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The Nez Perce Tribe’s “Preparing for Academic Excellence” (PACE) 27th Annual two-week Math & Science Camp was a huge success. PACE is hosted by the Nez Perce Tribe’s Environmental Restoration & Waste Management Program. It was scheduled for July 15-26, 2024, at the Lapwai High School. Although we had our struggles and challenges, in the end, it was all worth it and another successful year.
We had twenty students start the camp and finish the camp, which is great because sometimes at the end of the Summer, families and students have vacations, camps and other things planned. When you can get the students and families to commit to the full two weeks is always great. In fact, attendance is one of our requirements for the students to receive their $300 stipend or scholarship. The other requirements or criteria are completing ALL math and science assignments, participation and showing an improvement between their pre and post-test.
PACE isn’t all study time. In the mornings, we focus on the math and science curricula, but in the afternoon, we schedule presentations and field trips to introduce and expose students to the many different STEM fields, as well as the history and culture of the Nez Perce.
This year, for the first week of PACE, we received a presentation from the Nez Perce/Clearwater/Wallowa National Forests about fire and how it burns, as well as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) from Richland, Washington. Going to the University of Idaho campus and receiving presentations from the UI Engineering Division was also rewarding and engaging as the students developed their own “Mouse Trap Cars”. To wind out the first week, the students received presentations from the UI Extension NiMiiPuu Reservation 4-H, UI Water Education, Nez Perce Tribe Fisheries Department, and we visited the Nez Perce National Historical Park to view the new displays and connect with our history and culture.
For the second week of PACE, we started a three-day workshop with NiMiiPuu Fund and Roxanne Best, to introduce students to “Digital Storytelling”. On the first day, they were informed on what “Digital Storytelling” was and was given examples of what it is and how it is used. The second day, we went on a Jet Boat Tour with Nez Perce Tourism up the Snake River and heard Nez Perce stories, language, and place names, as well as saw the petroglyphs and pictographs at Buffalo Eddy with the intent to start gathering information for our own story. On the third day, the students were required to make their own one-minute story about the Jet Boat Tour with sound and footage. On Thursday, we went to Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC) and visited the Technical & Industrial Schweitzer Training Center building with all the different programs within the School of Career & Technical Education, as well as the Nursing & Health Sciences; Physical, Life, Movement and Sport Sciences’ and a presentation on the different degree programs and transition to higher education.
On the last day of PACE, we allocate time for students to finish, correct and complete ALL assignments, do a quick review of the math curriculum, and take the post PACE math test. After the post-test, we start getting things cleaned up and ready for the PACE Lunch & Awards Assembly for the students and their families.
The students and staff of the 2024 PACE Math & Science Camp represented six (6) different tribes (Nez Perce, Umatilla, Colville, Yakama, Quinault, and Apache), three (3) schools (Lapwai Middle/High School, Sacajawea Junior High and Palouse-Prairie Charter), and seven (7) different colleges/universities (Arizona State University, University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, Haskell Indian Nations University, Northern Arizona University, Edmonds College and Spokane Falls Community College) were all represented.
The PACE staff included Imani Mitchell (Arizona State University), Sayq’is Greene (Edmonds College), Raequel Domebo (Haskell Indian Nations University), Bryan Strom Jr. (Haskell Indian Nations University), Kahlees Young (Spokane Community College) and Amaris Mitchell (Edmonds College). We had thirty-nine (39) presenters for the PACE Program and many volunteers and sponsors, including the Nez Perce Tribe, Environmental Restoration & Waste Management Program, Department of Energy, Lapwai School District, Lewis-Clark State College (Native American, Minority & Veteran Services), Nez Perce Tourism, NiMiiPuu Fund, Nez Perce Tribe’s Local Education Fund, University of Idaho Engineering Division, and Jarvis Weaskus (Nez Perce Tribe Cultural Resources, former ERWM Intern, former PACE participant and former PACE Counselor).
I am so thankful for the opportunity to coordinate such a great program for our youth, and make all these different connections with colleges, universities, agencies, and tribal programs. It is a great program for the Nez Perce Tribe, our community and for the next generations. The collaboration and coordination with the Lapwai School District, Lewis-Clark State College and Nez Perce Tribe is amazing, and of course, it is all possible with the help from Antonio Smith, the ERWM Communication Specialist…thank you!
Group Names and Individual Awards are as follows:
“Team B”- Bryan Strom “Sweat Rocks”- Raequel Domebo
– Dawson Whitman- Hardest Worker, Jaleia Sonneck- Leadership Award
– T’Naya George- Leadership award, RaeShawn (Shawnee) Henry- Hard Worker Award
– Katrell Samuels- Best Teammate , Agnes Kash Kash- Amazing Artist Award
– Erin Yallup- Most Improved , Neveah Moses- Creative Thinker Award
– Angel Broncheau– Warrior Award, Tamina Littlefish- Outstanding Improvement Award
“Quiet Coyotes”- Amaris Mitchell“Northern West Slayers”- Kahlees Young
– Evyn McCormack- Gets the Job Done Award, Samuel Rickman- Wonder Award
– Avianna Wheeler- Most Improved Award, Kylese Samuels- Smarty Pants Award
– Karissa McFarland- The Harmony Award, Cavell Samuels- Leadership Award
– Adison Johnson- The Character Award, Leilani Penney- Most Improved Award
– Kyrie Rickman- The Hypeman Award, Arraya Holt-Zack- Miss Get It Done
PACE High Recognition Awards2024 Top PACE Awards
– RaeShawen Henry, T’Naya George
– Adison Johnson, Cavell Samuels
This article was written by the Solo Greene.
All views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the author are solely that of the author and do not reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Nez Perce Tribe or its Communications Department.
