Kids motivate Rife to attain GED; plan for college, coffee business in future
Mom, I wanna be just like you and we can go to school together’ says her daughter
Photos by Natasha Kavanaugh
Christina Rife celebrates with her children, Anawake and Collin, at the GED
graduation ceremony in Siletz on Feb. 4.
By Natasha Kavanaugh
Last August, Christina Rife signed up
with the Tribal Self-Sufficiency Program
with a goal of obtaining her GED and
improving her family’s life. Rife has two
children, Anawake and Collin.
Before having her first child, Rife
worked 40 hours a week doing mostly
“grunt” labor.
“I just wanted something different,”
she said.
After realizing just what her moti
vation was, she was ready to work on
her goal.
“When my daughter comes to me for
help in school, I don’t wanna be like, I
don’t know. I want to be able to help her,
work with her,” Rife said.
Rife worked with Lisa Rilatos, Tribal
services specialist, signed up for classes
right away and attended regularly.
Christina thrived in the classroom
and before 1 knew it, the GED instructor
informed me that she was ready to test.
Christina went in and passed her tests the
very first time,” said Rilatos.
“She’s amazing. I love her. Whenever
I had a problem with school, my kids and
with my housing, I’d just call her and ask
for help,” said Rife of Rilatos.
Rife’s GED instructor, Angie Butler,
spent a lot of time working one-on-one
with her. She says she wouldn’t have
been able to complete her GED without
Butler’s help.
Rife’s two children also played a part
in her success.
"My kids are amazing too. I’ve never
had such happy, smart kids in my whole
life,” she said.
"Mom, I wanna be just like you and
we can go to school together,” chimed
in Anawake.
Rife is a proud and dedicated mother.
“Christina, like many Tribal mothers,
is the primary caretaker of both her chil
dren. While it wasn’t easy to juggle child
care and attending class, she was able to
pull it off,” said Butler.
Right now the task at hand is applying
for jobs and trying to provide the essentials
of basic living for herself and her kids. Rife
is not sure when yet, but she wants to go
to college. One thing for sure is looking
into a having her own coffee business.
“I love making coffee, so that’s my
thing. I wish there was a coffee shop here
because I’d be running it,” she said.
Even through obstacle after obstacle,
Rife has pushed forward and is well on her
way to where she wants to be. By sharing
her story, she hopes she can show others
they can too.
“What I appreciate about Christina
the most is that while she is a Tribal
member, she is a rather humble one. She
appreciates services and the support she
receives from the Tribe, never coming off
entitled, said Butler. “I looked forward
to seeing Christina in class and enjoyed
her positive attitude and her commitment
to obtaining her GED. I think 1 was the
lucky one, getting to contribute a little to
her success. I was ecstatic that she was the
first to receive her GED since the Tribe
took over the contract.”
necenr graduates from the GED program in Siletz include Carley Robinson, Shila
Justice, Heather Cole and Christina Rife.
Apply for Pre-Law Summer Institute
The American Indian Law Center is now accepting applications for its Pre-Law
Summer Institute (PLSI), a nationally recognized legal education preparatory program
for American Indians and Alaska Natives interested in attending and succeeding in
law school.
Likened to “law school boot camp” by many former students, PLSI curriculum
includes eight weeks of core law classes such as Indian law, torts, property and civil
procedure, as well as legal writing and research.
PLSI is not a remedial program. It is eight weeks of intense legal instruction,
research and study that provides students with an in-depth understanding of the unique
methods of law school research, analysis and writing.
The culmination of PLSI is a moot court competition that focuses on current
Indian legal issues.
The deadline to apply is March 25, 2011.
For more information, visit the AILC website at www.ailc-inc.org or contact Heidi
Nesbitt at nesbitt@ailc-inc.org.
Courtesy photo by Pricilla Gomez
The 477 Self-Sufficiency Program would like to congratulate sisters Loleta
Maldonado and Anna Porter for earning their GEDs. Both sisters are enrolled
members of the Yakama Nation and have chosen to continue their education at
Portland Community College. Loleta and Anna (above) received their Pendleton
blankets from Anna Renville, Tribal services specialist in the Portland Area Office
The entire Portland office as well as the entire 477 Self-Sufficiency Program wishes
them both continued success.
March 2011
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Siletz News
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