$52.5 Million Recovery Project Gets Underway to Replace Rough Rock Community School

Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk joined Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley and other Indian Affairs and Navajo tribal officials September 16 in a ceremonial groundbreaking event for Phase II of a major school replacement and improvement project at the historic Rough Rock Community School on the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The project is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and is being carried out under the Indian Affairs Office of Facilities, Environmental and Cultural Resources (OFECR) in conjunction with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), the Navajo Nation and the Rough Rock Community School.

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    Indian Affairs and Navajo Nation officials prepare to break ground for Phase II of the Rough Rock Community School Replacement Project. Left to right, Indian Affairs Office of Facilities, Environmental and Cultural Resources Director John “Jack” Rever, Acting BIE Director Kevin Skenandore, Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education Superintendent Andrew Tah, BIA Navajo Regional Director Omar Bradley, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk and Navajo Nation President. Joe Shirley. (BIE photo)

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    Officials from the Interior Department, Navajo Nation and Rough Rock Community School with students from the school's Navajo Language Immersion class. Standing at back, left to right – Rough Rock Community School Superintendent Dr. Monty Roessel, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk, Acting BIE Director Kevin Skenandore, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, BIA Navajo Regional Director Omar Bradley, Indian Affairs OFECR Director John “Jack” Rever and Indian Affairs OFMC Deputy Director Emerson Eskeets.

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    Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk and Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley visit with students from Rough Rock Community School's Navajo Language Immersion class. The students were on hand to witness the groundbreaking event for Phase II of the ARRA-funded replacement construction project that will revitalize their historic school. (BIE photo)

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