People who grow up in a strong family that’s grounded in tradition are doubly fortunate, and Solomon Vargas Jr. knows how lucky he is. “I am blessed to come from a big family who take part in our traditional ways,” he says. He grew up in Canton, a small community — population 464 — in northwestern Oklahoma, where his family owns three houses next to each other on their tribal land. “My late great-grandmother Ida Lena Nibbs Williams and the late Kenneth Williams raised 13 kids and held many ceremonial sweats and peyote meetings at our family homeplace for many years,” Vargas explains. His family continues these traditions to this day.
His mother, Karen Nicole Four Horns, worked hard to raise him and his younger siblings as a single parent. She and her mother, also named Karen Four Horns, made sure that the kids grew up in a peaceful environment and did well in school. “My mother worked as a cashier while attending high school herself, and she still graduated with honors,” he says. “She has inspired me to do my best, which I’m honored to say led me to graduate at the top of my high school class.”
Last spring Vargas was Canton High School’s valedictorian, and this fall he is entering his freshman year at the University of Central Oklahoma, where he plans to major in computer science. But to get to this point, Vargas had to overcome a succession of pandemic-related challenges. There was the disruption to his education that came with the lockdown, then his family struggled to overcome the sickness. For Vargas, it was difficult to stay motivated. When school opened back up, he found it hard to get back into the routine of waking up early and getting his schoolwork done.
But along the way he had the support and encouragement of his family and teachers, especially Ms. Barney and Mr. Hampton, who helped him stay on track, get into college, and apply for scholarships. “Making smart decisions to always stay on top of my homework and not procrastinate has helped me be more proactive in graduating from high school and enrolling in college,” Vargas says.
Favorite subjects also kept him motivated. He enrolled in computer science classes whenever he could because he enjoys the challenges and endless possibilities of programming, notably how computer science can be applied in the business world. “Computers will always be upgrading and expanding,” he points out.
In high school Vargas used the skills he picked up from his computer classes to edit videos for the school website and take pictures for the school yearbook. Among other activities, he edited the school newspaper, was active in the art club, and participated in esports, with his team placing ninth in state Rocket League tournaments. He also helped fundraise for the Johnson–O’Malley Program, which supports education for Indigenous students.
Vargas says being involved in extracurriculars has done more than help him develop a range of skills and interests — through them he has become more self-disciplined and insightful, qualities that he hopes will serve him well as he navigates his college studies.
