Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The program works with youth, families and community members of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa, with approximately 7,000 members, including 1,800 living on the reservation. The educator also partners with youth-serving agencies and on the reservation and with the Ashland School District, which serves the majority of Bad River students. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The FRTEP educator participated and continues to participate in a work group for the UW-Division of Extensions Office of Action, Inclusion, and Compliance to build a community of practice to address racism and associated issues in our communities. This improves the work being done by Extension in Native communities in Wisconsin and helps to create professional development programming and resources for new and existing employees. The FRTEP educator has also provided cultural awareness training for UW Division of Extension employees. She has worked with Extension and partner staff in other tribal communities. She is the mentor for a new employee hired to serve the Potowatami Nation and helped the Tribal and Extension partners develop the job description and goals. FRTEP staff mentored and worked closely with two interns, in a second-year expansion of an internship program from LCO Tribal College, as well as two apprentices funded by the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council who were stationed at the Bad River Food Sovereignty facility. FRTEP provided professional development and provided opportunities to teach youth about gardening, harvesting, and traditional Ojibwe foodways. FRTEP also coordinated and hosted two day-long field trips to meet other native food producers, see their farms and operations, and form networks and connections for the future. These internships/apprenticeships are an expression of the commitment being made by Native-led organizations to train and nurture young people to serve their communities in the realms of wellness and food sovereignty. Ashland Schools staff and students have participated in experiential education opportunities to fulfill Wisconsin Act 31, whichrequires that public schools provide instruction onnative culture. FRTEP programs in classrooms and in extracurricular programs have been offered in elementary, middle, and high schools. FRTEP also creates space for youth to provide training to both youth and adults in the community. Youth have led workshops in school settings, culture camps, and other locations on wild ricing, baaga'adowewin (lacrosse), and uses of herbal teas, among other topics. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?FRTEP Advisory Council consists of tribal leaders, elders, youth, representatives of existing tribal youth-serving organizations and Ashland County Extension. This group meets annually and brings new collaborative partners to the project and helps to plan and implement new seasonal events. The FRTEP Educator meets regularly with community stakeholders, including the tribe's Community Advisory Board, about youth needs and opportunities. The FRTEP educator also led a discussion with the Bayfield County Board and Red Cliff Tribal Council joint committee discussing programming opportunities and partnership. Examples of dissemination include providing partners with a plant guide developed by FRTEP, which is being used across the region by the Bayfield School (90% Native students) and by the Red Cliff Tribe at their culture camps. FRTEP contributes to the UW Division of Extension Planning and Reporting system regularly. FRTEP writes monthly reports for the Ashland County Agriculture and Extension Committee and contributes to the annual report to share the value and impact of the work for the region. The FRTEP educator was recognized with the 2022 Award for Excellence in Public Service and Outreach by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The FRTEP educator also facilitates two social media pages, one focused on food sovereignty and one focused on baaga'adowewin and regularly shares events and updates on the Bad River Community Posting Board social media page. The FRTEP program is often highlighted on the school district and the Mashkiiziibii Youth Services social media pages. A young leader in Bad River baaga'adowewin was featured in a statewide publication called Love Wisconsin (https://www.lovewi.com/shawn/) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The existing programming related to traditional food education and production, physical activity, and cultural revitalization will be maintained with plans for more in-person programming. New programs in development include an expanded apprenticeship/internship program and connecting interns with the emerging opportunities with the new tribal food processing facility, tribal farm, and food procurement initiative. In the next reporting period, FRTEP will lead a trip to visit Owamni/NATIFS/Indigenous Food Lab in Minneapolis to further the opportunities for youth on culinary pathways. The FRTEP educator will offer guidance for the tribe in the development of the tribal farm and the food procurement project. This will include educational opportunities for community members preparing and serving food such as the Head Start cooks and Summer Feeding staff. FRTEP will coordinate the sourcing of food on reservation for these initiatives and off reservation working directly with the Bad River Food Distribution employees and the Tribal Food Procurement coordinator (not yet hired). FRTEP will continue to expand the baaga'adowewin program with resources and educational support to create regional intertribal baaga'dowewin games and events. FRTEP will continue to play an important role in dismantling the bias and racism in our public schools by providing professional development and guidance to Ashland School District staff and administration. FRTEP will continue to partner with tribal organizations bringing resource support and education to teach nutrition, gardening, food processing and preservation, wild food and medicine harvest, and traditional Ojibwe plant knowledge. FRTEP will continue working on three new curriculum resources in development to support the restoration of the Ojbwe language and Ojibwe traditional food and medicine knowledge and use. FRTEP will continue working with UW-Madison and UW-Madison Division of Extension on creating a community of practice and practical guidance for educators to do better and be better when serving tribal communities. FRTEP will continue to support young people through LTE appointments, and internship/apprenticeship mentoring to continue strengthening the next generation of food sovereignty leaders and to further the restored vitality and wellness of the Bad River Tribe.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal: Strengthen cultural connectedness and active cultural practice, especially related to food and language. Revitalizing language and culture as the basis for youth and community health was identified as a high priority in listening sessions conducted at Bad River, as well as those held across Wisconsin's 12 tribal nations. FRTEP partnered with community programs to offer in person classes on traditional harvest, plant knowledge, gardening, food preparation, and traditional medicines using the Ojibwe language throughout. Classes have served over 400 youth and nearly 200 adults annually and during the pandemic included 23 video classes in one year. Classes are offered year-round collaborating with many tribal partners: Bad River Head Start, Mashkiiziibii Youth Services, Bad River Food Sovereignty, Bad River Education Department, Bad River Natural Resources, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal College, Bad River Family Foundations, Social Services, Bad River DayCare, Tribal Child Advocacy, and AODA Counseling. A youth services employee said, " I love how she (FRTEP educator) incorporates Ojibwe language into her lessons. It's part of our culture and she learns it and she teaches it. And a lot of our kids and people in the community don't know much Ojibwe so it's really important for us to hear and learn that." Group interviews analyzed by an external evaluator in 2021 identified outcomes of the program including increased use of Ojibwe language and greater traditional food knowledge among both youth and family program participants. These cultural practices were integrated into community systems, facilitated and supported by the Extension Educator; for example, the public school has included harvesting, traditional lacrosse, and other cultural practices in school, extra-curricular, and summer school schedules. Student projects reflecting traditional ecological knowledge were accepted for credit in one high school course. Goal: Increase youth physical activity, especially through cultural practices related to food harvesting and traditional sports such as lacrosse. Traditional lacrosse (baaga'adowewin) participation has grown in participation and in impact, with youth starting in 2018 playing games during school lunch and in seasonal camps, and by 2022 included 108 youth and adults learning and playing in both school-based and weekly summer community based games. FRTEP provides materials for making traditional sticks, and facilitates elders and experienced players teaching newer players. 