Progress 09/01/08 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OBJECTIVES 1 - 8: MAINTAIN OPERATIONS OF NWIC EXTENSION: Our 5 full-time and 5 part-time staff offer programs in: financial literacy; individual/family wellness; parenting; youth leadership; life skills; job readiness; traditional culture; and professional development. Funded separately, 3 other full-time employees work in our Office. MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER EXTENSION OFFICES: Whatcom County Extension works with us to provide trainings on parenting and healthy food behaviors. We are working with Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute Extension to develop opportunities for our respective staffs to mentor one another. The Associate Director of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development helps our staff incorporate Appreciate Inquiry into program evaluation. Washington Sea Grant collaborates on financial literacy trainings for commercial fishers. The WSU Special Forest Products Area Extension Educator is on our Advisory Board. Our Extension Director is on the Board of the First American Land-Grant College and Organization Network. IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS: In 2008, we undertook research to address the question: "How do we utilize research about traditional foods of Puget Sound Indians to create a healthier diet and lifestyle for Indian people today" We initiated a Tribal Museum Studies program and created a mentoring program for diabetes educators. DEVELOP CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULA FOR NEW PROGRAMS: Programs are designed by Native people from a traditional perspective and build on traditional knowledge and problem solving techniques. SECURE NECESSARY FUNDING: In the past year, we leveraged the $85,000 CSREES Program Capacity grant by generating an additional $375,134 from grants and $18,280 from contracts. Funders were: CSREES Extension, Research, and Endowment; USDA RIDGE; Washington Health Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; foundations; tribes; and tribal organizations. HOST TRIBAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES: In 2008, we combined our Native American Women & Girls Conference with our Retreat for Men & Boys. Some activities were gender specific; others included both genders. Because all members of extended families could learn and play together, more men and boys registered than when their retreat was separate. And extended families worked jointly on wellness activities. About 150 people participated. IMPLEMENT CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE PARENTING CURRICULA: We work with Whatcom County Extension to support delivery of their "Strengthening Families" curriculum to tribes in our region. Our Financial Literacy Skills Trainer plans to become a trainer in this program. CREATE / IMPLEMENT CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL LITERACY CURRICULA: In response to requests from those we serve, we created culturally relevant curricula in "Family Budgeting," "Preparation to Home Ownership," "Banking Basics," "Investing for the Future," "Finances for Youth," and "Shopping on a Fixed Budget." Each builds on the "Building Native Communities" curriculum that was developed by the First Nations Development Institute and the Fannie Mae Foundation. We delivered these programs to 700+ people. PRODUCTS: Our Financial Literacy Program staff use the culturally relevant Building Native Communities curriculum that was jointly developed by the First Nations Development Institute and the Fannie Mae Foundation. At the request of our project partners and in addition to our core financial literacy training program, we have created culturally relevant curricula for workshops in: Family Budgeting; Preparation to Home Ownership; Banking Basics; Investing for the Future; Finances for Youth; and Grocery Shopping on a Fixed Budget. Each builds on the Building Native Communities curriculum. Two Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were created. One talks about how the Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension Office is helping Washington become the Healthiest State in the Nation. The other promotes family financial literacy. Both were developed by youth and adults. Youth were in both PSAs. Each is shown on several different tribal cable networks. A student in the Western Washington University Human Services program completed an internship in our Financial Literacy program. Upon graduation in June 2009, she was hired as a full time trainer in financial literacy at NWIC. Two students in the Northwest Indian College Native Environmental Science Bachelor of Science program did internships in the Office. This summer, one is being funded by the First Nations' Development Institute to develop the youth track for the Native American Women & Girls/Men & Boys conference. The other is the principal investigator for the new USDA funded Lummi Traditional Foods research project that begins September 1, 2009. Ten teachers were mentored in our Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants curriculum. Each now uses our curriculum within their own communities. Three have been hired part-time by the College to teach the curriculum. A regional conference called The Second Annual Harvest Celebration & Traditional Foods Fair was held at the Swinomish Tribe on October 15-16, 2008. Over 75 participants from more than 10 tribes shared traditional foods recipes. Cooks brought samples and recipes to hand out. Speakers presented information about traditional foods for diabetes prevention. Six bi-monthly gatherings were held at six different tribal locations and in Seattle. Workshop topics included: Making Herbal Gifts, Spring Edible Foods, Tribal Cooks Camp, Harvesting Local Wild Foods at the Ocean, Growing, and Caring for