Native Village
Youth and Education News
September 15, 2004, Issue 138 Volume 2
“Today’s children are the backbone of tomorrow’s economy... Instead of passing more tax breaks, which is not stimulating the economy nor creating jobs, the Bush administration should do more to lift families out of poverty by investing in programs that help children. ” Deborah Cutler-Ortiz
Hopi High students at
Harvard
At Harvard University, Hopi High School students received rave reviews for
a substance abuse presentation given after completing a June 12-July 5-summer medical program. “I had tears in my eyes
for a half hour," said Dr. David Potter from Harvard. "Several of the Harvard people who work with
Native Americans said they never had seen anything like it. Hopi covered itself with glory. The performances were very
strong.” Dr. Potter and Dr. Edward Furschpan had taught the Hopi students about substance abuse and how it
affects the nervous system. The students had morning and afternoon lectures each day, with a patient-case tutorials in
between. The courses, which were as academically demanding as first year medical school courses, also included hours of
homework. On most days, students left for classes at 8 a.m. and did not return until 6 p.m. During the final days
of the three-week session, students worked until 10:00 p.m. and didn't eat dinner until midnight. The 10 students
attending this past summer were seniors Vanissa Van Winkle, Stacy Myron, Nicole Lomatska, Marissa Leslie, Faelynn Zah,
Dione Naha, Travis Sahneyah and juniors Erynne Zahne, Justin Lee and Joel Melvin.
http://www.navajohopiobserver.com/NAVAJOHOPIOBSERVER/myarticles.asp?P=1002812&S=392&PubID=13011
Astronomy outreach for
Navajo and Hopi students
Arizona: Lowell Observatory has received funding from Honeywell to support
an astronomy outreach program for American Indian students. The program pairs Lowell Observatory astronomers with
Hopi and Navajo students and their teachers. Each astronomer works with one teacher for a year and visits the
teacher's classroom to work with students. Teachers and students also attend an astronomy workshop and spend a
night observing at the astronomical research facility. "Honeywell’s sponsorship of the Lowell Observatory
Navajo-Hopi Educational Outreach Program supports science and math instruction on the Navajo and Hopi reservations in
northern Arizona," said Pam Ross from Honeywell. "These creative programs are having a significant
impact by encouraging students to pursue math/science-related careers through participation in hands-on science and
astronomy activities."
http://www.indiancountry.com/
MOST HIGH SCHOOLERS
BELIEVE MILITARY DRAFT WILL RESUME
A new poll finds most U.S. high-school students believe the government
will restart the military draft during their lifetimes, and shrinking numbers are optimistic about the country's future.
55% say young Americans will be required to serve in the military, up from
45% last year;
70% of high school students are opposed to the draft;
44% believe the decision to invade Iraq was correct. 33%
said it was wrong. The rest had no opinion or were unsure;
68% are hopeful for the U.S. future, down from 75% last year;
66% care about who wins the presidential race;
66% have not closely followed news reporting about the presidential race.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/9360247.htm
Tribal Indian Education
Summit
Washington: Christopher James, 16, is adamant that Native kids need to
step out and show they are proud to be Native. "It’s time for Native youth to be seen and heard," he
proclaimed. James is part of the Dream Team, a youth organization that promotes students taking leadership roles in
schools and their communities. He along with other Dream Team members took part in the 2nd Annual Washington State
Tribal Indian Education Summit. Among other comments:
"Cultural competence is the ability to communicate, live, learn and work in cross-cultural
situations. It’s important to have respect for differences, an eagerness to learn and a willingness to accept there
are many ways of viewing the world." Terry Bergeson, Washington State Superintendent of Public
Instruction
"We need more collaborative efforts from the top down into the classroom where the most
effective results will be realized." Ray Lorton, Chief Leschi School Superintendent
"Culture and language is critical for our students to meet standards and it can improve
academic achievement. Instruction needs to be broadened to include hands-on and visual activities in small groups so our
students will understand why they are doing the work." Denny Hurtado, Indian Education in
Washington State.
"[Students] need to be seen and heard more. We need to teach them how to be superstars and
how to communicate more effectively. We must spend more time allowing kids to ask more questions and be in leadership
positions." Howard Rainer, Native American Educational Outreach Programs at Brigham Young
University
Indian Country Today
Association comes of age
for Native American youth
Oregon: From a church gymnasium to its own three-story building Portland's
Native American Youth Association has grown with its indigenous community. In 1975, NAYA began with a handful of adults
and about 25 children. Today, it serves about 600 young people and their families with a budget of $1,300,000 paid by
grants and fund raising. Especially important, says executive director Nichole Maher, is keeping the acronym "Naya,"
which means "mother" in the Pueblo language. "Every youth we work with, we really work with the entire
family," she said. "We want to make our name reflect what we do, while maintaining our identity."