2022 was the first in many years that baaga'adowewin returned to the Manoomin Pow Wow. Interview participants documented the role the game has in connecting youth to culture and also bringing families and generations together. Take a Hike programming integrates physical activity and traditional knowledge about edible and medicinal plants, Ojibwe language, and treaty rights. This program annually provides 18 hours of physical activity to over 40 youth in tribal summer programs. Goal: Improve youth nutrition, increasing taste for and consumption of fresh foods and a locally-produced traditionally-grounded diet. An interview participant spoke of youth in the program who have "learned to pick from a garden or forage in the bush appreciate real foods, and want to try harder to eat less processed foods." FRTEP participants grew nearly 2000 pounds annually with a market value over $7300 per year from 2018 through 2020 before pandemic strategies moved the focus to home gardens. Harvesting activities engage at least 200 youth annually in maple syruping, fish spearing, berry picking, and wild ricing. The majority of youth participated in these traditional cultural activities for the first time within FRTEP programs. FRTEP provided training in canoe safety for wild ricing, facilitated youth participation in community harvest activities, and organized outings for youth, families, and community experts to harvest food. Youth in FRTEP programs also helped to create and maintain a garden accessible to elders for the harvest of medicinal and food plants. Goal: Increase the youth role in supporting food sovereignty (food system) development to ensure access to healthy food. Produce grown by youth in partnership with the Food Sovereignty Program was shared with families of youth participants, distributed to elders and food insecure individuals, and preserved and served at community celebrations. Beginning in 2020, youth-produced food was sold at a sliding scale at the Bad River Farmers Market. Dine and Learn events were held bimonthly before the pandemic and served over 120 community members annually in an opportunity to share food and learn about nutrition and cultural values. A community member observed, "I always see Elders and youth involved in the food sovereignty events and it feels like how everything should be." Youth grew and harvested herbs for making tea, which were shared in community programs, including the senior center, to replace sweetened beverages. An interview participant said, "They learned everything from Joy (FRTEP Educator): how to make home-made teabags, what different teas were used for, Ojibwe words for them." Another shared how the youth "would set up a table at tribal events and have people come and taste their teas...wonderful that they could take something they grew and know what to do with it." During the pandemic, hay bale garden and container gardening kits were distributed to families with education and interpersonal connections provided via web-based programs that reached 101 individuals and garnered 670 subsequent views. Families started new home gardens and taught their children that they could grow food: "We are doing something different; we have started our own gardens, and I have been collecting and sharing seeds with others." Other families valued growing sage for ceremonial and medicinal use. An interviewee observed, "More people turned to gardening and foraging, especially since the pandemic started." Goal: Provide pathways and support skill development for youth to become contributing community members and leaders. Youth see themselves as providers of food and promoters of health. High school youth worked as interns in the program during the summer, a pathway to contribution and learning created by FRTEP. Youth participants valued that they were able to share nourishing fresh vegetables with those who aren't able to grow their own. Youth also worked with NATIFS, an organization that trains young tribal members in precolonial culinary skills and provides employment opportunities and financial support to start food businesses in their own communities. In 2022, 15 middle school youth met with chefs via Zoom and cooked recipes. Youth also lead cultural activities off the reservation, building their leadership skills and confidence. One 15-year-old shared, "I was asked to help bring traditional baaga'adowewin into schools to teach kidsthe game and help themunderstand that this is our land." Goal: Strengthen the capacity of tribal partners to provide youth cultural education through youth programming and development of lessons, through culture camps and language restoration initiatives. The FRTEP educator helps to coordinate seasonal harvesting activities and ensure youth participation and leadership, reaching over 200 youth annually. In 2022, this included a four-day long manoomin (wild rice) educational event to support tribal youth and families harvesting. 91 community members made traditional wild rice harvesting sticks and learned from a variety of community teachers and elders about the cultural importance and practices of harvesting wild rice; 24 people harvested rice for the first time. FRTEP also coordinated and supported the off-reservation treaty harvest of wild rice with tribal youth services andAshland School District. 46 youth fromAshland Middle and High Schools harvested rice, 38 for the first time.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The program works with youth, families and community members of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa, with approximately 7,000 members, including 1,800 living on the reservation. The educator also partners with youth-serving agencies and on the reservation and with the Ashland School District, which serves the majority of Bad River students. Changes/Problems:COVID-19 continues to limit opportunities for in-person programming. UW-Madison Division of Extension and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa currently have limits and protocols for in-person programming. This has affected program plans with youth. FRTEP staff and community partners have been creative in developing at-home and virtual activities that advance the project. Also, in-person programs that allow for social distancing have been implemented, providing reach, but at reduced numbers from planned programs. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?With much of the professional development being remote education during this pandemic year, FRTEP offered nine different virtual seminars on tribal food sovereignty with a focus on the Bad River story. These seminars were provided to tribal and non-tribal organizations including Bayfield County Administration and Board members, Great Lakes Intertribal Fish and Wildlife Commission, UW-Division of Extension institutes and in-services, and Red Cliff Mino Bimaadiziwin Tribal Farm staff. The FRTEP educator also worked on intensive skill and knowledge building with the LCO intern working in Bad River. FRTEP partnered with tribal members with expertise in Ojibwe foodways to provide some of this education. The FRTEP educator participated and continues to participate in a work group for the UW-Division of Extensions Office of Action, Inclusion, and Compliance to build a resource library for employees to better understand tribal food sovereignty. This will improve the work being done by Extension in native communities in Wisconsin and will help to create professional development programming and resources for new and existing employees. The FRTEP educator contributed to several action groups within the UW-Madison Division of Extension to engage in positive change and help Extension educators do better work in tribal communities. FRTEP also hosted and facilitated two day long cultural exchange programs for visiting teenagers and Bad River youth to foster understanding and cultural exchange. 