Native Village
Youth and Education News
January 1, 2007 Issue 174 Volume 2
"In school, I learned that my people were savages. But now I see I come from
people who were beautiful and intelligent. I see the sacredness of being
Indian." Carol Welsh, Sisseton-Wahpeton
l
Court Upholds School’s Hawaiians-First Admission Policy
Hawaii: A federal appeals court has ruled that Hawaii's Kamehameha Schools can
favor Hawaiian natives for admission. The 8-7 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals overturned an earlier decision saying the schools' policy
discriminated against non-Natives. The 9th Circuit Court ruled that Kamahameha
schools "furthers the urgent need for better education of Native Hawaiians,
which Congress has repeatedly identified as necessary." Eric Grant, the
plaintiff's attorney, said he would appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing the
policy is discriminatory.
Kamehameha Schools:
http://www.imua2013.com/
Associated Press
Alaska Native Charter School Gets
Go-Ahead
Alaska: After concerns by Alaska Native parents, teachers, and elders, the
Anchorage school board has given unanimous approval for an Alaska Native charter
school. Native children today "have become an MTV, bling-bling generation, and
that's not the way of our people," said Liana Engebretson, an Athabascan and
Tlingit mother. "A school like this would be so great to turn that around, and
start to teach our children who they are, where they came from, and who their
ancestors are." The Alaska Native Cultural Charter School could open by fall
2007. The K-6 school, open to Native and non - Native youth, would emphasize
hands-on learning and involve role models from the Native community.
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
Lawmakers Address Funding For
Reservation School
Wyoming: Lawmakers are discussing ways to help the St. Stephens Bureau of
Indian Affairs school. St. Stephens is a
K-12
school and the only BIA school in the state. It has around around
225
students. For
3
years, the school has faced steep decreases in federal funding. It gets about
$3,000,000
from the BIA but has lost
$400,000
in federal funding each of the past
3
years, totaling
$1,200,000.
The Legislature's Select Committee on Tribal Relations has endorsed two bills
and a constitutional amendment to help St. Stephens Indian School:
One bill would have the state and BIA run the school through a partnership;
The other bill would continue to have the state supplement the school's federal
funding; The bill would also increase state funding for St. Stephens from about
$370,000
a year to a little over
$1,000,000
a year.
The legislative session is scheduled to begin
January 9, 2007.
H-Amindian Listserve
Tribal students honored for calendar art
California: Thirteen Tule River Indian Reservation students have been recognized
for their artwork which will appear on a 2007 tribal calendar. Ranging in age
from 3-15, the students were honored at a lunch in the Tribal Center. Evenly
Hunter, who organized the luncheon, said the calendar highlights art skills of
tribal students. “That's not really brought out, especially with all the
[budget] cutbacks,” Hunter said. “So we decided to have a calendar and show
[their talents].” Seventy-eight tribal students submitted artwork; all were
presented with gifts.
http://www.portervillerecorder.com/articles/2006/12/26/news/local_state/news4.prt
Tulalip Youth Radio Club
Washington: Robin Carneen, a Swinomish Tribal member, hosts and produces a
bi-weekly program called NAMAPAHH First People's Radio. Now Robin is helping
start a multi-media program for 7th-12th graders. So far, twelve teens have
joined Robin to create the Tulalip Youth Radio Club. The TYRC now has a show on
NAMAPAHH and hope to start their own Internet radio station one day. Some of
the teens have also tried their hands at filmmaking. In support, the Tulalip
Tribes have just awarded TYRC with $10,000. The Tulalip Tribes are made up of
Swinomish, Snoqualmie, Skagit, Suiattle, Samish and Stillaguamish Tribes and
allied bands.
NAMAPAHH:NAMAPAHH (www.ksvr.org)
www.ksvr.org
Tulalip Boys &Girls Club:
http://www.tulaliptribes-nsn.gov/department/boys_girls_club/index.asp
NAMAPAHH Radio: www.ksvr.org
Tribe's culinary arts school open
Mississippi:
The Choctaw Tribal School's Occupational Training Center is making it easier for
students to learn the culinary arts. A full service Warrior Cafe has opened and
is staffed by the students in the OTC's culinary program. Two different classes
operate the cafe: the first year beginner class works on baking deserts, while
the advanced second year class prepares the main courses. There are also four
students in the waitress class who serve the meals to the patrons. "We are
trying to prepare the kids for future careers," said Cathy Cheatham, who runs
the program. Cheatham said that the students are really enjoying the program,
and their favorite part is when grateful patrons leave tips for the servers and
cooks. Two students involved in the program said their favorite part of the
process is when customers enjoy their meals. "It makes us feel good when they
do that," one said. "We like meeting people and it makes us feel good to see
them enjoying the food that we prepare."
http://ww.neshobademocrat.com/print.asp?ArticleID=1335
Tribes plan to refurbish Chilocco school
Kansas: The Chilocco Indian School educated thousands of American Indians from
1884 until it closed in 1980. Chilocco is the second oldest Indian school
property after another school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places. It sits on 165 acres and includes more
than 70 buildings. Now tribal leaders from the Five Tribes of Chilocco plan to
renovate and refurbish the historic Indian school into a living history museum.
