2 MAY 1 5, 2006
Smoke Signals - special pullout
2006 YoaotiDn LeacOeirslhiDip) ComrfeEreinice:
"Listen" The message from Howard
Rainer was to get involved. "The bottom
line" he said, "is don't be average. Be
awesome. Take no prisoners." The word
from those involved was that the students
took the message to heart. They helped
plan the event and participated in it.
All photos by Toby McClary
Grand Ronde, Siletz and Chemawa Indian School youth pull together for "their" time.
By Ron Karten
"The time has come," said Howard
Rainer (Taos PuebloCreek), "to be
seen and heard as a Native Ameri
can." Grand Ronde, Siletz and Che
mawa students were among those
whose time had come.
"Establishing relationships with
Indians from other Tribes," said
Tribal Youth Education Supervisor
Marie Heimburg after the conference,
"makes it more likely that the Tribes
will work together in the future."
In introducing Rainer, Heimburg
told the students, "One day you will
be in charge and right now, you
are making the important relation
ships." Heimburg used to call the Tribal
youth "the future." Today, she calls
them "the present."
Rainer and Heimburg, along with
Jillian Joseph and Chance Rush
spoke before a group of high school
Indians, grades 8-12, who converged
on the Grand Ronde gymnasium
at the end of April for the Third
Annual Native Youth Leadership
Conference.
Just before lunch on Thursday,
April 27, Rainer was preparing
about twenty student leaders to
put together, with their groups, a
20-minute presentation for all the
others. Eighth grader Joey Holmes
(Athabaskan), son of Tribal member
Tim Holmes and wife Nancy, was
among those leaders.
He was also among a group of Siletz
and Grand Ronde youth who have
been working on this conference since
last November.
"We learned to work together as
a group instead of two groups. We
"Kids help in the planning of the
conference throughout the year,"
said Heimburg. "So they have a buy
in for its success. In that process of
planning, they're learning numer
ous skills but we're emphasizing the
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Standing Tall And Stretching Fingers Students from Grand Ronde, Siletz
and the Chemawa Indian School worked their magic on Thursday night, April 27, when
each group presented 20-minute pieces to all the rest of the Leadership Conference.
planned this. It took about four
meetings to plan the whole confer
ence," he said.
"At first," he said, "us and Siletz
had different views on things, like
names of things or projects. I guess
we like bonded so in the end it was
easy."
leadership."
'The kids did awesome," said Tribal
Youth Education Culture Specialist
Travis Stewart. "You could really see
that they were taking ownership of it.
It seemed like pretty much across the
board, they definitely learned some
thing from it and learned something
they would use."
When the program took place that
evening, more than 100 from the
Tribe and the community turned out
to support the kids.
"You are the leaders," Rainer told
his group of leaders before sending
them off to lunch earlier that day.
"You will make it happen. You are
to move your group. You are to move "
them. You will have people who
don't want to do it but it will be your
responsibility to make sure that ev
eryone will make some contribution.
The time has come to be seen and
heard as a Native American."
"There's pressure on you guys,"
he continued, "but you can handle
it. Pressure is good. It demands
performance."
The rest of the teams were next
door, out behind the Youth Educa
tion facility already eating lunch. "I
know you're hungry," said Rainer,
"but leaders have to sacrifice."
At first sight, Rainer is an unas
suming presence, dressed simply
with hair going gray. When he shows
the way to walk, though, his body
springs to life and he moves with pur
pose. When he asks, 'Who's number
one?' there is no question that every
body ought to think they are.
"The bottom line," he said, "is don't
be average. Be awesome. Take no
prisoners."
With 30 years behind him as a
motivational speaker, Rainer gave
Smoke Signals an interview when
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Grand Ronde, Siletz, Chemawa Indian School students and staff pose for a group photo.