Despite college aspirations, Native American students find it hard to leave home

We’re a big state with big challenges. Each morning we explain the top issues and how Californians are trying to solve them.One weekly email, all the Golden State newsGet the news that matters to all Californians. Start every week informed.Third grade students participate in an art class at San Pasqual Valley Unified School District at Winterhaven in Imperial County on Dec. 12, 2023.

Colleges, tribal education advocates and school districts such as San Pasqual Valley Unified are also working to strengthen support for Native students and build trust with tribal communities. They’re bringing tribal elders to classrooms to teach Native language and traditions, they’re weaving Native American curriculum into subjects like math and art, and they’re encouraging students to go to college — and then return.

“We listen without judgment, we try to be consistent, we do what we say we’re going to do. If families are upset, we’re willing to take it,” said Rose Meraz, a counselor at the district. “We try to be culturally sensitive, and always stay focused on the child.”“They say we have to rely on our elders, but I don’t have many elders. So I’m glad my daughter is learning about our culture in school,” said Venisha Brown, whose daughter is in fifth grade at San Pasqual Valley Unified.

But the injustices of the past are not forgotten. For more than a century, as part of an effort to “civilize” Native children, the U.S. government forced hundreds of thousands of Native children to leave their families andThe Paradise casino is located at the boundaries of Winterhaven, California, and Yuma, Arizona. Photo by Kristian Carreon for CalMatters

Working with children in pre-K through 12th grade, she teaches Quechan language and culture, helps with academics and leads activities like Native singing and dancing throughout the year. On a recent afternoon, she used flash cards to teach a dozen elementary students the Quechan words for colors and numbers. The children sat quietly at desks, following along.

Her children and grandchildren all live nearby, and are active in tribal affairs. By passing on the traditions such as bird dancing and the tribe creation story to her family as well as the children in her program, Manchatta feels that no matter what they end up doing with their lives — whether they move across the globe or stay on the reservation — they’ll always know who they are.

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