Dream Run 2023

Since its inception, VVS has partnered with regional tribal communities. The school location, in the Sedona area, was chosen for its proximity to Indigenous communities in Northern Arizona (Navajo, Hopi, Havasupai and Yavapai-Apache) as well as Southern Arizona and Mexico (Yaqui, Taramaraha and Tohono O’odham), with hopes of cross-cultural programs. Through collaborations across the years, VVS has built relationships with families in Indigenous communities from northern Arizona to Guatemala and even Malawi, Africa. Today, VVS has a robust tribal relations program, including trips, service projects, Indigenous guest teachers in art, science, and history, and of course, Native American students. 

In 1990, Jackson Browne created the VVS Native American Scholarship Fund, with annual music concerts on the VVS campus. For the next decade, Browne’s concerts raised tuition assistance for Native American students. Performers who joined in the cause included Neil Young, John Trudell, Bruce Cockburn, Bonnie Raitt, the Indigo Girls, Crosby, Stills, and Nash and many others. They all came to Sedona to raise money for students and raise awareness of issues facing Native American communities.

Currently, VVS Native American scholarships are entirely privately funded through donations, promoted through the annual VVS Dream Concert and VVS Dream Run fundraising events. All proceeds from these events are reserved for tuition assistance and support for Indigenous students. VVS also supports Indigenous artists, activists, and scholars to share their heritage and experiences at Verde Valley School in classes, performances, and workshops. 

-The scholarship is privately funded through donations. VVS is NOT a government boarding school. It’s an international, private school with students from around the world, serving grades 9-12.

-The NAS may be awarded to a student who identifies as Native American and is proud to represent that piece of themselves in a diverse community. 

-The NAS is intended for families who cannot otherwise afford VVS regular tuition.

-The NAS is available for incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th graders and is designed to cover students through high school graduation, not just one year.

-The NAS covers more than tuition, room and board. It helps with other costs, such as purchasing prom-wear, class rings, sports equipment, trip costs, and many more essentials.

-NAS recipients can be 7-day boarding, 5-day boarding, or day students, depending on where their family lives.

-NAS students must uphold the school rules and maintain passing grades to continue on scholarship.

-NAS scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis, meaning there is no application deadline and recipients may enter VVS mid-year or mid-semester. 

-NAS recipients do not need a perfect academic or disciplinary record, but must be interested in a rigorous academic program, a tight-knit community, and personal growth.

1. Contact the Native American Programs Coordinator Leigh Carter  lcarter@vvsaz.org
2. Schedule a campus tour and student interview. 

3. Fill out a few forms to qualify for admission.

4. Accept the scholarship responsibilities and get ready for an incredible high school experience! 

Leigh Carter

lcarter@vvsaz.org

For more information, please contact us by email!