Native American Waiver and Educational Program

The Need for

Educating the Mind and the Spirit

Historical PerspectiveTraditional Education before Colonization

After Colonization: The Early Years of a Formal Education -Boarding Schools to Industrial Schools

Forced Assimilation practices: “ Kill the Indian …Save the Man”

Capt. Richard H. Pratt, created a loss of culture, language,

spirituality, identity and created inter-generational trauma for

years to come

Carlisle

Industrial

School

1879

From 1879 until 1918, over 10,000 Native

American children from 140 tribes attended

Carlisle, including Wabanaki’s. By 1943, 2/3’s of

Native peoples could not speak their own

language.

After 40 years only 158 graduated.

Over a thousand Native children died.

Education in the hands of the Catholic Church on and off reservations

Residential Schools in Canada and USA

In 1928, a government official predicted Canada would end its "Indian problem" within two generations. Church-run, government-funded residential schools for native children were supposed to prepare/assimulate them for life in white society. But the aims of assimilation meant devastation for those who were subjected to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

June 11, 2008 Canadian Prime Minister Harper formal apologizes to the First Nations of Canada

Native American Education Present Day

Bureau of Indian Affairs placed education back in the hands of

individual tribes in the 1940’s. After the Maine land claims in

1979-80, money began to support Native education

• Three reservation schools in Maine serving K-Grade 8 which were run by

the Catholic Church. NOW, more Native teachers are hired, less church

presence. Reservation schools preserve cultural and boost academics.

• Learning Centers established and summer supports system in place and in

the last 5 years, summer language emersion classes are held

• Drop out rates increased when native students attended local High

Schools…. 65% (nationally) WHY? Isolation, feeling invisible, lack of

cultural understanding, discrimination, racism, sport mascots, etc. all

affect retention

Higher Education in Indian Country Today

Inception: University of Maine System Board of Trustees – As a land grant university, the

board of trustees voted to allow full scholarships to five students who were members of the

Penobscot or Passamaquoddy tribes in 1934. In 1971, the criteria were broadened to include

all North American Indians thru the North American Tuition Waiver and Scholarship Program.

Purpose- To encourage Maine’s Native Americans to participate in higher education.

Waiver- covers all credit bearing classes and mandatory fees. The Educational program or the

Room & board grant is based on a students financial need to cover living in the dorm.

Early findings and educational barriers:

• Long term exposure to abuse, drugs, isolation, lack of confidence and extreme

poverty create an inability to learn

• Native student unprepared for the academic course load with few parental role

models in higher education

• Cultural practices unaccepted in non-native communities

• Universities had no support services in place until 1996

• 1995 drop out rate at USM was 74%, Today about 10-15%

Native American Waiver & Educational Program or NAWEP

In 2012, the program was revised to make it more sustainable for the UMaine system.

Tuition Waiver covers all credited courses and mandatory fees

Students can earn Associates, Bachelors, Masters and Ph.d degree programs

Room & Board Grant helps support students living in the dorms. The most neediest of students

receive this grant. Students must be registered for 12 credits to live in the dorms.

Financial Aid- all students must file a FAFSA and be eligible to receive it or students are not

eligible for the NAWEP

According to a 2005 report by the American Council on Education, the number of American Indian

students attending college doubled from 1977 to 2002. In Maine, we have about 500 students in the

UMaine system per year.

Who qualifies for the NAWEP?

Tribal Members of Wabanaki Tribes

and direct descendants

Non-Wabanaki Tribal members

Must be Tribal members no

descendants

All applications are approved or not,

by John Bear Mitchell, the NAWEP

System Coordinator at UMO

Creating a Successful Educational Experience

Research Shows Educational Results Improved for Native students when:

• Family Support- Families/member previously attend college offers great support, a family

mentor can challenge and motivate, assist with academic skills, provide financial and

education recourses, social skills and identity issues. W/O a family member with an

educational background student success shows lover retention rates.

• Cultural and Identify on College campus- through Native student groups /center

incorporating Native lecturers/ guest speakers and programming containing a cultural

component. Peer to peer mentoring programs are helpful. Common dorm area build a

strong sense of community and spiritual base on campus

• Institutional Support- caring faculty and staff (extended family) offers support emotional,

cultural, and personally educationally.

• Learning Disabilities- improved resources to diagnose 51% of native students have learning

disabilities / ADD/HD issues most undiagnosed

Challenges for Native Students Education

• RELIGIOUS

• FINANCIAL

• CULTURAL“OUTING”

• “ISM’S” AND

STEREOTYPING

• CULTURAL ISOLATION

• INTER-GENERATIONAL

TRAUMA

• SELF- MEDICADING

• LEARNING DISABILITES And

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMMING AT USM

• Native American Awareness Month- November- Cultural

performances, cultural based workshops: from the Wabanaki

Truth & Reconciliation trainings to basket making workshops.

• Earth Day- Honoring Mother Earth: bring Native Elders to speak

on Natural Resources, Petroglyphs, Tribal Historians

• Life & Traditions of the Red Man /Charlie Shay,

• Talking Circle- Monthly newsletter

• One Nation –USM’s Native Student Group

Educating the Mind and the Spirit

Kci woliwoni ("great thanks")

Susan Lewey Hamilton Penobscot Tribal Member

Coordinator, Multicultural Student Affairs

& Coordinator, Native American Waiver and Educational Program

susan.lewey.Hamilton@maine.edu