Crystal
Navajo (Diné)
Diné College

Defying the odds is what Crystal does best.  Born with a heart defect, Carr was given only two percent chance of survival from doctors even with corrective surgery.  Using prayers and songs of strength used over 200 years ago when their Navajo ancestors were imprisoned at Fort Sumner, NM, Carr's family never gave up hope.  Miraculously, the day of her surgery, the doctors discovered the heart defect was no longer endangering her life.

For years, Carr faced many obstacles related to her early health problems.  For example, one of her elementary teachers recommended enrolling her in special education due to her continuing need for constant medical attention.  Although Carr's heart defect had weakened her immune system, these challenges made her even more ambitious.

Her great-grandmother once told her that the material objects people hold dearly can easily be taken away, but knowledge gained through education could never be taken from a person.  With this wisdom as guidance, Carr embarked on an educational path that eventually led her to Diné College.

Today, Carr is a leader in her community.  She volunteers for the youth council in her community and recently was elected as the Southwest Regional Representative to the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student Congress.  Carr tested at the highest level in her placement testing, qualifying her to take calculus her first semester at Diné College.

This spring, Carr was named student of the year from Diné College and received $1,000 scholarship from the American Indian College Fund and the Castle Rock Foundation.  “I believe scholarships are important because they open the door to a new exiting educational atmosphere,” she stated.  Without a doubt, the lessons learned from a lifetime of defying the odds will ensure success in all of Carr's endeavors.