2007 Success Stories
Project Title: Speaking White Clay Language Immersion Project
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 - 9/29/2007
Total Grant Amount: $517,997
“These 14 youth are now the strongest White Clay speakers on our reservation. They are held in such high regard that they are invited to speak at traditional ceremonies.”
-Lynnette Chandler, Project Director
The Fort Belknap Reservation spans 675,147 acres in northern Montana, and is the home of the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (White Clay) people. There are over 5,200 enrolled community members, of which 2,900 reside on the Reservation. At the time this project was proposed, about eight fluent White Clay speakers remained.
The Project’s purpose was to ensure the survival and vitality of the White Clay language by creating a Gros Ventre immersion classroom. Project staff convened an eight-member Advisory Board, consisting of elders and language program staff, which provided ongoing oversight and direction for the White Clay classroom. Two immersion classroom teachers were hired and provided professional development, including methodology. Project staff translated state curriculum into White Clay. Students were assessed informally in White Clay acquisition and formally in the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), a standardized assessment tool used throughout the nation in elementary schools and Head Start programs. Over 150 community members participated in the 4-day immersion camp. Project staff and immersion students developed weekly programs delivered via the local Reservation-based radio station.
This Project serves as a replicable model for other Tribal communities. Annual test results for the immersion students demonstrated they were at or above grade level academically and fluent in White Clay. In fiscal year 2007, Project staff is implementing an ANA project to expand the immersion school to include 5th & 6th grade classrooms and to increase the number of children served.
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde (CTGR) Community’s reservation spans 9,800 acres in northwest Oregon. CTGR is composed of more than 20 Tribes and bands whose traditional lands included regions throughout western Oregon and northern California. The Tribe currently enrolls approximately 5,000 community members.
Need for this Project is evident in the high rate of methamphetamine (meth) abuse in Indian Country, the rate of recidivism, and the lack of traditional cultural methods utilized in the treatment of American Indian people with an addiction to meth. The goal for the Project was to provide methamphetamine prevention and transitional after-care services to Tribal members.
The prevention aspect involved over 400 Tribal members attending regular gatherings to assist those dealing with addictions and to educate those who were not dealing directly with a meth addiction. During a “Tools for Healing and Meth Prevention” conference over 100 participants from local schools, county and state agencies, and Oregon Tribes learned about the meth crisis and discussed the tools available to deal with the problems this crisis causes.The positions of Project Coordinator and Support Counselor were hired to work with Tribal members with meth addictions as they left prison or a treatment program. The program combines western and traditional medicines to treat participants. The Transition House offers a safe place for Tribal members to recover while receiving treatment services, engaging in cultural activities and reconnecting with Tribal members. The recidivism rate of the clients dropped from 25 percent to 5 percent.
The Support Counselor and Project Coordinator positions will be retained by the Tribe, and $285,000 has been set aside in the Tribe’s 2008 budget to continue the services offered by the Transition House.
Project Title: Development of Tribal Game and Non-Game Management Strategy for Hoopa Valley
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 - 6/30/2007
Total Grant Amount: $451,708
"Our goal with the youth in this project was to ensure that attitude changes toward hunting would happen.”
-John Higley, the Project Director
The Hoopa Valley Tribe is located in the Klamath-Trinity Mountains of northern California. Hoopa Valley is home to over 2,500 residents, of which nearly 2,300 are Native Americans of Hoopa, Karuk or Yurok origins.
The Project’s purpose was to establish a wildlife management plan and regulatory structure for the Hoopa Valley Tribe. The Tribe planned to base the management plan on a survey of four wildlife species of cultural or economic importance to the Tribe. The Project also aimed to develop a hunter education program based upon Tribal cultural values and animal biology.
This project helped the Hoopa Tribe manage and govern its natural resources in a sustainable manner supported by the community. Biological surveys conducted under this project will provide data for future management decisions pertaining to management of the Tribe’s natural resources. The wildlife monitoring standard operating procedures set the methodological precedent for the reservation.
The hunter education curriculum provided new and existing Tribal hunters with information on hunting safety, wilderness survival, and safe hunting practices. The new management strategy and education program promote sustainable deer populations. Healthy woodpecker and fisher populations will ensure the availability of regalia materials for the Tribal traditionalists. For all Hoopa Tribal members, the successful management of natural resources, and positive changes in hunting practices, will strengthen the area’s ecological balance, promoting spiritual and economic success.