Native Plants and Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants. Over 200 participants attended. August 19-21, 2009, over 150 people attended our Native American Women & Girls/Men & Boys Conference. Workshops addressed many topics, including: financial literacy, parenting, shopping on a fixed income, traditional cooking, basket weaving, cultural sharing, and more. April 13-16, 2009, the college hosted the annual Weavers Teaching Weavers conference. Over 130 basket weavers from 23 tribes learned from each other. The fourth day of the event was an art market at the Whatcom Museum of Art & History. December 16, 2009, a Holiday Art Market was held. Over 40 Native artists sold their work to the holiday shopping public. OUTCOMES: A student in Western Washington University's Human Services program completed an internship in our Financial Literacy program. Upon her June 2009 graduation, she was hired as a full-time financial literacy trainer by our Office. Two students in the Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Native Environmental Science Bachelor of Science program did internships in the Office. One is being funded this summer by the First Nations' Development Institute to develop the youth track for the Native American Women & Girls/Men & Boys conference. The other is the principal investigator for our new USDA funded Lummi Traditional Foods research project that begins September 1, 2009. As a direct result of their involvement with our Office, the Native Environmental Science program was expanded in ways that have generated more student interest in that program. Ten teachers were mentored in our Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants program. Each now uses the curriculum in their own community. We have hired three on a part-time basis to teach the curriculum. Of these, one is working half-time for the College and half-time for her tribe as the tribal school nutritionist. Another manages a farmers' market. The third teaches at an extended Northwest Indian College campus, where she also teaches basket weaving. Outcomes of the Traditional Foods programs include: increased knowledge about the uses of traditional plants for food and medicine; increased awareness of cultural knowledge and protected knowledge; healthy lifestyle changes among tribal people; increased access to local and nutritious foods/creation of gardens; departmental policy changes, such as replacing energy drinks with water in machines, serving only healthy meals at gatherings, and youth being taught to give back what they learn to the community by having giveaways with things they learned to make. Monthly two-day workshops on Financial Skills for Families were offered throughout the year for Lummi Nation clients on public assistance. Classes were offered weekly for clients of the Swinomish Housing Authority. Classes were taught to college students, to tribal school students, and to summer youth of all ages. Over 220 people took these workshops in 2008-9. The Lummi Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) requires all TANF clients to take our two-day class before they can receive their checks. Otherwise, their caseworkers pay their bills for them and give them vouchers for food and gas. A direct outcome of the relationship between Lummi TANF and our Financial Literacy Program is that Lummi TANF has contracted with our Office to provide a range of trainings that lead TANF clients from public assistance to self sufficiency. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: All of the above mentioned activities distribute information to tribes. One of the participating organizations that works closely with us, Native Lens, included money in one of their grants to purchase 200 copies of Wild Rose and Red Cedar, by Elise Krohn. This book was listed last year as a publication created as a result of this USDA grant. The 200 copies were distributed to patients as the Northwest Indian Treatment Center and to tribal programs that are unable to purchase them themselves. The Office also bought 200 copies that are sold at tribal events. Two Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were created. One talks about how the Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension is helping Washington State to become the Healthiest State in the Nation. The other promotes Family Financial Literacy. Both were developed by youth and adults. Youth were in both PSAs. They are both shown over several different tribal cable networks. FUTURE INITIATIVES: In addition to continuing all of the activities listed above, the Office plans the following: 1) To create a Traditional Foods of Puget Sound cook booklet to distribute widely though-out our region. 2) As a result of the new USDA research grant, the Office will recruit 15 Lummi families to work with the Office researcher, to participate in monthly cooking classes, receiving weekly community supported agriculture boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables - all in the effort to change the way their families eat in an effort to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes or some other life threatening illness. 3) To contract with the Lummi Housing Authority to offer a variety of classes in financial literacy skills to their clients. 4) Two Native artists approached the Office about taking over the organization of the Holiday Art Market. They plan to have it for two days in 2009, looking toward an eventual four days in 2010 or 11. 5) With funds from a USDA Special Emphasis grant the Traditional Plants program will be taught to patients in the Northwest Indian Treatment Center. The center specializes in working with Native people suffering from addictions and trauma. A web site will be developed to keep the patients connected to the Traditional Foods project when they are released back to their communities.
