Progress 09/01/22 to 08/18/25
Outputs
Target Audience:In-and-out of school environment, and summer STEM programming will engage both the middle school and high school youth in hands-on learning activities with Anishinaabeg STEM professionals from the White Earth Nation and University of Minnesota communities. Older teens will apply the STEM Learning they have acquired through this programming, to teach out to younger youth and share with the community. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference (GLIFC) White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff took two teens to Honor the History, Culture and Harvesters of Manoomin, Professional and Community night in the Rice Lake Community, hosted by UofM, WETCC Ext, and White Earth Nation, to discuss with seasoned/professional and life long wild rice harvesters from the Local tribal community. White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff took two teens to the Fond Du Lac Manoomin Psin Knowledge Symposium - November, 2023. A two day symposium hosted by the Fond Du Lac Tribe with partnership of University of Minnesota, to bring professionals together to learn about all things Wild Rice including health of the plant, health of the lakes and rivers in Minnesota, climate change, invasive species, traditional knowledge of wild rice and much more. Youth were able to attend sessions, network, learn from professionals in the field, and see themselves in a professional STEM environment related to a major traditional and natural food source for Anishinaabeg and others. Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference (GLIFC) Earth Partnership Minnesota Environmental Education Program (Tuesday, July 15 to July 18, 2025) - at the Science Center Topics: Introduction and Earth Partnership Philosophy and PracticeEssential Question (EQ): How do environmental education and restoration utilize the power of place to transform education, promote social justice, encourage sustainability, and address local environmental concerns? Black Ash Pack Basketry Training Class @ Giizhigan (June 6th-9th; and June 16th) White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC) STEAM Camp Counselor Training on Youth Development - 3 full days - training by Dana Trickey, Assistant Extension Educator, White Earth Tribal 4-H? How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The Canoe Build was featured in the University of Minnesota Extension's Youth Development Insight https://extension.umn.edu/youth-development-insight/buffalo-4-h-project The Canoe was displayed in the 4-H Building at the Minnesota State Fair for the duration of the Fair (10 days). Youth who participated in the canoe build gave a presentation on their experience in the 4-H Building; audience members included the Extension Dean, Department of Youth Development Associate Dean, State program staff and other 4-H Youth A video presentation that outlines the 12-day canoe building process is published at this site: https://mediaspace.umn.edu/media/t/1_j0s2rx19 Full Service Community Partners Program at Naytahwaush Charter school - serving School and Community, Dana Trickey is now on the committee for ongoing service in the community through providing 4-H in the areas of STEAM and more. Multiple programs, partners, schools, etc. in the communities of the White Earth Nation continue to ask White Earth 4-H to bring STEM learning to their programs and communities to bring the Birchbark Canoe, fish smoker, and knowledge of teaching Black Ash basketry, Birchbark, wildfoods, traditional food processing and preservation to their programs and communities. White Earth 4-H is continually asked to present at conferences and to groups of professionals on the impactful and historical work we did over the past two years, on the traditional and cultural food harvest techniques, canoe building, black ash basketry making, and food processing. We anticipate this to be ongoing for years to come; as the youth plan to continue to learn and grow the STEM skills they learned through this grant program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Youth wanted to focus heavily on STEM related to traditional Anishinaabeg food systems, including traditional harvesting practices, traditional knowledge, seasonal growing, and making traditional harvesting and processing tools for this learning. White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff taught several learning sessions for youth in learning natural/seasonal cycles of woodland plants; plant and tree identification; and wild food and traditional medicine harvest. In the winter of 2023-24 the teens expressed interest in learning about traditional fishing and processing techniques. They decided they wanted to build a fish smoker. This project was great for building their planning (blueprint), math, and engineering skills. In January 2024, the teen showcased and tried out their smoker at the 8th Annual Cultural Winter camp, hosted by White Earth 4-H each session. There they were able to teach younger youth the process, about what they learned, and showcase it to the White Earth community. Later in early spring 2024, youth learned how to clean sucker fish, and harvest Maple syrup/sugar from the Maple trees; another opportunity to showcase the fish smoker for families and community. At the Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference (GLIFC), White Earth 4-H, March 7th-10th, hosted Revitalizing Our Recipes: Cooking with What We've Got Cook-Off (Aka "Native Chopped")! It's a great partnership, showcasing, and marketing piece for our program, so that Native International communities know we are in White Earth, and doing great work with youth. From March 2024 - June 2024, White Earth 4-H Staff, Teen Mentor Staff, Alumni 4-H Volunteers, and Teen Mentees in the program participated in several full learning days in the woods, harvesting supplies to build a 15 ½ foot Ojibwe Longnose Birchbark Canoe. This