Education

Navajo Portraits /  by Justin Merriman

1.) Clayton Long, 65, at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. 2.) Tiana Sam, 16, Miss Blue Mountain Unity Princess 2017-18, photographed at San Juan High School on October 3, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "It's important to me to save our culture and language because I'm full Navajo. Its important to pass it on to the next generation," says Sam. 3.) Marion Sequaptewa, 16, holds her great grandfather's ceremonial basket, as she is photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "My Grandpa always tells me I'm not a true Navajo if I don't speak the language," she says. "It's important to me because other tribes are forgetting their language. I don't want my tribe to forget ours." 4.) Demarian Benally, 14, photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. Banally says, "It is important to me to save Navajo language and protect our tradition. Our culture will be stronger and others will be able to learn it." 5.) Syiera Tsosie, 14, at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "I grew up with Navajo. My mom taught me like her mother did. Navajo is passed down. Today many families are losing their traditional ways." 6.) Charlotta Lacy, a teacher at San Juan High School is photographed on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. 7.) Claramae Armajo, 14, photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "My great grandmother used to speak to me in Navajo. I'm very thankful that she and my grandma taught me." 8.) Esperanzo Lee, 16, holds her Navajo flute, as she is photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "It's a good thing to keep our culture and language alive. It's something we need to keep going for our youth. It brings happiness to our elders that we can share and show our culture is still here," says Lee.

Freshmen Class /  by Justin Merriman

The freshman class of Carnegie Mellon University’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences visit the Heinz History Center for their orientation on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Carnegie Mellon University freshmen participate in 'House Wars,' an orientation activity, as they begin a new semester on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017 on campus in Oakland, Pa. 

Carnegie Mellon University freshmen participate in 'House Wars,' an orientation activity, as they begin a new semester on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017 on campus in Oakland, Pa. 

The freshman class of Carnegie Mellon University’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences visit the Heinz History Center for their orientation on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Monet Spencer /  by Justin Merriman

Monet Spencer, 18, smiles as she is photographed in her Hill District apartment. Spencer was left homeless after her mother passed away in February 2016, leaving her and her twin brother to care for themselves. Spencer now lives on her own, in a subsidized apartment. Spencer attends Brashear High School and was recently accepted to Carlow University.

Monet Spencer, 18, walks from Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 after tutoring young elementary students on February 13, 2017.  Thirty percent of Spencer's salary from her tutoring job helps pay for her apartment at Action Housing's My Place, which provides housing and intensive case management services to young people who have aged out of the foster care system in Allegheny County and are either homeless or at risk homelessness.

Monet Spencer reads to elementary students at Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 on Feb. 8, 2017. She tutors at the school Mondays though Thursdays for a job through the Neighborhood Learning Alliance. 

Monet Spencer looks at a game with Tya Carter, 10, as Aminyah Dooley, 5, looks on after an after-school tutoring session at Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5. Spencer earns about $100 every two weeks from the tutoring job. She pays $50 a month in rent.

Monet Spencer, 18, left, sits with her best friend, Maya Smallwood, 18, at her North Side home where Maya and her mother took Spencer in to live after her mother died and she was left homeless. 

This is Monet Spencer's home. Here, she's looking through videos on her computer. She uses her phone to connect to the Internet through a hotspot. Spencer and her twin brother were considered homeless after their mother died. Spencer eventually acquired an apartment through ACTION-Housing's MyPlace Youth program. "It was the happiest day of my life," Spencer says about getting her own apartment.

Monet Spencer, 18, plays her flute during her band class at Brashear High School on February 16, 2017.  

Even after losing her mother and becoming homeless, Monet Spencer continued to make it to classes at Brashear High School. She was recently accepted to Carlow University.

Monet Spencer, 18, works on a computer during a study hall at Brashear High School on February 16, 2017.  

Monet Spencer, 18, walks home from her job tutoring at Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 in Pittsburgh's Hill District on February 13, 2017.  

Monet Spencer, 18, was left homeless after her mother passed away in February 2016, leaving her and her twin brother to care for themselves. Spencer now lives on her own, in a subsidized apartment. Spencer attends Brashear High School and was recently accepted to Carlow University. You can read Monet's story at PublicSource.

Superintendent Hamlet /  by Justin Merriman

Newly hired Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Hamlet holds a news conference at the Pittsburgh Public School Administration offices in Oakland on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Hamlet made a statement and answered questions about discrepancies on his resume regarding improvements in academic performance at schools in the School District of Palm Beach County during his time as an administrator there.