Broadening their horizons at the U.S. Capitol is Stewart Dixey, Yvonne Broncho, Hunter Nielson and Cullen Fightsover. (Submitted photo)

SBS students visit Washington D.C. through Close Up program

By Roselynn Wahtomy
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL – Experiencing the chance of a lifetime was the focus of Shoshone-Bannock Jr./Sr. High School juniors in their essays that provided the opportunity for them to travel Washington D.C.
Students Stewart Dixey, Cullen Fightsover, Yvonne Broncho and Hunter Nielson along with their teacher Lynette Proffitt attended the Close Up program from February 9-13. The program began on February 17 but because of a severe winter storm their trip was delayed a few days
Every year Sho-Ban sends two students to Close Up, this year with the support of the Fort Hall Business Council, SPED program and Tribal Youth Education they had funds available to send two more.
Close Up was founded on the bases of three ideas to understand history to take action in the present, to understand how the political process works before thinking about what we want to happen and to understand the skills of leadership before practicing it.
During the course the Close Up staff works to build a student’s knowledge and skill to be an involved, effective citizen. Being in D.C., they were to use the city as their very own living classroom and meet and speak with national and tribal leaders to address the concerns of their community.
Also a part of the experience was the chance to socialize with other Native American students from Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, New York, South Dakota and Washington. Additionally, the program was held in conjunction with the National Indian Education Association summit.
Alongside taking care of business they had the chance to visit museums and popular sights including the Capitol building, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Museum of the American Indian and Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Ford’s Theater and riding the Metro.
In Dixey’s essay he explained he looked forward to meeting new people and learning about history. Nielson’s reason for his quest, like most of them, was to go somewhere beyond the reservation. He stated he wanted to see the buildings and all the “cool sights.”
Fightsover was interested in going to talk about the problems on the reservation. His highlight of the trip was visiting the Holocaust Museum and talking with Congress dignitaries. He brought back the desire to want to participate and be involved more within the community.
Broncho said meeting new people and experiencing new things were her greatest memories. Together the group found the most important issue discussed that applies locally is underage drinking.
“It’s something we see happening,” said Broncho. “It’s bigger than everything else.”
While at Close Up they were taught skills that included identifying issues and ways to take action to apply it. This is something they hope to work on in the future.
Proffitt was impressed with the Close Up organization considering the extreme weather stating they did several things to keep the kids busy including a mock election where Dixey ran for president. They also demonstrated the process a bill goes through in congress.
“It’s a very worthwhile program,” boasted Proffitt who sees travel as a great way to broaden one’s horizons. “It was an adventure to say the least,” she stated.

Skunkcap assists Sho-Ban students with learning as 21st Century Coordinator

By Roselynn Wahtomy
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL – Marlene Skunkcap is the 21st Century After School Coordinator.
She has had previous experience working for Sho-Ban School as the Home School Coordinator last year.
All students are welcomed from Sho-Ban Jr. /Sr. High School and surrounding area students who reside on the Fort Hall reservation and go to school in Blackfoot and Pocatello.
The program takes place at the Sho-Ban School Library form 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. from Monday through Thursday. A snack will be provided prior to the daily activities and bus transportation home will be provided afterwards. Skunkcap has seen the need for tribal members to be involved in the school since her days as a member of the Fort Hall Business Council, she explains, “I saw the internal make-up of the school and the need for changes in the academics as it related to what this program is about, helping students to graduate and be prepared for some form of higher learning.”
Skunkcap’s interest in education stems from her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. She views herself as a resource for the students and parents.
“I believe I have the ability to reach out to people because that is what is needed - people in trouble don’t like to reach out for help but might accept the help if it’s offered directly to them,” she says.
As the 21st Century After School Coordinator Skunkcap oversees the program and continually monitors the progress of meeting the goals of the program by providing quality services to Sho-Ban School students and their parents.
The 21st Century Program is an after school program funded by the Bureau of Indian Education through the No Child Left Behind Act. The primary purpose of the 21st Century program is to offer students a broad array of services, programs, and activities after school that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students.
There are four core components that are the focus of the after school program they include math, reading, writing and health. Skunkcap has observed that math and language usage/writing skills appear to be the lowest areas of test scores.
The original five-year grant was obtained by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe’s in 2002 and is currently in the third of a new grant that ends in 2012.
Skunkcap feels that as with most federal grants, there is an enormous amount of reporting that needs to be done with the funding source where much of her time is currently being spent just finding out where the program is at in order to progress.
A parent/student dinner meeting was recently conducted to let parents know what the program was about and to recruit new students. Students residing on the reservation and attending surrounding schools are eligible to enroll in the after school program by having their parent/caretaker sign an After School Contract. The program utilizes a Referral Form that will let them know what the student academic needs are so that a lesson plan can be developed
As the Coordinator, Skunkcap is very concerned about the student’s ISAT scores in the past. Fortunately, Sho-Ban School has taken steps to improve the scores by including special ISAT Math and English classes. With this in mind one change that will be made in the After School Program is that each student participating will be required to work on ISAT for one hour a day before they can begin doing other activities, such as reading books, get tutoring and/or other educational games and activities.
Also offered is the Accelerated Reader computer program that will be used to encourage students to use to improve their reading skills. The Compass test is on the computer that students can practice on before they go to ISU for the actual testing for college placement. Additionally they have been assisting the School with Credit Recovery but found out that we can’t do that with our program so we have an arrangement with the Tribal Youth Program to come to the school for one hour to help students work on their recovery packets. Claudia Washakie is the director of the Tribal Youth Education Program and Candace Yokoyama will be assigned to work with students on credit recovery.
It’s reported that presently there are 85 students who have enrolled in the program; 39 students have attended at least once during the past month; 15 students have attended at least five times or more during January.
In the grant proposal, it’s said there would have a minimum of 80 students participating and that number was based on a student population of 150 at Sho-Ban School. This year we don’t have that many students but next year we should see our student numbers increase says Skunkcap.
In broadening student’s horizons the program will plan for periodic educational field trips. The students visited the Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls last fall. Program courses will be directly related to the State’s standards. Program will work closely with the principal and counselor to prevent seniors, as well as other students, from dropping out of school.
Incentives for the program will be movies, sporting events, music concerts, program sweatshirts, gift cards and many more activities.
She continues, “I have seen some positive changes at Sho-Ban School in just this past year. The students seem to be more motivated to work in school, the attendance policy is being enforced, and there is less in-school student fighting.”
For more information contact Marlene Skunkcap at 243-1167.