Grants helping build new youth activities addition on Tribal campus

Recently approved grants are building a new youth activities addition at the Tribal Education Department, as well as furnishing and staffing it, while a third grant provides money for a kindergarten Chinuk wawa language immersion class.

The Education Department held its annual open house on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Tribal gymnasium. More than 50 members of staff and community attended. The activities addition was the main focus of the evening as many toured the new facility, which is currently in the middle of construction. 

The building is expected to be finished in December, and Education Department Manager April Campbell, a member of the Tribe, said that work is currently on schedule.

A federal Housing and Urban Development block grant funded through the Indian Child Development program provided $500,000 to build the 3,000-square-foot addition. The HUD grant required $167,000 in matching funds. The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority covered $113,657 of that match and the Tribe provided the remaining $53,343. 

In addition to the construction grant, the Tribe was awarded an Administration for Native Americans grant that includes approximately $170,000 for the youth activity addition's furnishings and equipment, and for consultant and staff time, including one staff position and two part-time college interns to help with youth activities programming and prevention activities.

Before this addition, the youth facility had one common area that "created a somewhat disruptive learning environment," said Campbell. Services typically had to be provided in a variety of locations throughout the Tribal campus.   

The new addition includes:

• A large cultural arts and activities room;
• Culinary arts kitchen where youth can learn how to chose and prepare healthy meals;
• Dining area;
• Small quiet study area;
• Graphics arts and design area where youth will have access to computers;
• Soundproof recording room with a staging area;
• And a large and two small classrooms.

From the Administration for Native Americans grant with funding to purchase equipment, the department will receive:

• Smart board;
• Chairs and tables;
• Computers and software;
• Recording equipment (video camera, play back system);
• And office supplies.

"We got approval from HUD for the youth addition a couple weeks before the ANA SEDS grant was due," said Planning and Grants Manager Kim Rogers. "That helped us score higher on the grant for the furnishings, equipment and staff support."

For community members Timothy Murphy LaChance, 9, and his father, Okie Murphy, the open house was the first they knew of the addition being constructed at the back of the current building. In addition to getting the news about the new facilities, Tim won a book called "Messages from Oregon" in one of the raffle drawings held at the evening get-together.

The Education Department Open House included information on other programs besides Youth Education, including the Tribal Library that also recently received HUD funding for a significant addition, Adult Education, Head Start/Preschool, and the Kindergarten/Chinuk Wawa Language Immersion Program.   

The Tribe also received a new three-year Administration for Native Americans language immersion grant. 

"Our award was one of only eight immersion awards in the United States and Guam," said Tribal member Kathy Cole, Cultural Resources Department Program manager. "This is something that we are really proud of. We have worked hard to receive these awards and maintain them."

The $241,738 award for the first year is supporting the kindergarten immersion program and developing an immersion program for the first grade.