Gowanda Central School District
Submitted by Amy Mohawk, Intervention Math & Reading Teacher/MB-NAP Grant Coord, GCS
The My Brother’s Keeper Indigenous Education Grant Program of Gowanda Central School District recently participated in a dynamic, hands-on, civic education program for students in Washington, DC.
New and interesting ways to provide extra challenges and opportunities to enhance Native students’ educational experiences is one of MBK-IEG’s goals. Six high school students spent five days at the Close Up – Tribal Youth Summit and had a learning experience of a lifetime between April 30-May 5, 2023.
Students lived and learned with peers from around the country while engaging in seminars with policymakers and exploring historical sites and government offices. The Close Up lesson plans and interactive teaching methods inspired and empowered students to meet the challenges of governing themselves and their nation through:
- Discussions of key domestic and international issues with members of Congress and their staff, Washington insiders, and other leading policy experts;
- Comprehensive study visits to the significant historical sites and cultural neighborhoods of our nation’s capital;
- Daily small-group workshops that encouraged students to connect what they see in DC with what they are learning in the classroom back home; and
- Self-directed time with their teachers to explore the nation’s capital.
Student participants were: Juniors Gracie Carpenter, Layla Gamble; sophomores Ellarose LeBeau and Karice John; and freshmen Marcus Gamble, Cashis Montour.
MBK-IEG director Amy Mohawk and GMS teaching assistant Ray Logan attended as well.
