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Buffalo's Fire Sections
Education
K-12 schools, tribal colleges, language revitalization, and the push for educational equity in Native communities.
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Youth Action
Making cough syrup, building houses: Standing Rock students learn through community engagement
'Native teachings continue to live on' in project-based school born out of #NoDAPL movement
Gabrielle Nelson
Leadership
White Earth tribal administrator gets boost from Bush Fellowship
Curtis Rogers sets his sights on law school
Brian Bull
Campus Culture
UTTC food sovereignty coordinator restores campus medicine wheel
Students use space to relax and connect to Native culture
Gabrielle Nelson
Education
North Dakota tribes Indigenize latest school textbooks
New law requires schools to teach Native American history
Brian Bull
Leadership
White Earth tribal administrator gets boost from Bush Fellowship
Curtis Rogers sets his sights on law school
By Brian Bull
Campus Culture
UTTC food sovereignty coordinator restores campus medicine wheel
Students use space to relax and connect to Native culture
By Gabrielle Nelson
Education
North Dakota tribes Indigenize latest school textbooks
New law requires schools to teach Native American history
By Brian Bull
Education
Couple with Bismarck roots seeds endowment for UTTC students with $100,000 donation
Terrence and Patricia Leier are ‘giving back for the sacrifice that the Natives made’
By Erin Hoover Barnett
Leadership Growth
Educator John Little advocates for more Natives in higher ed
Bush Fellow eager to draw more young adults to college
By Brian Bull
Education
High school students learn engineering at ASPIRE summer camps
Youth take on coding and circuit boards at United Tribes Technical College
By Gabrielle Nelson
Rising Voices
Five Natives named Bush Fellows
Bolstering cultural outreach and personal development among honorees’ top goals
By Brian Bull
Education
Trump wants to cut tribal college funding by nearly 90%, putting them at risk of closing
ProPublica found that Congress was underfunding tribal colleges by a quarter-billion dollars per year. Rather than fixing the problem, proposed federal funding cuts unveiled this week would devastate the schools, tribal education leaders say
Matt Krupnick, ProPublica
Cultural Innovation
Inside the 13 Moons curriculum: How the Swinomish Tribe keeps traditions alive while teaching STEAM and helping to reduce chemical exposures
Other tribes can adapt the curriculum to their own communities
By Wendee Nicole
Final Gathering
Bismarck Public Schools’ Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee holds final meeting of school year
Members discuss strategic plan, federal funding
By Alix Dobler
Generational Healing
East Coast boarding school survivors invited to share their experiences
The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition aims to preserve their stories for future generations
By Buffalo's Fire
Funding Cuts
Humanities North Dakota gets a lifeline, but at a fraction of its former funding
Classes will continue, including a popular one on the Mandan, Hidatsa nations
By Brian Bull
Education Advancement
Empowering Native futures: Native Forward celebrates 55 years of impact
The largest Native scholarship provider marks its anniversary with a gala honoring Indigenous scholars, alumni and advocates who have shaped higher education in Indian Country.
By Buffalo's Fire
Funding Changes
Mandaree School District faces changes to federal funding policy
The March meeting gathered input on how proposed changes to federal education funding may affect BIE students and their cultural ties to school programs.
By Buffalo's Fire
Education Drive
United Tribes Technical College launches video series to recruit Native educators
The initiative is supported by the American Indian College Fund
By Buffalo's Fire
Education
Free school meals bill fails in the North Dakota House
Jeff Beach, North Dakota Monitor
Shaping Futures
Assistant Education Secretary nominee, Kirsten Baesler aims to help students become 'future-ready'
State specialist in American Indian scholastic achievement: "She is a great leader and will be missed"
By Adrianna Adame
Education Threatened
'Losing our voice, losing our space’
The Trump administration’s sweeping orders could force some tribal colleges and universities to shut down, school leaders said
Jourdan Bennett-Begaye and Kalle Benallie, ICT
Food Security
Hearing set Monday on bill that would provide free school meals for North Dakota students
Erin Hemme Froslie, North Dakota Monitor
Indigenous Education
Native students, national lab engineers collaborate in ASPIRE Summer Academy’s paid internships
‘It’s about creating solutions to the world’s problems’
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous Education
Tribes take content lead in updated Tribal curriculum guides for North Dakota schools, debut around corner
The Department of Public Instruction extends revision deadline for guidebooks to ensure accurate, up-to-date content
By Adrianna Adame
Native Narratives
The radical act of sharing Native literature
NDN Girls Books Club is more than a big pink truck full of free books.