To sustain the Project, the Tribe has committed $150,000 in annual funding towards the development of a Wildlife Management Department. The Department will dedicate part of its budget to the continuation of the hunter education program.
Project Title: Crossroads Theatre for Youth: "Community Transformation Through the Arts"
Project Start/End Dates: 9/1/2004 - 8/31/2007
Total Grant Amount: $1,090,970
“The Project is building bridges between generations.”
-Ipu Lefiti, a community member
Intersections Inc. is a non-profit faith-based organization founded in 2002 and based in American Samoa. The mission of Intersections, Inc. is to make lasting positive differences in the lives of families by empowering them to break the cycle of poverty by improving the physical, social and spiritual aspects of family life.
This Project focused on specific social issues faced by American Samoan youth. The current trend of social problems relate to substance abuse, child abuse, violence, teen pregnancy, poverty, and suicide. There is a great deal of concern within the community regarding cultural erosion and the conflict between traditional and contemporary customs.
This Project sought to raise public awareness about social issues through the use of community theater. The Project utilized this medium as a way to bring sensitive and often times taboo issues to light in the community. Overall, this Project sought to reach 80% of the population under the age of 25 in American Samoa.
Through the implementation of the Community Theatre for Youth (CTY) program the Project involved 100 youth in the writing and production of three original plays per year in American Samoa and Hawaii. These plays addressed concerns faced by local youth such as child abuse, the hazards of smoking, suicide, substance abuse and peer pressure. CTY performed the plays at schools, local events and churches.
This Project helped the community identify problems and bring them to the forefront of discussion. CTY performed plays for over 12,000 youth and 2,000 elders. It increased familial communication while still managing to maintain Samoan cultural traditions. Project staff noticed increased confidence and self-esteem in the junior performers.
Samoa’s government agencies hired the Junior Company to film public service TV spots. Churches and other community groups invited performances, increasing the reach of the Project and ensuring that the Project met the stated goal of reaching 80 percent of American Samoa’s youth.
Project Title: Kaw Nation Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Program
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2005 – 2/28/2007
Total Grant Amount: $117,764
“I’m proud to be part of this project. I think it’s really improving the community.”
-Renee Vickery, the trained food inspector
During the 1870s, the Kaw people lived in what is now Kansas when land seizures forced the Tribe’s relocation to its present territory in Oklahoma. Based near Kaw City, the Kaw Tribe has 2,777 enrolled members.
In 1994, the Tribe established the Kaw Nation Environmental Department (KNED) to address tribal environmental needs. In March 2005, KNED led a community meeting to receive input on environmental challenges facing the Tribe. Participants expressed concerns over existing illegal solid waste sites on the reservation and lack of food safety codes for four tribally-owned food resellers. Participants also encouraged KNED to monitor and assess the Tribe’s underground septic tanks and water wells.
The purpose of the Project was to enhance the Tribe’s environmental regulatory structure to address the community’s expressed environmental concerns. Staff created an Environmental Codes Committee (ECC), and then evaluated solid waste sites on the reservation. Collaboration between staff and the Tribe’s General Council and ECC resulted in a new solid waste code. A similar process was utilized to develop codes for the Tribe’s underground storage tanks and food safety. In conjunction with code development, KNED staff conducted reclamation efforts at illegal waste sites and posted signs to deter community members from dumping additional waste. The Kaw Tribal Council passed the solid waste code in May 2007, which went into effect immediately.Prior to the Project the Tribe received compliance warnings from the State of Oklahoma related to food service and underground storage tank monitoring. Since implementing the codes, the Tribe has not received any compliance warnings. KNED staff reported a dramatic, sustained reduction in littering within the community. If littering in the community continues its recent decline, fewer pollutants will enter the lake, resulting in cleaner water for county residents.
The Lac du Flambeau Tribe is located in northern Wisconsin on land that the Tribe has inhabited since 1745. The Tribe implemented the Youth Entrepreneurship Project for middle school and high school students. Unemployment and poverty within the community is high; by instituting this Project the Tribe hoped to spearhead the revitalization of the individual enterprises within the reservation. An additional benefit was that youth took part in leadership and community service, which helped promote civic and cultural responsibility.
