For Native American Heritage Month, ACT is pleased to feature student voices from the Virginia Tribal Education Consortium (VTEC) Native Youth Community Project (NYCP). VTEC’s NYCP grant serves Indigenous youth by addressing the college and career readiness needs of high school students who are citizens of Virginia-based tribal nations. ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning and VTEC have worked together to support the postsecondary and workforce preparation, access, and success of these students. Through this collaboration, we are cohosting college and career information sessions, providing vouchers for students to take the ACT assessment for free, and exploring creative ways to showcase Indigenous students’ success as they progress in their college and career journeys.

This blog spotlights Native American students Armand Azocar and Lorelai Everheart as they share their college and career goals, inspirations, and advice for other Indigenous students, highlighting their journeys through the support of VTEC and ACT.

What are your academic and professional aspirations?

Armand Azocar, junior, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco, California; Upper Mattaponi Tribe in King William, Virginia:

After high school, I intend to pursue a college education in either interior design or industrial design. I also have a strong interest in exercise science and plan to attend college in Colorado to further my competitive cycling career.

Lorelei Everheart, senior, Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California; Pamunkey Indian Tribe in King William, Virginia: I am excited to pursue a college education in architecture. My goal is to design buildings that are environmentally sustainable and work with local ecosystems. I plan to incorporate traditional Indigenous designs and develop new architectural styles inspired by the art and heritage of my tribe.

What challenges have you faced in pursuing your education goals and preparing for your future career?

Armand: I have been fortunate not to encounter major obstacles in pursuing my educational goals or preparing for my future career. However, my high school is in a district that frequently has a lack of resources, which created challenges, particularly during my first two years. At that time, I struggled to keep my grades up because many teachers seemed uninterested, and the coursework felt disconnected from real-world issues. As a junior, I am enrolled in four AP classes, which has been a more positive experience. The courses are engaging and challenging, and my teachers are passionate about their subjects, which makes learning more enjoyable.

In addition to academics, I am also working on my career in professional cycling, which is expensive. To support this goal, I work as a bicycle coach at Wheel Kids to help cover the costs and gain experience in the field.

Lorelai: I experienced opposition to my indigenous approach to design in an art class. It was a painful experience, but it reinforced my belief that it is important to push for the recognition of indigenous designs to increase awareness of our contributions to society.

If you received assistance in applying to college, what kinds of support did VTEC provide that you found most helpful? (For example, one-on-one application guidance, financial aid night, college fair, help from a family member, etc.)

Armand: My mom is a professor, so she has been really helpful in figuring out how to apply and get financial aid.

Lorelai: I am grateful for the ACT college preparation I received from VTEC. Having access to such supportive resources has made a meaningful difference in my journey, and I am proud to have scored in the top 1%. I also owe a special thank you to my mom, who has been my biggest supporter. Her encouragement and guidance in school and planning for my future have been invaluable to me.

What advice or suggestions do you have for Indigenous students or people supporting Indigenous students as they navigate their education and career success journey?

Armand: I believe building strong social and emotional connections between each other is one of the most important things we can do as Indigenous people as we navigate our education and future careers.

Lorelai: I have four pieces of advice for students who plan to apply for college: