national indian education association
In United through Education. Brought Together by the Membership di Matters. Lthat g a e In ngu no s Rea tit ag us d t ut e hei r ar e ticl e!
Summer 2010 Volume 41. Issue 4
Native language Our
Student turned part-time Actress turned Education Reformer, Dr. B. Noelani Iokepa-Guerrero, Shares the Goals of Today’s Hawaiian Language Immersion Preschools (Pūnana Leo)
Plus!
GRADUATION 2010
Honoring Our Students’ Diplomas and Degrees
Health & Wealth
The Power of Water, the Power to Save Money
POLICY 2010
What We are Doing in Washington for Our Students!
Parents are The First Educators. Take the time after school with your children. Read to them. Ask them how their day was. Use your Native language. Build a dialog. Be there for your children.
National Indian Education Association
Summer 2010 Volume 41. Issue 4
A publication of the National Indian Education Association.
in this issue...
11 news
4 6 8 10
president’s message executive director’s message national calendar news
What matters most to you. Articles by Jana Hollingsworth, Tiffany Wisdom, Michael Woestehoff, and Jan Biles.
16 cover
Native Language. Article by Dr. B. Noelani Iokepa-Guerrero
18 language
16 cover
News from ILI. By Rachel Nez Salish Success By Tachini Pete Culture Fest. By Corrine Smith
20 members
Meet Our Members.
20 membership
Why We Matter By Michael Woestehoff
21 notes & books
Oneida is Here to Stay. By Kara Briggs
22 events
2010 Graduation. Photos by NIEA Members and friends.
23 health & finance
Water to the Rescue and Pinch that Penny!
21 notes
24 raquel & derrick’s page
Word Search, Coloring and How do you Say?
25 high school policy
Policy Update. By Kerry Venegas and Sierra Howlett.
About the Cover: Dr. B. Noelani Iokepa-Guerrero was the star of Ka`ililauokekoa (2000), the first feature film entirely in the Hawaiian language.
NIEA urges you to recycle. This magazine is printed on 10% post consumer materials. Give to a friend!
27 last page
Masters of Makah. By Maria Parker Pascua Policy in Brief. By Jesse Renteria, Ietan Consulting
letter from the president}}} As educators, we must create a world without barriers. From this, our students can created for themselves.
S
hix páshway inmíma tíinma. Inknash waníksha Twapat kúu pástinwíki Patricia Whitefoot. Kw’aláni nam National Indian Education Association (NIEA) wíwaniksha pátamun tímash ichishk’iin. Good day, my family, friends and relatives. I greet you with my Yakama name and my English name, which is Patricia Whitefoot. I am happy you are reading this special NIEA news magazine about our Native Languages. Annually, the University of Oregon (UO) Northwest Indian Language Institute (NILI) in Eugene, OR convenes with the Native language programs to share promising practices in Native language revitalization efforts. This year NILI collaborated with the Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Conference planners to highlight best practices in Indian Country. Like other conferences, planners meet in various locations in Indian Country to share and network about the work occurring in Native Languages restoration and revitalization. This year as the Keynote Speaker for the Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Conference, I was pleased to share that NIEA’s advocacy work is making a difference for our Native Languages. Further, the U.S. Department of Education Tribal Consultationssessions being held regionally in Indian Country witnessed repeated statements about the critical need for Native Language revitalization. In addition, Congress and other federal officials are also hearing more about the vision and goals for Native Languages to return to our aboriginal homelands and communities. The vision of our Ancestors is being realized with our Native Languages being spoken, heard and in some cases, returning to the homelands after being dormant for many years. However, there is still much more work to be done in restoring our Native Languages to their rightful places in the lives of our children, families and communities. As we prepare for the Annual Convention in San Diego, CA, I urge you to attend and participate in the various venues of the Convention, such as the Native Languages Forum. I look forward to sharing more about our mission to realize Indian Self-determination through our language and cultural revitalization efforts. Respectfully,
Patricia L. Whitefoot President
Language is the expression of our culture and our land. We cannot have one without the others. We cannot describe our culture and our land if we do not have language. -Queensland Indigenous Languages Advisory Committee, Australia
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& It’s a Good Day to Be Educated.
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Annual Membership Annual Membership includes a collectible membership pin. Annual Membership is ideal for people who cannot attend the convention or summit. If you do choose to go to NIEA events, a reduced rate will be offered. If you attended the 2009 Milwaukee Convention, and have not renewed or registered for the 2010 San Diego Convention, your membership has expired.
Report
BELOW, please circle what best describes you: 1) student attending K-12 school 2) student attending higher education 3) educational association or related programs 4) pre and K-12 schools and programs 5) school administration 6) Tribal government 7) local/state/federal government 8) higher/adult education 9) language/culture programs 10) parent/guardian/elder 11) advocate 12) other ________________________
Photo by Bobby Clauschee
Please FILL OUT COMPLETELY. Print this out, and mail/fax back to niea.
We are the Membership that Matters. The National Indian Education Association is like no other membership. We are an organization committed to American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. For over forty years, NIEA has connected people and organizations that have the same drive and passion to help our Native children excel academically while being grounded in their unique languages and cultures. NIEA is the strategic policy maker for Indian education. We work hard to bring national, state and local education associations together around the most important issues concerning Native education. Today, we provide our members with ideas and tools to help Native students succeed and support Native languages and cultures. As a member of NIEA, you support NIEA’s capacity to provide better services for our Native students and their educators. NIEA depends on the support and contributions of our members to continue our work to promote, protect and engage in both legislative and administrative advocacy on behalf of you.
Thank you for being a Member! Not a Member? Need to Renew? Sign up today! www.niea.org/membership
1. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION (1) Organizational Membership- $400 o We are a Non-Profit Organization o We are a Tribal Government o We are a Federal/State Agency o We are an Educational Institution Corporate Membership- $500 o We are a Corporation/Company/Business Tax ID:_____________________________________ (1) Non-Event Attending Membership- $50 o o General (AI/AN/NH)
Associate (Non-AI/AN/NH)
(1) Non-Event Attending Membership- $25 o Student (Post Secondary, College) o Student (High School) o Elder (60 years or older) 2. PERSONAL INFORMATION Representative 1 Name:____________________________________________________________ E-mail:___________________________________________________________ Native Affiliation (if applicable):_______________________________________ Title:_____________________________________________________________ Representative 2 (Organizational Membership Only) Name:__________________________________________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________________________ Native Affiliation (if applicable):_______________________________________ Title:_____________________________________________________________ 3.MAILING INFORMATION Mailing Street Address:_____________________________________________ City:____________________________________________________________ State:______ Zip:___________ Phone:______________________________ 4. PAYMENT INFORMATION (Please do not send cash) NIEA Organization Membership Annual Dues - $400.00 (USD) NIEA General/Associate Membership Annual Dues - $50.00 (USD) NIEA Student/Elder Membership Annual Dues - $25.00 (USD) Type of Payment: __ MC __ Visa __ Amex __ Discover __Check Credit Card Number:______________________________________________ Expiration Date: Month:_____________Year:______________________ Card Verification Number (3 digit # on back):___________________________ Card Holder’s Name:_______________________________________________ 5. GRAND TOTAL:______________
(1) Please fill out information completely. (2) Attach payment (membership is not complete without payment). (3) (For Students) Copy of transcript, or Current student ID card. (4) Return this completed form with payment to the NIEA Office: Fax: (202) 544-7293 Mail: NIEA Membership 110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 104 Washington, DC 20002
message from the director}}}
Language and Leadership.
