AISES has a solid history of providing resources to Native Americans who are pursuing careers in farming, ranching, and related sciences. Now the organization is expanding that role by launching the Advancing Agricultural Science Opportunities for Native Americans (AASONA) project.
The effort is funded with a $715,000 grant from the Native American Agriculture Fast Track Fund (NAAFTF). “The funding will go toward creating programming, scholarships, and advocacy services for students and current farmers and ranchers,” says AISES Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kathy DeerInWater. “Those pursuing a career in agriculture will benefit from education, exposure to research, networking, and professional development.”
The project will create a national cohort of high school and college students interested in agriculture and related sciences. “We will be convening the cohort at the 2019 AISES National Conference and 2020 Leadership Summit for professional and leadership development and access to academic and career-building resources,” explains Senior Program Officer Ruth Cameron. Scholarships and research awards are also offered under the grant.
The NAAFTF derives from the $760 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture reached in Keepseagle v. Vilsack, whose plaintiffs claimed the USDA denied Natives equal access to credit through the agency’s Farm Loan Program. Under the settlement, the NAAFTF has $38 million to distribute in grant funding to nonprofits like AISES that support Native agriculture.
The AISES family has welcomed two new Tribal Chapters: the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Part of the AISES Circle of Support, members of Tribal Chapters serve as mentors, provide activities that promote STEM success within their communities and beyond, support educational partnerships with affiliate schools, and benefit from access to networking resources through AISES. For information on starting a Tribal Chapter, visit aises.org.
An AISES program that engages K–12 students in technology, the SPRK-ing Interest in Computer Science initiative has received notable grants. Funding the program are General Motors, the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the Northrop Grumman Foundation, the Infosys Foundation USA, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Through the program AISES works with schools that serve Native students to train teachers and provide teaching tools in STEM and computer science. The curriculum, which incorporates the local culture, centers on hands-on activities using Sphero BOLT technology. To ensure that curriculum standards can be maintained, Sphero BOLT robots and tablets will remain at the schools.
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