1977-10-15 Char-Koosta News

              ERprjJHESALISH/PfeND DX)RIELLES ANDKOOTI
Volume 7    Number 12
Moon of the Half Summer — Half Autumn
October 15, 1977
Involvement Does Promote Success
Involvement does promote success! The Northwest Indian Education Conference, held last week in Kalispell, was definitely a success due to the involvement of the hundreds of people interested in Indian education who attended the four day meeting.
This year's conference, the first held in Montana, was co-sponsored by the Confederated Salish & Kootenai  Tribe  and   the  Blackfeet Tribe.
Representatives from a five state area, ( Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming), were quite enthusiastic about the quality of this year's conference. Credit should be given the organizational committees on the Flathead and Blackfeet reservations.
The workshops and panel discussions were well organized, and based upon involvement of the conference attendees participation. One group told the Char-Koosta that they felt they had received more information and ideas concerning Indian education and funding sources than they had in prior years.
The Conference was not restricted to primary, secondary and college educational opportunities. Speakers and workshops were available in the areas of employment and vocational training as well. Workshops were presented by Indian Action Team directors, the Center for Employment Training, and the All Indian Job Corps Centers.
High on the points of interest this year was the Tribal Alternative school concept. This is a fairly new and innovative idea that seems to be catching on throughout the Northwest tribes. An all day workshop was presented by the Sho-ban, Flathead and Blackfeet tribal alternative schools personnel and students.   The alterna-
tive school concept is just that, an alternative to the public school system. Most alternative schools are centered around secondary or high school age courses, however, as the programs grow in success, they are expanding into grade school and junior high curriculums on many reservations. The alternative schools combine the regular educational courses with an emphasis on culture and   heritage.     The  drop  out rates
are much lower for Indian Students in    the    alternative  school   systems.
The first evening of the conference was left open for registration and getting acquainted, ( in most cases re-acquainted).
The second day kicked off the conference with a morning long general session, chaired by Earl Barlow, who has been involved in both the Indian and public school systems in Montana for many years.
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