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Ashley Atkins took on the role of Indian Education director this school year at Lake Roosevelt Schools and spoke to The Star recently about the importance of teaching Native American culture and history.

"I will introduce myself in my language (Crow) first," she wrote in an email to The Star. "Kahay! Baalaashe' Amiiaxxisesh huuk,  baashchiilitaailia, 'Lucky and Receiving' huuk. I am Apsaalooke from the great Crow Nation of Montana. My husband [LR science teacher Derek Atkins] is Psquosa (Wenatchi of the Colville Confederated Tribes), we have four beautiful children and come from a long line of knowledge keepers. Before I moved here, we were living in Bitterroot Selis land in Flathead, Montana. My husband was going to school at [Salish Kootenai College] and graduated in June. I was working for a mental health non-profit, and we decided together that it was time to make our way to the great Plateau of Washington state."

Atkins said Indian education and public schools have always been a part of her life.

She has served on "Indian parent committees," been involved in her two oldest children's schools since they reached school age, worked as a paraprofessional, and received a conditional teaching certificate.

"I've always had a passionate drive to bring more accurate and adequate Indian education into our public schools," she said. "Indian Education benefits everyone. We can eliminate a lot of confusion and misconceptions if we are adequately teaching our students the history in the U.S. and teaching about the unique diversity among American Indian tribes."

"Culture and history are not limited to Indigenous peoples," she continued. "I say that because it's important for everyone to know the history of the peoples you live and work with, on and off the Reservation. It would help us to reach a better understanding of one another and learn to be culturally responsive and sensitive."

"There are layers upon layers of variables and obstacles," she continued, "but I want to work with our stakeholders on improving opportunity and accessibility. ... It's the goal for this next year to enhance Indian Education in the classrooms and across the district."

She said the program will work meticulously on implementing a culturally relevant curriculum into the school district and providing resources for the educators to teach it.

"I want to  see the educators in a place where they're comfortable and feeling competent teaching Indian Education in their classrooms," she said.

Atkins' position oversees the Johnson O'Malley Act and Title VI grant programs, as well as the implementation of the "Since Time Immemorial" curriculum of Washington state. 

Since Time Immemorial is a curriculum made mandatory in Washington schools in 2015 to, according to the law itself, teach students "about tribal history, culture, treaty rights, contemporary tribal and state government institutions and relations and the contribution of Indian nations to the state of Washington."

"Since Time Immemorial and local culture can be implemented in every class," Atkins said. "It's basically up to the teacher/educator to source out curriculum and implement that in their lessons. Keep in mind that you can teach Indigenous science, for instance. You can also teach the history, the greater history of our country, or local histories."

Atkins noted that "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" is being taught in the junior high at LR and that the "Nxa?amxcin" language is also being taught. She said students can earn language credits from it, a requirement for some colleges. 

Atkins noted that English teacher Steve Files, in collaboration with the Indian Education program, has been working to develop a Native Literature class for the 2022-2023 school year.

The elementary school has also been incorporating Native American language into its curriculum and it's in the works for the "titoqatimt" dialect to be taught.

Atkins also elaborated on how the program collaborates with the Colville Confederated Tribes.

"CCT is a vital stakeholder in our work," she said, explaining that the Indian Education program works with various programs within the CCT, including programs and departments, such as youth development, language, veterans, History and Archeology, Natural Resources, the Colville Tribal Museum, Behavioral Health, Environmental Trust, the Washington State University Extension office, Indian Health Services, and more.

The Indian Education program consults with the Colville Business Council, the governing body of the CCT.

"The collaborations are meaningful and on-going," Atkins said. "We all collaborate to bring support and resources to the students of JOM and Title VI. We work with the language program to offer Nxa?amxcin language, which is one of the three spoken dialects of the tribes here. We are continuously developing language and culture in the school."

Atkins also spoke as to why the program is important at LR.

"It's absolutely imperative for our students to feel represented, supported and empowered," she said. "Across America, Indian people are rising up stronger than ever to get proper representation. When you Google 'Native American,' what usually pops up is historical images, which tells someone who has absolutely no knowledge of American Indians that we are no longer in existence. We were not meant to make it this far and we are still here, upholding, restoring and revitalizing our culture and traditions.

"Indian education and reconciliation are more important than ever. Half of our student population are American Indian, we currently have 431 students who identify as American Indian. Lake Roosevelt sits on the ancestral lands of the Nespelem and San Poil bands, and this is now the home of the Colville Confederated Tribes, which consists of 12 different tribes, a very beautiful people and culture.

"It's important that the students feel free to share and express themselves, feel empowered, rooted and grounded while furthering their academics. My hope is that every student feels supported and important. That they feel like they belong when they walk through those doors. I want them to see more people who look like themselves in leadership and mentorship roles. 

"We have a responsibility to provide culturally relevant and accurate education to all of our students and my hope is to strengthen the already great program we have. The administration, the staff, the educators have all worked hard before me getting here, and I want to say that we are only getting better. It's been a great first year. My biggest goal was to become familiar in the community and build relationships with the students and families.

"We are here because of our youth. All this work we do is for them. I want to thank the students for hanging in there this year. I know it's been tough, coming off a pandemic on top of everything else, I commend them for showing up and sharing space with us."

All students, whether Native American or not, get exposed to numerous cultural teachings.

Back in September, during Native American Week, students participated in setting up a teepee in the plains style with tribal elder Ernie Kswas Brooks. At the same time, Dan Nanamkin taught students how to use drums some had made last year, going over traditional songs and teaching the students the cultural significance of drumming.

This semester, students from the Career Technical Education class received a lesson from Derek Atkins on the significance of root diggers and the honor they hold, and in their metal and woodworking classes completed 14 diggers along with a rack to carry them out to fields to dig traditional foods such as camas.

"Next year when we go out [digging], we will have elders and knowledge keepers from the community accompanying the students," Atkins said. This year's trip was canceled due to a transportation issue.

Atkins also spoke to how students are eligible for Title VI and JOM, and the parent committees that help oversee the programs.

"To be eligible for federally funded Title VI Indian Education funds," Atkins explained, "a student, parent or grandparent has to provide a form for their student, which we have readily available. JOM, Johnson O'Malley, is more restrictive, as the student has to be a quarter degree blood quantum or be enrolled in a federally recognized tribe."

"The funding we receive is used to supplement funding for an array of academic support and cultural enrichment activities and services intended to bolster American Indian children's educational outcomes," she said.

Both programs require parent committees that "are basically oversight committees composed of Indian parents, family, and teachers."

The committees get together once a month to go over the program's annual goals and objectives, meeting on the third Wednesday of each month, working "to insure that planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the operational and supplemental programs for American Indian students in the [Grand Coulee Dam School District] occur in a consistent and sustained manner," Atkins explained, and also work to comply with the rules and regulations governing Title VI and JOM funding.