A Ho-Chunk tribe member and language teacher at the Wellness Center, Georgia Lonetree, said one of her greatest inspirations to pursue a degree came from seeing professional American Indian teachers at a meeting she attended.
She went on to get her master's degree, and went to Northern Arizona University, where she helped other American Indian students through college. But in pursuit of her career, she never forgot what her father told her.
"'It might be you'll go elsewhere, but I want to tell you, don't ever forget where you come from,'" she said he told her. "You come from a good family, good teachings, and when you get your education I want you to come back and work with your people."
The inspiration Lonetree talks about, her education, the roots of her tribe, and the Ho-Chunk language, is all what Forest Funmaker, the Ho-Chunk Nation's education director, wants to transfer into the next generation of his tribe.
He is looking locally and statewide for support and appears to be receiving a positive response.
Together with the Baraboo School District and about 40 to 60 language apprentices and nearby colleges, he hopes to create more American Indian teachers to teaching general classes at local schools or a college. Ideally, this could be done in the native Ho-Chunk language, he said.
Conceptually, Funmaker said a plan is being drafted so a student can go to University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County for two years, then work with an instructor from UW-Platteville for a year, and get on-the-job experience at the Baraboo School District for another year in some capacity - perhaps as a language instructor.
A local student then could become a licensed teacher in Wisconsin after four years. And hopefully, after developing strong local ties, those teachers will be more likely to stay in the area and inspire other students, Funmaker said.
For school districts with a certified Ho-Chunk language instructor already in place like in Wisconsin Dells, or in districts interested in having one like in Baraboo, the state Department of Public Instruction may soon provide financial support through grants to pay for language instruction or curriculum.
If the DPI proposal is approved by Gov. Jim Doyle, school districts would be able to apply for competitive grants, and a Ho-Chunk language instructor could receive a salary and classroom credit toward a four-year degree if Baraboo's partnership between the college and school district works out.
UW-B/SC Dean Thomas Pleger noted that the local program is still in the infancy, though he said it is a sign of an already strong partnership with the Ho-Chunk Nation. He also was unsure if the DPI program could link to the local initiative, but he was hopeful.
Pleger plans to meet with representatives from UW-Platteville this month to discuss their role in the initiative.
Baraboo Interim Superintendent Crystal Ritzenthaler noted that UW-Platteville may have to provide a travelling instructor, which could be a financial strain for the university.
However, Ritzenthaler said she liked the idea and wanted to continue to work toward the partnership with the Ho-Chunk Nation and local schools.
That partnership could provide the manpower needed to restart the district's now-defunct Title 7 program and offer federally funded initiatives focused on educating American Indians — or other students about American Indians.
The cooperative plan appears to be a good idea to Guy Wolf, an American Indian academic at UW-La Crosse. He said local tribes have worked with his university for about 15 years, and a strong coalition of school districts, colleges and tribes has been the core of its success.
"A lot of coalition-building has to do with developing a cadre of teachers committed, who are interested and want to participate," Wolf said. "I have to admit it took a long time here, but I think there are quite a few people are interested now."
He said because many students go through a four-year program in college, and many already have been exposed to American Indian programming in the area - many former students are staying in the area to continue what has been started. That was one reason he liked the concept of what UW-Baraboo/Sauk County was involved in.
"We've been challenging students to work in the community and we're going to their schools, where they're teaching now, and we help our former students out," Wolf said.
Lance Tallmadge, Native American student services coordinator at Wisconsin Dells High School, said he was excited about what Baraboo was working on. He knew special services were needed for all the American Indian students in the area.
He said Baraboo had about 80 to 100 American Indian students, and Wisconsin Dells has about 150.
Tallmadge thought ideas like linking language classes together were possible discussion points if a coalition of school districts does develop in the area - though he admitted he has not heard talk about a coalition recently.
Lonetree heard a description of a program and said she liked what is going on. In many ways, she said seeing American Indians as role models helped her, and she hoped she had the same influence on students. Funmaker agreed that having a role model in the classroom students could relate to was essential.
"It's not like we're trying to say a non-native teacher wouldn't be as effective," Funmaker said, "but what we find is after years of trying to integrate someone new into our community, they don't stay. Or they get so turned off by the comments of our grassroots people, who have a defensive coping strategy to say something to the outside academic who comes into the community."