Impacts
On a small and humble scale, our programs stand guard against the cultural genocide that has occurred among Native Americans. We make change happen by providing activities that fortify traditions within tribal and family groups, by promoting intergenerational communication, and by providing healing opportunities for people who need a hopeful perspective in their lives.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/06 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OBJECTIVES 1 - 8: MAINTAIN OPERATIONS OF NWIC EXTENSION: Our 5 full-time and 5 part-time staff offer programs in: financial literacy; individual/family wellness; parenting; youth leadership; life skills; job readiness; traditional culture; and professional development. Funded separately, 3 other full-time employees work in our Office. MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER EXTENSION OFFICES: Whatcom County Extension works with us to provide trainings on parenting and healthy food behaviors. We are working with Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute Extension to develop opportunities for our respective staffs to mentor one another. The Associate Director of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development helps our staff incorporate Appreciate Inquiry into program evaluation. Washington Sea Grant collaborates on financial literacy trainings for commercial fishers. The WSU Special Forest Products Area Extension Educator is on our Advisory Board. Our Extension Director is on the Board of the First American Land-Grant College and Organization Network. IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS: In 2008, we undertook research to address the question: "How do we utilize research about traditional foods of Puget Sound Indians to create a healthier diet and lifestyle for Indian people today" We initiated a Tribal Museum Studies program and created a mentoring program for diabetes educators. DEVELOP CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULA FOR NEW PROGRAMS: Programs are designed by Native people from a traditional perspective and build on traditional knowledge and problem solving techniques. SECURE NECESSARY FUNDING: In the past year, we leveraged the $85,000 CSREES Program Capacity grant by generating an additional $375,134 from grants and $18,280 from contracts. Funders were: CSREES Extension, Research, and Endowment; USDA RIDGE; Washington Health Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; foundations; tribes; and tribal organizations. HOST TRIBAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES: In 2008, we combined our Native American Women & Girls Conference with our Retreat for Men & Boys. Some activities were gender specific; others included both genders. Because all members of extended families could learn and play together, more men and boys registered than when their retreat was separate. And extended families worked jointly on wellness activities. About 150 people participated. IMPLEMENT CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE PARENTING CURRICULA: We work with Whatcom County Extension to support delivery of their "Strengthening Families" curriculum to tribes in our region. Our Financial Literacy Skills Trainer plans to become a trainer in this program. CREATE / IMPLEMENT CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL LITERACY CURRICULA: In response to requests from those we serve, we created culturally relevant curricula in "Family Budgeting," "Preparation to Home Ownership," "Banking Basics," "Investing for the Future," "Finances for Youth," and "Shopping on a Fixed Budget." Each builds on the "Building Native Communities" curriculum that was developed by the First Nations Development Institute and the Fannie Mae Foundation. We delivered these programs to 700+ people. PRODUCTS: Our Financial Literacy Program staff use the culturally relevant Building Native Communities curriculum that was jointly developed by the First Nations Development Institute and the Fannie Mae Foundation. At the request of our project partners and in addition to our core financial literacy training program, we have created culturally relevant curricula for workshops in: Family Budgeting; Preparation to Home Ownership; Banking Basics; Investing for the Future; Finances for Youth; and Grocery Shopping on a Fixed Budget. Each builds on the Building Native Communities curriculum. Two Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were created. One talks about how the Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension Office is helping Washington become the Healthiest State in the Nation. The other promotes family financial literacy. Both were developed by youth and adults. Youth were in both PSAs. Each is shown on several different tribal cable networks. OUTCOMES: A student in Western Washington University's Human Services program completed an internship in our Financial Literacy program. Upon her June 2009 graduation, she was hired as a full-time financial literacy trainer by our Office. Two students in the Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Native Environmental Science Bachelor of Science program did internships in the Office. One is being funded this summer by the First Nations' Development Institute to develop the youth track for the Native American Women & Girls/Men & Boys conference. The other is the principal investigator for our new USDA funded Lummi Traditional Foods research project that begins September 1, 2009. As a direct result of their involvement with our Office, the Native Environmental Science