54 youth participated in these events. FRTEP has been a part of the development of a teaching resource to further Ojibwe traditional food knowledge and promote language restoration for regional youth. The curriculum is being vetted for Ojibwe language and cultural content. The FRTEP educator has been working with and will continue to work with UW-Division of Extension's Positive Youth Development Institute, Extension Native American Task Force, and regional language speakers and elders to improve on the existing content. A UW-Division of Extension specialist and Indigenous scholar has offered to work directly with the FRTEP educator to move this resource into a shareable state. Her suggestion was that we also use the process of edit and review as a learning opportunity for other UW-Extension educators who live and work in Indian Country. This collaboration will serve as an example of the learning and growing process of removing bias, framing learning culturally instead of learning about culture, knowing boundaries for non-native educators, removing stereotype in curriculum and other lessons that this process will provide. The FRTEP educator also has offered professional development to tribal program employees to help increase confidence and experience with Ojibwe traditional food knowledge and integrating the Ojibwe language as a teacher and beginner speaker. The plant guide developed and refined last reporting cycle is used as a resource for this train the trainer programming. FRTEP also worked in partnership with several tribal organizations including the Bad River Food Sovereignty program to offer zoom and video lessons on traditional Ojibwe plant topics, gardening, and healthy food preparation. FRTEP provided professional development to Bad River Food Sovereignty employees and other youth program employees on Ojibwe plant foods and medicines and gardening so they could teach these topics in their covid cohorts. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Due to the pandemic, there has been more efforts to promote the virtual classes and videos through the marketing channels and strategies of tribal partners, most frequently Mashkisibi Boys and Girls Club, Bad River Social Services (Day Care Family Network), Bad River Head Start, Bad River Food Sovereignty and the Mashkiiziibii Youth Services department. We have seen increased traffic on our social media platforms and the LCO intern working directly with FRTEP is expanding our social media presence and outreach. We have also been asked by many different organizations to share the Bad River Food Sovereignty/FRTEP story. The programs are known and celebrated across our region and beyond. There is a regional discussion about the hopeful possibility of expanding FRTEP services to other Ojibwe communities here in northern Wisconsin. LCO Tribal College has partnered with FRTEP to promote and support meaningful programs, internships, and other opportunities for community members to teach and lead. Several former FRTEP youth participants are now working with LCO College. In addition to these young leaders, the youth that are carrying the traditional Ojibwe lacrosse game, baaga'adowewin, are being celebrated by their families and the greater Bad River community. The intentions and plans that FRTEP has to support these young game keepers is shared with families and the efforts are commended and encouraged. The Bad River FRTEP story is told in local UW-Division of Extension/Ashland County press and social media as well as in articles from independent journalist such as The Wisconsin Idea/In These Times and the Maazina'igan, seasonal publication of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Also there have been many more tribal agencies that have sent staff to help with the food production systems and educational events. This has led to more community members knowing about the program and also shows that the tribal government, elderly services, maintenance program, roads crew, recycling program, spring clean-up program, and tribal transit all value the partnerships with FRTEP and see themselves as contributors to the success of the Bad River Food Sovereignty program. FRTEP is also communicating with other communities and teachers to further a network of indigenous lacrosse games with youth from Red Cliff, Lac Du Flambeau, Forest County Potowatami, and Minneapolis, MN. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The existing programming related to traditional food education and production, physical activity, and cultural revitalization will be maintained with plans for in-person and remote programming as the pandemic dictates. New programs in development include an expanded apprenticeship/internship program building on what was started this year. This directed education will give young people a more in-depth skill building experience around food production in high tunnel greenhouses and through short growing seasons with new climate considerations and challenges. The internships will also help the youth connect with other programs and wellness efforts in their community and build their understanding of all of the facets of Ojibwe food sovereignty. FRTEP will coordinate and sometimes provide programming for the interns. This includes education about plant harvest, traditional uses and preparations, hunting and fishing, tribal food codes, distribution and sales, food preservation and nutrition. FRTEP is currently working with Tribal partners such as Mashkiiziibii Youth Services, Bad River Natural Resources, Indigenous Arts and Sciences/Bad River Education Department, and Bad River Food Sovereignty to expand opportunities for community members and youth to harvest wild rice on reservation and on ceded territory for the 2021 harvest season. Also, FRTEP will continue to work with regional Ojibwe communities to offer professional development, planning, and training services to further food sovereignty and youth engagement in these communities. Strategies such as providing internships are part of the plans of work for the upcoming grant period and will continue to grow as young native people take interest in all aspects of food sovereignty in their communities and regain personal and community health. Other organizations like Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council (WTCAC) are allocating funds for food sovereignty interns and have expressed a need for FRTEP to help them structure and coordinate internships across Ojibwe territory in Northern Wisconsin. Bad River FRTEP will continue to nurture these new networks to identify and support more opportunities for Bad River youth in the realms of food sovereignty, healthy food production in community, leadership, and meaningful employment. FRTEP will continue working to expand the restoration of Baaga'adowewin by programming in the high school and elementary school and will serve as a vehicle for networking and communications with the larger Anishinaabe Baaga'adowewin networks. Many kids expressed an interest in continuing the traditional game and exploring options for college level lacrosse and beyond. The two baaga'adowewin organizations strengthened their ties to Bad River and have expressed interest in coming to the reservation to teach as soon as it is possible. FRTEP will continue to work with the school district to address institutional racism and barriers young Ojibwe face to being who they are wherever they are. FRTEP will continue creative approaches to providing meaningful education to the Bad River Community considering the restrictions of Covid 19 safety protocols and will follow the lead of the tribe and the venues approved by the tribe. FRTEP will continue to provide technical support and resources to further the development of the Bad River Food Sovereignty food system/food security system. School administration at the middle and high school level have expressed the priority and willing partnership with FRTEP to have baaga'adowewin available for students for the 2021-2022 school year. This is positive growth for the Ashland School District and will continue as a priority for FRTEP in the next grant year.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Wisconsin Bad River Ojibwe FRTEP project strengthens the health and resiliency of tribal members. In this pandemic year, FRTEP offered 23 video and 16 day-long in-person educational events for youth and families focused on harvesting, producing, preparing, preserving, and consuming seasonal food, building understanding of traditional foodways, and furthering Ojibwe language learning.?"It's all affected us positively and it shows! The kids, the adults, the babies that are included in these programs have put happiness into my heart, the food programs and baaga'adowewin have done so much for our community," elder Sandy K. Natural resources conservation education, treaty rights and responsibilities, connection to place and culture, and language revitalization are valued in the Bad River community. FRTEP works in partnership to help the community hold and teach these values. FRTEP provides youth programs that connect kids to place and culture. FRTEP has created curriculum and educational approaches that positively affect schools and partner youth-serving programs in Bad River and beyond. FRTEP is also providing guidance and resources for young leaders who improve community health and build livelihoods around tribal food sovereignty systems. FRTEP also helps young leaders restore their healing game, baaga'adowewin; this year 90 youth learned and played traditional lacrosse. Goal 1: Strengthen cultural connectedness and active cultural practice, especially related to food and language. To maintain relationships with Bad River families, the program offered 23 Zoom and YouTube classes on traditional harvest, plant knowledge, gardening and food preparation, using the Ojibwe language throughout. Classes were offered for existing tribal program partners: Mashkisibi Boys and Girls Club, Mashkiiziibii Youth Services, Bad River Food Sovereignty, Bad River