W
ith this issue of the NIEA Magazine we celebrate the most recent developments in recapturing our Native languages. We give thanks to the many tribal leaders, elders, parents and Native educators that have given their collective and individual energy to ensuring our Native communities have every opportunity to restore and maintain the tremendous diversity of their languages for our future generations. It is our greatest hope this information will continue to be shared to guide and inspire other tribal communities to restore their respective languages to its appropriate place in their everyday lives. As you read this edition, I want to welcome the newly appointed Executive Director of the National Indian Education Association, Mr. Colin Kippen to the helm of leadership. Mr. Kippen (Native Hawaiian) brings an outstanding background to the organization and I believe his skills and knowledge will prove to be the right fit in this critical time for growth and development as NIEA enters its 5th decade of service to the Native education community. I also want to welcome a new staff member, Sierra Howlett, who joins our High School Policy team, headed by Kerry Venegas. Finally, as I complete my interim role as the Executive Director for NIEA, I want to thank the Board of Directors under the leadership of President Patsy Whitefoot and the many former presidents of NIEA who encouraged me to step in while the organization conducted a search for new leadership. Without a doubt it has been an enlightening experience during the critical time of appropriations and reauthorization of ESEA. During this time I learned of the wide range of issues advocated for by NIEA on behalf of Native education from prenatal to lifelong learning initiatives. As a small nonprofit organization, I experienced the support and friendship of a small, but talented and dedicated staff that juggles many demands on a daily basis. As with most nonprofits, NIEA operates with limited resources and staffing, but they do an outstanding job. This is self-evident because Congress, the White House, federal agencies, tribes and other advocates seek out NIEA’s ideas and positions on a regular basis. It has been a privilege to serve NIEA, thank you for the opportunity and best wishes to the membership in your efforts to lift Native Education to a new level. Respectfully,
New Staff Sierra Howlett Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes High School Policy Research and Policy Associate
Dr. Gerald Gipp Interim Executive Director
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Sierra received her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Montana, and received her MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School in May 2010, where she focused on Social Policy. Prior to joining NIEA, Sierra worked as a Family Advocate for the Early Childhood Services Department of CS&KT for three years.
mission The mission of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) is to support traditional Native cultures and values; to enable Native learners to become contributing members of their communities; to promote Native control of educational institutions; and to improve educational opportunities and resources for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians throughout the United States. background NIEA is the largest and oldest Indian education organization in the nation and strives to keep Indian Country moving toward educational equity and excellence. Founded after a merge of two previous conferences, NIEA was incorporated in 1970 to give American Indians and Alaska Natives a voice in their struggle to improve access to education opportunities. In 2000, Native Hawaiians were included as voting members by a Constitutional amendment. Purpose and goals Advocacy: NIEA advocates to assure optimum educational opportunities are based on tribal cultures, enhancing tribal sovereignty, and maximizing participation in the education of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people. Technical Assistance Services: NIEA promotes appropriate educational services to be provided with sensitivity to individual, tribal, and cultural values wherever American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian learners reside, utilizing the most effective method including those methods to meet special needs. Coordination: NIEA collaborates with tribal groups and other organizations to provide future directions, increased communication, and effective leadership in education, cultural, social, and economic development for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Communication: NIEA communicates regularly with Native leadership throughout the nation to promote educational research services, curriculum resources and educational personnel development. Governance: A twelve-member board of directors made up of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian individuals from across the nation governs’ NIEA. Board terms are three years for general board members and two years for student board members, elected by the voting membership during each annual Convention. Who we are The National Indian Education Association, a 501(c) (3) organization, was founded in 1970 to support traditional Native cultures and values, to enable Native learners to become contributing members of their communities, to promote Native control of educational institutions, and to improve educational opportunities and resources for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians throughout the United States. NIEA Board of Directors (2009/2010) PRESIDENT Patricia L. whitefoot, Yakama/Diné VICE PRESIDENT Dr. Teresa Makuakane-Drechsel, Native Hawaiian PRESIDENT-ELECT Mary Jane Oatman Wak Wak, Nez Perce TREASURER Star Oosahwe Yellowfish, Keetoowah Band of Cherokee SECRETARY Skawenniio Barnes*, Mohawk Nation BOARD MEMBER Shawn Malia Kana’iaupuni, PhD, Native Hawaiian BOARD MEMBER Kevin Killer*, Oglala Lakota BOARD MEMBER RenÉe holt, Diné/Nez Perce/Delaware BOARD MEMBER Denny Hurtado, Skokomish Indian Tribe BOARD MEMBER Nāmakaokalani Rawlins, Native Hawaiian BOARD MEMBER Quinton Roman Nose, Cheyenne/Arapaho of Oklahoma BOARD MEMBER Ryan Wilson, Oglala Lakota
Board Term: (08/11) Board Term: (08/11) Board Term: (08/11) Board Term: (09/12) Board Term: (08/10) Board Term: (07/10) Board Term: (08/10) Board Term: (09/12) Board Term: (08/11) Board Term: (07/10) Board Term: (09/12) Board Term: (07/10)
*Student Board Member
NIEA Staff
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Gerald Gipp, Ph.D, Lakota Hunkpapa EVENTS MANAGER D. Wanda Johnson, Diné MEMBERSHIP/COMMUNICATIONS Michael Woestehoff, Diné HIGH SCHOOL POLICY DIRECTOR Kerry Venegas High School Policy Research and Policy Associate Sierra Howlett, CS&KT STAFF ASSISTANT Ashley Martin, St. Regis Mohawk ACCOUNTANT Kim Narcisso, CPA IETAN CONSULTING Wilson Pipestem SENIOR EDITOR EDITORS GRAPHIC LAYOUT EDITORS PHOTOGRAPHY
THE NIEANEWS MAGAZINE
MICHAEL WOESTEHOFF Dr. Teresa Makuakane-Drechsel kERRY vENEGAS, sIERRA hOWLETT Sara Randall , Erik Woestehoff Paul Rodarte, Michael Woestehoff
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The National Indian Education Association is membership based organization committed to increasing educational opportunities and resources for Native students while protecting our cultural and linguistic traditions. As to better serve its membership, the National Indian Education Association has brought a quarterly publication to streamline all education issues for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. The primary purpose of this magazine is to showcase information, events, programs and reports written by its membership and made exclusively for its membership.