The Project’s purpose was to offer business education activities to increase the leadership capacity and entrepreneurial skills of Lac du Flambeau youth. The Project included a summer session and sessions conducted during the academic year.
After the first summer training, the Project staff implemented feedback from first year participants. This included an increased focus on community service and more interactive classroom activities. The summer program saw a growth in program completion of 160 percent between the first and second years. Examples of the community service projects include a medicine plant garden at the Elders’ Center and a hiking trail around the reservation.
Through an elective course and an after-school option, the academic year portion of this program impacted 42 students over the course of 2 years. As part of the project, a video was created that featured Lac du Flambeau small business owners and native youth participants from the project. The video, along with the curriculum developed under the second objective, completed the toolkit portion of the project. Upon request, nearly 800 toolkits have been distributed to local schools, Tribal community centers, Tribal youth programs, and academic institutions.
Youth learned civic responsibility through community service activities, which included roadside cleanups on reservation lands and the construction of trash bins and picnic tables. Furthermore, the hiking trail and garden created through the activities of the Project’s first objective continue to be maintained by youth. The project will continue to abide by the tenets of what the Lac du Flambeau community calls its triple bottom-line: “Make revenue, be good for the community, and respect Mother Earth.”
Project Title: Native Language Preservation and Maintenance
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2006 – 9/29/2007
Total Grant Amount: $75,000
"This is the first time in ten years that our dialogue with the school district regarding language preservation has turned around. The effects should be monumental for the Reservation.”
-Cindy Catches, the Project Director
Founded in 1994, Oceti Wakan is a nonprofit Native American faith-based organization whose primary goal is the preservation of Lakota culture. The organization develops language books, CDs and school curricula to further its cultural preservation goals.
The purpose of the Project was to conduct a comprehensive language assessment to identify the status of the Lakota language on the Reservation and establish the community’s long-range language preservation goals. Identified goals included: immersion language schools; increased Lakota cultural instruction in public schools; focusing language instruction on conversational sentences; declaring a “state of language emergency” on the Reservation; and focusing on the youngest children on the Reservation, both within homes and those enrolled in the Head Start program.
By the Project’s end, staff had some significant findings to share. Language surveyors captured data for 2,157 households in 9 districts throughout the Reservation. This sampling was representative of over 9,450 residents. The survey results indicated that 19 percent of Pine Ridge residents speak the Lakota language. In 41 percent of all the Reservation households, at least one person speaks Lakota.The community was positively impacted by the Project. Staff noted the following outcomes: a shift in consciousness regarding language preservation; elders who expressed concerns about rapid language loss felt the Project encouraged younger Tribal members to resolve language loss issues; and significant progress in the Reservation’s schools.
The Organized Village of Kasaan, the oldest Haida village in Alaska, was established in 1934 and is one of four Tribes located on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. The remote location of Kasaan has a significant impact on the community, as it directly affects the cost of supplies, transportation options, and other basic goods and services.
Due to the closure of both the cannery and mill in 1973, and the more recent closures of the Ketchikan Pulp facilities on the island, the Tribe and community struggled with problems of unemployment and out-migration. The Project aimed to address these needs through capacity building to improve economic opportunities for local Tribal members and the development of an economic plan to direct the Tribe’s growth and define infrastructure needs.
The Tribe now has a path to navigate towards economic self-sufficiency, a strong infrastructure to ensure achievement of goals and trained staff to provide future guidance. The Project developed new policies and procedures and modified the constitution and by-laws, providing the Tribe with infrastructure and accountability to its members.
The development of an Overall Economic Development Plan supplies the Tribe with a blueprint for future endeavors—such as eco-tourism enterprises, an aquaculture farm, and housing and real estate developments—aimed at increasing economic development. The Tribe has acquired cellular telephone service as a result of a new cellular tower. Community members and Project staff indicated these outcomes have provided the community and Tribe with a sense of pride.
The Pueblo of Laguna Reservation encompasses 533,000 acres of land situated 45 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The reservation is currently home to over 4,200 Pueblo community members concentrated in six villages: Laguna, Mesita, Paguate, Encinal, Seama, and Paraje.
The goal of the Project was to transition from a Tribally-run water, wastewater, and solid waste utility service to a stand-alone, self-sustaining Utility Authority (UA). The establishment of the UA makes funds available to the Tribe for other critical areas such as road development.
