Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

August 23, 2003 - Issue 94

PACE Camp Works

PABLO -- While the word "camp" usually conjures up thoughts of sleeping in tents and eating S'Mores by moonlight, it means lessons and tests for some reservation middle-schoolers.

Summer on the Flathead Reservation begins to wind down with the congregating in late July and early August of AIMS and PACE campers -- young teenaged students whose math and science skills get improved through hands-on experiments, field trips, and cultural and career awareness activities.

AIMS (which is short for American Indian Math and Science) participants are incoming seventh-graders. They closed out July with a residential camp at Blue Bay on the east shore of Flathead Lake.

PACE (which stands for Pathways to Academic ExCellence) campers are incoming eighth- and ninth-graders. The latter group, which numbered 15, met during the first week of August, while their younger counterparts are meeting this week on the Salish Kootenai College campus in Pablo.

PACE's main goal is to help Native Americans and females pursue scientific careers.

All 15 students in the first group showed improvement in their understanding of math in the space of a week, thanks to lessons such as "Bungie Barbie" and "Who started the epidemic?" and field trips to Glacier Park, among other sites.

"It was pretty fun," Ronan's Isaac Mahkuk said on the camp's last day.

"I thought it would be boring because of the math and science part, but it's not," noted participant Ceci Shorty.

"We get help with math and get to hang around kids our own age. It's fun," added Mary Weiss, who will be attending Sentinel High School in Missoula this year.

In addition to academic enrichment and encouragement to stay in school, the students received tee-shirts, backpacks and a check.

They were also invited to stay in touch with the teachers and counselors throughout the academic year whenever they need help.

PACE by Ariel Kennedy

P - Preparation and fun is what this camp is all about. Preparation through math and science. Preparation for the real world, but learning how to enjoy it along the way.

A - Activities. Swimming, games, art and traveling are just some of the fun things we do here.

C - Counselors and staff. They are the people who are there for you and help you on the way, making the trip easier.

E- Environment and enjoyment. You learn about where you live and the other things there too. You enjoy your time there and get money for doing it. Now that's a camp.

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Paul C. Barry.

All Rights Reserved.