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1091016139295620.xml
Specialist to support,
recruit Indian students
Wisconsin: Tony Fairbanks has been hired by the University of
Wisconsin-Superior and UW-Extension to work with American Indian children across the state and on campus. Fairbanks, a
Native American youth-development specialist, had been a consultant to the Blandin Foundation and dean of students at
the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School. "I'm very excited," Fairbanks said. "It's a real honor to work with the
university. This is an excellent opportunity for Native Americans to reach their goals, along with myself to be a part
of that." At UWS, he'll provide support services to American Indian students and lead recruitment efforts.
For UW-Extension, he'll produce culturally appropriate programs for the 4-H Youth Development Program. UWS has about 50
American Indian students, a number the university wants to increase. According to UWS, 10 reservations are within 100
miles of campus.
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/local/9510955.htm
Heavy Runner named
American Indian College Fund inaugural recipient
of Mellon Tribal College Faculty Fellowship award
New York: Iris Heavy Runner, Blackfoot, has been involved in the
tribal college movement since her student days at Haskell Indian Nations University, KS. Whether as an instructor,
consultant or in her current faculty position at Fort Peck Community College, Heavy Runner is focused upon improving
Native student retention. Because of her dedication, Iris was named one of two recipients of the American Indian College
Fund - Mellon Tribal College Faculty Fellowship. She will receive$32,250 in order to complete her doctoral dissertation,
"Tribal College Student Retention." Heavy Runner states, "I see myself working for tribal colleges
and communities for years to come. They continue to be my passion."
http://www.goldentrianglenews.com/articles/2004/09/03/glacier_reporter/news/news5.txt
Teachers get Closer look
at Tribal Life
Nebraska: Fifteen Nebraska teachers spent two weeks this summer visiting
Southwest Indian tribes to learn about their homes and how the tribes lived years ago. The trip, part of the
Nebraska Partnership for American History Education, was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Susan
Wunder said the group met with experts, guides and members of the Apache, Hopi, Navajo and Ute Tribes. "We've
learned a great deal about rich native oral tradition, as well as how to include that in our study of history,"
Wunder said. Another teacher, Tom Scott, will incorporate what he learned into his lessons for high school students. He
hopes to invite Sicangu Lakota members living on the nearby Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation to share their tribal
histories with his class.
Omaha World-Herald
Columbus' story getting
native voices in curriculum
Massachusetts: About 100 public and private teachers in the Boston area
may be using a new curriculum about Christopher Columbus. The curriculum pulls Indians from the margins of history and
looks critically at "the perspective from the shore," said teacher Stephanie Rossi, adding that the Arawak and
Taino Indians on present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic have a different story. Curriculum developers say lessons
are grounded in research and historical documents -- such as Columbus' own diaries. They will also use journals from
Bartolome de las Casas, a priest who witnessed and wrote about the treatment of Indians in the West Indies. The
curriculum, which will be available to schools this fall, uses a framework designed by the Massachusetts-based Facing
History and Ourselves to examine moral choices made in history. Creators hope the lessons will become a national model.
http://www.denverpost.com/
No Reservations
American Indian author and Abenaki storyteller Joseph Bruchac shares a new
tale of an ancient American people and their progress in the current issue (September 2004) of National Geographic
magazine. To write the piece, Bruchac started traveling about 16 months ago, making brief trips over a six-month
period to reservations and places of importance to Indian culture. 'In some cases it was reconnecting with old
friends, and in others it was meeting new people and trying new things, like wild ricing with the Chippewas," he
said of his experience in Minnesota where he harvested grain into a canoe using the ancient Chippewa technique. Maggie
Steber, who is of Cherokee ancestry, was the photographer for the article.
Read part of the story: http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0409/feature5/
More from National Geographic
Joseph Bruchac audio stories
Listen to traditional American Indian stories as told by author Joseph Bruchac.
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0409/feature5/index.html
INTERACTIVE IMAGE
Maneuver around a U.S. map to get a snapshot of Native Americans today.
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0409/feature5/zoomify/index.html
Photographer Maggie Steber
Photographer Maggie Steber talks about how Native Americans are defining their future.
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0409/feature5/index.html
Forum
What should the U.S. government do to compensate Native Americans? http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0409/#
Photographs
Including one of an Apache man, made "in Arizona away back in 1879 & 80."
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/flashback/0409/index.htm
WSU Agrees To Sell Camp
Roger Larson
Washington: Washington State University will sell Camp Roger Larson to the
Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe for $1,400,000. "We are looking forward to working with the Coeur d'Alene Tribe to
develop educational opportunities and programs that enrich the lives of tribal members and contribute to the well-being
of the tribal community," said WSU Provost Robert Bates. The sale includes 40.55 acres on Cottonwood
Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene near Worley, Idaho.
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
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