In the previous arrangement, the Tribe was paying 100 percent of these utility fees for commercial and residential users. In an effort to help community members adjust, the UA staff has developed a five-year plan in which the initial financial burden of the consumer is 20 percent. The portion of responsibility will increase every year, until the consumer is paying the entire utility fee. A sliding fee scale has been instituted for those with a fixed income.
This Project has advanced the Tribe’s ability to efficiently and effectively manage utilities within the service area. The centralized infrastructure of the UA has improved the services offered, via the implementation of a plan for preventative maintenance on water towers and associated infrastructure. The $824,142 in fees collected by the UA during the Project timeframe allows it to be self-sustaining, thereby continuing to improve services to customers.
The UA has also begun conservation efforts; a community outreach effort was conducted to educate people on the importance of conservation. Studies are being launched on renewable sources of energy, such as wind. The UA was also awarded a USDA grant to provide broadband access to all six Pueblo communities, further signifying their strengthened capacity.
Members of the Sac and Fox Tribe are descendents of the Sauk and Fox, two Algonquian-speaking peoples of the Great Lakes region. The two Tribes were historically independent, but closely related in culture and language. Sac and Fox Tribal lands are dispersed throughout Lincoln, Payne, and Pottawatomie counties of north-central Oklahoma. The Tribe has 3,356 enrolled Tribal members, 2,275 of whom live in Oklahoma.
Both the Sac and Fox originate from the Sauk language. In 2006, the Sac and Fox Nation created a Sauk Language Department (SLD) to direct language preservation efforts.
The purpose of the Project was to conduct a Sauk language assessment to engage the entire Sac and Fox Tribal membership while creating support for a sustainable immersion language program. The Project methodology focused on participatory community outreach and planning.
The Project promoted opportunities for intergenerational exchange during 28 language and culture-focused community activities carried out in the year. Staff conducted a five-day pilot immersion camp for tribal 3-4 year olds to demonstrate the technique’s effectiveness. Staff reported that many parents of children attending the immersion camp became “instant converts” to the method after witnessing their children speaking basic Sauk words and phrases after only three or four days in the class.
Through a survey process, the tribal community developed a clear sense of how Sauk people feel about their language and revitalization efforts. Survey data showed the vast majority of Sac and Fox tribal members want to preserve the Sauk language. The Project’s language immersion education efforts ensure community support.
Spruce Island Development Corporation (SIDCO) is a non-profit corporation formed in 2004 by the joint efforts of the City of Ouzinkie, the Native Village of Ouzinkie and Ouzinkie Native Corporation.
Regulations on fishing and declining fish prices have had a significant negative impact on the community, as the community relies primarily on commercial fishing. This project sought to increase employment opportunities for community members through an inclusive planning effort. This effort focused on an investigation into the feasibility of developing support for five industries: community quota entities, small fish processing, transportation, tourism, and behavioral health services.
Project goals were surpassed. The results included training of 43 individuals, finalizing the Economic Development and Integrated Business Plan, and creating an accounting system to fulfill federal financial reporting requirements. Training session participants voiced approval of Project outcomes. Verna Bennet, Tribal Secretary, stated, “Each training session gave the community ideas on what exactly must be done in order for our projects to start and what steps must be taken to ensure sustainability.” Roberta Townsend-Vennel, the Project’s business consultant, concluded, “Ouzinkie can now function as a business with its community members as its experts.”
The adoption of the Business Plan by Tribal Council signifies that Ouzinkie now has a documented vision to focus and facilitate efforts to revitalize the economy that is fully reflective of community members’ wants and needs. The completed Plan will also provide foundational data for all SIDCO’s future funding requests. Since the vision of the project is a community vision and members are now the trained experts, the success of this plan should be far reaching.
2006 Success Stories
Project Title: Recruit, Train, and Certify New Native American Foster Parents
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 - 9/29/2006
Total Grant Amount: $365,485
The Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe received a 24 month SEDS grant in 2004 to develop a Tribal foster parent certification program to assist the Port Gamble S'Klallam community in providing care and services for their children based on S'Klallam values. One of the many challenges in providing foster care is the recruitment and retention of foster parents. This is especially true for the Tribe where cultural differences hinder traditional foster parent recruitment efforts. Thus the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe implemented a foster parenting agenda focused on the unique needs of their children.
