The Wisdom Project: The Native American

Youth Leadership Initiative

Rose High Bear and Kim Smith

AASHE Conference

Monday, October 27, 2014

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM

Rose High Bear, Executive Director

Kim Smith, Coordinator and Instructor

United Nations Initiatives

• Global Action Programme (GAP)• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)• Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)• Traditional Knowledge: value, revitalize, preserve and

learn

GPSEN/RCE Greater Portland

• Programs and Events- emphasis on social sustainability• Research and curriculum development• Outreach and communication• Multi-sector collaboration to leverage resources,

build capacity and increase collective impact

The Wisdom Project

• New name: Discovering Yidong Xinag* (*means “The Old Wisdom” in Deg Xinag)

• Native Youth Leadership Initiative with Summer Field Science Camps

• Native peer mentorships

• Culturally-tailored multimedia curriculum using films with the Native response to today’s environmental and climate issues

We integrate best practices with Western science

Ethnobotany

...and Traditional Knowledges

And…

…Native American/Alaska Native cultural arts (music, storytelling and traditional arts)

Questions?

Dogidinh ("thank you" in Deg Hit'an Dine)