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Albuquerque, New Mexico. The site of the NIEA 2011 Annual Convention. Photo provided by Derrick Yazzie, Derrick Yazzie Photography.
Events this Summer are filling up and there is much to do! All of these events and more are found at www.niea.org/events. Did we forget an event? Please visit and add your event today! E-mail: niea@niea.org Calendar of Events July-November, 2010
July
September
November
Native American Youth Entrepreneur Camp (NAYEC) Tucson, AZ nni@email.arizona.edu
Healing Our Spirit Worldwide Honolulu, HI www.papaolalokahi.org
2010 American Indian Science and Engineering Society Annual Convention Albuquerque, NM info@aises.org
18–23
21 5th Annual National Urban Indian Health Conference Seattle, WA debbie@sihb.org
August 3-5
Adults Working with Native Youth Training Mount Pleasant, MI www.nativewellness.com
3-10
20-23 Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) Annual Conference Airway Heights, WA www.atnitribes.org
October 7-10
NIEA’S 41st Annual Convention San Diego, CA Town and Country & Resort www.niea.org
10-11 Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Conference “Pathways to Respecting American Indian Civil Rights: Education, Health, Justice, Employment, Housing, and Other Services Albuquerque, New Mexico OCR.Denver@ed.gov
8 I NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
11-13
14-19 National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 67th Annual Convention Albuquerque, NM www.ncai.org
Since the beginning, our members wanted to network... In 1970, we incorporated NIEA, We held conventions around the country, Then, we hosted summits in Washington, Followed by building a website, Next, we launched the NIEA magazine,
Now...
Join our over 6,234 NIEA Facebook Fans. Facbook.com/NIEAFanPage Continue the Conversation Online with the Membership that Matters.
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Canoe races at the Kiwenz Campground.
Ojibwe language camp to feature more native speakers Language is the focus of this four day event.
A
ttendance was high last year at the first Ojibwe
language immersion camp on the Fond du Lac Reservation. This year, organizers doubled the fluent speakers to prepare for 300 people at the four-day event. “We discovered that this is what people really want to do,” said organizer Jim Northrup. “There is a great need for the Anishinaabe people to regain their language.” The camp, began June 23 and ended June 26th at Kiwenz Campground, formerly Molstad’s, in Sawyer. From morning until evening each day, the camp was packed with activities that encouraged the use of Ojibwe, including making birch bark baskets, wild rice poles and knockers, flutes, pottery, hand drums and bannock-on-a-stick. Canoe races and other activities for kids were held. “It’s a unique immersion camp,” Northrup said, “because it includes traditional arts, crafts and instruments in the learning of
Hey Members! We update our News Section Everyday, check it out! 10 I NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
By Jana Hollingsworth, Duluth News Tribune
the language.”Organizers hosted people from reservations across Minnesota and Wisconsin. “Ojibwes have been taught that the Creator likes to hear us in our native language,” said Ivy Vainio, a member of the planning committee. “There is an importance to connecting the people of today to the people who came before.” Anyone who wants to begin learning Ojibwe or explore the culture was welcome. Three meals a day were shared. Northrup remembers a moment from last year’s camp, when adults were talking inside makeshift domes. “The kids were all out on the playground swinging and sliding, and they were teaching each other, ‘No, say it like this: Boozhoo,’” he said, which means “hello.” “That was my favorite part.” Printed with permission from Duluth News.
Nez Perce Student Competes at National History Day After winning Idaho, Stella Penney moves onto the national competition. By NIEA Member Tiffany Wisdom
Welcome to Campus.
Stella Penney at her graduation.
S
tella Penney (Nez Perce/ Nimmipuu) competed at the National History Day June 13-17, 2010 at the University of Maryland. Stella graduated from Clearwater Valley High school in Kooskia, Idaho in May 2010. Stella started at the local level competing with her website on the Nez Perce and the K’allay (Coho Salmon). Stella won 1st place at the state and local level. Through her interviews, researching on the internet and the library she was able to bring the history alive through pictures, video, and text on the website. Stella received the Idaho State Historical Society Centennial Scholarship. Which awards $5,000 to attend any Idaho institution. Stella also received the Native American History Award sponsored by Mary Jane Oatman Wak Wak (Idaho Dept. of EducationIndian Education Coordinator). She plans to attend the University of Idaho, majoring in Law. To learn more about National History Day, check out http://nationalhistoryday.org/
Register today! www.niea.org October 7-10, 2010 Register Today! Pre-Registration Rate Ends September 25, 2010 www.niea.org Location and Where to Stay San Diego Town and Country Resort & Convention Center 500 Hotel Circle North San Diego, California 92108 www.towncountry.com Single/Double $147.00 plus 12.5% City Occupancy Tax Cut Off Date: September 12, 2010 (800) 772-8527 (619) 291-7131
Save 2% and 5% on your flight. Call 1 (800) 328-1111 for any published available airfare 30 days prior to the convention. Use the Individual Ticket Designator #NM5GB and Group Ticket Designator #NG29H. Save 5% by calling 1 (800) 433-1790 and place the discount code 94H0AW in the promotional code box when making your reservations.
Workshop Proposal Form Deadline: August 6, 2010 Trade Show Exhibitor Form Deadline: August 20, 2010 Annual Scholarship Form Deadline: August 23, 2010 Convention Sponsorship & Advertising Form Deadline: September 3, 2010 These forms and others are available online! www.niea.org
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Potawatomi Language Lives On Strategic planning provides the path for a very special elder. By Jan Biles for the Topeka Capital-Journal
C
ecelia Jackson is the only person remaining at the Prairie Band Potawatomi reservation near Mayetta who can speak its native language fluently. But she’s doing all she can to ensure the language is preserved for future generations. “Parents, talk to your children and carry it on,” Jackson, 87, said. Through her efforts, a Prairie Band Potawatomi dictionary, two audio/video DVD books and a book titled “Stories of the Potawatomi” have been written in the native language. Most recently, a grammar book has been published. Jackson has the ability to comprehend and bridge together four languages — Potawatomi, Odawa, Ojibwe and English — for use in composition. She also has played a key role in the development of documents and materials for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Language and Cultural Department.
“Almost all the work here has come from her,” Cindy LeClere, a teacher at the Language and Cultural Department, said. The department was established in 1998 with the mission of revitalizing the Potawatomi language and culture. Backed by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation government, the department was staffed and housed on the lower level of the Firekeepers Elder Center, where it remains today. LeClere said Jackson and other community members participated in early meetings that eventually led to the development of a strategic plan to help preserve the language and self-identity of the Prairie Band Potawatomi people. “The reason we try hard to keep our language alive is because language actually dictates who you are. It’s what makes us who we are,” LeClere said. “If we don’t have our language, we struggle
Members of the Language and Cultural Department at Prairie Band Potawatomi reservation are, front row, from left, Cindy LeClere, Cecelia Jackson and Laverne Haag; back row, from left, Billy Matchie, Leo Nadeau and Larry Berryhill. Not pictured is Olivia Pewamo.