program was expanded in ways that have generated more student interest in that program. Ten teachers were mentored in our Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants program. Each now uses the curriculum in their own community. We have hired three on a part-time basis to teach the curriculum. Of these, one is working half-time for the College and half-time for her tribe as the tribal school nutritionist. Another manages a farmers' market. The third teaches at an extended Northwest Indian College campus, where she also teaches basket weaving. Outcomes of the Traditional Foods programs include: increased knowledge about the uses of traditional plants for food and medicine; increased awareness of cultural knowledge and protected knowledge; healthy lifestyle changes among tribal people; increased access to local and nutritious foods/creation of gardens; departmental policy changes, such as replacing energy drinks with water in machines, serving only healthy meals at gatherings, and youth being taught to give back what they learn to the community by having giveaways with things they learned to make. Monthly two-day workshops on Financial Skills for Families were offered throughout the year for Lummi Nation clients on public assistance. Classes were offered weekly for clients of the Swinomish Housing Authority. Classes were taught to college students, to tribal school students, and to summer youth of all ages. Over 220 people took these workshops in 2008-9. The Lummi Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) requires all TANF clients to take our two-day class before they can receive their checks. Otherwise, their caseworkers pay their bills for them and give them vouchers for food and gas. A direct outcome of the relationship between Lummi TANF and our Financial Literacy Program is that Lummi TANF has contracted with our Office to provide a range of trainings that lead TANF clients from public assistance to self sufficiency. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: A student in the Western Washington University Human Services program completed an internship in our Financial Literacy program. Upon graduation in June 2009, she was hired as a full time trainer in financial literacy at NWIC. Two students in the Northwest Indian College Native Environmental Science Bachelor of Science program did internships in the Office. This summer, one is being funded by the First Nations' Development Institute to develop the youth track for the Native American Women & Girls/Men & Boys conference. The other is the principal investigator for the new USDA funded Lummi Traditional Foods research project that begins September 1, 2009. Ten teachers were mentored in our Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants curriculum. Each now uses our curriculum within their own communities. Three have been hired part-time by the College to teach the curriculum. A regional conference called The Second Annual Harvest Celebration & Traditional Foods Fair was held at the Swinomish Tribe on October 15-16, 2008. Over 75 participants from more than 10 tribes shared traditional foods recipes. Cooks brought samples and recipes to hand out. Speakers presented information about traditional foods for diabetes prevention. Six bi-monthly gatherings were held at six different tribal locations and in Seattle. Workshop topics included: Making Herbal Gifts, Spring Edible Foods, Tribal Cooks Camp, Harvesting Local Wild Foods at the Ocean, Growing, and Caring for Native Plants and Diabetes Prevention Through Traditional Plants. Over 200 participants attended. August 19-21, 2009, over 150 people attended our Native American Women & Girls/Men & Boys Conference. Workshops addressed many topics, including: financial literacy, parenting, shopping on a fixed income, traditional cooking, basket weaving, cultural sharing, and more. April 13-16, 2009, the college hosted the annual Weavers Teaching Weavers conference. Over 130 basket weavers from 23 tribes learned from each other. The fourth day of the event was an art market at the Whatcom Museum of Art & History. December 16, 2009, a Holiday Art Market was held. Over 40 Native artists sold their work to the holiday shopping public. FUTURE INITIATIVES: In addition to continuing all of the activities listed above, the Office plans the following: 1) To create a Traditional Foods of Puget Sound cook booklet to distribute widely though-out our region. 2) As a result of the new USDA research grant, the Office will recruit 15 Lummi families to work with the Office researcher, to participate in monthly cooking classes, receiving weekly community supported agriculture boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables - all in the effort to change the way their families eat in an effort to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes or some other life threatening illness. 3) To contract with the Lummi Housing Authority to offer a variety of classes in financial literacy skills to their clients. 4) Two Native artists approached the Office about taking over the organization of the Holiday Art Market. They plan to have it for two days in 2009, looking toward an eventual four days in 2010 or 11. 5) With funds from a USDA Special Emphasis grant the Traditional Plants program will be taught to patients in the Northwest Indian Treatment Center. The center specializes in working with Native people suffering from addictions and trauma. A web site will be developed to keep the patients connected to the Traditional Foods project when they are released back to their communities.
