Copyright © 2005 NLThomas
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News from the Cherokee Nation, OK
Copyright © 2005 CNO
TAHLEQUAH, OK - An educational partnership between the Cherokee Nation and the Cherokee Heritage Center will help area middle school students learn a little about art and history, and a lot about giving back to their community.
Students from Marble City School Jeremy Leverett, Casey Brown, Britany Rozell, Danielle Keech, and Samuel Elk listen to Robert Lewis, guide at the Cherokee Heritage Center Ancient Village, as he explains how a river cane blowgun is made. 
"Service learning is a method of instruction that combines students and adults in addressing a community need," said Donna Gourd, Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve manager. "It employs a dynamic process that includes preparation, action, reflection and celebration.
In this collaboration between the Cherokee Nation and the Cherokee Heritage Center, students are provided with unique learning opportunities that utilize the resources that the Cherokee Heritage Center has to offer, and then they are presented with a way for the students to give something back to the Cherokee Heritage Center. The Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve program is even providing the schools with a $1,000 mini-grant for participating in this project.
Sixth and seventh grade students from Marble City were the first to participate in this inter-active learning method. The students spent the day learning about the time period between 1802 and 1835, using the various resources available at the museum and the Cherokee Heritage Center’s ancient village. The students then participated in a mock debate, representing the Ross and the Treaty parties, two prominent political factions within the Cherokee government at that time. At day’s end, the students were simply asked to complete a survey to help the Cherokee Heritage Center better understand the needs of its younger visitors.
"We’re striving to make a richer educational experience for anyone who comes here, and make it a full experience for kids," said Tonia Weavel, education director at the Cherokee Heritage Center.
The kids are also asked to go back to their school and develop a related activity to help share their experience with others. The students from Marble City have chosen to create a replica of the Cherokee Heritage Center’s Ancient Village.
Other schools that will be participating in this Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve project are Dahlonegah, Kenwood and Lowery.
"Student voice is one of the keys to successful service learning," Gourd said. "Recognizing and reinforcing a place for young people in our communities as caring, contributing problem solvers begins by including them in a discussion of what community is and why a free society requires responsible citizens. We must model cooperation and collaboration in order to encourage that behavior."
For more information on the Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve program, contact Donna Gourd, phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2638) or by e-mail and visit the Cherokee Heritage Center online.
| Related Cherokee Nation contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |