Academics

Educator Profiles

Gary Toya

College and Career Counselor
HS Academics
Jemez Pueblo

I received my B.A. in Psychology, Managerial Psychology, and Physical Education from the College of Santa Fe, an M.A. in Education, Guidance and Counseling from New Mexico Highlands University, and am a Ph.D. student in International Higher Education and Education Administration at Boston College. At SFIS, I’m the College and Career Counselor. Previously, I served as the Counselor for Jemez Valley High School and have also served as the Director of Indian Education for Pojoaque Valley Schools. I also worked at the Research Director for the First Nations Community Health Source and in the Department of Indian Education and School Improvement for the New Mexico Public Education Department.
At SFIS, I focus on the seniors and 7-12th grades as part of the pre-college career planning, which is a longitudinal process. With seniors, we conduct college searches and provide a comprehensive timeline for them and their parents that outlines options for postsecondary opportunities that fit their needs. We also train parents and match student interests with appropriate schools, also tying this back in with our local communities. For example, we hold an annual career fair and also assist in the development of Senior Honors Projects that emphasize community based education. In SHP, students have examined community needs that fit with postsecondary opportunities.
As an educator, I'm very oriented towards the history of our people. I utilize teaching from the cultures I am familiar with, and this serves as the foundation in assisting us to address and understand contemporary issues. I enjoy working with students to solve some of the problems that they have and remind them of the cultural backgrounds they are from and use that as a teaching tool. I have strong knowledge of Pueblo culture, and offer student and tribal leader perspectives, so when we design programs it is for our collective benefit. My philosophy in doing this work emerges from centuries-old teachings, which are with me every day. And that makes our teamwork dynamic. We can always come back to that centuries-old approach, which is basic—that human quality never leaves. It’s in classroom teaching, counseling sessions, athletic teams, parent meetings. That spirituality as a foundation drives everything here, and I adhere to that practice.
Our SFIS core values represent a Pueblo and Native worldview. I think humility is the foundation because we are all human, and we bring experiences that are vastly different. Treating everyone as human brings us to a sense of peace, of calm. Keeping that humility in mind also makes for a nice working experience. I was raised to get an education, do your best to help out those that need it, teach those that need to have an understanding, participate in as much as you can, share your knowledge so that everybody is on the same page and moving towards the same thing—to give back, all while staying grounded in the cultural aspects, traditional practices, family practices.
I’m passionate about family. I think if we can build strong families, our communities will thrive, and we can overcome any issues. It doesn’t matter what culture you come from. I’m passionate about getting an education and utilizing it, whether you’re a doctor or nurse or plumber, everyone should have something to give back. As the students leave SFIS, what I dream for them is that they are well-grounded in who they are, that they are confident in their abilities, that they understand that there is a life road and there will be decisions throughout their lives and that having a good education will set them up to make good and logical decisions that will benefit them and their families as they move through time. Thus their communities will get stronger. A lot of students will emerge as traditional leaders, and my goal is for them to understand that leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, and you don’t have to wait for it. Leadership emerges now—today is the day a leadership opportunity comes up, and if they are grounded, they will meet it.