Education, Bad River Natural Resources and new partners: Lac Courte Oreilles College, Social Services, Bad River Day Care, and Tribal Child Advocacy. Marissa L, Youth Services: " I love how she (FRTEP educator) incorporates Ojibwemowin into her lessons. It's part of our culture and she learns it and she teaches it. And a lot of our kids and people in the community don't know much Ojibwe so it's really important for us to hear and learn that." The FRTEP educator also provided 16 day-long face to face programs focused on Ojibwe plant knowledge, treaty rights and harvest on ceded territory, and skill building to prepare young Ojibwe to harvest wild rice, an important local tradition for which many modern Ojibwe people lack resources and experience. Community elders and language speakers provided cultural teachings and harvest protocols. Goal 2: Increase youth physical activity, especially through cultural practices related to food harvesting and traditional sports such as lacrosse. FRTEP continued to support the restoration of Baaga'adawewin, traditional Ojibwe lacrosse, and engaged 90 youth in this culturally important activity by organizing 25 games connected to the Ashland School District despite the challenges of the pandemic. FRTEP supported native educators to lead and provide teachings and language lessons at the games. FRTEP worked with a newly formed school faculty committee to address institutional racism and communicate with school staff to advocate for youth players. Like other border communities, our school district ireflects inequities between native and non-native students. Students, parents, and staff are all noticing the positive impacts of baaga'adowewin. "(FRTEP educator) has done a great job to bring baaga'adowewin back to the community and schools. When it's involved in schools it's awesome because it brings the culture into schools. And then it also introduces the culture. Ojibwe kids aren't the only kids playing these games." Lori L., Indigenous Arts and Sciences educator. "After all it is a medicine game so I feel connected to my culture even more when I play baaga'adowewin," a student player. FRTEP facilitated a field trip for 12 youth and 3 young adult mentors to attend professional lacrosse games in Minneapolis in coordination with the Anishinaabe Baaga'adowewin and Twin Cities Native Lacrosse. Participants attended games, learned in a clinic, and met indigenous professional athletes. Field trip participants are now a youth leadership group to help with the upcoming school year games. Goal 3: Improve youth nutrition, increasing taste for and consumption of fresh foods and a locally-produced traditionally-grounded diet. The success of the Bad River Food Sovereignty Program (BRFS) and FRTEP partnership has led to increased support by the tribe, local farmers, the chef community, and other food security programs. FRTEP resources have funded a part-time position for a tribal member who has learned all facets of the BRFS high tunnel and other food production systems, and increased his knowledge of traditional Ojibwe plants, harvest, preparation, and use. The tribe has expanded the BRFS program to include an off-reservation tribal farm project. FRTEP helped BRFS staff create an initial farm plan, inventory plants, learn the growing conditions, and initiate harvesting on the land by pruning trees and tapping maples in the spring of 2021. The farm will create more opportunities for learning and added food security for the tribe. Virtual classes provided continuity and connection with the community. 101 youth participated in virtual FRTEP educational programs and 64 youth participated in in-person programming, with many in multiple classes during the year. In addition, FRTEP educational videos for Bad River Tribal members garnered 670 views during this reporting cycle. Goal 4:?Increase the youth role in supporting food system development to ensure access to healthy food. FRTEP has formed relationships with Indigenous organizations that support food sovereignty, provide paid internships for young people to work in their communities, and provide culinary skills training and opportunities in the native chef community. Community programming and strong relationships with FRTEP have led kids to integrate food sovereignty skills into their lives and career pathways. "I don't know how food sovereignty education for youthcan be quantified because a lot of it's intangible. It's feelings, it's energy, it's spirit. And so how does one measure that? But I know Joy (FRTEP educator) engages people and she is someone who carries a lot of knowledge about foods and a passion for foods and food systems and health and what we put in our bodies and how we treat the land and how we treat each other," Bad River elder. Goal 5: Provide pathways and support skill development for youth to become contributing community members and leaders. Two young Ojibwe men with experience working with the FRTEP educator as students were the middle school and summer school lacrosse assistant leaders. They shared cultural knowledge, led by example, taught skills building, and modeled responsible game playing following Ojibwe cultural protocols. Both young men grew in leadership skills and self-esteem and hope to continue this work in the region. FRTEP worked with the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal (LCO) college to launch their first regional Tribal Food Sovereignty Internship program, one of whom was hosted by the FRTEP educator. Because of the intern's success, LCO College has offered to extend her internship. FRTEP also networked with the other interns in Red Cliff and Lac Courte Oreilles. Both communities are building food sovereignty programs and want FRTEP to support educational apprenticeship in their programs. Goal 6: Strengthen the capacity of tribal partners to provide youth cultural education through youth programming and development of lessons, through culture camps and language restoration initiatives. Outcomes in professional development section.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The program works with youth, families and community members of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa, with approximately 7,000 members, including 1,800 living on the reservation. The educator also partners with youth-serving agencies and on the reservation and with the Ashland School District, which serves the majority of Bad River students. Changes/Problems:COVID-19 limited opportunities for in-person programming. For example, the second phase of the SPARK program had to be postponed. After the initial training, 6 Native youth were to work on the development, production, and marketing of a small scale food product that reflects Ojibwe traditional foods and identity. UW-Madison Division of Extension currently has strict limits on in-person programming, which has affected program plans with youth. FRTEP staff and community partners have been creative in developing at-home and virtual activities that advance the project. Also, programs serving up to 10 people that allow for social distancing have been implemented, providing reach, but at reduced numbers from planned programs. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?FRTEP has hosted four events for visitors from other tribes to learn about the Bad River Food Sovereignty program and Baaga'adowewin or traditional Ojibwe Lacrosse programs. FRTEP also co-hosted several undergraduate and graduate student groups touring different programs in Bad River. One PhD graduate student said this tour changed his focus and he came back to interview the FRTEP staff about the role of tribal food systems in building resiliency to climate change issues. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Due to the expanded effort with the Bad River Food Sovereignty Dine-N-Learn events we have had many more community members connect with the wellness work coming from the food sovereignty program. Community members who have never been connected have been attending our events and coming back because of the knowledge and support they have received to improve their health, cultural knowledge, and food production skills. There is also increased traffic on our social media platforms. We have also been asked by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) to host conversations around tribal food codes and traditional food knowledge and harvest of these foods. Also, Bad River Foster Care, Recovery House, and the Harm Reduction Program, Wellness and Recovery Court Program, and the Anishinaabe Racial Justice network, have partnered with BRFS/FRTEP to provide meaningful programming for their clients. The tribe has expressed to other agencies that FRTEP and Bad River Food Sovereignty programs are the place to turn for culture and wellness programming and the network of outreach is expanding rapidly. FRTEP has also coordinated with tribal press to have a regular presence in the online newsletter and has made contributions to the Maazina'igan, the seasonal publication of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Also there have been many more