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with our identity. In our language is our teachings. “Twenty-five years ago, I would have never known we’d be without fluent speakers,” she added. Through the years, LeClere said, the department has taught classes to children at the Nation’s Boys and Girls Club and Ben-no-tteh Wigwam Early Childhood Education Center. Since 2007, language and cultural classes, partially funded by a three-year grant from the Administration for Native Americans, have been offered to adults and families. Olivia Pewamo, language coordinator, said from 80 to 90 people have taken the classes. LeClere said some of the younger people on the reservation had never heard the Potawatomi dialect spoken and are eager to learn the language. “They want to learn it, speak it and understand it,” she said. “They are hungry for it, and the kids are like sponges and absorb it.” LeClere said no matter how tired or busy Jackson is, she is willing to help the Language and Cultural Department staff when they need to hear a word pronounced or translated. “She carries a lot of responsibility with us in the department,” she said. “We respect her and love her and take good care of her. She is one of the most respected elders in this reservation.” Jan Biles can be reached at (785) 295-1292 or jan.biles@cjonline.com.
California Summer Camp! Jacque Nunez is building self-esteem and bringing culture to a camp celebrating 15 years of success.
T
his summer will be the 15th year of the Native American Summer camp directed by Jacque Nunez. The camp is hosted in San Juan Capistrano, California. Students from the Acjachemen Nation can attend free and are encouraged. “I feel it builds self-esteem for them to observe our people’s history being the focal point of most of my camp educational program. I love to see them smile and be proud to sing our Traditional songs in front of the other campers,” Jacque remarks. She shares how her people, the Acjachemen from Southern California, lived and survived for thousands of years. Starting with using resources from the environment, they pound yucca and make string and soap, weave baskets, make arrow heads, and sing songs of thanksgiving in the Acjachemen language. Lessons on the environment are shared with the student campers. They make a pledge to do their best and learn new ways to recycle, reuse and renew. Guest speakers and dancers are invited and share their stories and cultures. Jacque’s sons are pow wow singers and dancers and share the Chicken Dance and Traditional. They both sing Acjachemen Bird songs. The Acjachemen camp teaches them that all cultures have stories and family histories, so Ms. Nunez challenges them to learn their own. “I want all children to learn good things about their own traditions and unique families. I want to empower children to respect others and themselves,” she says. The west coast of California is surrounded by a rich and beautiful history, and her camp highlights the best
Summer offering: Jacque Nunez offers an Acjachemen education.
aspects of Acjachemen culture. With her staff, she provides an opportunity to educate and remind others of their significant history with children while celebrating other cultures! Journeys to the Past is a California Indian presentation that shows the beauty of Native California culture and ignites others to discover their own.
Host City of the 2013 NIEA Annual Convention.
Great Faces. Great Meeting Places. Rapid City is centrally located in the United States with direct flights from major hubs, thousands of hotel rooms, meeting facilities and immediate access to the Black Hills. Contact Lisa Storms for help planning your meeting or event.
Storms@VisitRapidCity.com | 1.800.487.3223 ex. 8487
Download a Free Meeting Professionals Guide at
www.VisitRapidCity.com
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www.niea.org
It’s a Good Day to Be Educated.
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Native language Our
Student turned part-time Actress turned Education Reformer, Dr. B. Noelani Iokepa-Guerrero, Shares the Goals of Today’s Hawaiian Language Immersion Preschools (Pūnana Leo) Dr. B. Noelani Iokepa-Guerrero starred in Ka`ililauokekoa (2000), the first Hawaiian language feature film while pursuing her doctorate in education from USC. Her personal and professional life has been dedicated to Hawaiian language learning and revitalization. For her two children, Maui and Lilia, Hawaiian is their first language.
M
a ka mahina o ´Apelila i nei makahiki 2010, ua piha he ´iwakāluakūmālima makahiki o ka Pūnana Leo o Hilo lāua ´o ka´ Pūnana Leo o Honolulu, nā Pūnana Leo ´elua mua o Hawai´i. Ma ka wā i ho´okumu ´ia ai ka Pūnana Leo ma ka makahiki 1985, he kanalima a `emi mai kānaka ´ōpio ´ōlelo Hawai´i . I kēia mau lā, aia he ´umikūmākahi Pūnana Leo a he mau kaukani keiki ´ōlelo Hawai´i i puka mai ka papahana kula kamali´i aku.
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In April 2010, Pūnana Leo o Hilo and Pūnana Leo o Honolulu, the first two Pūnana Leo sites in the state of Hawai´i, celebrated 25 years. In 1985 when the Pūnana Leo first opened its doors there were less than 50 young Hawaiian language speakers under 18 years. Today there are eleven Pūnana Leo sites. Thousands of Hawaiian speaking young children have graduated from this preschool program.
There are currently 11 Pūnana Leo Family-Based Preschools in the state of Hawai‘i, that service children along with their families on the islands of Hawai‘i, Maui, Moloka‘i, O‘ahu and Kaua‘i. In these preschools, first-language Hawaiian speaking toddlers are joined by a larger group of nonHawaiian speakers in a program conducted solely through Hawaiian. Parents are required to learn the language as well so that they can reinforce language learning at home.
Nui ka hana a paio a nā ´ohana a me nā limahana Pūnana Leo i ola nō ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i. Ma ke kūpa´a o ia mau kānaka, ua ho´okumu ´ia ke Kula Kaiapuni. Ma Ka Haka ´Ula o Ke´elikōlani ma ke Kulanui o Hawai´i ma Hilo, a´o ´ia ho´i nā papa kulanui ma ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i. He ala ho´ona´auao kēia mai ke kula kamali´i a ke kulanui. ´Ike ´ia ho´i ke ola o ka ´ōlelo, ´a´ole ma ka nui keiki a haumāna wale nō o ia mau kula ´ōlelo Hawai´i, akā i ka nui o nā papa ´ōlelo Hawai´i i ke kulanui, i nā kula kū´oko´a, i nā kula aupuni ´ōlelo Pelekania nō ho´i o Hawai´i. A´o ´ia ho´i ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i ma ka pūnaewele puni honua. Ua ulu nō ho´i ka papaho ´ōlelo Hawai´i---nā puke, wikiō a meaa´o. He polokalamu leka uila. He polokalamu lekiō. Hiki ke kākau pila ma ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i. Hiki ke kele ma Google ma ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i. Kūkala ´ia ho´i ka nūhou i ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i. A e like me ka mea i hō´ike ´ia ma ke alo o nei palapala, ua puka nō ho´i ke ki´i´oni´oni ´ōlelo Hawai´i mua loa ´o Ka´ililauokekoa. Ua nui nō ka holomua. A nui hou aku i koe. E ola ka ´ōlelo Hawai´i.
