Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1995)
Smoke Signals January 31, 1995 Page 2 Tribal Life New employees have experience, education, and ideas to offer Natural Resources hires wildlife biologist Eric Anderson, 26, a graduate of Washington's Evergreen State Col lege, has begun work as a fish and wildlife biologist for the Natural Resources Division. Anderson was formerly employed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was work ing out of the Vancouver office. Cliff Adams, the Natural Re sources Division's manager, said that Anderson was hired because fish, wildlife and environmental programs are being expanded. "One of the first things Eric will be working on is the forest man agement plan that is required by the Bureau of Indian Affairs," Adams said. "The environmental assess ment part of the plan is very im- Legal department keeps Jeta Combs has been working for the Tribe for several months as the legal assistant to the tribal attor neys. Born in Alaska, Jeta grew up in Ashland, and attended Southern Oregon State College. She cur rently has two more terms at Port land Community College before she earns her paralegal certificate. Her job duties include drafting resolutions, research, keeping ordi nance books, and responding to permit applications. She says she likes working with people and helping them find an swers to legal concerns. "I like the aspects of law that in volves helping people," she said. "Of course, I can't act as an attor ney, but I can point them in the right Family Action worker Sheila Elliott is the IntakeRefer ral Specialist at the Tribal Family Action Program. She graduated from Chemeketa Community College three years ago, and now attends George Fox College and will graduate this sum mer with a degree in Human Re source Management. Sheila lives in Sheridan, and says she has wanted to work for the Tribe for a long time. "I love the people 1 work with," she said. Her job is to assess new clients' needs, determine what department they need to be referred to, and handle immediate living emergen-' cies such as evictions and power shut-offs. 7W Eric Anderson portant. We will have to address more conservation and environ mental issues in the future." Anderson holds a bachelor of sci ence degree in environmental sci ence. new assistant busy Jeta Combs direction." Jeta became involved in law be cause she wanted to be aware of her rights as a citizen, and feels it is one of the most important assets a per son can have. She worked in Sa lem and Eugene before she was hired by the Tribe. has multi job duties Sheila Elliott "I am probably the first or sec ond person a new client will come in contact with," she said. "We try to appoint a case worker to each client." Sheila also worked on the successful "Tree of Giving" this year. . v, ' I, " 1 '1 Native American busineses assisted through SBA grant The Small Business Administra tion recently announced a $945,000 grant to ONABEN (Oregon Native American Business and Entrepre neurial Network) for expanded business development services to all nine federally recognized Or egon tribes, enabling ONABEN to support up to six Native American entrepreneurial centers on reserva tion sites. These centers will pro vide business training and indi vidual counseling to tribal mem bers. The funding will span a three-year period, and expands ser vices that ONABEN has success fully provided since 1992. "ONABEN has proven to be an II 1 WNmm,.- .. I fL llHi11 JgUTtg;. 'v, I . ---. SBA officials present ONABEN with a check. From left to right: Gretchen Sorenson, Regional Administrator; Don Matsuda, Assistant District Director; John Gilman, District Director; Mitch Conley, ONABEN board member and Small Business Division Manager for Grand Ronde; Patrick Borunda, ONABEN Executive Director; Gordon Thompson, ONABEN board mem ber representing the Klamath Tribe. Grand Ronde teacher seeks help from By Donna Hallock, Grand Ronde Grade School For those of you who are won dering about the permission slips sent home with your children for participation in a research project, I would like to take this opportu nity to further explain my inten sions. I am a kindergartenfirst grade teacher at Grand Ronde Elemen tary, and I am doing a thesis for my Master's degree in multicultural education. The title of my thesis is: "Cultural Identity in Relation ship to Self Concept Among Na tive American Students in the Willamina School District". This effective business development force among the Native American community in Oregon," said John L. Gilman, District Director of the Portland SBA office. "They have been responsible for developing entrepreneurship in communities . that have been under-served by prior private and public business development efforts." ONABEN formed as a nonprofit organization in 1991. In 1992, with initial funding received from four member tribes and $262,000 in grants from the SBA, ONABEN began providing business services to clients, utilizing a successful training and counseling program 'M I . ""P'HUM., N,., . J L research will be carried out through voluntary cooperation and permis sion of the school administration, Tribal Council, guardians, and stu dents of the Willamina.School Dis trict. A sense of cultural identity plays a strong role in the level of our self concept. All students possess a culture that plays a large part in how they view the world and how they operate in a school setting. One issue that has been related to poor school achievement is that of low self concept and negative feel ing of cultural identity. We must If r used by the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network. This program combines extensive and long-term training with indi vidual counseling and start-up monitoring. The new grant will permit the hir ing of full-time counselors on-site at up to six reservations, under terms to be negotiated with indi vidual tribes. The grant further pro vides the foundation for building future micro-lending and market ing network activities. ONABEN's goal is to help start 145 new Indian owned businesses in the next three years. parents, students make sure that our children are proud of who they are and have the confidence to do well in school. Through the process of assessing students' self-concept, cultural awareness and parent surveys, I hope to provide the school and Tribe statistical information that will help us best meet the needs of our children. New parental permission slips will soon be mailed to the families who have not yet responded. They can be sent to your child's school. Your help is appreciated. I can be reached at 879-52 1 0, or 375-7744.