tribal agencies that have sent staff to help with our food production systems. This has led to more community members knowing about the program and also shows that the tribal infrastructure, maintenance program, roads crew, recycling program, spring clean-up program, and tribal transit all value these programs and see themselves as contributors to the success of Bad River Food Sovereignty. Education has also been disseminated to other tribal communities in the region. The FRTEP educator networked with several regional Ojibwe language and culture teachers to broaden the scope of resources for native and non-native language learners in our region. The FRTEP educator supported and hosted several culture/language teachers as a part of the seasonal culture camps, partnered with other programs in the County to fund more extensive workshops for Bad River Youth at seasonal camps such as traditional lacrosse stick making events, and provided educational plant walks to 20 Red Cliff tribal members as a part of their three day language camp. FRTEP is also communicating with other communities and teachers to further a network of indigenous lacrosse games with youth from Red Cliff, Lac Du Flambeau, and Forest County Potowatami. The contributions of the Bad River FRTEP program have been recognized regionally. MOSES, Midwest Organic Sustainability and Education Services, awarded the FRTEP educator and the director of the Bad River Food Sovereignty program the Changemakers award. This award acknowledges the social justice and equity components of the food system and educational work that is done. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The existing programming related to traditional food education and production, physical activity, and cultural revitalization will be maintained. New programs in development and early implementation include an apprenticeship program to give young people a more in depth education about food production in high tunnel greenhouses and through short growing seasons. This work includes education about harvest, distribution and sales, and food preservation and value added opportunities. FRTEP is currently working with Tribal partners such as Healthy Lifestyles, Bad River Natural Resources summer youth program, Bad River Summer Worker program, Indigenous Arts and Sciences Program and the other members of the new Tribal Youth Services Program to plan an expansion of wild ricing opportunities for youth for the 2020 harvest. Also, FRTEP will work with regional Ojibwe communities to offer professional development, planning, and training services to further food sovereignty and youth engagement in these communities. FRTEP will continue working to expand the restoration of Baaga'adowewin by programming in the high school and elementary school and will serve as a vehicle for networking and communications with the larger Anishinaabe Baaga'adowewin leadership. FRTEP will work with the school district to address institutional racism and barriers young Ojibwe face to being who they are wherever they are. FRTEP will continue creative approaches to providing meaningful education to the Bad River Community considering the restrictions of Covid 19 safety protocols. FRTEP will continue to provide technical support and resources to further the development of the Bad River Food Sovereignty food system/food security system.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Strengthen cultural connectedness and active cultural practice, especially related to food and language. The FRTEP educator furthered Ojibwe cultural food/plant education and language for 491 youth and 183 adults over the reporting year partnering with community youth and family programs: Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Healthy Lifestyles, Head Start, Ashland Middle School, Indigenous Arts and Sciences, and Bad River Youth Services. Youth and adults learned growing, harvesting, plant identification, preparing, and preserving skills that include both conventional and traditional Ojibwe food knowledge. With the addition of Dine-N-Learn events with the Bad River Food Sovereignty program, youth had more intergenerational opportunities to learn. The Bad River Tribal Administration has recognized food sovereignty work as a critical part of restoring resilience, cultural knowledge and furthering Ojibwe language. The Bad River Tribal Council and Tribal Chairman have given paid administrative leave for employees to work with the Food Sovereignty team and encouraged community education through the Dine N Learn events which increased in frequency and participation over the reporting year. Increase youth physical activity, especially through cultural practices related to food harvesting and traditional sports such as lacrosse. FRTEP supported and assisted with the return of Baaga'adawewin, traditional Ojibwe lacrosse, by helping tribal educators facilitate games and teachings about the game, providing support and resources to set up traditional lacrosse games in the community and at the middle school. The FRTEP educator also worked with school administrators to clarify the native youth rights under state law to participate in cultural activities and to address the covert and overt racism in the school that hindered participation by native students in activities. FRTEP resources were used to purchase additional traditional sticks for community games and support indigenous game players and teachers for workshops. This support has made it possible to hold regular games with an increase to 102 youth (from 64 last reporting year) participating in lacrosse games and skill building sessions. In partnership with the Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls club, the FRTEP educator arranged and hosted 6 Bad River youth to participate in a large regional training held through the new Anishinaabe Baaga'adowewin organization, a non-profit Ojibwe lacrosse network. Improve youth nutrition, increasing taste for and consumption of fresh foods and a locally-produced traditionally-grounded diet. 226 youth from the Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Summer Youth Workers, and Bad River Natural Resources/Indigenous Arts and Sciences youth program were involved in producing food in 2 high tunnel greenhouses and several garden plots as well as wild harvest of traditional foods and medicines and gleaning local orchards at the end of the season. This effort to improve health and food security led to the production, harvest, and distribution of 2222 pounds of food with a market value of $8513.00 during the growing season of 2019, an increase of $2000 from the 2018 season. This food was consumed by the youth, their families, Head Start children and staff, and community elders as a part of the Elderly dining program. It was also distributed to participants in educational programs through the Bad River Food Sovereignty Program (BRFS), sold at a sliding scale at the first ever BRFS farmers market, and sold through the Moccasin IGA, the only grocery on the reservation. FRTEP plays in important role in re-establishing traditional Ojibwe plant knowledge through a series of guided plant ID and harvest walks. 42 youth from the Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club participated in the Take a Hike program, a program co-created with University of Wisconsin Extension to learn about plants. Hike locations were aligned with seasonal harvest opportunities. Summer youth programs hosted by tribal partners added plant identification and harvest programming led by the FRTEP educator. FRTEP also partnered with community agencies to provide opportunities for 28 youth to harvest wild rice on ceded land off the reservation. The FRTEP educator partnered with the Ashland County 4-H program to provide canoe and water safety training prior to this event and expand the opportunity to middle school students for the first time. FRTEP resources have purchased a fleet of canoes and safety equipment to expand the Bad River Youth Wild Rice Harvesting event. FRTEP leadership and program support has furthered the community goals of engaging youth in traditional activities and using rights established by treaty and Wisconsin's Act 31 legislation. Increase the youth role in supporting food sovereignty (food system) development to ensure access to healthy food. FRTEP supports the Bad River Community goals to further food sovereignty with the continued development of a tribal food system. The success of the Bad River Food Sovereignty Program and the partnership with FRTEP has led to increased support by the tribal administration, the local farmer and chef community, and local food security programs. BRFS/FRTEP received a donation of $2600 worth of organic meat, raspberry plants, and fruit trees as well as donated time by local chefs and community leaders to help with educational events and strategic planning. During this reporting year, the tribe has funded 2 additional part time positions to continue the development of the tribal food system and has funded needed repairs at the food sovereignty facility. This expresses the long term commitment the tribal council has made to supporting the Bad River Food Sovereignty and FRTEP programs. FRTEP has also funded a limited term employment position for a tribal member who has learned all facets of the BRFS high tunnel and in ground food production systems, and has increased his knowledge of traditional Ojibwe plants, harvest, preparation, and use. Provide pathways and support skill development for youth to become contributing community members and leaders. FRTEP is playing an important role in legitimizing small scale food production as a vehicle for employment and improving community health and food security for youth, families, and elders in Bad River. FRTEP partnered with the SPARK program, an Ashland County after school program, to plan and teach a 6 week course on value added food business development. 