Admiration of Pueblo culture and a desire to build on the success and existing support of Pueblo students has led Charles Reynolds ’64 to establish the newest St. Pius X Foundation endowment. When fully funded to the level of $30,000, the Pueblo of Isleta Endowment will support tuition assistance to students from the pueblo just south of Albuquerque.

Reynolds’s father was born in an Indian Pueblo and he was raised with an appreciation, respect and admiration of the Pueblo Cultures in New Mexico. 

“He taught me about the ‘Pueblo Way,’ which captures the importance of a sense of place, community and hospitality,” Reynolds says. “He took me as a little boy to Acoma Pueblo so I could learn about the resilience and resourcefulness of the Acoma people as they survived the harsh environment of the high desert of New Mexico over the centuries.”

Later, as a young lawyer, Reynolds worked in a law firm that served as general legal counsel to Acoma Pueblo. He spent many hours at tribal council meetings and working with various tribal governors on the important issues of tribal governance. 

“I learned a lot from that experience and I was inspired by the leadership at the pueblo in the way they dealt with those issues,” he says. “I also dealt with several other pueblos on issues of common interest, including Laguna Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo and the All Pueblo Council of Governors. It was a very rewarding experience for me. 

“While I was doing this work I learned more about Native American spirituality and the beautiful blend of that Native spirituality and Catholicism. Frankly, that learning experience made me a better Catholic.”

Over the years, Reynolds has been aware of the activities of the Native American Club at St. Pius X, now called the Indigenous Peoples Club, and had friends whose children were involved with the active and successful club.

“In my opinion, the presence and participation of children from the Pueblo background, and also Navajo and Apache, in student life at St. Pius make St. Pius a better school,” Reynolds says. “I also believe that St. Pius provides an excellent education to these students which will enable them to contribute to their Native Communities in the future.”

Reynolds decided to establish a Pueblo of Isleta Endowment with the St. Pius X Foundation instead of a Pueblo of Acoma Endowment because Acoma has its own school, the Laguna/Acoma High School, and he did not want to be seen as drawing young talent away from that school. 

“Also, I know a number of students from Isleta Pueblo have had success at St. Pius,” he says. “The Pueblo itself, through its Education Department, has provided financial assistance for students from the Pueblo attending St. Pius. My main motivation for establishing the Pueblo of Isleta Endowment is to build on that already existing support.” 

Reynolds says his hope is that other people will agree that the establishment of the Pueblo of Isleta Endowment is a good idea and has a goal to reach the fully-endowed level of $30,000 within five years. If you can help, mail a donation to the endowment payable to St. Pius X High School Foundation, 5301 St. Joseph’s Dr. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 and note “Pueblo of Isleta Endowment” in the memo line.

“Once we reach that goal the endowment fund will be able to start making distributions for tuition assistance to students from Isleta Pueblo,” he says. “I feel that that support will provide a potentially life-changing experience for the students involved.”