opportunity to learn of their ancestors by going to Canyon of the Ancients NM, Mesa Verde NP, and Chaco Canyon.
We are grateful for the Native American advised Fund at the Santa Fe Community Foundation for supporting us. We hope to be able to continue similar opportunities for our students now and for many future generations. Therefore, in order to do so, there is always a need for monetary donations to support us in their unique and amazing opportunities that our children deserve. Thank you again Santa Fe Community Foundation in supporting Kha'p'o Community School!
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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited its nonprofit partners to submit stories related to our November topic of Native American Heritage.
Santa Fe Indigenous Center
The Santa Fe Indigenous Center is a Native-led nonprofit serving Indigenous families across Santa Fe County. Through biweekly food drives, cultural events, community programs, emergency financial assistance, and a robust network of referral resources, SFIC supports the diverse needs of the local Indigenous community. Each year, the organization hosts its signature event — the Honoring Native Nations Powwow on Indigenous Peoples’ Day — bringing dancers, drummers, Tribal Dignitaries, artists, and community members together to celebrate Indigenous culture, joy, and resilience. This year’s powwow was a vibrant success, and SFIC looks forward to continuing this tradition in 2026.
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
Last year, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian opened Carved Stories by Hopi artist Mavasta Honyouti. Featuring all sixteen low-relief carvings from the Coming Home series — created in tandem with Honyouti’s children’s book Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story — the exhibit recounts his grandfather Clyde Honyouti’s experience at an off-reservation federal boarding school. This Indigenous-led project offers a powerful and visually compelling reflection on Hopi life, culture, and history. As Brian Vallo notes, “Carved Stories… is both powerful and beautiful.”
Truchas Services Center Preschool
The Truchas Services Center Preschool serves children from all the surrounding communities, providing supervision and appropriate curriculum for children ages 3 to 5 years old. The mission of the Pre-School program is "Children learning through playing".
