Students Celebrate Earth Day with Environmental Science Fair

posted April 27, 2015
As seen on KELOland.com

This past Friday, Red Cloud AmeriCorps Member and environmental curriculum coordinator, Aminah Hassoun welcomed students from across the reservation to Red Cloud's Earth Day celebration and environmental science fair. Representatives from local organizations such as Badlands National Park, the Museum of Geology, The Heritage Center's Education Department, Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation and Lakota Solar Enterprises attended the day-long event that allowed students to learn about their environment and opportunities for pursuing careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields.

Young students gathered around a long table filled with recycled art supplies as they painted and glued and created their favorite insects and animals. When asked why we were celebrating Earth Day and Uŋčí Makȟá (Mother Earth), Tashaye, a smiling student in Miss Amanda's kindergarten class raised her hand.

"My Grandpa always says 'I love Uŋčí Makȟá!" says Tashaye. "Uŋčí Makȟá gives us food and places to live and buffalo so we can eat."

Earlier in the school year, Tashaye stood with her classmates watching and listening to staff from Red Cloud's Lakota Studies Department explain the spiritual significance of the buffalo and how each and every part can be used to keep their people healthy.

"We took some meat home and we cooked it and it tasted really good," remembers Tashaye. "It was a gift from Uŋčí Makȟá. I think we should be nice to the Earth. Sometimes I make a plate of food and you pray and give it to Uŋčí Makȟá. That's a spirit plate. She loves us, so we should love her back. She gives us food, so we give her food back. We should take care of her."

KELOland's Kevin Woster visited the fair and highlighted Red Cloud's commitment to innovative, culturally-responsive curriculum.

 

Help Red Cloud continue to inspire students to pursue careers in the environmental sciences.