• UPCOMING EVENTS

    American Indian Education Powwow
    This is more than a powwow, it's an Educational Experience!
    Follow the Powwow Facebook Event Page to get real-time updates about the event.
     
    American Indian Education Powwow on Saturday, April 1
     

    11:00am - Doors Open! Come in before the grand entry to check out the 20+ vendors and community organizations.

    11:00-1:00pm - Twin Cities Native Lacrosse will be hosting a hands-on Traditional Lacrosse demonstration and community game! 

    11:30am - 12:15pm - Hoop Dance Class with Lumhe Sampson
    Try your hand at hoop dancing in this class full movement and storytelling!

    12:30pm-2pm - Indigenous Food Tasting with Derek Nicolas
    Taste foods foraged, hunted, and prepared by a young man supporting our traditional subsistence practices. 

    1:00 pm - GRAND ENTRY

    1:30pm & 3pm - Bagese Games with Sharyl Whitehawk
    Try your hand at this traditional Ojibwe dice game!

    2:00pm & 3:30pm - Drum Teachings with Chris Batiste (Former Anoka-Hennepin Drum Keeper)
    Join this hands on session where Chris will share Anishinaabe drum teachings and protocols passed to him. 

    5:00pm FEAST
    The gathering doesn’t stop after we clear the arena. Join us for a community meal of Bison, Walleye, Wild Rice, and more! Catered by Gatherings Cafe

     
    Archery Team:
    Twice a month on Monday nights!
    6:15-8pm at Monroe Elementary. 
    1/23/23 CANCELED • 1/30/23 • 2/6/23 • 2/27/23 • 3/27/23
    4/10/23 • 4/24/23 • 5/8/23 • 5/22/23
    View flyer for more details and to RSVP! 
     
    Sewing Ribbon Skirts:
    Saturday, January 28, 2023. 10am-2pm. 
    Limited spots available. View flyer for more details and to sign up! 
     
    Sewing Ribbon Shirts: 
    Saturday, February 2, 2023. 10am-2pm. 
    Limited spots available. View flyer for more details and to sign up! 
     
    Indigenous Winter Games with Dan & Susan Ninham:
    Saturday, February 18, 2023.    9am-12pm with lunch to follow 
    Location: Hoover Elementary School (2369 109th Ave NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433)
    View the flyer for more details and to RSVP!
     
     

    ONLINE VIRTUAL SPEAKER SERIES

    During the height of the pandemic we hosted an online-virtual speaker series. We hosted live speakers and asked speakers to pre-record videos for our online speaker series. All videos can be found on our Youtube Channel

    ANNUAL INDIAN EDUCATION EVENTS

    Trimester Celebrations

    Twice a year, Indian Education hosts two community potlucks to celebrate and honor students' achievements after Trimester One and Trimester Two.
    We believe in recognizing students both for their academic achievements as well as community and cultural achievements. Awards given are:
    • A Honor Roll: 3.6 GPA (weighted)
    • B Honor Roll: 2.6-3.5 GPA (weighted)
    • Exemplary Attendance: 97% attendance (about less than 1.5 days missed). 
    • Outstanding Attendance: 95% (about less than 3 days missed)
    • Above and Beyond: The purpose of this award is to recognize students who exceed expectations and take on leadership roles during groups with their advisors.
    • Community Advocate: The purpose of this award is to recognize students who have volunteered in their communities during the trimester. Submit a nomination here.
    • Cultural Leadership: The purpose of this award is to recognize students who have shown cultural leadership through their participation in cultural activities during the trimester. Examples include participation in: powwows (dancing, drumming, contests), ceremony, language tables, etc. Submit a nomination here. 

    Indian Education provides the main dish for the meal, paper products, juice and coffee. We hope to see you there. Please bring a dish to share if you are able.

    Annual Indian Education Fall Kickoff Potluck Picnic

    Each September the Indian Education Program plans a potluck-picnic to kick off the school year! This is one of our biggest events of the year. It is a great place to meet new friends in the community and renew old friendships that have been lost during the busy summer months. We often have a wide variety of activities for students and families to participate in. 
     
    This is a potluck event. Indian Education provides the main dish for the meal, paper products, juice, and water. Please bring a dish to share if you are able. 
     


    End of Year Picnic

    Each June, the Indian Education Program plans a potluck picnic to close out the school year. During this picnic we celebrate our students who are transitioning from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and high school graduates. 
     

    This is a potluck event. Indian Education provides the main dish for the meal, paper products, juice, and water. Please bring a dish to share if you are able. 

     

    Winter Event & College/Career Fair

    Each year, our program hosts a family culture day known as the Winter Event. This is a day of fun and engaging cultural activities and presentations that is also paired with a college/career fair. Past winter events have included: storytellers, leather pouch making, star lab, small community powwow, MN Zoo Mobile, hoop dance performers and classes, Drum history, Ojibwe and Dakota language games/activities, traditional lacrosse, and much more!
      

    Parent Committee Meetings

    Parent committee meetings are monthly and open to the public. 2022-2023 parent committee dates TBA. 
    Learn more about our parent committees here.


    VOLUNTEERS

    Indian Education has a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Whether you’re a family member, district staff member, student, or friend, we welcome your valuable talents and expertise.

    • Parent committee (parents, secondary students, and district staff)
    • Picnics
    • Field Trips
    • College Visits
    • Senior Honoring
    • Guest Speaker/Presenter
    • Mailings
    • Craft Preparation

    All program volunteers must work with the volunteer coordinator at their schools to submit a volunteer application and any other necessary paperwork. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your cluster advisor or the program coordinator for more information.