Pūnana Leo families and staff work hard and fight tirelessly to ensure that the Hawaiian language lives and thrives. By their perseverance, the Kula Kaiapuni K-12 Hawaiian Immersion program was born. Ka Haka `Ula o Ke`elikōlani Hawaiian Language College at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo teaches post- secondary courses through the Hawaiian language. This is a model of the Hawaiian language educational continuum from early childhood through post-secondary. Hawaiian as a living language is seen not only in the increased number of students taught via Hawaiian medium and Hawaiian immersion education, but also in the increased number of Hawaiian language classes and their enrollments at the college and university level and private and public educational institutions. Hawaiian language classes are also available online. As the number of Hawaiian speakers has increased so has Hawaiian language media and support material---books, videos, educational materials, etc. There is an electronic mail program all in Hawaiian. There are Hawaiian radio programs. Checks can be written in Hawaiian. Google online is in Hawaiian. Even the news is presented in Hawaiian. One of the greatest accomplishments is the Ka`ililauokekoa full length feature film produced all in the Hawaiian language as featured on the cover of this issue. There has been much progress to date. However, much more still needs to be done. One thing is for sure, the Hawaiian language shall live and thrive.
Dr. Iokepa-Guerrero is an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawai`i-Hilo, Ka Haka `Ula o Ke`elikōlani Hawaiian Language College and Administrator for Pūnana Leo Family-Based Preschools. She was a Gates Millennium Scholar (GMS) and was only one of two Native Hawaiian recipients in that first cohort of scholars.
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niealanguage}}}
NEWS FROM INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE INSTITUTE Technology and Terminology will be the Topic of Their Conference. By Rachel Nez
Online and software internationalization, locale support, community business relationship and communication are what will make language successful and usable in today’s technology environment.
D77 sh9 hoolzhish7g77 biyi’ ILI y1’1t’44h danihi[n7! Native Language Terminology Development Conference ILI (Nihizaad t’11 nih7 bi[ nihidizhch7n7g77 yinidaalnish bi[ haz’33d00) 47 yee atah danil7n7g77 47 Din4 bizaad bee y1ti’7g77 n1k’22s biniy4 1[ah aleeh7g77 dayii[‘aah n7l47 Bee’ald77ldahsinildi, Isleta Hotel Resort hooly4h7gi Gh23j8’ 11 d00 12, 2010g00 yoo[k1a[go yaa 1[ah yileeh. N7l47 San Diego hooly4edi NIEA National Convention 1[ah daaleehigii bik44d00 Bee’ald77ldahsinildi d77 Din4 bizaad bee y1ti’7g77 n1k’22s bini’doonish. San Diegod66’ NIEAj7 bee atah dano[7n7g77 a[d0’ n7l47 Bee’ald77ldahsinildi nihaa 1lah n11doohdlee[ 7l98go nih1 laanaa 7l9.
Summer greetings from ILI! Native Language Terminology Development Conference Indigenous Language Institute (ILI) is organizing the Native Language Terminology Development Conference to be held October 11-12, 2010 in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Isleta Hotel and Resort (also called the Hard Rock Casino Hotel). This conference immediately follows the NIEA National Convention in San Diego. We hope NIEA members will be able to take advantage of the proximity from San Diego to Albuquerque to participate in this first of a series of ILI Language Conferences!
The topics They will address are: • Process of Developing New Terminology: project organization, logistics, databases/ lexicons, dialects and standardization of terminology • Native Language in Information Technology: online and software internationalization, locale support, community business relationship and communication • Community’s Adaptation of Technology: Tools to Support a Language Immersion Environment
Information about the conference and registration will soon be available on ILI’s website www.ilinative.org. You can also call ILI at (505) 820-0311
18 I NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Salish Success! Multi-age classrooms bring a community together to keep their language.
By Tachini Pete
Nkwusm operates a pre-school through eighth grade Salish language immersion school. The school is comprised of 3 multi-age classrooms with a 45 student capacity. In addition, the organization operates a curriculum department to provide materials and support to the classrooms and adult learning programs. To support community learning Nkwusm also provides three adult classes for employees, parents and the community. Funding for the operation of the non-profit comes from individual donations, community grants and Tribal, state and federal government grants. Nkwusm is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of revitalizing the Salish language. Currently, there are 30 students ages of 2 -12 enrolled for the 2009-2010 school year. http://salishworld.com
Culture Fest! A Two Day Event Goes Beyond Capacity as a School District Celebrates the Navajo Language. By NIEA Member Coreen Smith
From l to r: Patricia Tso (teacher), Samantha Wilson, Jessica Joe, Angel Sherman, Lauren Smith, Matthew Warren, Marina McCabe.
Dool1d0’ nizh0n7go Ts4dadilid7 hooly4egi 1[ah n1’adleehdi naakij98ji’ 1[ch7n7 Din4 Bizaad d00 Din4 Be’4’4l’8’ yaa 7dahoo[‘3’7g77 bim1 d00 bizh4’4 d00 dabik’47 d00 0lta’d66’ nida’iizh’eezh7g77 bin11[ dah00t11l d00 da’oolzhiizh d00 naaltsoos t’11 Din4k’ehj7 day77[ta’ d00 t’11 Din4k’ehj7 t’1adoole’4 yaa dahoolne’. Baa na’asdee’7gi nihi[ ha’d44b88d. T11’ n11hai y65d33’ bee hahoolzhiizh d77 1[ch7n7 Gallup McKinley County Schools y1d1’0[ta’7g77 b1 nin1h1t’1ahgo.
What a sight, as students from GallupMcKinley County Schools (GMCS), parents, and staff descended on Red Rock Park Convention Center (easily filling it to capacity) in Church Rock, New Mexico for two days to celebrate the 3rd Annual Navajo Language and Cultural Festival the last week of April. The competition categories consisted of singing, dancing, and oral presentation.
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nieamembers}}} sue:
ext Is Our N
hat isy? ool! W nit h c S m to m u 0 Backin your coTell us! 30tos! o ? l w h e o p n r scho ple You and a cou s d wor
Meet Our Members!
il: E-ma niea.org ip@ bersh ay! mem o T d
7 reasons why we are the Membership that Matters. Randy Woodley (Keetoowah Cherokee)
is a Distinguished Associate Professor of Faith and Culture and Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies at George Fox University and Seminary.
David Sickey (Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana) is
Michael W. Simpson is a Ph.D student
Deidra McCollum is the On-Time Graduation Specialist for the Marysville School District in Washington State, where she works with students from the Tulalip Tribes.
Eileen C. Shimizu, Esq (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians) is an attorney and
in American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona. He conducts teacher in-service on historical literacy, American Indian Education, and on confronting whiteness.
currently the Vice-Chairman of the Coushatta Tribe and is serving his second term as a member of the Coushatta Tribal Council. He is married to Kelly Cannon Sickey and they have a 9-month-old daughter, Marianna Adele.
correspondent for Indian Country Today.
