Welcome to the Fall SHP symposium website!

To explore this semester's presentations, scroll through the table below. You may choose to look for a specific student by name, browse titles, or look at presentations based on students' tribal affiliations. Once you have decided what presentations you would like to watch, use the tabs at the top of this page to search for student web pages by last name. Each website contains evidence of student research as well as the senior's recorded film or slide show presentation. Enjoy!

Copy of SHP student list Fall2020

What is SHP?

Senior Honors Project is a community based, action-oriented research project that invites you to make a positive contribution to your school, family, and community.

The dual credit course (in collaboration with IAIA) addresses real concerns affecting today’s Native American and indigenous communities worldwide. The work of SHP requires a commitment to developing your research, writing, and interpersonal communication skills—skills that will benefit you in your future endeavors no matter what they may be.

This course challenges students to take immediate and direct action to implement solutions, thereby creating awareness, activism, and advocacy in daily life. As the culminating project of your years at Santa Fe Indian School, it ultimately is the demonstration of the skills acquired to ensure that you are an Ideal Graduate of SFIS.

SHP Instructor, Dr. Valerie Grimley

Dr. Valerie Grimley is from Cochiti Pueblo and the Navajo Nation. She is the daughter of John and Phoebe Grimley. She is a Santa Fe Indian School alumni (c/o 2003) and was a Gates Millennium Scholar. She attended Colorado College for her undergraduate degree where she majored in Southwest Studies. She then attended University of New Mexico and obtained her Master's degree in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies with an emphasis on American Indian Education. She received her Ph.D in 2015 in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University where she researched community based education, meaningful learning experiences, and cultural responsive curriculum. She has two daughters and decided on a career change in 2017 which landed her at the Santa Fe Indian School. She says that "returning to SFIS as a teacher was a blessing because I am now able to give back to the community that raised me. The bonus is being able to do so WITH those who raised me." She is in her fourth year teaching at SFIS, her third year teaching SHP.

"SHP in Remote Learning: Challenges and Silver Linings": A Conversation with Dr. Grimley & Student Researchers

Although the Senior Honors Project has been a part of the SFIS curriculum for almost 20 years, never before have students been asked to embark on their research journey without the support of campus resources and face-to-face instruction.

In this virtual round table, Dr. Valerie Grimley, Jade Rael (Picuris Pueblo, SFIS Class of '21) Collin Madalena (Jemez Pueblo and Navajo, SFIS Class of '21), and SFIS librarian Jennifer Guerin discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Seniors share their topics and the process of designing presentations; Dr. Grimley speaks about how symposium planning has had to shift due to unforseen circumstances, and about the ways in which students have engaged topics of cultural identity and found personal connections to research. (recorded 11/17/2020)

SHP_promointerview_11.17.20.mp4