Native American Needs and Resources Data

Native American Needs and Resources Data

BACKGROUND

Statement of Need

The youth to be served by the Youth Empowerment Project will be minority students in the 5th through 8th grades. These students are predominately Native Americans ranging in age from 10 to 14 years. They will be both male and female.

The magnitude of the problem has prompted Health and Welfare and the TNAF programs serving the Reservation to call a group together to strategize to improve conditions for youth that will reduce abuse and neglect.

The Idaho 2005 Youth Survey Risk Factors has documented the following information.

1. Minority youth are twice as likely to consume alcohol or drugs, including Cocaine, as other populations.
2. One in 4 youth has had alcohol by age 13.
3. 14% have used glue or other inhalants.
4. 4% have used marijuana at school.
5. 37% have offered or sold drugs at school.
6. 8.9% have attempted suicide,
7. 22% watch 3 hours or more of television daily.

The statistics speak to the total population of Idaho schools. What is known is that these facts may not always reflect the statistics appropriate for the reservations. The Nez Perce Tribal Court identified information addressing child abuse, battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. These figures were collected over a three year period (2001-2003). While burglary had only 12 cases, battery had 98, child abuse cases had 56, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor had 21 cases.

A national survey conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2005, identifies information that shows that 50% of students in reservation schools do not graduate. These students are predominately Natives. The plight of Indian Education is a national disaster. A huge factor contributing to risk and health problems of Native students is the impact of school failure. When a student sees little success in the most time consuming activity of the day, they seek comfort in other ways. They turn to peers, food, cigarettes, drugs, and in some cases suicide. The evidence of watching TV for 3 hours a day plus school is a very sedimentary life style, resulting health problems are; little exercise, too much junk food, and poor or no evidence of success, lack of positive role models and little companionship.

The proposed Youth Empowerment Project would provide the following services to address the needs of students at-risk on the Nez Perce Reservation.

1. An equestrian program to attract the interest of at-risk students, to give meaning, culture and language to math, science, reading and school attendance.
2. Provide two additional educators to reduce class load and to provide services to students who are at-risk.
3. Provide an opportunity to enable students who may be behind in school to catch up during the academic year and summer sessions.
4. Provide expectations for students and encourage them as they rise to the challenge.
5. Expose students to careers, higher education, libraries, public events, science centers and museums. They will parade, compete, participate and reap the rewards of their accomplishments.
6. Provide continual feedback to student and their family regarding progress towards graduation and opportunity in high education. A little success every day is vital to personal development.
7. Provide the opportunity of companionship of an animal.

Small rural communities generally lack the motivational elements which inspire students to seek post-secondary education. There is no public transportation in most of the communities. Students are very isolated from museums, college campuses, large libraries, art galleries, science centers, and most importantly, other students who have direction to their lives. Students on reservations often see a very small picture of the world, filled with drugs, alcohol, unemployment, discouragement, hopelessness, anger and bitterness. Small rural communities generally lack the motivational elements which inspire students to seek post-secondary education. Services for the needy are on the chopping block which will further impact the target population.

A recent survey of Lapwai students identifies additional unaddressed conditions which contribute to poor school performance:

• 85% do not have access to a computer at home
• 49% do not have a library card
• 83% do not have access to a magazine at home
• 59% do not subscribe to a daily or weekly newspaper
• 41% do not have a selection of books at home
• 61% do not have access to reference books at home
• 59% do not have a set of encyclopedias at home
• 32% do not have an adult to discuss schoolwork
• 10% do not do school work at home
• 17% do not have an adult at home to ask for help with homework.

The need for a Youth Empowerment Project is documented with information which shows:

1. A low-income population where the family income in the State of Idaho is 20% below the national average.
2. A lack of educational attainment. In the target area, only 8% of the adults have a college degree compared to a national average o1 13.1%.
3. A significant dropout rate of 50% compared to 11.2% for a national average.
4. A low college-going rate of 45% compared to the national average of 68%
5. A large number of students per counselor. In the target area, the overall ratio is 282.1.

All of these facts document the need for a Youth Empowerment Program. Academic needs are often not met due to lack of funding necessary to make education relevant to all students. While prisons receive a 10% increase in funding, schools received only a 2.5% increase. The Youth Empowerment Project is structured around an approach identified in research to make learning an exciting and rewarding experience by considering the following.