6 Native youth worked on the development, production, and marketing of a small-scale food product that reflects Ojibwe traditional foods and identity. Strengthen the capacity of tribal partners to provide youth cultural education through youth programming and development of lessons, through culture camps and language restoration initiatives. In addition to the culture camps, traditional food knowledge and harvest walks, and youth engagement at the food sovereignty facility, FRTEP has been a part of the development of teaching resources to further the Ojibwe language for regional native youth. The curriculum is being vetted for proper Ojibwe language and cultural content with the Ojibwe language program at UW-Madison and a Positive Youth Development specialist and Ojibwe scholar and Professor at the UW-Madison before seeking approval by Ojibwe leadership of Bad River before distribution. FRTEP has also updated the plant guide developed last year by adding an additional 9 plants to the guide and working with community elders to add Ojibwe language and knowledge. This guide has been used by Bad River Natural Resources Department for youth and adult programs and by the Red Cliff Culture and Language Program in their summer language camp. It has been adapted for distance learning with accompanying videos to provide education during the Covid 19 pandemic. FRTEP funds were used to publish and print high quality versions of the guide.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The FRTEP educator furthered Ojibwe cultural food/plant education and language for 978 youth over the reporting year at several community youth programs: Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Healthy LIfestyles, Head Start and in the public schools; Ashland High School, Ashland Middle School, and the Oredocker Project School. The Dine-N-Learn program served 128 people at five community educational events. 22 youth participated in the fall culture camp and 37 youth attended the Winter camp for a total of 57 youth attending the FRTEP educational component of the Bad River culture camps. Over the reporting year, 64 youth participated in lacrosse games and skill building sessions (30 participants for 22 hours of direct education and physical activity during 11 sessions and 34 participants for 8 hours during four sessions). Bad River youth also joined the 4-H skiing program led by Ashland County for 4 sessions. 30 pairs of skis were donated and 28 kids skied for the first time. 5 adults supported the group, including 3 adults from partner youth programs. 91 youth from the Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Youth Advocates for Health, Summer Youth Workers, and Bad River Youth Outdoors (Bad River Natural resources) were involved in producing food in 2 high tunnel greenhouses and several plots on the food sovereignty facility grounds. This effort to improve health and food security led to the production and distribution of 1883 pounds of food with a market value of $6513.00 during the growing season of 2018. This food was consumed by the youth, their families, Head Start children and staff, and community elders as a part of the Elderly dining program. Changes/Problems:The building infrastructure of the Bad River Food Sovereignty program and the FRTEP office is in dire need of a new roof and heating system. Although tribal council has made the food sovereignty program a priority, there is a lack of funds to make these needed repairs. The coordinator of the Food Sovereignty Program will be looking for these funds through grants and donations so we can continue to offer meaningful programming here. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?FRTEP has hosted two events for visitors from other tribes to learn about the bad river food sovereignty program and the complimentary FRTEP led physical activity programs, lacrosse and skiing. FRTEP has also scheduled tours with four university groups, both student and faculty to learn about Ojibwe foodways and food sovereignty. FRTEP was invited to participate in the Indigenous Food Summit which hosted over 40 indigenous chefs and an additional 30 indigenous instructors teaching traditional foodways skills, tribal food system development and leading plant walks. The FRTEP educator also has created meaningful connections and relationships with the Menominee Tribal Chairman and community food system leaders to create a regional network for shared resources, equipment, and expertise. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Due to the expanded effort with the Bad River Food Sovereignty Dine-N-Learn events we have had many more community members connect with the wellness work coming from the food sovereignty program. Community members who have never been connected have been attending our events and coming back because of the knowledge and support they have received to improve their health, cultural knowledge, and food production skills. We have also been asked by different agencies of the tribe to host conversations around tribal food codes, adult drug and alcohol recovery programs, and harm reduction programs, as well. The tribe has expressed to other agencies that FRTEP and Bad River Food Sovereignty programs are the place to turn for culture and wellness programming and the network of outreach is expanding rapidly. FRTEP has also coordinated with tribal press to have a regular presence in the online newsletter and has made contributions to the Maazina'igan, the seasonal publication that comes out of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Also there have been many more tribal agencies that have sent staff to help with our food production systems. This has led to more community members knowing about the program and also shows that the tribal infrastructure, maintenance program, roads crew, recycling program, spring clean up program, and tribal transit all value these programs and see themselves as contributors to the success of Bad River Food Sovereignty. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The existing programming related to traditional food education and production, physical activity, and cultural revitalization will be maintained. New programs in development and early implementation include an apprenticeship program to give young people a more in depth education about food production in high tunnel greenhouses and through short growing seasons. This work includes education about harvest, distribution and sales, and food preservation and value added opportunities. The FRTEP educator will be able to build some of the skills shared at the Indigenous Food Summit such as planting stick making, making cooking vessels from local clay, and making the bootaagans, a traditional corn grinding tool, into the summer youth programs. In addition, conference participants will be recruited to bring indigenous teachers to the community through the Bad River Food Sovereignty Dine-N-Learn program in the future starting with visits from Yazzie the Chef and Chef Vernon Defoe, both men are prodigies of the Sioux Chef organization.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Educational activities to build individual health engaged a growing number of Bad River youth to respond to our goals related to cultivatingtribal youth health, resiliency, and positive response to historic trauma. Strengthen cultural connectedness and active cultural practice, especially related to food and language. The FRTEP educator furthered Ojibwe cultural food/plant education and language for 978 youth over the reporting year at several community youth programs: Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Healthy LIfestyles, Head Start and in the public schools; Ashland High School, Ashland Middle School, and the Oredocker Project School. Youth learned growing, harvesting, plant identification, preparing, and preserving skills that include both conventional and traditional Ojibwe food knowledge. With the addition of more Dine-N-Learn events with the Bad River Food Sovereignty program, youth had many more intergenerational opportunities to learn as well. The Bad River Tribal Administration has recognized the food sovereignty work as a critical part of restoring resilience, cultural knowledge and furthering the Ojibwe language and awarded the Bad River Food Sovereignty a $20,000 grant for materials and support to build a tribal food system and provide community education through the Dine-N-Learn program. This program served 128 people at five community educational events. The FRTEP educator networked with several regional Ojibwe language and culture teachers to broaden the scope of resources for native and non-native learners in our region. The FRTEP educator is active in the planning and implementing of the seasonal culture camps in the community. 