Page 11 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - December, 2018

11

EDUCATION

Focus on native history

Evergreen teachers Yvonne Three of Yvonne and Gary’s current
and Gary Peterson recognized students presented them with the blanket.
Former student Maury Sanchez, who is a
member of the Nisqually Canoe Family and
Yvonne and Gary Peterson were honored at a powerful singer, honored Yvonne and Gary
the Indigenous Health & Education Summit at with a love song he wrote.
the Evergreen Longhouse on Nov. 15. “We are honored and humbled to be
The event was sponsored by Evergreen’s recognized for our work,” Yvonne said. Yet,
Native Student Alliance and provided those there is still much to do.
in attendance with information on traditional The Petersons have three Skokomish
foods, plant medicine and technologies. students and two Chehalis students in their Yvonne Peterson shows off “Louie Gong,”
Keynote speakers were Dr. Michael Yellow program. This year’s slogan is “Teachings of a Pendleton blanket that she and her
Bird and Brian Yazzie. Yellow Bird talked the Tree People, Culture Matters.” husband, Gary Peterson, were given at the
about mindfulness and brain functioning. They welcome students and encourage Indigenous Health & Education Summit
Yazzie is a renowned international Chef, who anyone interested in a college degree to to honor their native teaching.
integrates traditional indigenous foods into contact them at petersoy@evergreen.edu
mainstream cuisine. to make arrangements. sss
The Peterson couple received the
recognition for their contributions to native
student education throughout the many years WORKSHOP
they have taught at Evergreen State College – a “We venture out into the world Gary and Yvonne will take part in a
whopping 35 years for Chehalis tribal member three-day workshop on the “River
Yvonne and 21 for Gary (Skokomish). from a platform, and that platform is of Culture” model. This follows
The Petersons’ teaching approach is based provided by family, siblings, stories the National Indian Child Welfare
off life experiences and is centered on the Association (NICWA) meeting on
student. The arts-based classes are integrative from our grandparents, photo albums April 3-4 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
and cover a wide range of topics to enable and reminiscing about family events.
Native American students to understand their Social workers, teachers, federal
history through a “River of Culture model” What if you never had that?” employees, elected tribal leaders and
and non-Natives to learn a history that wasn’t others attend NICWA’s conference.
taught in public school. – ANN WHEAT (ARIZONA LOST BOYS CENTER)

Parenting Inside Out improves parenting skills

Program encourages The Chehalis Tribe Vocational Adulthood” in mind. parent-child relationships
This is a very challenging job
participants to prepare Rehabilitation Program also The classes are constructivist to say the least, but it is one of
offers services. The opportunities in nature and subsequent
for their next journey are provided in the hope that sessions build on the skills the most personally rewarding
those who participate will build and knowledge learned in experiences of my professional
Contributed by Bobbie Bush, the capacity within themselves previous classes. It is a socially career, along with my time spent
Chehalis Tribe’s Offender Re-Entry to stay out of jail. interactive program designed working at Head Start. I loved
Aftercare Specialist I facilitate the Parenting to engage participants from the working at Head Start as the
Inside Out classes, which very first class in the process nutritional specialist and cook
People who are incarcerated is a program developed at of becoming better parents. and later as a family resource
at the Chehalis Tribal Jail Oregon State University. It Participants receive a certificate specialist – again working with
are offered classes through was researched, measured, of completion after 12 sessions. folks who are in need of support
the Chehalis Tribe’s Offender tested and certified to be Topics include: for the betterment of themselves
Re-Entry Program. Several effective in breaking the cycle of n Effective speaking and and, most importantly, their
opportunities and resources exist incarceration that is prominently listening skills families.
for people housed in the jail to seen among the Native n Effective problem solving My work in the Chehalis
use their time to build personal American population. skills Tribal Jail is challenging because
skills and capacities for success. During classes, participants n Bonding through play and of the environment, but it is
The programs include GED/ actively engage in cognitive- reading even more rewarding. If I can
college prep classes, financial behavioral parent management n The child’s job and the help one Indian person learn
literacy classes, chemical skills sessions. The sessions help parent’s job how to be a better parent and
dependency classes, relational life participants prepare for the n Nurturing your child’s have more success in his or her
skills classes, cultural arts classes journey of their children and temperament life, my prayers will be answered
and Parenting Inside Out classes. themselves with “Destination n More to help enhance through this work.