Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
October 21, 2020
An education success story
A
fter Jaren Wallulatum
graduated from high school
in 2014 he enrolled at a col-
lege in his home state of
Oregon, uncertain what ca-
reer path to pursue. And
like many first-generation
students, he wasn’t sure
where to go for support as
he started his college experi-
ence.
“For myself, it was diffi-
cult being new to higher edu-
cation,” Jaren was saying re-
cently. “I didn’t know where
to look for the resources I
needed to succeed.”
Jaren would transfer to
another college before leav-
ing school to enter the
workforce and moving to the
state of Washington. Two
years later, he gave college
another try—only this time
with the support he had ear-
lier lacked.
That helping hand came
from Yakima Valley College’s
TRIO Student Support Ser-
vices. This is a federally-
funded program providing
low-income and first-genera-
tion students with academic
support services such as tu-
toring, assistance with edu-
cation plans, personal and
career counseling, book loans
and more.
“Finding TRIO made a
huge difference for me in
navigating the higher educa-
tion system,” Jaren said.
Last year Jaren graduated
from Yakima Valley College
and is now majoring in eco-
nomics and public policy at
Central Washington Univer-
sity. “It helped build a net-
work of peers, instructors
and college staff who I can
reach out to for help,” he
says.
Over the next five years,
hundreds of Yakima Valley
College students like Jaren
will benefit from access to
additional financial support,
mentoring, tutoring services
and academic advising
thanks to a recent $1.8 mil-
lion grant from the U.S. De-
partment of Education that
Dustin Wunderlich/Yakima Valley College
Jaren Wallulatum at the Yakima Valley College
grduation ceremony, 2019.
Jaren is now inter-
ested in studying how
his tribe and other
tribes can maximize
the resources on
reservations for the
benefit of those
living on them.
will extend the college’s
TRIO program.
TRIO helps Yakima Val-
ley students overcome class,
social and cultural barriers
to higher education, said
prorgam director Dustin
Shattuck.
And in taking down those
barriers, TRIO ultimately
helps increase students’ aca-
demic success, graduation
rates and likelihood of trans-
ferring to four-year institu-
tions.
“TRIO works because it
serves a population—first-
generation, low-income stu-
dents—who don’t usually
know how to navigate col-
lege,” Shattuck said.
“A lot of these students
have been through a lot of
adversity, but when they
have access to some of
these resources to succeed,
you really see them blos-
som.”
In each of the next five
years, 200 students will be
supported through the col-
leges TRIO program, with
individual students being
served from one to three
years depending on their aca-
demic pathway.
While financial aid pro-
grams help students over-
come financial barriers to
accessing higher education,
Shattuck says TRIO’s ser-
vices focus on empowering
students to succeed in their
educational journeys.
For example, students
participate in a learning com-
munity from the beginning
of their time at Yakima Val-
ley in order to build net-
works of peer support.
They
also
have
coursework supplemented
with advising and mentoring
aligned with their career
goals, and the college offers
workshops and field trips on
financial literacy, financial
aid and scholarship applica-
tions, career and worksite
awareness, cultural aware-
ness and planning for trans-
fer.
Summaries of Tribal Council
The following are summa-
ries of late September and
early to mid October meet-
ings of the Tribal Council
of the Confederated Tribes:
September 29
The meeting was called
to order at 9:02 a.m. by
Chair man
Raymond
Tsumpti Sr. Roll call: Chief
Delvis Heath, Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Chief Alfred Smith
Jr., Vice Chair Brigette
McConville, Wilson Wewa
Jr., Raymond (Captain)
Moody, Glendon Smith,
Chief Joseph Moses.
Minnie Yahtin, Recorder.
· CoHo Connect Hos-
pitality Services meet and
greet with Brett Wilkerson,
chief executive officer, and
senior leadership.
· Government-to-Gov-
ernment meeting with U.S.
Attorney’s Office Billy Wil-
liams and Tim Simmons.
· Conrad Granito, gen-
eral manager Muckleshoot
Casino, meet and greet.
Letters of Intent:
· Motion by Anita autho-
rizing the Chairman to sign
the Letter of Intent with Mr.
Granito. Second by Brigette;
Question/ 6/0/1, Captain/
abstains. Chairman not vot-
ing. Motion carried.
· Motion by Glendon
authorizing the Chairman to
sign the Letter of Intent with
CoHo Services. Second by
Brigette; Question; 6/0/2,
Captain and Jay abstain.