Robert H. Smith (Pala Band of Mission Indians) is
and has been the Tribal Chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians for 20 years. Today, he continues to work with young members of the tribe to ensure they understand the significance of the tribe’s sacred sites
Y1’1t’44h, shik’47 d00 shi din4’4 Nizh0n7go! Daats’7 niheeyosh88[ nihik’47 doo nihik’is bi[. Kwe’4 W11shindoond7 47 t’oo ndeiilnish d00 han4 nizh0n7g77 h0l= aad00 Baa ah44hnisin d00 shi[ y1’1t’44h nihi naaltsoos han4 bii’ indool99h7g77. Hello My Family! I hope you are enjoying your summer with your family and friends. We are really busy here in Washington and we have a lot of good news, and I am happy you are sharing your good news in our magazine as well. NIEA has come a long way since I joined the staff three years ago. In the past year alone, we dramatically evolved NIEA’s image to be a powerful expression of our role as advocates in Native education across our ever-growing and diversifying membership. We forged new partnerships and collaborations that deliver even more value and benefits to our members. I am very proud of all the members who have taken the time and energy to give us articles of success and share what your community is doing to better the lives of our students. This magazine not only goes into your hands, but is also shared with policy makers here in Washington. These are the people who enjoy seeing your good
20 I NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Kari Thierer is the National Director for the Big Picture Learning network, working with schools and districts to support students by building strong relationships and individualized curriculum.
work, and we are proud to share our members’ great stories. This is your publication, your account of what is happening in your community, and I am proud to see that there are a lot of good things to report and publish. We have much to be proud of, but there is much still to do and more changes to come. Right now, we are rebuilding our web site so it will be more user friendly to our members, partners and policy makers. We are also very enthusiastic about building our membership with those who cannot attend our events. Although there is much to learn from our Summits and our Conventions, we want to continue that sense of interaction and networking thoughout the year. NIEA recognizes the challenges we all face in this new economy, yet we remain steadfast in our mission to promote the value and impact of our members on our Native communities. Our goal is to build on core members and invest in new ones.
-Michael Woestehoff (Diné) , e-mail: membership@niea.org
We are the Membership that Matters!
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What We Are Reading Indian Country Noir Edited by Sarah Cortez & Liz Martinez Written by both Native and nonNative authors, the 14 powerful and provocative stories range geographically from northern Canada to Puerto Rico and from New York’s Adirondacks to Los Angeles Publisher: Akashic Books Where to buy: www.amazon.com Not recommended for children.
Oneida elder Maria Hinton, 100, has dedicated decades to teaching her ancestral language to students, including this group from the Oneida Nation School System. Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Oneida is here to stay By Kara Briggs
When Maria Hinton was born a century ago, every Oneida family spoke the language of their ancestors. Now a great-great-grandmother, Hinton may be one of the few first-language Oneida speakers left in Wisconsin, but she is determined not to be the last with the knowledge. Hinton recently put the finishing touches on an exhaustive recording of the Oneida dictionary. Taking five years of almost daily work, she recorded 12,000 audio files, including tens of thousands of Oneida words, and told stories she first heard in her mother tongue. Hinton’s had a lot to celebrate in recent weeks—including her 100th birthday on June 5. Last year she was named one of the first recipients of the Prism Award from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian for her quest to save the Oneida language.
Meet Christopher By Genevieve Simermeyer The book isn’t only about Christopher,but it is also about his multigenerational Osage family. One scene describes Christopher going with his parents and older brother to Osage language class at the library. Publisher: Council Oak Books Where to buy: www.counciloakbooks.com
“I am not completely retired,” said Hinton, of Oneida, Wis. “We need to keep doing this so the young people can learn things and then they can pass them on.” Hinton was among a generation that grew up speaking and hearing Oneida as the dominant language on the reservation near Green Bay, Wis. She was 10 in 1920 when she went to school and learned English. But she held onto her first language, standing up to matrons in order to keep her knowledge of Oneida alive. In 1971, she returned to Wisconsin with her family. Soon she and her brother, Amos Christjohn, began working with the Oneida Nation to teach the language to a generation of children who knew only English. Two years later, at the age of 63, Hinton enrolled in the University of Wisconsin to earn her bachelor’s degree, even learning to drive so she could get to her classes. She graduated cum laude in 1979 to become a founding teacher along with Christjohn at the Oneida Nation Turtle School. They worked with other elder speakers over 35 years to compile a dictionary with the help of a Yale-trained linguist, Cliff Abbott. Building on a Depression-era Works Progress Administration project to document the language, in which many grandparents and great-grandparents of Oneida families participated, the dictionary grew to 34,000 words. When it was published in 1996 there were between 25 and 30 Oneida speakers living, though many would pass away in the next few years, including Christjohn. Hinton continued working. Hinton, who personally received her Prism Award from the National Museum of the American Indian at the National Indian Education Association in Milwaukee last fall, is still talking about the high school students who spoke Oneida, and sang and danced in her honor. She remembers thinking, “Everything around us is Oneida.” summer 2010
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2010 GRADUATION
nieaevents}}} Jerry L. Peltier, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Master of Public Administration in Tribal Governance. The Evergreen State Tavis Burbank ,White River Middle School, White River, College. South Dakota
Skawenniio Barnes, Mohawk Nation. Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies. Yale University.
Rae L. Red Tomahawk, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Bachelor of Science. Dickinson State University.
Kenora R. Crowfeather, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Masters of Business Administration. University of Kansas. Pictured with her two daughters.
Jesse L. Peltier, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Lake Washington High School, Kirkland, WA Cay-Um-Wa head start graduation day on the Umatilla Reservation in Pendleton, Oregon. Photo by Dallas D. Dick
Brad Carrier (Onondaga), Aviva Horowitz (Cayuga), Joel Melvin (Hopi), Melanie Redeye (Seneca), and Ben Lee (Penobscot). Cornell University.
Courtney Tsotigh, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma. B.S. Kinesiology. Oklahoma City University.
Maria Lena Anaya Mexican/Santo Domingo Pueblo/Diné. Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies, Arizona State University
Allison Neswood, Kia Honhongva, Biran Young. Diné. Yale University.
Jacinthia Stanley (left), Diné. Shawndine Begay (pictured on right)- Walker River Paiute Tribe/ Diné. Masters in Education. University of Oregon.
Sandra C. Anderson, Diné, Ethnology Anthropology and Native American Studies. University of New Mexico.
Jessica Moore, Osage. Bachelors in Landscape Architecture. Oklahoma State University.
Emily Smith, Ojibwe. AA Liberal Arts. Haskell Indian Nations University.
Sunshine Howell, Jemez PuebloTribe and the Northern Arapahoe Tribe, Bachelors of Business Administration and Accounting. University of New Mexico.
Davina Spotted Elk, Diné. Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology, University of Utah.
Terra Branson, Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Bachelor of Arts in Native American Studies. Dartmouth.