At the time the Tribe submitted the application for this project they had 22 children in out of home placement; all with foster parents not yet certified, leaving caregivers short of resources in which to care for the children. The S'Klallam community takes pride in seeing their children stay connected to the Tribe as they are their future. The first of the project's two objectives was to provide culturally appropriate foster parent training to the Port Gamble S'Klallam Community. This led to the success of the second objective: ensuring that all Tribal children be placed with foster parents in their community. The project has been extremely successful, 42 Tribal members have received Foster Care training and 13 have received certification. All of the 22 children are now living with certified foster parents and receive excellent support. The success of this project has significantly impacted the Port Gamble S'Klallam community.
Pilot Station Community Development Plan
Project Title: Development PlanProject Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 - 9/29/2006
Total Grant Amount: $109,570
Pilot Station is an Alaska Native Village located on the northwest bank of the Yukon River, within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The relative isolation of the village has presented it with a myriad of issues and constraints to overcome.
On the economic front, over half of the community's population of 550 is under 18 years of age, and 28% of the total population lives below the poverty level. There has therefore been a pressing need to establish a local economic base in order to accommodate the burgeoning population growth. On the environmental front, the homes in Pilot Station have no piped sewage or running water. Honey buckets are hauled to the sewage lagoon, and thus the frequency of water-borne diseases is high. The community's landfill is also not compliant with state regulations: trash is not separated and hazardous materials are disposed of in the same manner as all other garbage, thereby leaching toxins into the water table, heavily impacting the subsistence-based community.
Previously, there was no plan in place to confront these issues. This ANA project implemented a participatory approach to create Pilot Station's first comprehensive Community Development Plan. Community meetings and surveys formed the foundation for the creation of a comprehensive assessment of the current state and a structured set of priorities for its future development. The Pilot Station project staff commendably committed itself to a process in which the beneficiaries of the project influenced and shared control over development initiatives which affect them and the subsequent resource decisions.
At the community level, a forum was created for the sharing of knowledge, and the project encouraged Pilot Station residents to provide input on the development of their community. The community survey enabled greater community involvement in determining priorities which will lead to suitable development considerations. This project therefore provided enlightenment on the concept of self-government and educated the community on how the Pilot Station Traditional Council can serve the needs of Pilot Station. Furthermore, this participatory approach will lend credibility to any future effort by the Pilot Station Council to implement associated development plans. Overall, the community has been empowered, and they have created a set of directions for the growth and progress of their community.
For the Pilot Station Traditional Council, the development and creation of the first Community Development Plan has educated each member on the issues, priorities and concerns of their constituents in a structured, formal way. The desire for a more stable job base and the appeal to improve the sewage lagoon and dump-sites within the village have gathered the most support from community members. The project's implementation has also informed the Council of their responsibility in setting Pilot Station's course for development, including their responsibility to secure the economic resources to meet the stated needs of the community and to protect the village's environmental resources.
One of the challenges faced by Project staff was the initial reponse of skepticism from the older generation; there was a general disbelief that the development of a community plan would lead to the actual implementation of priority-based projects. However, the advent of community meetings and the encouraging number of completed surveys and drop-in requests seem to have brought a different way of thinking to the village. Community members have become more vocal in sharing their personal visions of progress for the village, and this development was evidenced by the community's recent collective request to open a second store in Pilot Station. The Traditional Council has heeded this appeal and is now moving forward with the planning for the community's second store.
The Pilot Station Traditional Council now has clear, current and accurate information about the priorities and concerns of its constituents. A foundation for appropriate policy implementation and project development has therefore been successfully built by this project. Pilot Station as a community is now free to procure further grant funding to realize its vision for progress, and to capitalize upon the environment of empowerment that has been created by this project.
Project Title: Economic Empowerment Project
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 - 6/30/2006
Total Grant Amount: $177,651
Recent urban development has rapidly overtaken the landscape of the outer boundaries of Arizona's Ak-Chin Community. The city of Maricopa, which abuts Ak-Chin to the north, has more than tripled its population in the past five years, and more development is scheduled. The Ak-Chin Community itself has recently welcomed back 126 Tribal families onto its reservation lands. In order to meet the needs of the growing community and to maximize the opportunity to increase its economic power, the Ak-Chin Tribal Government resolved to make economic development one of its top priorities.