Culturally relevant Curriculum: Student learning increases when their cultural background or life experiences are validated within the classroom. Project participants will examine currentresources available focusing on culturally relevant curriculum and will also participate in curriculum building workshops and how to involve communities (Perspectives on Teach Education Reform, 2004)

Strategies to increase parent involvement: Parental involvement and participation in the education of children increases achievement and improves the child’s positive attitude toward school ( 2002). Participants will explore current techniques used and identified ways to use parents as mentors or classroom participants.

Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound: ELOP (Outward Bound) was chosen by congress as one of 15 design teams identified in the Obey Porter amendment for funding which supports schools committed to adapting comprehensive designs for school reform that yields significant improvement in student achievement.

In Education Week’s annual report (Quality Counts, 2004) Idaho was scored poorly in terms of spending, teacher education and state policies. Idaho received a C- for standards, a C- for assessment and a D+ for teaching and no grade for school climate.

Idaho ranks with six other states as having the largest class size of 24 or more per teacher. The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers’ union, recommends a class size of fifteen (National Education Assessment, 2002). As if this were not enough, Idaho is projected to have the third largest growth in school enrollment, increasing 10.2 by the 2008, as stated by the U.S. Department of Education.

Literature indicates that when students are behind in school, they will leave school 60% more often than one who is given the chance to make up the work. Students need a reason to learn, a need to know. For many students, learning needs to start at the top of the pyramid with the end result and work down to the details in order to build the motivation to learn. Thedevelopment of self-esteem is deemed essential to the acquisition of academic ability. Effective strategies will start with every student finding success.

Students will have clear expectations. No student will be allowed to fail. Work turned in with less than satisfactory accomplishment will be redone with individual assistance. The student will recognize the errors and be able to correct them. Too often students have been permitted to fail. By doing so, it can be assumed that failing is acceptable. This will not be the case with the Youth Empowerment Project. Students will learn that failure is not okay and that help and encouragement are available. By establishing this practice, students will live up to the expectation. In the past, this has not been the practice as teachers have a large number of students. This practice can change the whole environment of the school. All students will feel the need to be as focused as the Youth Empowerment participants. Students are very influenced by what their peers are doing. The Youth Empowerment participants will capitalize on this and when large groups of students are experiencing success, there will not be a student who will feel that it is okay when not in school, when not doing their school work. The educational system has not recognized that every time a student receives a poor grade or is told that he/she is wrong the student is set up to consider him/herself less than other students. Nothing succeeds like success.

Partner Organization Rationale: LapwaiMiddle School will partner with Lewis-Clark State College. The LapwaiSchool District is the largest school serving the Nez Perce Reservation. There are approximately 89 middle school students enrolled at the school. The Lapwai community is actively involved in efforts to provide a safe protective environment for all members in the community. Lapwai is the center for Indian Health, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tribal Government. It is a logical choice to collaborate in a Youth Empowerment Program and will have the most impact should this design be replicated at other schools.

Chief Joseph Foundation has been involved in activities for youth, families and horses for over 13 years and they have the background to give guidance to the Project. They have experience with horses, native culture, historical places and the local community. The Boys & Girls Club operates in the Lapwai community. They provide activities for all ages of students and have participated in horse riding when available. The Center is very appropriate for participant support. Nez Perce Appaloosa Horse Club is a local organization which has been involving the community in horse activities, cultural experiences and protection of historical places. This group has limited funds but manages to maintain horses and horse facilities.

Both the Nez Perce Appaloosa Horse Club and the Chief Joseph Foundation are involved in promoting youth activities related to the horse. The Appaloosa horse has cultural significance for the Nez Perce Tribal members. This horse was historically associated with the Nez Perce Tribe. Neither organization has the ability to impact the school at this time: currently the at-risk students are not the ones that are involved in the riding programs, but the fact that they do have the commitment speaks to their success. By partnering with the Youth Empowerment Project they can make a huge contribution to the at-risk population.

Experience

The Chief Joseph Foundation (CJF), a registered 501 C3 corporation located in Lapwai, Idaho, has been in existence for approximately 13 years. This Foundation has been involved with Native American youth since its inception. The CJF was initially formed to offer opportunities for youth on the Nez Perce Reservation to improve their academic performance aswell as to learn more about their rich traditions and culture, helping to make these a part of their daily lives. The Foundation houses approximately 20 horses available to youth.

