A Five-Hour Hiking Commute to the Havasupai

The average commute to work in Michigan is 24.4 minutes long. Most days, my commute is shorter than average. 7GAE Office Manager Christina Carpenter recently commuted just over five hours – on foot – to reach the Havasupai Tribe in the Grand Canyon to assess their school for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Over the past four years, 7GAE has completed dozens of facility and site assessments for the BIA and BIE. Still, this one was particularly significant for Christina, who graciously shared her experience with us.

Christina’s Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience

On the week of Halloween, Christina flew to Arizona along with Rick Slone and Roger Van Tol to complete a school assessment on the Havasupai Tribe Reservation. In some ways, this assessment was similar to the dozens that 7GAE has already conducted. But for Christina, this trip was a life-changing experience. The team hiked down into the Grand Canyon by trail, a five-hour journey on foot to reach the Havasupai school. Horses accompanied them, carrying their bags and the necessary assessment equipment. Along the way, they passed mules carrying food and mail – mules being one of the few ways to access the Reservation and bring in supplies. The school is also supplied with food via helicopter once each week.

On arrival, the 7GAE team was met at the entrance of the Havasupai Tribe Reservation by the Tribal Council. They were also greeted with a sign: No pictures past this point. “It is a community,” said Christina. “Although tourism is a big industry – or was pre-Covid – this is where people live. It’s far removed from my everyday life, but it’s still everyday life for the population of ~200 Havasupai. This trip wasn’t about the view or the landscape. It was about providing a service to the people who live there.” Christina was tasked with documenting the exterior of the existing school, which was used in our completed assessment. The school educates those living in the Havasupai Tribe Reservation but only extends to the eighth grade. After that, residents go to boarding schools to continue their education.

Christina remarked that the hike in and out was a “tough, challenging experience” and that the assessment itself was hard work. The team had to complete the assessment quickly to hike out of the canyon before a storm rolled in. But when asked if she would do it again, Christina responded with a resounding “YES!” “My work has a whole new level of meaning,” said Christina. “My degree is in education, and I have worked in education and for Tribes most of my career. This was the culmination of my work experience, demonstrating just how important and meaningful the work we do at 7GAE is.”

What Comes Next: After the Assessment

At 7GAE, we often share news about the assessments we do nationwide. Assessments are critical, but they are just one part of the process. Because of the assessments we complete, like the one Christina supported, agencies like the BIA designate funding for future projects to improve infrastructure on Tribal and public lands. Without the assessments, money won’t get earmarked for these essential projects. Our team may never even be involved with the design of future schools or major improvements (although sometimes, we are fortunate enough to be involved in many steps in the process). Either way, we know we’ve played a role in supporting underserved populations and the infrastructure – like well-equipped, safe schools – everyone deserves. I’m reminded of the following quote from Hamilton, penned by Lin Manuel-Miranda:

Legacy, what is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me. America, you great unfinished symphony.

Christina, Rick, Roger, and the many others who conduct school assessments are planting seeds for future projects. Whether they or anyone else at 7GAE are involved in the coming years, those seeds take root for future improvements. That’s right in line with our core value of Seven Generation Sustainability: Living and working for the benefit of the seventh generation in the future.

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