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Santa Ysabel
tribe to bet its money on the promise of some bright minds
SANTA
YSABEL INDIAN RESERVATION – The Santa Ysabel Indian band
isn't rich and doesn't expect to be, even with a small casino.
But it's pushing hard to become one of the best-educated tribes
in San Diego County.
The
remote North County tribe is using $25,000 in federal funds
to provide scholarships for 20 of its members who are attending
universities, community colleges and trade schools this semester.
"It's
amazing that we have 20 adults in college," said tribal
Vice Chairwoman Brandie Taylor. "Education's a big push
for our (governing) council."
American
Indians have long had the smallest percentage of any ethnicity
attending or graduating college locally and nationwide.
The
Santa Ysabel band of Ipai-Tipai Indians has seven members
attending four-year institutions, including the University
of Southern California, University of San Diego, University
of California campuses at Irvine and Riverside, and California
Polytechnic University Pomona. Thirteen tribal members, ages
18 to 35, are in junior colleges or trade schools, Taylor
said.
"The
majority of them work and go to school," she said. "If
we can help them, we want to."
Santa
Ysabel is providing scholarships of $500 to $3,000 per student,
depending on their tuition costs. The tribe's newly elected
governing council, which took office early this year, obtained
the funding through an education grant from the U.S. Bureau
of Indian Affairs, Taylor said.
Tribal
leaders issued a brief announcement on the scholarships this
week, saying their hope is that "these students not only
graduate but return to the reservation and help with economic
development, education and tribal government."
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/fri/metro/news_1mi26scholar.html
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