22 youth participated in the fall culture camp and 37 youth attended the Winter camp for a total of 57 youth attending the FRTEP educational component of the Bad River culture camps. 2.Increase youth physical activity, especially through cultural practices related to food harvesting and traditional sports such as lacrosse. FRTEP supported and assisted with the return of Baaga'adawewin or traditional Ojibwe lacrosse by helping tribal educators facilitate games and teachings about the game, providing support and resources to set up traditional lacrosse games in the community and at the public schools throughout the school year. FRTEP was awarded a community health grant to purchase 30 traditional lacrosse sticks, 18 modern sticks, 4 traditional balls, and 12 modern balls to further play at the schools. FRTEP partnered with staff in the middle and high schools to facilitate weekly games and provided the appropriate equipment through the grant funds. Over the reporting year, 64 youth participated in lacrosse games and skill building sessions (30 participants for 22 hours of direct education and physical activity during 11 sessions and 34 participants for 8 hours during four sessions). FRTEP has also coordinated the construction of 2 sets of traditional goal posts. FRTEP is also communicating with other communities and teachers to further a network of indigenous lacrosse games with youth from Red Cliff, Lac Du Flambeau, and Forest County Potowatami. Bad River youth also joined the 4-H skiing program led by Ashland County for 4 sessions. 30 pairs of skis were donated and 28 kids skied for the first time. 5 adults supported the group, including 3 adults from partner youth programs. This program originated from Bad River parents interacting with the Ashland County 4-H educator and represents a new opportunity for building relationships with youth from across the county. 3. Improve youth nutrition, increasing taste for and consumption of fresh foods and a locally-produced traditionally-grounded diet. 91 youth from the Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Youth Advocates for Health, Summer Youth Workers, and Bad River Youth Outdoors (Bad River Natural resources) were involved in producing food in 2 high tunnel greenhouses and several plots on the food sovereignty facility grounds. This effort to improve health and food security led to the production and distribution of 1883 pounds of food with a market value of $6513.00 during the growing season of 2018. This food was consumed by the youth, their families, Head Start children and staff, and community elders as a part of the Elderly dining program. FRTEP plays in important role in re-establishing traditional Ojibwe plant knowledge through a series of guided plant ID and harvest walks. 41 youth from the Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club participated in another year of their signature Take a Hike program, a program co-created with The University of Wisconsin Extension and furthered by FRTEP by expanding the resources needed to learn plants and aligning the hike locations with seasonal harvest opportunities. FRTEP also partnered with community agencies to provide opportunities for 22 youth to go harvest wild rice and 11 youth to learn spearfishing skills and utilize their treaty rights to harvest fish. FRTEP is currently working with Tribal partners such as Healthy Lifestyles, Bad River Natural Resources summer youth program, Bad River Summer Worker program, and the other members of the new Tribal Youth Coalition. Community health goal: Promote tribal sustainability through positive youth development. Increase the youth role in supporting food sovereignty (food system) development to ensure access to healthy food. FRTEP supports the Bad River Community goals to further food sovereignty with the development of a tribal food system. FRTEP helped coordinate expert support and several donations totalling $5200 to support the high tunnel food production and in ground permaculture gardens at the food sovereignty facility. In addition, FRTEP advocated and presented to tribal council about the success of last year's Youth Advocates for Community Health Program and our need for paid youth internships at the Food Sovereignty program. Council approved a position and we are working with a youth apprentice who is learning food production and is also completing his high school education as a component of his work with us. FRTEP has also established a short term summer food career mentorship program. 2. Provide pathways and support skill development for youth to become contributing community members and leaders. As referenced above, FRTEP is playing an important role in legitimizing small scale food production as a vehicle for employment and improving community health and food security for youth in the community. Through this relationship building and broad sweeping programming, youth interest has increased. 3. Strengthen the capacity of tribal partners to provide youth cultural education through youth programming and development of lessons, through culture camps and language restoration initiatives. In addition to the culture camps, traditional food knowledge and harvest walks, and youth engagement at the food sovereignty facility, FRTEP has been working with a state specialist of the University of Wisconsin Madison to develop curriculum to further the Ojibwe language for regional native youth. The seasonal recipes and activities have been tested through the VISTA program cooking at the Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club as well the FoodWIse program, in partnership with FRTEP and Bad River Food Sovereignty. FRTEP has also improved on last year's plant guide by adding an additional 9 plants to the guide and working with community elders to add Ojibwe language and knowledge to the guide. This guide has been valued and used by Bad River natural resources for youth and adult programs and it has been requested by the Red Cliff Culture and Language program to use in their summer language camp.
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Bad River Tribal member youth grades pre K (Head Start) through high school and post graduate, totalling approximately 480 youth. Programming reached 500 youth, including non-tribal members. Youth participants included those involved in Mashkiisiibii Boys and Girls Club, Birch Hill Community House, Healthy Lifestyles, Bad River Natural Resources summer youth program, Summer Youth workers program, Bad River Head Start and in the public schools; Oredocker Project School, Middle School Native American Club, Ashland High School Native American studies program, and the Ojibwe Language program at the Ashland Elementary. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The FRTEP educator,led an Ashland Schools teacher inservice "Teaching Ojibwe Culture in an Outdoor Classroom" with 14 participants. The FRTEP educator organized a meeting between Ashland/Bayfield County Agricultural Specialist Jason Fischbach and Bad River Natural Resources Director Ervin Soulier. Outcome was that tribe received consultation on starting cranberry marshes within old wild rice patty sites. The tribe received information related to potential costs and land needed to begin cranberry production. The FRTEP educator presented a workshop at the 4-H Program Area State Wide Conference in which 45 Extension colleagues learned about cultural factors in engaging tribal youth members. The FRTEP educator, Tribal Gardening Director and another tribal member attended the 7th Annual Indigenous Farming Conference in White Earth, MN, building community capacity in beginning community gardens and harvesting of traditional foods. The same group attended the first annual Food Sovereignty Summit in Green Bay, WI where they received training related to starting up community gardens and strengthening local/tribal food systems. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?FRTEP Advisory Council consists of tribal leaders, elders, youth, representatives from existing tribal youth-serving organizations & Ashland County Extension. This Advisory meets annually and brings new collaborative partners to the project who helped implement new seasonal events. The FRTEP educator also communicated regularly with community stakeholders, including the tribe's Community Advisory Board, about youth needs and opportunities, which helped them to support educational projects with Bad River youth. The educator met with the Ashland County Agriculture & Extension Committee to share project outcomes and received tangible support including the personal loan of maple syrup production equipment from a local producer who is also a board member. Communication with a Local Food System planning group in the region led to new collaborative partners and resources such as open-pollinated heirloom seeds for starter plants provided to participants and used in the community garden. The Bad River Tribal Administration has recognized Bad River Food Sovereignty with the support of FRTEP, as a critical part of restoring resilience, cultural knowledge, and furthering the Ojibwe language. This is reflected in the Tribal strategic plan finalized in spring 2018. This relationship is valued by community leaders: at a December 2016 meeting to discuss future program directions, Dylan Jennings, Bad River Tribal Council member said, "We have lost teachings, lost identity with our language and harvesting practices. This funding has helped; it has done miraculous things. People are using language; elders and youth are togethertalking about the old ways." And Tribal Chair Mike Wiggins added, "Kids see themselves as food producing dynamos and that increases their quality of life through opportunities like Take a Hike and finding edibles on the trail. The kids are being conditioned and taught in a healthy way." What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Programming will continue based on ongoing tribal and school partnerships and will reflect emerging opportunities and needs. Continued funding is secured for the Youth Advocates for Community Health project
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
A1. Reduce childhood and adolescent obesity of the Bad River children through a program focused on local and traditional foods. Youth became food producers for the larger community, a role which grew in each year of the grant. Youth in the 2016 gardening program produced over 800 pounds of food valued at $3,772; this amount does not include extensive harvesting programs (wild rice, maple syrup, etc.) In 2017 and 2018, FRTEP youth program participants produced and distributed 1717 pounds of food with a market value of $7075. The produce was shared with families of youth participants, distributed to elders and food insecure individuals, and preserved for community celebrations throughout the year. The youth also produced teas, which were available at community institutions including the Birch Hill Community House as a replacement for sugary beverages. FRTEP resources and staff supported annual harvesting events such as the youth maple syrup harvest (with an average of 20 Community House and 50 Head Start participants over a 2-day period of educational activities and language learning) and the youth spear fishing event, which in 2017 had 26 Bad River youth participants, most spearing for their first time. Summer school beginning in 2016 integrates local and traditional food education into summer school through FRTEP leadership. Through this partnership, 21 native and non native youth learned traditional Ojibwe foods, language, and culture two hours a day for 4 weeks. FRTEP educator co-taught this class with two native teachers and created resources in Ojibwemowin that will be shared with other Ojibwe communities. FRTEP has been integrated into classrooms annually, and in the 2017-18 school year taught 87 4th grade students about traditional Ojibwe foods and the history and modern practices of gardening. We planted a three sisters garden at the school which will add to the nutrition of the school lunch in the fall of 2018. It also helps the school meet their mandate to teach cultural competencies regarding the native communities of our region. A2. Improve physical fitness of tribal youth through engagement in hunting, fishing, gathering, gardening and related activities. FRTEP guided harvesting outings for 87 youth to harvest plant foods and medicines, wild onions, strawberries, and blueberries. FRTEP also assisted community partners to set up youth harvesting activities for wild rice and fish and co-taught 18 high school aged youth the skills to harvest wild rice. In addition, FRTEP worked with Ashland County 4-H and University of Wisconsin staff to teach canoe/kayak safety and skills to 24 additional youth and got these young people on the water to practice and prepare for the upcoming wild rice harvest season. The Youth Program Coordinator, in a new Bad River Tribal Administration position, recognizes FRTEP as a key partner to coordinate more opportunities for youth to be physically active on the water. In 2016, FRTEP furthered the Ojibwe traditional game of lacrosse by co-teaching 44 native and non native youth in the first ever Ojibwe language and lacrosse summer school course. This course was two hours per day for 4 weeks and included a minimum of an hour of physical activity per class as well as lessons on language and culture. FRTEP educator also coordinated lacrosse activities as a part of two annual seasonal camps serving 90 native youth ages 5-18. A smaller group of 6 youth and 4 adult tribal members, with the help of FRTEP resources and educator supports, are organizing workshops for the construction of traditional lacrosse sticks and for the construction of a traditional field on the reservation for ongoing games throughout the year. FRTEP hosts and facilitates hiking trips for younger youth as a part of the Mashkisibii Boys and Girls Club, Take a Hike program, cofounded by the FRTEP educator. Annually, an average of 30 youth have participated in hikes and plant lessons on the hikes as a part of this program. The club met weekly over six weeks for a three hour hike resulting in 18 hours of physical activity for each participant in addition to the education on the trail. FRTEP also furthers physical health for young tribal members by assisting the Ojibwe Language teacher at the elementary school with outdoor lessons on snowshoes, in the sugar bush, and playing lacrosse with 77 youth in her classes. A3. Educate tribal youth about biological sciences, natural resources and food systems through engagement with traditional foods. 46 native teens learned traditional plant knowledge and language as components of the Bad River Youth Outdoors program and the Bad River Summer Youth Workers program. FRTEP hosted several days of garden and wild plant id and harvest education as a part of a partnership with Bad River Natural Resources and the Healthy Lifestyles program that run these youth programs. 150 native and non native youth learned Ojibwe food traditions, culture and language in the school forest and school garden as part of a new partnership with the Ashland Elementary Ojibwe language program. A4. Positively impact self-sufficiency and economic development of tribal members The program provides significant economic value in food. In 2016, the youth grew 800 pounds of food valued at $3,772 and in 2017, 1717 pounds of food with a market value of $7075. The program exposes youth to opportunities related to food systems. In 2016, 46 Bad River Youth Outdoors participants and Bad River Summer Youth Workers gained at least 16 hours each of food system work for their resumes. And in 2017, FRTEP began partnering with the Federal Foodwise program to provide stipends to youth leaders, working with a group of 6 high school students through the Youth Advocates for Community Health to cultivate leadership around health and food sovereignty. A5. Provide leadership and mentoring opportunities for older youth to mentor elementary age tribal youth. FRTEP facilitated two new events where 15 youth from the High School Native American club provided mentoring to 75 Kindergarten students) and 52 Head Start students. Also, the Youth Advocates for Community Health are recruiting other youth to participate in Bad River Food Sovereignty and provide mentorship and role modeling at educational events at the gardens and greenhouses when younger youth are there. B) FRTEP is a key community partner at the Seasonal Culture Camps and youth harvesting events. FRTEP has helped connect youth with the Sioux Chef team and will continue helping young people utilize supports and resources to restore vitality and health in their community. Agency partners such as Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council and Bad River Natural Resources include FRTEP-led Ojibwe foodways education at events that they organize and host. FRTEP continues to work with Head Start to develop age appropriate activities to further the Ojibwe language and cultural education. FRTEP is working with community partners to format and publish a set of Head Start activities to share across Ojibwe territory. The program's success has been based on two strategies: 1) creating educational programs based on cultural food and Extension's programs and inviting partners from other youth programs to provide additional educational and cultural resources; and 2) integrating nutrition and physical activity into youth and general community programs organized by other community groups. This dual strategy has built sustainable educational programs through four years of FRTEP funding.
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