On Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 10:30 a.m., at the State Capitol Building in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Herman Agoyo, Sr., of Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo), will be honored by Wings of America, The American Indian Youth Development Program of the Earth Circle Foundation.

Herman Agoyo, a former Governor of his pueblo, also served as Chairman of the Eight Northern Pueblo Council and the All Indian Pueblo Council. He was the founding Vice Chairman of Wings of America in 1987 and has had a life-long commitment to serving youth.

With eight children and seven grandchildren of his own, Agoyo has championed many causes and his selfless dedication to humanity has been recognized across the country.

Agoyo earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Manhattan College, New York City, and his Masters Degree from UNM. He had an active career as an athlete in his youth, playing baseball, basketball and swimming. At Manhattan College he majored in Physical Education, Health and Recreation. At UNM, he majored in Guidance and Counseling.

President Ronald Reagan appointed Agoyo to be a Trustee of the Institute of American Indian Arts. He served as Co- Chair of the New Mexico Delegation of the Statuary Hall Commission, first with Governor Gary Johnson and later with Governor Bill Richardson.

Agoyo was head of the group which implemented the 300th Anniversary of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, emphasizing the importance of Po'Pay, whose statue now graces the Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.

Agoyo has been an active participant, with his wife Rachel, in The Senior Olympics and has competed in several events.

In 1993, Newsweek Magazine, named Agoyo one of the fifty most influential Americans. The New Mexican named him one of the ten who made the most difference in the state. His past awards have come from many organizations, including the 2005 Spirit of the Heard Museum Award; the 2006 Mary G. Ross Award of the Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT); Lifetime Achievement Awards from the All Indian Pueblo Council, New Mexico Community Foundation, New Mexico Cultural Properties Review Committee, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, and the Santa Fe Living Treasures Association. He also was given the Zia Award from the UNM Alumni Association.

A fluent Tewa speaker, Herman Agoyo has strived to promote ancient wisdom in the modern age. The balance of keeping Native traditions in the forefront of today's world has played a vital role in his widely sought after counseling. Therefore, his lifetime membership on the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Council was well chosen, as Herman Agoyo speaks with his heart and cares deeply about family and community.

His work with Wings of America was vital to the organization and he worked thoughtfully and tirelessly to take Wings on the path it is on today.

Wings has served over 23,000 Native youth, mostly in the southwest. It runs health and fitness camps in the summer and works to educate youth about the hardships facing Native communities today and the ways to overcome the challenges. Diabetes, obesity and teen suicide are just a few of such issues which tribes are confronting every day. Using cross country running as a catalyst, Wings works with communities to focus on positive youth development.

Herman Agoyo is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from Wings, in celebration of Wings of America Day, which is on June 21 but is being celebrated on July 1. Past recipients include Steve Gachupin and Al Waquie of Jemez Pueblo; Stan Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo and Alice Kinlichee, Navajo, of Shiprock.

The public is invited to attend.

For further information, contact Delight Talawepi at 505-982-6761.

Wings is a national grassroots American Indian youth program which holds health, fitness and mentorship camps for American Indian youth ages 6 to 19.  For further information, please contact the Wings office at 505.982.6761.