Impacts
On a small and humble scale, our programs stand guard against the cultural genocide that has occurred among Native Americans. We make change happen by providing activities that fortify traditions within tribal and family groups, by promoting intergenerational communication, and by providing healing opportunities for people who need a hopeful perspective in their lives.
Publications
- Feeding the People, Feeding the Spirit by Elise Krohn and Valerie Segrest. First Edition 2010
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Progress 09/01/07 to 08/31/08
Outputs
In 2004, the College undertook a needs assessment of local tribes. The top priorities for community education were: financial literacy; individual / family wellness; positive parenting; youth development; life skills; job readiness; traditional culture; and professional development. In 2005, we founded our own Cooperative Extension Office to coordinate our community education programs. The Office has initiated or expanded programs on each topic. Our NEW approach to addressing ongoing problems is actually the very old, traditional problem solving approach - one that worked for many generations. Rather than looking to outside sources to solve problems, we are looking within our own culture and traditions. Using traditional knowledge and problem solving techniques makes our Extension programs more universally and readily accessible to, more culturally appropriate for, and more heavily utilized by all tribal communities. Our programs are offered in many formats and locations. They are designed in the traditional holistic manner - each incorporates elements of all others. It is common for participants to join one program and then move to another and yet another. While some programs are of short duration, participants' involvement typically is long-term. On a small and humble scale, our programs stand guard against the cultural genocide that has occurred among Native Americans. We make change happen by providing activities that fortify traditions within tribal and family groups, by promoting intergenerational communication, and by providing healing opportunities for people who need a hopeful perspective on their futures. In September, 2007, we hired a full time financial literacy skills trainer. She immediately began offering monthly classes in financial literacy skills to low income groups on the Lummi Nation. Within six months she added weekly classes and training of tribal staff at the Swinomish Tribe. In order to respond to the enormous request for training in this arena the Office applied for and received a Special Emphasis grant in financial literacy. The Tradtional Plants, Foods & Healthy Lifestyle program continues to be very successful. This past year a mentoring program allowed us to build capacity by creaeting more teachers. The lead trainer developed a curriculum in diabetes prevention and control using traditional foods and medicines. This curriculum has been taught to a group of 15 othe trainers. The Coho Fry Release program and the Water Quality program continue to serve the Lummi community. In August of 2008 the annual Native American Women & Girls conference joined with the annual Native American Men & Boys conference. Many sessions were held together. Many new families were in attendance. Workshops were offered in youth development, financial literacy, wellness, traditional culture and personal and prefessional development. PRODUCTS: The Traditional Plants, Foods & Healthy lifestyles program has produced many teas, bath slats, lip balms, body creams, and herbal products. OUTCOMES: A permanent cooperative extension office has been created at Northwest Indian College. This year the Office brought in enough funds from grants and contracts, and fees for services, to be self supporting. Because of the growth of the department the college president approached the college foundation board and asked them to loan the college money to build a building for the cooperative extension department. Within three years the department grew from two full time staff to seven full time staff and several interns and consultants. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Staff from the Traditional Plants program have had informational booths at several tribal health fairs, at statewide tribal meetings, for Indian Health Board activities, and at national forums. The finacial literacy program has offered training to tribal fishers through the Washington Sea Grant program. The coordinaor spoke on a panel for the National Tribal Housing. FUTURE INITIATIVES: Financial Literacy program is in the process of training new trainers and offering technical assistance to these trainers. Within the Traditional Plants program is a research project that builds on research done by archaeologists at the Burke Museum into the foods eaten by people in the Puget Sound area before contact with the Europeans. The expected outcome is the development of a contemporary, healthy, Native diet, along with a cookbook containing recipes using foods identied in this new diet. This project will involve tribal nutritionists, cooks, health care clinicians, tribal researchers, administrators and elders.