Chairman not voting. Mo-
tion carried.
· Cares Act business grant
discussion with Howie
Arnett and Wendy Pearson.
· 2021 budget wtih Fi-
nance, Alfred Estimo Jr. and
Dennis Johnson:
· Budget discussions will
continue on September 30.
Motion by Brigette to ad-
journ at 4:20 p.m.
September 30
The meeting was called to
order at 9:15 a.m. by Chair-
man Raymond Tsumpti Sr.
Roll call: Chief Delvis
Heath, Chief Joseph Moses,
Vice Chair Brigette
McConville, Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Glendon Smith,
Anita Jackson, Wilson Wewa
Jr. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder.
2021 tribal organization
budget discussion with Fi-
nance, Alfred Estimo Jr. and
Dennis Johnson.
· Request by the Secre-
tary-Treasurer to reconsider
budget reductions for: Pur-
chasing, Probate, Vital Stats,
Records and Legal Aid.
Glendon/Yes, Joe/No,
Anita/Yes, Delvis/No, Jay/
Yes, Wilson/Yes; 4/yes, 2/
No; Reconsideration is
granted and there will be no
budget reductions for 2021.
· Governmental Affairs
is included in the reconsid-
eration.
· Enrollments with
Lucille Suppach-Samson, Vi-
tal Statistics director:
· Motion by Anita adopt-
ing Resolution No. 12,727
enrolling (20) individuals.
Second by Glendon;
Glendon/Yes, Joe/Yes,
Anita/Yes, Delvis/Yes, Jay/
Yes, Wilson/Yes, 6/0/0,
Chairman not voting. Mo-
tion carried.
· Motion by Wilson
adopting Resolution No.
12,728 approving an
individual’s request to relin-
quish, so he can enroll in the
Morongo Band of Mission
Indians. Second by Anita;
Glendon/Yes, Joe/Yes,
Anita/Yes, Delvis/Yes, Jay/
Yes, Wilson/Yes, 6/0/0,
Chairman not voting. Mo-
tion carried.
· 2021 budget continued
with Alfred and Dennis:
· Motion by Anita to post
the proposed 2021 Budget
as read into record. Second
by Glendon; Glendon/Yes,
Joe/Yes, Anita/Yes, Delvis/
Yes, Jay/Yes, Wilson/Yes;
6/0/0, Chairman not vot-
ing. Motion carried.
· October agenda with
“Our program focuses on
engaging with students
around their career inten-
tions and the bridge that edu-
cation plays in attaining these
careers,” Mr. Shattuck said.
At the end of Jaren’s first
year at Yakima Valley, he and
handful of other students in
the program were ap-
proached by their advisor
about starting a peer
mentoring and leadership
program.
“That was an experience
that really helped build our
leadership and professional
skills because we were in
charge of planning a lot of
activities for our peers and
their growth,” he said. Fol-
lowing that leadership expe-
rience, Jaren would go on to
serve as Yakima Valley Col-
lege Student Council presi-
dent.
He is scheduled to com-
plete his bachelor’s degree in
2022, and then enter Cen-
tral Washington University’s
graduate program in cultural
and environmental resources
management.
Jaren grew up on the
Warm Springs Indian Reser-
vation. He is interested in
studying how his tribe and
other tribes can maximize
the resources on reservations
for the benefit of those liv-
ing on them.
“TRIO helps inspire stu-
dents to continue to go fur-
ther in education and in their
careers,” Jaren said.
“Those connections you
make are life and career con-
nections you can continue to
reach out to. There are still
friends I made who I talk to
on a daily basis and I know
that I can reach out to them
anytime for assistance and I
know that I can reach out to
the faculty anytime in the fu-
ture.”
For more information
about Yakima Valley
College’s TRIO Student Sup-
port Services visit: yvcc.edu/
services/sss/
Michele Stacona, Secretary-
Treasurer/CEO:
· Motion by Glendon ap-
proving the October busi-
ness agenda. Second by
Anita; Glendon/Yes, Joe/
Yes, Anita/Yes, Delvis/Yes,
Jay/Yes, Wilson/Yes; 6/0/
0, Chairman not voting. Mo-
tion carried.
· Motion by Glendon
amending the business
agenda. October 5 items will
be rescheduled for October
9. Second by Anita;
Glendon/Yes, Joe/Yes,
Anita/Yes, Delvis/Yes, Jay/
Yes, Wilson/Yes; 6/0/0,
Chairman not voting. Mo-
tion carried.