Another successful program called the Mounted Scholars Program previously targeted Native youth. Funding for this program is no longer available. The Mounted Scholars program was the initial program implemented by the Chief Joseph Foundation. The scope of its activities included a therapeutic riding program for the State of Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare, Special Olympics, the Boys and Girls Clubs of American and the WashingtonStateUniversity’s School of Veterinary Medicine. The Mounted Scholars Program was a school based program initially created in collaboration with faculty from Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho for the purpose of improving academic performance of Nez Perce children who were otherwise not committed to their studies and who were not performing well in school. While in existence, the program was well received in the tribal community and proved successful with the individuals who participated in its in-school curriculum which was designed specifically for their student using the traditional Appaloosa horse culture as its foundation. The school attendance of participants improved and as parents became involved there tended to be a reduction in many unhealthy behaviors.

HIGHER EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE

The NationalCenter for Educational Statistics estimates that American Indians make up less than one percent of the teaching population. But 1999 national performance targets called for the nation to place of 18 percent of principals and 20 percent of American Indian classroom teachers in public schools with a high proportion of American Indian students. AISLE is a multifaceted project aimed at enhancing and empowering American Indian students and communities throughout the Pacific Northwest region through a systematic approach of training and financial opportunities for Native college students, along with efforts to build multicultural capital on the campus of LCSC. LCSC and AISLE successfully established and operates an American Indian Center for Educational Excellence to provide resources and support systems for Indian and non-Indian students regardless of their vocational or academic program. The project includes scholarship opportunities for paraprofessionals currently working in the K-12 tribal schools of the Pacific Northwest, and provides support for statewide efforts to enhance the organizing structures and educational systems that a high percentage of Native American students attend.

American Indian Tribes, Nations, schools, and communities continue to be areas of definitive need in addressing the issue of improving the educational development and opportunity of Indian children. Native American students are among the most “at risk” in our schools with the highest drop-out rate of any ethnic group in the United States (Indian Nations at Risk, 1991). One of the widely accepted strategies for meeting the challenging situations facing Native American education is to increase the number of Native and non-Native teachers who are properly trained to meet the needs of Native students (Indian Nations At Risk: An educational Strategy for Action 1991).

The challenges of stable and increased funding levels continue to haunt both tribal schools and public schools on Indian reservations across the country. Research also indicates that 24 percent of the Native American population is poor, while only 10 percent of the total U.S.population is identified as poor. American Indian reservations have some of the highest unemployment rates in the U.S.(U.S. Census, U. S. Department of Labor, B.I.A., Daily News 9/1/2000).

The number of American Indian students obtaining a higher education degree, although rising slowly, continues to dominate the lower tier of America’s population. Nearly 50 percent of Native Americans who enter high school drop out. Students who drop out do so for a variety of factors common to the reservation. Tribal reservations and lands typically are rural with all the secondary school problems of underfunding and little availability of strong academic instruction (Indian Education from Tribal Perspective, St. Lawrence University, 1991).

Adding to the problem, the number of American Indian students becoming professional educators with teaching certification remains at an alarmingly low level. “Although Native Americans are one of the youngest and fastest growing segments of our population, Native people make up fewer than one-half of 1 percent of those currently teaching and only 1 percent of those enrolled in teacher training programs” (When Cultures Clash in the Classroom, Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, Fall 2002; and The National Center for Educational Statistics).

The 1999 national performance targets called for the nation to place of 18 percent of principals and 20 percent of American Indian classroom teachers in public schools with a high proportion of American Indian students. We’re not even close 8 years later.

Lewis-Clark State College(LCSC) works collaboratively with area tribes, tribal schools and public schools on Indian reservations to design, develop and implement ‘alternative’ pathways for students to complete and achieve professional teacher certification. This alternative approach to teacher certification needs to provide Native people of Idaho and the Northwest with the opportunity to learn and succeed in a challenging academic program that features cultural distinctions that honor and respect Native students. To be successful and culturally responsive the alternative certification approach needs to be distinctly focused on weaving a generous quantity of cultural dynamics into the curriculum and training.