Francesca Rose Pine, Crow & Northern Cheyenne. BA in Environmental Studies. Montana State University. Dustin James Cavanaugh, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes. Bachelor’s in Human Biology. University of Montana.
Tasce Simon Bongiovanni, Jackson Brossy, Shelly C. Lowe, Kraynal Alfred. Diné. Harvard Graduates.
Victoria Lynch (Hopi) , Del Norte High School, Albuquerque, NM
Carolene E. Whitman. Dine. PhD. American Indian Language Policy. University of New Mexico.
Linda Peterson, Tule River Yowlumne/Yokuts . B. A. in Liberal Studies. University of LaVerne and CSU.
Clarissa Shomo (far left) Jennifer Shomo (far right), Choctaw of OK. Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology/Criminology. DJ Vaughn, Mississippi Choctaw. Bachelors degree in Fine Arts.
Ashley Tsosie-Mahieu (center), Diné. Master of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
22 I NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Melanie Cloud, Leech Lake Ojibwe. Graduate of the Medicine Shield College Program through Eastern Illinois University, with her three children.
Cassandra Sharron, Mescalero Apache. Masters in Public Administration/ Tribal Governance. Evergreen State College.
Toni Sellers, Chickasaw. Bachelors degree. St. Gregory’s University.
Jenna Susan Tsotigh, Kiowa. Norman High School, Norman, OK
Qaiyaan Harcharek, Inupiaq. Bachelor’s in Anthropology.University of AlaskaAnchorage.
David Paul Blodgett, III, Yakama Nation. Bachelors of Science in Biology and Primate Behavioral Sciences, Central Washington University Roxanne Murphy, Nooksack Tribe, and Erin Genia, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. Masters of Public Administration,. The Evergreen State College
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HEALTH
Water to the rescue! Weight loss Water is one of the best tools for weight loss, first of all because it often replaces highcalorie drinks like soda and juice and alcohol with a drink that doesn’t have any calories. But it’s also a great appetite suppressant, and often when we think we’re hungry, we’re actually just thirsty. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar. Drink plenty to help your weight-loss regimen.
Pinch that Penny!
FINANCE
Energy Being dehydrated can make you feel tired. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated and this can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and other symptoms.
Headache Reliever Another symptom of dehydration is headaches. In fact, often when we have headaches it’s simply a matter of not drinking enough water. There are lots of other causes of headaches of course, but dehydration is a common one.
Determine how much water you need. The amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight, activity level and climate. Another way to determine your specific recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., strive to drink 75 ounces of water daily
Healthy skin Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. It won’t happen overnight, of course, but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have good effects on your skin.
Learn Self Control It’s better to wait until you’ve actually saved up the money. Do you really want to pay interest on a pair of jeans or a box of cereal? Make sure to always pay your balance in full when the bill arrives, and don’t carry more cards than you can keep track of. Take Control of Your Own Financial Future If you don’t learn to manage your own money, other people will find ways to (mis)manage it for you. Instead of relying on others for advice, take charge and read a few basic books on personal finance. Understanding how money works is the first step toward making your money work for you.
Know Where Your Money Goes Once you’ve gone through a few personal finance books, you’ll realize how important it is to make sure your expenses aren’t exceeding your income. The best way to do this is by budgeting. In addition, keeping your recurring monthly expenses as low as possible will also save you big bucks over time. Guard Your Health By taking daily steps now to keep yourself healthy, like eating fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, not smoking, not consuming alcohol in excess, and even driving defensively, you’ll thank yourself down the road when you aren’t paying exorbitant medical bills.
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Raquel & Derrick’s Page Name:_____________________________ Month (in your Native language):_______________________________________
Word Search Did you know? The Seminole people are the descendents of the Creek people. The diversity of the Tribe is reflected in the fact that its members spoke seven languagesMuscogee, Hitchiti, Koasati, Alabama, Natchez, Yuchi and Shawnee
How do you say?... ___________________________ (School)
Aiy-ya-kwee! My name is Raquel!
How do you say “hello” in your Language? (Say it out loud!)
___________________________ (House) ___________________________ (Teacher) ___________________________ (Book) ___________________________ (Chair) ___________________________ (Table)
Color her shirt red. How do you say red in your language?
Color her pants blue. How do you say blue in your language?
Color her shoes green. How do you say green in your language? www.niea.org I 24
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Setting theStandard. Our High School Policy team make sure our Native student’s voices are heard.
By Kerry Venegas and Sierra Howlett
C
ommon Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of standards describing what students need to learn from kindergarten through 12th grade, to be ready for work, college, and life. While all states currently have their own set of learning standards for what students should be expected to know at each grade level, these common core state standards will give all states a single set of standards for each academic area, currently only math and English language arts. This means that every state that uses CCSS would have the same expectations for what students should know. Making sure that CCSS address the unique strengths and needs of Native students is critical. NIEA has convened a Work Group of Native education experts from across Indian Country to discuss the CCSS Initiative and make recommendations about how to ensure Native students are best served by CCSS. The Work Group includes representation from 12 states, including: WA, CA, NM, MT, OK, HI, CO, SD, ND, AZ, ID and AK, and education experts from tribal, state, and public school systems, as well as national organizations. In April 2009, well before the CCSS Initiative was announced to the public, the Native CCSS Work Group began meeting in anticipation of Common Core Standards. This early action cements NIEA’s commitment to being at the forefront April of the Common 2009: Native CCSS Work Group formed to strategize around issues concerning Native November students 2009: First draft of CCSS released to states for comment
March 2010: First public draft of CCSS available
*National Governor’s Association (NGA) **The Coucil of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Some questions to consider as we move from thinking about “if” CCSS will be adopted, to “how” include:
The pressing question is how to ensure that schools and states are accountable for meeting the academic and the unique culturallinguistic needs of Native students, in ways that improve reading levels, increase the high school completion rate, and close the achievement gap.
• Will these standards include instruction in tribal sovereignty, language, culture, and tribal history?
Core issue, as well as all educational issues impacting Native students. The Native Work Group continues to work on CCSS, looking ahead to the implementation of these standards that represent the academic and culturally relevant needs of Native students throughout Indian Country. As the Native CCSS Work Group moves forward in educating and advocating for Native Students in CCSS, it is important to think critically about how our students can potentially benefit from common standards, and what issues our communities need to remain vigilant about in ensuring our students are not left behind. To learn more about CCSS and how they might impact Native students, please visit NIEA’s Native High School Policy Webpage: http://www.niea. org/issues/highschoolpolicy.php. NIEA welcomes member participation! If you’d like to become involved in the Native CCSS Work Group, please contact Kerry Venegas: kvenegas@niea.org, or Sierra Howlett: showlett@niea.org.
