These past two weeks have been so emotional for me and I’ve never been more closer to the people around me. ‘Tis my last year, children. I am but old and crippled and it has been so memorable for me. I will never forget these past three years because they make me who I am today and who I will be in the future. I want to thank all the people that I’ve stepped on to get to the top because yes, everyone worships me here. PEACHES FOR LIFEEEEEEEE. Peace out. MUAAAH.
A first time experience for me was not feeling important as a woman, I felt put down and it’s the first time I’ve ever cried in a situation like that. It’s the first situation I’ve ever had like that. When we came back from the Island we had a woman’s meeting and it was really emotional for me. I felt powerful being surrounded by strong women. I cried for my spirit. I cried for what I’ve been through in this body of mine and I cried for the future. I have a deep respect and compassion for everyone in that prayer ceremony and I will always think of that day and how good it made me feel.
My biggest take-away from Wishtoyo is a necklace that my original mentor, from 3 years ago, gave to me. She is the first person to ever bring me out of my shell. If she wasn’t my mentor then I think I wouldn’t have grown into the person I am today.
My biggest take-away from Limwu island is walking through the cave. I felt like I was in the goonies and it also was the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. I appreciate the experience.
I cried a lot and I hate the feelings and situations that caused me to cry but this trip has been all about finding myself, and I’m still in the process of that. It was a great experience and I had a ton of fun. I will take these memories with me as I start my adult life.
I have seen protests of Idle No More and never actually knew what they were protesting for just the name of the Bill they were protesting against. Joe Parker, our keynote speaker, really cleared things for me and I finally knew what we, as a people, were fighting for. First Nation people of Canada were having everything taken from them. All of us, native americans, stood by our relatives to help them and keep mother earth safe. And it makes me want to stick together as one because we are stronger that way.
Saginaw Grant is someone I really look up to. He is a Native American who made himself known and who is very passionate at what he does, even though acting wasn’t his first choice as a career. He told us to stay in school and keep practicing our tradition because if we lose our people’s morals than we lose ourself and become a problem that Native Americans have fought against for hundreds of years. We find different way of healing that aren’t meant for our bodies and spirit and he warned us against the dangerous things that lead us away from the path we walk.
One issue that bugs me is pollution to the world. We mistreat it and wonder why our world is dying. There isn’t much to do about this problem except decrease what has been done and keep on fighting for a change.
At the Pomona Museum I liked having the opportunity to place myself into a different native culture, other than my own, and drawing something spontaneously but also drawing something that meant a lot to me. With the artifacts, I had varied emotions.
The stereotypical depictions of Native Americans in film by hollywood directors presented by Tory Mudd was really eye opening. I mean, I already know what is wrong and what is right when watching a native movie made by people that aren’t a part of the native lifestyle and who only hear one side of the story, and I have known this since I learned to think for myself but Tory Mudd’s presentation made it seem even more important and I respect her for making it known to people who don’t understand.
When Pamela Peters showed short clips I really enjoyed it and became emotional when watching the video she made with her own writings. Her poem was true. I’ve been through what is depicted in the words she wrote. I’ve seen my family struggle to forget the past. I’m facing my own struggles to forget the past, or at least heal from it because I need to.
We should respond to stereotypes by setting the record straight to oblivious people.
I love it here, this is my third year in the program and it’s awesome. Words can’t describe this program for me.
My name is Quiachtunaut, my english name is Danielle Kennedy-Jefferson but prefer to be called Dani. I am Assiniboine from my mother’s side and Coast Salish from my father’s. I live in Lummi Nation, ten minutes from Bellingham, which is two and a half hours from Seattle in the state of Washington. I go to Ferndale High School and will be a Senior.
I describe myself as positive and a writer. I know that 80% of my day I have a smile on my face and that I have the need to write random things that come to my mind. I love to put my thoughts and imagination into a story. It keeps me going.
This past spring and the beginning of summer I did the program, a mini university for Coast Salish students, and we did a lot of conservation projects. I felt important because I was helping my people’s land. I also started my first job 6 days ago and I realized I love going to work, not only because I had my own office but I love the feeling of being mature and like I’m my own person.
At my high school I do Sports Medicine for football and it’s basically first aid for football players. It’s what makes me want to go into a major in Medicine when I graduate high school and go to college. I love helping people.
I sing with my sisters professionally and have used our voices for activism.
I don’t know what I want to accomplish but I hope that I do figure something out.
To distribute a Native Youth Survival Guide to preparing for college, I would talk to other kids that look up to me or have yet to look up to me and recommend the book to them. I would also distribute it to educational helpers in my community and teachers at the Lummi Nation School. Online I would share it and post it on my wall tagging others in my community to read or skim through it.
I would share it online and in my school , I would recommend it to close friends and other Native American youth in my tribe.
Today at the Workshop at Chaffey Historical Center and Church, I learned a lot about Native American projects and we got Brownies which were so perfect!
Common Application is a website that helps you with finding the tuition and phone numbers of the admissions office, it is where you choose a college in the state you want and tells you all the information you need to know and how to apply, that’s why the website is so helpful.
Students that might sign up for the common app will need to have their personal information and a pen and paper to take notes.
It is super important to research colleges before you apply because the students might not like the school setting or the classes they provide. And to know the background of the college, you want to have a instant bond when you read about the college you’re researching.
The student writing the essay has to make a great impression on the person reading it, that’s why writing a fantastic application essay is so important.
Some tips to writing an amazing essay would be to always be yourself but never babble on about how your the best. The student should speak from their heart.
Some tips that I recommend is to add some humor into it, the application essay shouldn’t be so stiff. The student should put their thoughts and feelings into it. Don’t go for facts, go for your real life experiences. Things you’ve learned from your elders and parents.
Three aspects in my cultural experience would be ceremony, language, and songs. Ceremony means a lot to my family and me, my sisters and I grew up in Native American Church. Eventhough I don’t attend as much as my younger sister does, the medicine and praying affects me in a great way. This has a lot to do with my college experience because I always pray for a good education and a happy life. Language would be next, being here at Pipeline makes me want to learn my language so bad. I want to be able to represent my nation and just to know my language, it means a lot to me and I plan to take classes in Lummi Language this up and coming year. My nations songs and my family’s Songs would be the most important to me because it keeps me connected to my culture and my sisters. My sisters and I sing and even though I’m working on my confidence skills and the process of beginning to sing, I don’t regret singing afterwards but its difficult for me to accept singing in front of my tribe or others.
These three aspects prepare me to speak for my tribe and to represent Lummi Nation. I want to do good so other youth will look up to me and see that there are other options than become addicted to drugs and alcohol. So they will respect there bodies and minds and try harder in school. This is my plan and I will stick with it.
nativeyouth2college.org 