style of canoe, the youth learned, is a specific design for harvesting wild rice, which the youth practiced harvesting in the fall, and plan to use for food harvest in the future. The Canoe build was held over 12 full days in June. Younger youth also joined the Canoe Crew team, in learning from the teens and Cultural STEM Professionals teaching the skills. Over 250 people attended the canoe build in the 12 days, from school-summer programs, neighboring 4-H programs, community members, and families. Teen Mentees in the program, along with White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff, then traveled to the 2024 National 4-H True Leaders in Equity Institute in Bathesda, MD to attend the week-long youth conference to learn about Equity and Leadership. WAMS - Birchbark Canoe on Lake Day, July 31st, 3 adults (staff/volunteers), 1 teen, 2 youth met at the lake to take the canoe on the water and learn paddling and safety. While there, 50 B & G club kids showed up to swim, and we were able to show them our project. In August, youth prepared to bring the canoe to the Minnesota State Fair, reviewing the learning they had done, and planning for presenting on the project. In the fall of 2024, the Canoe Crew of White Earth 4-H Staff, Teen Mentor Staff, Mentees and two younger youth committed to the learning, showcased the Birchbark Canoe at the Minnesota State Fair, presenting on their work and learning to a diverse audience of deans, donors, Extension staff, youth, and eager fair-goers. In the fall of 2024, the Canoe Crew of White Earth 4-H Staff, Teen Mentor Staff, Mentees and two younger youth committed to the learning, showcased the Birchbark Canoe at the Minnesota State Fair, presenting on their work and learning to a diverse audience of deans, donors, Extension staff, youth, and eager fair-goers. During the Canoe build, a film crew from PBS - Minnesota, came to do a documentary on the project and program. WAMS Meeting - Canning/Fermenting Cabbage, October 27th, 2024 5 youth, and 3 alumni-volunteers attended the meeting to learn how to ferment and can cabbage, under indigenous Food, STEM programming. Annual Cultural Winter Camp - Teens taught younger youth of the families in attendance, about the science of smoking fish (preparing it as food and for longer storage), and cultural beadwork (lots of math and engineering in this). 2 teens, 15-20 younger youth. Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference, Grand Rapids MN- March 8th, 2025 (4hr programming) Teens work with younger youth to create meals out of Indigenous foods, learning the Science of those indigenous foods and cooking with them.8 youth total White Earth 4-H ran a Sugarbush Cultural Camp, Rural Waubun, MN, sharing Cultural and Natural Science teaching about Maple Sap Harvest. White Earth 4-H Sugarbush and Sugarbush Programming at Waubun School Forest, Spring 2025 - White Earth 4-H also supported and taught about Maple Sap harvest and processing at the Waubun School forest to nearly 120 youth throughout the season. Spring Gardening Projects at the White Earth Tribal and Community College - Community Gardens. 4 youth to-date; youth wanted to do more art, black ash baskets, etc. Black Ash Pack Basket Training Workshop - June 6-9th, 2025 11am-5pm each day. 3 teens and 2 adults/staff, along with 3 adult partners (paid their portion for the class) gaining training on the art and science/engineering of black ash basket making, along with Natural science in learning about the growth and harvest of the Black Ash tree as material to make the basket. Plans for work with youth in schools, where the teens can practice teaching out what they learned. Black Ash Small Basket Class - June 16th, 2025 1pm-5pm. 3 teens, 1 younger youth, 2 adults/staff, along with 1 adult partner learned how to make a smaller black ash basket as a followup class to the larger training. This is the style the teens will teach out to younger youth, so they have an opportunity to try the art form. Naytahwaush Charter School Summer program - June 25th, 2-2025 3hrs. 1 teen and 2 adults/staff went to teach 16 youth about Birchbark Basketry. 10 of the youth (1st-3rd graders) made a small winnow tray basket under our tutelage, and we talked to 6 more kindergarteners about basketry making, uses for baskets in our culture, and materials needed. Strawberry Picking @ Ter-Lee Garden in Bagley MN, July 2nd, 2025. 3 adults, 3 teens and 4 youth attended to pick strawberries, and have a garden tour of Ter-Lee's operation, learning about farming, food harvesting, and running a farm business. We also ran into a Clearwater Co. 4-H club while visiting the farm. Naytahwaush Charter School Summer program - July 9th, 2025, 9am-2:30pm. One teen and 2 adults attended to teach 12 youth black ash basketry through making a woven black ash basket mat. Taught younger 10 youth in the afternoon, about wild foods, medicines, and flower/plant identification in the school gardens. Naytahwaush Charter School Summer program - July 9th, 2025, 9am-2:30pm. One teen and 2 adults attended to teach Black Ash Basketry to 10 older youth 4th-6th graders, and 4 adult teachers. In the afternoon, teen leader Mindy, taught Corn Husk Doll making, and we shared the story behind it, with younger youth, Eight 1-3rd graders and a second class of Eight Kindergarten and Pre-Schoolers. Naytahwaush Charter School Summer program - July 22nd and 24th, 2025, 9am-2:30pm each day. 3 teens and 1 adults attended to teach 10 youth, 4th-6th graders, Porcupine Quillwork on Birchbark continuing our STEM education in traditional practices. Art Class w/ Kent Estey, Naytahwaush, MN, July 31st, 2025, 10:30am-3pm. Youth learned about Blask Ash Basket History in White Earth, Naytahwaush Community, and the Estey Family; elements of building and running a successful art business; and learned to paint (2 paintings each) in Kent's art style. Attendees to this program included: 3 adults, 3 teens and 4 younger youth.