Heather Hansman, High Country News
Professional Growth
From the classroom to campus leadership: Brett Williamson named UTTC dean of instruction
Marine-turned-journalist-turned-instructor brings diverse experience to new role
By Adrianna Adame
Tribal College Movement
‘Honoring Our Past’: North Dakota Tribal College System celebrates 30 years of empowering Indigenous education
North Dakota tribal colleges transform from ‘no money at all' to economic force
By Adrianna Adame
Education
Data-driven insights: understanding disparities in dropout, graduation rates across North Dakota
DPI report reveals persistent gaps in graduation rates between American Indian and white students in 2023-2024 academic year
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous Governance Model Gains Momentum with New Bylaw Amendments
By Adrianna Adame
‘We have persevered’: Biden will apologize for Native American boarding school history
Education
Indigenous parents reclaim traditional governance in Bismarck schools
Advisory committee embraces peacemaking model, aiming to boost family engagement and honor cultural practices
By Adrianna Adame and Adrianna Adame
Education
Watchdog group decries FAFSA snafus, demands stronger leadership
A governmental watchdog group chastised the current administration and education department for poorly serving vast swaths of students
Renata Birkenbuel, ICT
From stay-at-home mom to student leader: A grandmother's return to education
Meet the new president of the Student Government Association at United Tribes Technical College
By Adrianna Adame and Adrianna Adame
Ojibwe language books headed to classrooms
United Tribes Technical College receives $1.2 million grant to fund special education scholarships
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous communities unite for change at 27th Annual Tribal Leadership Summit
By Adrianna Adame
Ranger honors MHA heritage, gives a voice to Indigenous history at National Historic Sites
By Adrianna Adame
United Tribes Technical College kicks off the new academic year with community and celebration
By Adrianna Adame
Do secretive school choice meetings break North Dakota’s open meetings law? We asked the AG.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site to mark 50 years with cultural celebration
Event to include MHA storytelling, music and traditions
By Adrianna Adame and Adrianna Adame
Back-to-School extravaganza to empower Indigenous students and families
By Adrianna Adame
UTTC introduces first net-zero greenhouse at a tribal college
By Grace Fiori
Indigenous education director seeks to build relationships with parents, emphasizes mental health
By Adrianna Adame
Recent grad sees a gap in educational quality for tribal students
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction gives tribal curriculum guides a digital overhaul
By Adrianna Adame
Celebrating a Decade: Indian Education Summit hosts 36 workshops to empower Native educators
By Adrianna Adame
Michelle Goose: Healing intergenerational trauma through language
By Adrianna Adame
Educational support goes a long way with Native students
Bismarck Public Schools opens discussion about curriculum with Indigenous parents, asks for input
By Adrianna Adame
The Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee reinstates former chairperson, proceeds with removal of term limits
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee members vote to amend local bylaws
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee off to a bumpy restart
By Adrianna Adame
Survey says nearly two-thirds of South Dakota educators use Indigenous standards
Tomi Cimarosti takes helm as BPS Indigenous Education Director, continuing legacy of advocacy
By Adrianna Adame
From Bismarck Public Schools to state leadership: Sashay Schettler’s new role
By Adrianna Adame
Reviving Roots: Dakota-Lakota Summer Institute grows number of traditional language speakers
By Adrianna Adame
Native lawmakers seek accountability after racial misconduct at school events
United Tribes student body president, aka Mr. AIHEC, set to graduate after overcoming life adversities
By Adrianna Adame
Author to visit Bismarck for conversation on newly released book “The Cost of Free Land”
By Adrianna Adame
Baesler says NDGOP doesn’t reflect voters’ views on education
Standing Rock author writes about path to heal from generational trauma in A Council of Dolls
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous scholars spearhead movement for truth and equity in education
By Adrianna Adame
The land-grant legacy
Beyond acknowledgments, land grant universities make up some impressive ground
Bismarck Public Schools makes amends with IPAC, agrees to Memorandum of Understanding
By Adrianna Adame
Indian Child Welfare Act faces another constitutional challenge
Native Children’s Commission report urges President Biden and Congress to prioritize Indigenous youth support
By Adrianna Adame
Heather Demaray elected as Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee chairperson, new officers picked by majority vote
By Adrianna Adame
Land, wealth and higher education
Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee to hold election on Wednesday, encourages participation from Indigenous families
By Adrianna Adame
State Superintendent Student Cabinet positions open
By Adrianna Adame
Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee meets again after year-long shutdown by Bismarck Public Schools
By Adrianna Adame
INSTEM Academy expands to include all North Dakota Native students
By Adrianna Adame
State School Superintendent celebrates new educator development programs, plans to address teacher retention rate
By Adrianna Adame
New program seeks to boost Native student success in languages
New children’s book shares knowledge, history of the jingle dress dance
By Adrianna Adame
Mandan High School teacher finds middle ground, expands curriculum for Native Studies instruction
By Adrianna Adame
St. John Elementary and Middle School recognized as Category One Distinguished Schools
By Adrianna Adame
Lakota teacher wins national education award
Department of Public Instruction to release updated tribal curriculum guides by fall 2024
By Adrianna Adame
Young mother hopes to come back home to Fort Berthold to serve community as an educator
By Adrianna Adame
SB 2304: North Dakota educators ask for more resources, American Indian studies to be incorporated into year-round curriculum
By Adrianna Adame
University opens sexual assault prevention program on Pine Ridge
Legacy of the Andes: Transmedia project opens window on ancient cultures’ responses in times of crisis
From detention camp to campus: North Dakota tribal college memorializes Japanese Americans’ WWII trauma
By Adrianna Adame
From pain to politicking
Spirit Lake rapper amplifies voices of Native youth
By Adrianna Adame
Reconnection and reconciliation, seeking a way back
New Indigenous curriculum and instruction specialist seeks to bring representation to Bismarck Public School system
By Adrianna Adame
Fancy shawl instructor encourages Bismarck students to let powwow dancing be an ‘interpretation of life’
By Adrianna Adame
Born of history
BPS invites YA author to speak to students about importance of self-acceptance
By Adrianna Adame
StrongHearts Honors Native American Heritage Month
A school where students can be ‘unapologetically Indigenous’
Federal officials open investigation into allegations of discrimination at Montana State
Mandan Middle School celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day with special performance
By Adrianna Adame
Tribal-driven energy grant invites communities to choose
Blackfeet man named Montana Teacher of the Year
Handful of states keep universal free student meals
Tribal Leadership Summit inspires, offers student opportunities
By Adrianna Adame
Tribe bans educators over child abuse allegations
Montana’s community choice school commission takes shape