The Ak-Chin Planning and Development Office, with Tribal membership involvement, authored the Tribe's General Plan in 2003. The goals and recommendations of that document were initiated through this ANA grant. The four objectives of the grant centered on the development of Ak-Chin's chief asset: its expansive and geographically advantageous land base. This grant 1) created an Economic Development Plan for the community, 2) designed conceptual Master Plans for commercial and public use areas, 3) developed a Business Board to oversee for-profit enterprises, 4) planned for the expansion of Tribal services to become Tribal enterprises, and 5) laid the groundwork for an entrepreneur program for prospective businesspeople. Additionally, project staff has included within the Economic Development Plan a strategy to direct a portion of the financial gains into social development programs, including expanding current social services available at the Community Center and forming a scholarship fund for Tribal members.
As a result of this grant, the Tribal government now has the master plan designs to begin laying infrastructure in designated areas. The development of Ak-Chin lands will bring jobs to Tribal members and the surrounding population. Ak-Chin members will have the opportunity to become entrepreneurs. New businesses will provide the needed local retail services, and existing Tribal services will have the opportunity to become Tribal enterprises, serving the Ak-Chin people and the launched businesses. In short, the project will allow the Ak-Chin Indian Community to derive benefit from the economic boon already occurring in a booming metropolis.
This project has created foundational pieces that are mutually supportive. Community input demanded design plans which would reflect an active living community and support the economic and social needs of its members. The adoption of the completed plans by Community Council will endorse their suitability and serve as a positive step towards project sustainability. Overall, there is a keen sense of excitement and anticipation within the community. Bart Smith brimmed with enthusiasm when he declared, "Wait until you see this place in 5 years."
Native Americans for Community Action, Inc.
Project Title: The Ray of Hope Project
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 - 6/30/2006
Total Grant Amount: $92,809
Alcohol and substance abuse are growing problems amongst Flagstaff 's Native youth. The area also lacked a counseling and treatment program specifically designed for Native American teenagers. Upon noticing this glaring void, Native Americans for Community Action, Inc. (NACA) applied for, and received, a two-year ANA grant in 2004 to implement a social assistance program directed at Flagstaff 's Native 12 to 17-year olds. The project aimed to assist teenagers to develop positive relationships with their families and peers as well as practice healthy lifestyles. Project implementation included substance abuse prevention services, individual and group treatment, continuing care and cultural/spiritual activities. NACA also stressed the need for a strong social network as a preventative and curative measure to substance abuse problems.
NACA has successfully paired Western treatment strategies with traditional Native healing and education by utilizing Talking Circles and sweat lodges in their counseling services. These treatments have helped raise the self-confidence levels of local Native teens, specifically in dealing with peer pressure. The activity was led by Sam Tso, who shared traditional Navajo stories and related them to the clients' current situations. Mr. Tso articulated, "I teach traditional values through traditional stories. Most of these children did not have the opportunity to hear these stories from their families. So I bring life back to their culture and give them the means to help them find their way."
Due to the success of this project on the community level, Flagstaff now has a viable option for which to refer Native teenagers with substance abuse problems, an option that did not exist before. More specifically, the Juvenile Court Services of Cococino County and the Kinlani Boarding School, which provided the bulk of referrals to the Ray of Hope Project, will continue to have a culturally appropriate substance abuse program available for rehabilitation purposes. Antoinette Jensen, Dorm Manager of the Kinlani Boarding School, stated, "This program has been a lifeline for us. There was a large gap before this program and it is one that has been filled." David Howard, a Juvenile Probation Officer with the Juvenile Court Services of Cococino County, referred a number of youth to NACA's treatment program, and added, "NACA is one of my first calls because this program works for the teenagers that come through my doors."
California Indian Museum and Cultural Center
Project Title: Knowledge Circle Project
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 – 2/28/2006
Total Grant Amount: $401,047
The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) received a 17-month SEDS grant from ANA in 2004 for their "Circle of Knowledge" Project. CIMCC's goal is to provide all California Indians with a highly visible environment to present their stories, histories and cultures to the public. CIMCC has created multi-media, interactive exhibits at their Museum building in Santa Rosa, CA. The museum has begun to serve California Indians and the general public with alternative viewpoints to mainstream media information while promoting dialogue, facilitating cultural understanding and cross-cultural relationships.