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Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:In-and-out of school environment, and summer STEM programming will engage both the middle school and high school youth in hands-on learning activities with Anishinaabeg STEM professionals from the White Earth Nation and University of Minnesota communities. Older teens will apply the STEM Learning they have acquired through this programming, to teach out to younger youth and share with the community. Changes/Problems:We requested a no-cost extension to allow us until August 31, 2025 to complete the grant project. There are several reasons for our need for more time. First, following COVID, many of our youth programs have struggled to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels of engagement. This is especially true in the White Earth community and for our White Earth 4-H program. Additionally, after the award was received, our relationship with a key member of the partner school changed. This person was to be one of the Teen Coordinators. And with the current job market being one that favors job seekers, we have found it difficult to hire Teen Coordinators in this community. Second, personnel issues with the Principal Investigator have slowed down spending on the grant significantly. The change in PI allowed us to continue with the project and programming has significantly increased as outlined in the Sections above. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference (GLIFC) White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff took two teens to Honor the History, Culture and Harvesters of Manoomin, Professional and Community night in the Rice Lake Community, hosted by UofM, WETCC Ext, and White Earth Nation, to discuss with seasoned/professional and life long wild rice harvesters from the Local tribal community. White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff took two teens to the Fond Du Lac Manoomin Psin Knowledge Symposium - November, 2023. A two day symposium hosted by the Fond Du Lac Tribe with partnership of University of Minnesota, to bring professionals together to learn about all things Wild Rice including health of the plant, health of the lakes and rivers in Minnesota, climate change, invasive species, traditional knowledge of wild rice and much more. Youth were able to attend sessions, network, learn from professionals in the field, and see themselves in a professional STEM environment related to a major traditional and natural food source for Anishinaabeg and others. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The Canoe Build was featured in the University of Minnesota Extension's Youth Development Insight https://extension.umn.edu/youth-development-insight/buffalo-4-h-project The Canoe was displayed in the 4-H Building at the Minnesota State Fair for the duration of the Fair (10 days). Youth who participated in the canoe build gave a presentation on their experience in the 4-H Building; audience members included the Extension Dean, Department of Youth Development Associate Dean, State program staff and other 4-H Youth A video presentation that outlines the 12-day canoe building process is published at this site: https://mediaspace.umn.edu/media/t/1_j0s2rx19 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Wild Rice Camp - Fall White Earth Tribal 4-H Winter Camp: anticipating 60-75 youth and 15-20 parents/guardians and adult volunteers, Cultural experiences include fishing, smoking and preserving fish, as well as traditional crafts, games, foods, language and storytelling. White Earth Tribal 4-H Maple Sugar Bush Camp: 25-30 youth and sufficient number of adult volunteers with overall leadership provided by 4-H PC Dana Trickey. Camp stretches over the course of 3 to 4 weeks in the spring with youth visiting the site several times to tap, collect and process sap into syrup. Berry Camp - Camps done in partnership with other White Earth tribal entities with partners sharing staff time, program expenses. Youth will present at the Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference (GLIFC) You want to learn how to make Black Ash Baskets, a traditional and cultural form of basketry in the summer. Other hopeful projects are community gardening and building of raised garden bed boxes, for community use, in the community garden at White Earth Tribal and Community College in Mahnomen, MN. Wood and supplies have been donated by another community donor.