Most of us take our
childrens' school field trips for granted. From elementary through high
school, our children visit museums, art galleries, historical buildings,
parks, and special events. But, for children living on remote Indian
reservations who have few opportunities for field trips or visiting
cultural attractions, the Internet brings the world to them. "To
look into the eyes of these children is to see into the future of the
American Indian people," said Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
Kevin Grover. "We simply cannot do enough in the areas of education."
Introducing Access Native America
The biggest hurdle to technology innovation in Native American schools is that many of the most needy schools and students are located in the most remote and isolated reservations in the country. The solution? The President called on the nation's education, business, and community leaders to join forces and create models in which the "Information Superhighway" would be part of a quality education for every child. He called for a partnership to link every BIA school to the Internet through the Access Native America Program.
Access Native America is a "Reinvention Laboratory" - - a program unfettered by old rules and old ideas - - sponsored by Vice President Gore's National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR). Under this initiative, approved by the Department of the Interior and the White House, OIEP is implementing a plan to meet the need for technology in BIA-funded schools and their service communities.
4Directions Project:
A Real Partnership for Progress
More than 500 consortia answered the President's call for help, and the 4Directions Challenge Project was one of 19 proposals that the U.S. Department of Education chose to fund. The department made the choice because of the program's unique focus on forming a community of learners who would use technology to communicate, assist each other, share in the diversity of the various cultures, and ensure that Native American voices are heard in the emerging information age.
In 1995, the 4Directions Project brought together 19 BIA-operated or administered schools in 10 states, grant administrators from the Department of Education at the Laguna Pueblo, and experts from the University of Texas, the University of Kansas, and Haskell Indian Nations University (a BIA-operated higher education institution). Today, the 4Directions Project is a model of the success to be achieved by integrating local culture, modern technology, and multimedia in teaching and learning activities.
The 4Directions Project is administered by the Laguna, New Mexico, Department of Education, and on-site evaluation visits confirm that participating students maintain and learn their heritage while preparing for the future.