"We are looking at doing a master plan and bringing in a major developer such as
Disney," said Michael Harwell, chairman of the Otoe-Missouria tribe. The Five
Tribes of Chilocco are the Otoe-Missouria, Tonkawa, Kaw, Ponca and the
Pawnee.
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/15772862.htm
U.S. Department of Education recognizes
Brenda Beyal
Utah: The U.S. DOE American Star of Teaching Award has honored Brenda Beyal,
Navajo, for her teaching efforts. Ms. Beyal grew up on the Navajo reservation
and taught in the Nebo School District (NSD) for the last 24 years. She
currently teaches grades 3-5 in a multi-age classroom. She also taught summer
school for the past 8 years. "From the very beginning, [Ms. Beyal has] been
very gung-ho," said Eileen Quintana, who nominated Ms. Beyal. "She connects
with the kids naturally and knows how to draw them in. She’s aware of how Native
children learn best and uses state standards in all her instruction.” Ms. Beyal,
who began as a volunteer, helped organize the Title VII summer school program.
That program has helped raise American Indian graduation rates from 37% in 1998
to 94% in 2004.
http://www.indianeducation.org/enews/index.cfm?id=59&v=2&i=1
Michigan Man Donates $1
Million To Blackfeet School
Michigan: Edmund Bott, 93, is helping American Indians receive a quality
education by donating
$1,000,000
to De La Salle Blackfeet School. His interest in helping American Indians led
him to pay for the college educations of 13 students. But when he noticed that
many of those students struggled as freshmen, he decided to invest in younger
students. "You sit around and think, `What would I do with a million dollars,'
then when it actually happens you think `Now what?' '’ said Brother Paul
Ackerman, who runs the private, Roman Catholic school. Ackerman will use most
of the money to create an endowment that earns interest and eases fundraising
pressures. Some funds will also be used to fix up the school's playground and
buy gym equipment. De La Salle school is located in Browning, Montana.
H-Amindian Listserve
Gates Millennium Scholar
Idaho: Isabelle Diggs-Walker has been awarded a Gates Millennium Scholars
award. The 17-year-old Nez Perce girl, who hoped to receive a basketball
scholarship, was surprised by winning the GMS. “I dropped the envelope in the
mailbox and had forgotten the date” said Izzy. The GMS has provided Izzy more
than recognition --"it takes a lot of weight off my shoulders, financially,”
she said. Isabelle graduated from Lapwai High School on the Nez Perce Indian
reservation last June. She has already completed her first quarter at Columbia
Basin Community College. Now she plans to complete her Bachelor’s degree at the
University of Idaho, then attend Law School at the University of Arizona. The
Gates Millennium scholarships assist youth from low-income families who wish to
pursue a higher education. “The best and the brightest students shouldn't be
denied an education simply because they can’t afford it,” said Bill Gates.
1,000 students from diverse backgrounds were awarded a Gates Millennium
Scholarship. From those 1,000 students, 150 were American Indian and Alaska
Native students.
Gates Millennium Scholarships: www.gmsp.org
http://www.indianeducation.org/enews/index.cfm?id=67&v=2&i=1
Dartmouth President Apologies To Native
American Students
New Hampshire: The president of Dartmouth College has apologized for incidents
many Native American students viewed as racist. The Native American Council, a
group of faculty, staff and a few students, took out an advertisement in the
student newspaper describing a troubling series of events:
Fraternity pledges disrupting a Native American drumming circle on Columbus Day;
The
crew team holding a party with a "Cowboys and Indians" theme;
A
school newspaper, The Dartmouth Review, giving out T-shirts featuring the
school's discontinued American Indian mascot;
A
student selling shirts disrespectful of Native peoples.
Dartmouth's 1796 charter describes the school's mission as educating "Youth of
the Indian Tribes in this Land ... and also of English Youth and any others."
But only 19 Native Americans have graduated from Dartmouth since it's founding
almost 210 years ago.
H-Amindian Listserve
Kotzebue School Wins Design Award
Alaska:
Kotzebue School has won a Lighthouse Award from the Council of Educational
Facility Planners International. CEFPI is a professional organization whose sole
mission is to improve places where children learn. CEFPI selected Kotzebue
because of "an extensive and inclusive community planning process that addressed
age-appropriate learning; school-within-a-school concepts, severe and complex
environmental issues and the celebration and preservation of Native American
culture."
Kotzebue School:
http://www.nwarctic.org/Schools/kmhs/index.htm
H-Amindian Listserve
IBM Provides Technology Access and Training to Native People
New York: Native American Family Technology Journey helps native people enrich
their lives through computer technology. Known as "The Journey," NAFTJ explores
how computers can help preserve ancient cultures. It also provides students and
their families with technology training so they can access educational, health
and other information. Among this year's projects are workshops, seminars, and
interactive demonstrations for Alaska Natives and American Indians in urban,
rural, and tribal land settings. Other initiatives have also been launched to
help Native Americans preserve their languages and customs and develop
marketable skills. The Journey is co-sponsored by IBM and Career Communications
Group.
http://www.nativeamericanfamilynet.net
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