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Youth wanted to focus heavily on STEM related to traditional Anishinaabeg food systems, including traditional harvesting practices, traditional knowledge, seasonal growing, and making traditional harvesting and processing tools for this learning. White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff taught several learning sessions for youth in learning natural/seasonal cycles of woodland plants; plant and tree identification; and wild food and traditional medicine harvest. In the winter of 2023-24 the teens expressed interest in learning about traditional fishing and processing techniques. They decided they wanted to build a fish smoker. We worked with them to design it, then purchased the supplies, and they built their fish smoker. Towards the end of the project, a few younger youth joined us, and the older youth helped them learn how to build the project. Some of the critical decisions to be made were, size, movability, appropriate materials, safety, etc. This project was great for building their planning (blueprint), math, and engineering skills. In January 2024, the teen showcased and tried out their smoker at the 8th Annual Cultural Winter camp, hosted by White Earth 4-H each session. There they were able to teach younger youth the process, and about what they learned, and showcase it to the White Earth community. Later in early spring 2024, youth learned how to clean sucker fish, and harvest Maple syrup/sugar from the Maple trees; another opportunity to showcase the fish smoker for families and community. At the Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference (GLIFC), White Earth 4-H, March 7th-10th, hosted Revitalizing Our Recipes: Cooking with What We've Got Cook-Off (Aka "Native Chopped")! This Event has become a real hit at the conference! Working in teams, teens partnered with younger youth and developed recipes using ingredients from a pantry of foods found in Native communities (garden veggies, wild foods, and Government issued commodities). Once the cooking is done, youth present their dishes to the conferences' international audience, and share the challenge they were given, and what they incorporated to make their meals healthy, tasty, and creative. 3 adults (I, 1 part-time staff, and 1 volunteer) brought 5 youth to attend the conference, and 6 additional youth at the conference joined in programming. Each year, we get a few new enrollments from this program. This program challenges the youth in decision-making, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, time management, and more. It gives them a great showcasing opportunity, in front of an international audience; and gives them shadowing experience of a professional working conference in the areas of Indigenous foods, farming, and other job fields. It's a great partnership, showcasing, and marketing piece for our program, so that Native International communities know we are in White Earth, and doing great work with youth. From March 2024 - June 2024, White Earth 4-H Staff, Teen Mentor Staff, Alumni 4-H Volunteers, and Teen Mentees in the program participated in several full learning days in the woods, harvesting supplies to build a 15 ½ foot Ojibwe Longnose Birchbark Canoe. This style of canoe, the youth learned, is a specific design for harvesting wild rice, which the youth practiced harvesting in the fall, and plan to use for food harvest in the future. The Canoe build was held over 12 full days in June. Younger youth also joined the Canoe Crew team, in learning from the teens and Cultural STEM Professionals teaching the skills. Over 250 people attended the canoe build in the 12 days, from school-summer programs, neighboring 4-H programs, community members, and families. It was a great learning experience, where youth learned highly skilled traditional Engineering techniques, practiced math and science skills, even Natural Science (chemistry) of working with Birchbark, Cedar, spruce root, and more. Traditional/cultural wild food and some cooking was also incorporated into the 12-day camp. Teen Mentees in the program, along with White Earth 4-H Staff and Teen Mentor Staff, then traveled to the 2024 National 4-H True Leaders in Equity Institute in Bathesda, MD to attend the week-long youth conference to learn about Equity and Leadership. Teens had submitted earlier in the year, a proposal to be presenters, and were approved. They presented to peer 4-Hers from around the country, on their STEM projects of cultural/traditional Anishinaabeg food learning, Fish Smoker build, Wild Rice learning, and Canoe build. The presentation was a great accomplishment, and showcasing-experience of their indepth learning. WAMS - Birchbark Canoe on Lake Day, July 31st, 3 adults (staff/volunteers), 1 teen, 2 youth met at the lake to take the canoe on the water and learn paddling and safety. While there, 50 B & G club kids showed up to swim, and we were able to show them our project. In the fall of 2024, the Canoe Crew of White Earth 4-H Staff, Teen Mentor Staff, Mentees and two younger youth committed to the learning, showcased the Birchbark Canoe at the Minnesota State Fair, presenting on their work and learning to a diverse audience of deans, donors, Extension staff, youth, and eager fair-goers..
Publications
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