· Motion by Delvis ap-
proving the October travel
dates, subject to change. Sec-
ond by Anita; Glendon/Yes,
Joe/Yes, Anita/Yes, Delvis/
Yes, Wilson/Abstain; Jay/
Yes, 5/0/1, Chairman not
voting. Motion carried.
· Draft resolutions with
Michele:
· Motion by Brigette
adopting Resolution No.
12,729 appointing Raymond
as the voting Affiliated
Tribes of Northwest Indians
voting delegate, and Anita as
the alternate. Second by
Glendon;
Question;
Glendon/Yes, Joe/Yes,
Brigette/Yes, Anita/Yes;
Jay/Yes, 5/0/0, Chairman
not voting. Motion carried.
· The Resolution for
War m Springs Financial
Page 5
Academy advocacy,
leadership classes
The Warm Springs Academy Twenty-First Cen-
tury Community Learning Center invites seventh-
and eighth-grade students and families to leadership
and advocacy classes.
The classes are done virtually online, beginning
this Thursday, October 22. The classes are in part-
nership with Papalaxsimisha.
Classes will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Google
Meet. There will be eight sessions. Register by call-
ing 541-475-0388. Or go to:
bit.ly/3iAmyVc
High school seniors drive
Madras High School se-
niors are raising funds for
their All Night Party at the
end of the school year. A
scrap metal drive this month
will go toward this worthy
cause.
Gather your scrap metal,
and bring it Ira’s Metal Re-
cycling in Madras. You can
drop off any time up to
October 30.
The scrap metal drive
Strategies LLC Management
Committee is tabled.
· Indian Head Casino
dividend payment:
· Motion by Glendon:
The Warm Springs Casino
Board agreed to increase the
2021 dividend to $1.6 mil-
lion with approval of the am-
ortization schedule change to
the equity loan which states
that payments in 2021 will be
$200,000 plus interest per
month. That will be reduced
to $150,000 plus interest per
month. This will extend the
amortization schedule and
an updated schedule was pro-
vided. Second by Brigette;
Glendon/Yes, Joe/Yes,
Brigette/Yes, Anita/Yes,
Delvis/Yes, Jay/Yes, 6/0/0,
Chairman not voting; Mo-
tion carried.
Motion by Brigette to ad-
journ at 12:15 p.m.
October 12, 2020
The meeting was called to
order at 9 a.m. by Chairman
Raymond Tsumpti Sr. Roll
call: Chief Delvis Heath,
Raymond (Captain) Moody,
Chairman Tsumpti Sr., Wil-
son Wewa Jr., Lincoln Jay
Suppah (morning), Anita
Jackson, Glendon Smith,
Vice
Chair
Brigette
McConville and Chief Jo-
seph Moses. Minnie Yahtin,
Recorder.
Restoration Project/
Expenditure Plan with
Natural Resources general
manager Robert Brunoe.
Governmental Affairs
update with Louie Pitt.
Covid-19 Response
Team update with Health
and Human Services general
includes items like bent
wheel lines, copper or alu-
minum, old cars or appli-
ances, etc.
For more information call
Lisa at 541-325-1537.
manager Caroline Cruz.
Purchasing update with
Libby Chase, director.
Development Office
update with director Bruce
Irwin.
Human Resources up-
date with director Cheryl
Tom.
The Museum At Warm
Springs update with direc-
tor Elizabeth Woody.
Administrative Ser-
vices update with Michele
Stacona, Secretary-Trea-
surer/CEO.
Finance update with
Alfred Estimo Jr.
Motion by Captain to ad-
journ at 3:55 p.m.
October 13
The meeting was called to
order at 9:14 a.m. Vice Chair-
man Brigette McConville.
Roll call: Raymond (Captain)
Moody, Lincoln Jay Suppah,
Wilson Wewa Jr., Anita Jack-
son, Chief Delvis Heath,
Chief Joseph Moses and
Glendon Smith. Minnie
Yahtin, Recorder.
Education update with
branch Valerie Switzler.
Human Resources up-
date with general branch
manager Caroline Cruz.
Natural Resources up-
date with branch general
Robert Brunoe.
Public Safety update
with branch general manager
Carmen Smith.
Public Utilities update
with general manager Travis
Wells.
Tribal Court update with
Chief Judge Lisa Lomas.
Motion by Captain to ad-
journ at 2:25 p.m.