Making Montana Proud poster project

Making Montana Proud poster

Working under a State constitutional and legislative mandate (Article X and MCA 20-1-501) the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has for years pursued a progressive and aggressive “Indian Education for All” program, the goal to present the history, culture and lifestyles of Montana tribal people in a favorable way throughout the state’s public schools, A recent project was “Making Montana Proud”, a series of professionally produced posters featuring successful, inspirational Montana Natives role-models.
A sample poster selected for this story features Shane Morigeau, Salish and Kootenai. Morigeau, tribal lawyer and elected State Representative is now running for the position of Auditor in Montana, already endorsed by many Tribes and Tribal organizations.
OPI Indian Education Specialists who led the project recently explained its background: Mike Jetty, Spirit Lake Dakota tribal member, who has been working with Indian education for the past 29 years with 18 of those years at OPI and Stephen Morsette, Chippewa-Cree tribal member, who taught at Box Elder Schools for 9 years and has been with OPI for the past 4 years.
In 2008, OPI did a poster series featuring Native Montanans, “Honor your Self” which was very well received,” said Jetty. “The teachers and students all liked it, positive stories as opposed to the negative, which we too often hear or read about.”
Copies of the poster series were provided to every public middle and high school in the State. Thus, several high schools were then inspired to make their own poster series, featuring successful tribal students.
Former State Director of Indian Education, Mandy Smoker Broaddus, Assiniboine and Sioux, was in full support of renewing that effort. In 2018, during a roundtable staff discussion, Morsette brought the idea up to revisit the poster project. Mandy then assigned him the lead and he was provided with a modest budget ($11,000) to make it happen.
Initially, he contacted tribal governments to solicit nominations, which did not pan out well. So, OPI began to utilize social media: Facebook, establishing the parameters: nominees had to under 40; nominated by fellow tribal members and personally agree to participate if selected. The results were astounding, putting the OPI folks into quandary. How to select from so many successful candidates: the issue not being enough achievers, but so many, each one special in their own right. A panel of OPI staff carefully reviewed each nomination, including the number of times each one was nominated. “I wish we could have included everyone,” Morsette remarked, “but we came up with a nice balance (culinary artists, tribal language teachers, lawyers, activists, elected officials and even professional comedians) such a wide array of talent and accomplishment.”
Kimberly Gardipee, Blackfeet and Little Shell professional photographer submitted the best estimate and traveled around the State the capture the beautiful images for the poster series. Each colorful and high gloss poster also includes educational and professional background about that person and an inspirational quote.
The individuals featured in the most recent project include: Shane Morigeau, 33, Salish and Kootenai, Tribal Attorney for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Representative, House District 95; Levi Horn, 31, Northern Cheyenne, Chemical Dependency Counselor; LeAnn Montes, 36, Chippewa Cree, Chippewa Cree Tribal Attorney; Jennifer Show, 36, Diabetes Coordinator; Kasey Nicholson, 38, A’aanin and Pikuni, Motivational Speaker and comedian; Vernon Grant, 36, Blackfeet, Assistant Research Professor; Jeremey MacDonald, 39, Chippewa Cree and Blackfeet, School Superintendent; Adam Sings in the Timber, 39, Apsaalooke Freelance photographer and filmmaker; Jordan Landford, 29, Gros Ventre and Little Shell, Intertribal Immersion Educator; Richard Dionne, 36, Fort Peck Sioux, Middle and High School counselor; Marita Growing Thunder, 18, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux, college student; Echo Marie Brown, 36, Upper Kalispell/Pend ‘d Oreille, Salish Language Teacher. Mariah Gladstone, 24, Blackfeet and Cherokee, Culinary Artist and Cinnamon Spear, 30, Northern Cheyenne, IHS Public Affairs Specialist.
The project, when finished, was celebrated at the State Capitol. Since, the posters have been provided to each and every junior and senior high school in the State of Montana and are available for free to others (while supplies last). For example, Sheridan College, Wyoming will soon display the set at its new Multi-cultural Center, reinforcing efforts to attract native students from nearby Montana reservations.
The posters can viewed online at the OPI website or physically obtained by contacting Stephen Morsette at 406.444.0754 or email smorsette@mt.gov
Jetty who is frequently called upon by other states and educational institutions to talk about Montana’s “Indian Education for All” program summed it up: “It is an on-going journey. We have much to celebrate. We have much to be proud of.” The individuals featured in the poster series provide hope and inspiration for all and are excellent examples of the genius of the Native intellect.

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

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