Impacts
On a small and humble scale, our programs stand guard against the cultural genocide that has occurred among Native Americans. We make change happen by providing activities that fortify traditions within tribal and family groups, by promoting intergenerational communication, and by providing healing opportunities for people who need a hopeful perspective on their futures.
Publications
- Wild Rose and Western Red Cedar: The Gifts of the Northwest plants by Elise Krohn, 2007
- Diabetes Prevetion Through Traditional Plants Teacher Curriculum by Elise Krohn, 2008
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Progress 09/01/06 to 08/31/07
Outputs
Beginning in January 2006 a permanent Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension Office was created. Susan Given-Seymour is the Director. 72% of her salary is paid from this grant. The rest is picked up by USDA Endowment funds. Although we expected to pay for 1?4 time of Adib Jamshedi, Extension Faculty, his salary was paid for out of other sources. He works with the After School Program and teaches tribal members how to start their own businesses. Vanessa Cooper is a Nutrition Specialist. Her position is paid from a CSREES Special Emphasis grant, USDA Endowment funds and a grant from the Washington Health Foundation. Ruth Solomon is a Conference Coordinator. Her position is paid 28% from USDA Endowment funds and the rest from college institutional funds. Charlotte Clausing works in sustainable agra/aquaculture. She provides Water Quality Testing to the Lummi Nation, as well as teaches DNR staff at other tribes. She offers a Coho Fry release program in the Lummi
Tribal School and programs at the After School Program administered by the NWIC Cooperative Extension. Her salary is paid from contracts and research grants. Lora Boome is a student in the Northwest Indian College Native Environmental Science program and works part time in the Diabetes Prevention Program. The initial programs that were developed were in direct response to a needs assessment survey of the tribal communities we serve. They address youth development, parenting, financial literacy, personal development, professional development, and wellness. Programs have been added based upon requests from tribes, such as the Salish & Neighboring Languages conference and Small Business Development. Some existing college programs have been moved to the department, including the Coho Fry Program and Water Quality Testing.