The purpose of the grant was to create the architectural exhibit planning documents and final cost estimates for the museum's living exhibits. The staff did an excellent job carrying out the objectives and activities of the project as they overcame obstacles. CIMCC worked with all 109 Tribes in California and amassed an abundant number of stories, pictures, and other artifacts from all areas of California. These stories and artifacts have been incorporated into the final architectural design.
Project Title: Chehalis Seven Generations Language Project
Project Period: 9/30/2004 – 2/28/2006
Total Award Amount: $174,496
The Chehalis Indian Community received a 17-month ANA grant in 2004 to pursue the preservation of the Chehalis language. The Chehalis Indian Tribe has faced considerable challenges in its efforts to preserve their language. The population of first-language speakers was quickly diminishing, with just four percent of the Tribal population over 64 years of age. Only two fluent Chehalis speakers remained.
In order to assure the language's survival, multi-generational language sharing and acquisition in a classroom setting was deemed crucial. A rudimentary curriculum and Chehalis Dictionary were already in place from an earlier grant; these provided the foundation for implementation of this objective. The strongest and most dedicated students involved in the earlier program were selected to become teacher-trainees and were engaged in intensive language study with the two remaining fluent speakers. With the goal of the project being teacher certification, the trainees were placed in the classroom to work with families that have adopted the language classes as a multi-generational activity. These efforts brought together elders, young adults and youth in the overall goal of preserving the Chehalis language for future generations. 27 language lessons were recorded and transferred to CD format for posterity and for the benefit of those Tribal members who wish to extend the learning environment outside the classroom.
The desire to speak the language of their ancestors as it was originally spoken extends beyond achieving correct pronunciation. As Janet Havelick succinctly expressed, "I am extremely proud to be able to say I am learning my People's language." Jesse Gleason, one of the teacher-trainees, echoed this sentiment of pride: "This class has given me an opportunity to give life to an almost extinct language and to continue our culture, which is one of the few things that we have left that is truly ours."
Upon the commencement of this grant, the Chehalis language was at a critical stage. With the ANA-supported phase of the project nearing its end, the students and teacher-trainees were asked to anticipate the future of their language. All understand that the critical stage has not yet passed. However, a mother proudly observed that, "My children are becoming so used to the language, their language, that sometimes they slip into it without thinking." This recognition provides hope for the future of the Chehalis language and, by proxy, the Chehalis culture.
Project Title: Makah Mini-Mart/Fuel Facility
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 – 2/28/2006
Total Grant Amount: $471,760
The Makah Tribal Council received a 17-month SEDS grant from ANA in 2004 for their "Makah Mini-Mart/Fuel Facility" project. The project goal was to use ANA grant funds to aid in the creation and start-up of a Tribal enterprise. The funds were used to purchase the necessary inventory, equipment, and to train new employees. The project also included local artist designs on the building's interior and exterior, giving the Makah Mini Mart and Fuel Facility a uniquely "Makah" look.
The Makah Mini-Mart is an economic development project that is part of the Tribe's Comprehensive Plan. The project was designed to provide basic services, generate revenue for the Tribe, and provide jobs for community members. Before the Mini-Mart opened, Tribal members traveled up to 49 miles for banking transactions and over 12 miles for gas and other services such as internet and photocopying. The store opened last year and now provides many needed services in the community, including internet services, photocopying, 24-hour banking(ATM) and gas.
Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians
Project Title: Childcare Center Project
Project Start/End Dates: 9/30/2004 – 2/28/2006
Total Grant Amount: $353,760
The Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians received a 17-month SEDS grant from ANA in 2004 for their "Childcare Center Project." The goal of the project was to develop an economically self-sustainable, licensed childcare center. The Center provides childcare services to Tribal families, curriculum instruction, training for parents, and balanced meals to Tribal youth ages 3-5. Prior to the Childcare Project, the nearest childcare center was 20 miles away from the Robinson Rancheria. The opening of the Childcare Center has enabled parents to leave their children in a safe environment on the reservation.
The project began slowly due to difficulties in hiring qualified staff, however once the Childcare Director was hired, the project's objectives and activities were carried out in a timely fashion. The Childcare Center opened its doors to a less then full house but was quickly able to gain the trust of community parents with the help of the Tribal Council. Currently the Center is at maximum capacity and is in the process of expanding the center to accommodate a toddler room. The Childcare Center provides the Robinson Rancheria a safe, happy, and fun environment for children and their families.