A Timeline of CCSS:
June 2009: NGA* and CCSSO** announce CCSS Initiative
?
questions
June 2, 2010: Final draft of CCSS released to the public
August 2, 2010: Race to the Top applicants’ adoption deadline – Every state (aside from Alaska and Texas) have expressed intention to adopt CCSS as of this printing
• How would CCSS apply to BIE and tribally-run schools? • How will we ensure that schools and states are accountable for meeting the academic and the unique cultural-linguistic needs of Native students, in ways that improve reading levels, increase the high school completion rate, and close the achievement gap? • If your state has legislation about Indian education, how will this be affected if your state adopts CCSS?
For example, in states like Montana, what happens to laws that already establish “Indian Education for All” as part of state standards and curriculum? • Who is responsible in your state, and your school, for sharing information and making decisions about CCSS • What will the criteria be for incorporating culturally relevant content into teaching and learning, who decides, and how will this support academic achievement?
Ongoing: States and Tribes considering options for implementation
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Masters of Makah Language program thrives in Washington State.
T
By Maria Parker Pascua
he Makah Language Program (MLP) is located in the Makah Cultural and Research Center on the Makah Indian Reservation in Neah Bay, Washington. The tribe is located on the Olympic Peninsula on the northwest corner of Washington State-- the nearest cities being Port Angeles on our eastern side, and Forks, to the south. The MLP has been in operation since 1978 and has run a variety of programs through their language program: gathering dictionary entries, topical research, team-teaching with Elders, curriculum development, mentor/apprentice training, summer day camps, language teacher training and certification, teaching language classes in Head Start through Adult at various times, and literature development. MLP language efforts are focused primarily on their youth and teach language classes in K-5th grade as well as high school Makah
I, II & III elective The program has five certified language teachers: Left language courses. to right: Katherine Thompson, Crystal Thompson, Maria The Neah Bay Pascua and Yvonne Wilkie at the MLP Open House 2009. Schools are part Cora Buttram (not pictured). of Cape Flattery The Makah School District #401. educate their The goal of this language program are to preserve children and the Makah Language, to restore the Makah Language people so to spoken fluency, and to educate their children and that they people as scholars able to compete anywhere in today’s can compete anywhere in world, and yet maintain their Tribal heritage. today’s world, The Makah Tribe and the Makah Cultural & and yet maintain Research are committed to and supportive of the their Tribal MLP goals; and they continue to breathe life into heritage. their language in the years and generations to come!
Policy in Brief Meetings, Listening Sessions, Collaborations.
A
By Jesse Renteria, Ietan Consulting
lthough the summer has just arrived, it seems as though we are already closing in on the beginning of another school year. Also at this time, Congress will be left with four weeks in session prior to their August Recess. Both the House and Senate will go into recess on August 9th and resume activities five weeks later on September 13th. Needless to say, NIEA and its membership have been, and will remain, active on all fronts throughout the changing schedules on Capitol Hill. Speaking of changes, in early May, the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Mr. Larry Echo Hawk announced the selection of Mr. Keith Moore (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) as the new Director of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Moore previously served as the Chief Diversity Officer at the University of South Dakota. His background includes an extensive amount of work in Indian education. In 2005, Moore served as the Indian Education Director for the South Dakota State Department of Education, where he was a liaison between the Department and tribal education officials, BIE offices in Aberdeen, S.D., and Albuquerque, NM, K-12 educators and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education. Moore assumed the duties of his new position from acting BIE director, Mr. Bart Stevens and his appointment became effective on June 1st, 2010. The BIE, lead by Moore, will implement federal education laws, like the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)/Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This law provides funding to 183 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools and peripheral dormitories located on 64 reservations in 23 states and serving approximately 42,000 students according to the 2009-2010 school year statistics. This also serves post secondary students through higher education scholarships 26 I NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
and support funding to 26 tribal colleges and universities and two tribal technical Keith Moore gives testimony at a recent hearing colleges. It also at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. directly operates two post secondary institutions: Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS, and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, NM. NIEA and its members would like to congratulate Mr. Moore on his appointment and we look forward to working with him to improve the needs of Native students. In recent hearings held by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, members of the NIEA executive board were invited to provide testimony before the Committee. On May 13th, 2010, Mr. Quinton Roman Nose testified at an oversight hearing titled, “Does Indian School Safety Get a Passing Grade?” where he presented NIEA’s views on the safety hazard issues Indian schools and their educators face on a day-to-day basis. On June 18th, 2010, incoming NIEA President, Mrs. Mary Jane Oatman-Wak Wak provided testimony at an oversight hearing on the ESEA Reauthorization titled, “Did the No Child Left Behind Act Leave Indian Students Behind?” Mrs. Oatman-Wak Wak discussed NIEA membership efforts to ensure that the reauthorization of ESEA recognizes and supports the many unique needs of Native students. As NIEA continues to move forward with its legislative agenda for the reauthorization of ESEA, we thank our members for their continued support of Indian education and commitment to ensuring better opportunities for Native students.
The National Indian Education Association thanks the many Organizational Members and Partners that have supported our programs and events. Thank you for your commitment and involvement in NIEA to inform and advocate for the education community. With the ongoing support from these Members and Partners, NIEA is able to continue providing quality policy initiatives for their membership. Thank you!
s, ns and t n e m n r poratio ents e v o G l Tribaative ConrDepartJmoin! N io AlaTrsikbaal Edunccaoturaged to are E
nieaorganizational members Omniciye-Little Earth of United Tribes 4/2/2009
National Indian School Board Association 6/4/2009
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District 8/24/2009
Rapid City Conv/Visitors Bureau 4/2/2009
Tule River Tribal Council-Education Department 6/4/2009
Hotevilla Bacavi Community School 9/17/2009
Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe 4/2/2009 Office of Hawaiian Affairs 4/2/2009
First Mesa Elementary School 8/24/2009
American Federation of Teachers 4/2/2009
University of Minnesota 10/13/2009
Fort Hall Business Council 8/24/2009
Idaho Indian Education Committee 4/2/2009 Enemy Swim Day School 4/2/2009
Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Education 9/17/2009
Susanville Indian Rancheria 10/13/2009
Mescalero Apache School 8/24/2009 Casa Blanca Community Schools 8/24/2009
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Education Office 6/3/2009
Center for Native Education 8/24/2009
Window Rock Unified School 11/20/2009 Holbrook Dormitory Inc 12/1/2009 GWU, Native American Political Leadership Program 12/17/2009
Visuality 12/22/2009 Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana 2/11/2010 Cook Inlet Tribal Council Inc 3/4/2010 Learning Plus 7/2/2010 Tohono O’odham 7/2/2010 Shoshone-Bannock Tribes 7/2/2010 Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians 7/2/2010*
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nieapartners College Board
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Native Financial Education Coalition
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Indigenous Language Institute
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
American Indian Science National Johnson O’Malley National Museum of the American Indian and Engineering Society Association
National Indian Child Welfare Association
Tribal Education Departments National Assembly
National Education Association
Campaign for High School Equity
National Tribal Environmental Council
National Association for Bilingual Education
Reading is Fundamental
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