PRODUCTS: PROGRAM OBJECTIVES Objective one: Maintain a permanent cooperative extension office. Beginning in January 2006 a permanent Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension Office was created. Susan Given-Seymour is the Director. 72% of her salary is paid from this grant. The rest is picked up by USDA Endowment funds. Adib Jamshedi, Extension Faculty, works with the Lummi Residential Center After School Program, and teaches tribal members how to start their own businesses. Vanessa Cooper is a Nutrition Specialist. Her position is paid from a CSREES Special Emphasis grant, USDA Endowment funds and a grant from the Washington Health Foundation. Ruth Solomon is a Conference Coordinator. Her position is paid 28% from USDA Endowment funds and the rest from college institutional funds. Charlotte Clausing works in sustainable agra/aquaculture. She provides Water Quality Testing to the Lummi Nation, as well as teaches DNR staff at other tribes. She offers a Coho Fry release program in
the Lummi Tribal School and programs at the After School Program administered by the NWIC Cooperative Extension. Her salary is paid from contracts and research grants. Objectives two: Initiate activities in the NWIC Cooperative Extension Office. The initial programs that were developed were in direct response to a needs assessment survey of the tribal communities we serve. They address youth development, parenting, financial literacy, and wellness. Programs have been added based upon requests from tribes, such as the Salish & Neighboring Languages conference and Small Business Development. Some existing college programs have been moved to the department, including the Coho Fry Program and Water Quality Testing. Objective three: Offer specific programs in youth leadership, parenting and financial literacy. Extension makes every effort to develop curricula and event agendas that are inclusive of all the program goals. For example, at the Women & Girls conference this past summer, the
agenda included presentations and interactive sessions on financial literacy skills for families, wellness through traditional plants, and basket weaving. Youth development and parenting skills are integral to the event. Several of the workshops and activities were presented by mother/daughter pairs, and by young women who have been attending the conference for several years. Objective four: Secure funding and offer programs in health and nutrition: NWIC Cooperative Extension received a CSREES Special Emphasis grant and a grant from the Washington Health Foundation for the Diabetes Prevention through Healthy Lifestyles program. These grants allowed us to make the position of Nutrition Specialist a permanent one. The main emphasis of the program over the next three years is to create wellness teachers at several Northwest tribes. The office partnered with the Bellingham WSU Nutrition Program to deliver the Food Sense program to Lummi youth.
OUTCOMES: Objective one: Maintain a permanent cooperative extension office. Beginning in January 2006 a permanent Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension Office was created. Susan Given-Seymour is the Director. 72% of her salary is paid from this grant. The rest is picked up by USDA Endowment funds. Adib Jamshedi, Extension Faculty, works with the Lummi Residential Center After School Program, and teaches tribal members how to start their own businesses. Vanessa Cooper is a Nutrition Specialist. Her position is paid from a CSREES Special Emphasis grant, USDA Endowment funds and a grant from the Washington Health Foundation. Ruth Solomon is a Conference Coordinator. Her position is paid 28% from USDA Endowment funds and the rest from college institutional funds. Charlotte Clausing works in sustainable agra/aquaculture. She provides Water Quality Testing to the Lummi Nation, as well as teaches DNR staff at other tribes. She offers a Coho Fry release program in the Lummi Tribal
School and programs at the After School Program administered by the NWIC Cooperative Extension. Her salary is paid from contracts and research grants. Objectives two: Initiate activities in the NWIC Cooperative Extension Office. The initial programs that were developed were in direct response to a needs assessment survey of the tribal communities we serve. They address youth development, parenting, financial literacy, and wellness. Programs have been added based upon requests from tribes, such as the Salish & Neighboring Languages conference and Small Business Development. Some existing college programs have been moved to the department, including the Coho Fry Program and Water Quality Testing. Objective three: Offer specific programs in youth leadership, parenting and financial literacy. Extension makes every effort to develop curricula and event agendas that are inclusive of all the program goals. For example, at the Women & Girls conference this past summer, the agenda included
presentations and interactive sessions on financial literacy skills for families, wellness through traditional plants, and basket weaving. Youth development and parenting skills are integral to the event. Several of the workshops and activities were presented by mother/daughter pairs, and by young women who have been attending the conference for several years. Objective four: Secure funding and offer programs in health and nutrition: NWIC Cooperative Extension received a CSREES Special Emphasis grant and a grant from the Washington Health Foundation for the Diabetes Prevention through Healthy Lifestyles program. These grants allowed us to make the position of Nutrition Specialist a permanent one. The main emphasis of the program over the next three years is to create wellness teachers at several Northwest tribes. The office partnered with the Bellingham WSU Nutrition Program to deliver the Food Sense program to Lummi youth.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: September 18, 2006- Elders from the Lummi Elders Learning Project took a one-week computer class to learn how to teach children how to play various math games on the computer. September 26, 2006 - The Makah Tribe hosted Diabetes Prevention through Traditional Foods and Medicines. October 23, 2006- the Office recrutied students from Western Washington University to tutor students at the Lummi After School Program. October 25, 2006 - The Swinomish Tribe hosted Cough and Cold Season Remedies, making herbs for cough and cold, face steams and cough syrup with honey. December 6, 2006 - Longhouse Media and the University Of Washington Botanic Gardens hosted Wintertime Traditional Stories, Food and Holiday Gifts. December 9, 2006 - The Office hosted a Native Art Market at the Lummi Campus. Over 24 Native artists sold cedar baskets, cedar hats, knitted hats, gloves and socks, jewelry and various keepsake items. January 24th, 2007 The Skokomish tribe hosted "Visioning
Healthy Communities". Elders, community members and intergenerational program coordinators from Skokomish and other tribes spoke about building strong communities. February 21st, 2007 The Muckleshoot tribe hosted "Herbs for Healthy Skin and Hair". March 9th, 2007 The Quinault Tribe hosted "Create Healing Gardens". On April 4th, 2007 Tulalip Tribe hostedfor "Spring Time Plants and Herbs", talking abouthow spring time plants play an important role in regulating diabetes and other health related conditions. April 11-13, 2007 - The annual Weavers Teaching Weavers event expanded to include one day for the master level basket weavers to teach and learn from each other, two day for the apprentice level weavers to learn from the master level weavers, and an Art Market at the Whatcom Museum of Art & History on the fourth day. On May 2nd, 2007 - The Stillaguamish Tribe hosted "Plants For Healthy Hearts". On May 9th, 2007 Vanessa Cooper, Nutrition Specialist, taught a class on Lip Balms and Bath
Salts on the Lummi Campus. On May 17 & 18, 2007 the Office hosted our first Salish & Neighboring Languages conference. Native Language teachers presented their successes and challenges to each other. Over one hundred participants represented twenty tribes. On June 6th, 2007 The Squaxin Island Museum hosted "Making First Aid Kits for the 2007 Canoe Journey". Some things made were bug spray, ginger capsules, trauma balm and lip balm. On July 10th, 2007 the Swinomish Tribe hosted a Health Summit to kick off the next phase fo the program. On July 30th and 31st, we participated in the Paddle to Lummi Canoe Journey. We had a table set up that included various plants and products that we have made. August 22-24, 2007 - For the first time NWIC Cooperative Extension hosted the annual Native American Women & Girls conference and the annual Retreat for Men & Boys at Camp Huston at the same time. Seventy four women and girls and 31 men and boys spent two nights/three days in activities focusing
on wellness, financial literacy, youth leadership, parenting, film making and basketry.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: 1. The Office will hire a Financial Literacy Skills Outreach Trainer who will offer workshops to students at the Northwest Indian College, and on the Lummi and Swinomish Nations. She will also offer trainings for trainers, as well as continuing technical assistance, to people at other tribes in the Northwest. 2. The Office will explore partnership possiblities with the Washington Sea Grant office. 3. The Office will continue to explore how to reach out to all of the NWIC Extended Campuses. 4. The office plans to reach out to other tribal colleges to learn what best practices they have discovered in the areas of Native Plants and Financial Literacy.
Impacts
1. The Office developed an Advisory Board that represents the different focus areas, the partnerships and the tribes with whom we work. 2. The Office developed a full time Nutrition Specialist position who works with over 20 different tribes on diabetes prevention work. Funding from USDA and the Washington Health Foundation allows the Office to offer workshops with the goal of creating wellness teachers at several Northwest tribes. 3. The Office delivered tutuoring and training to over 75 children ages 6 - 16 in financial literacy, aqualculture, math/science/reading/writing. 4. The Office Created venues for over 50 Native American artists to seel their artwork. 5. The Office brought together over 100 Native Language teachers, representing over 20 different tribes, who were able to share their successes and challenges with each other.
Publications
- Wild Rose and Western Red Cedar: The Gifts of the Northwest Plants by Elise Krohn 2007
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