Dr. Poornima D’Souza and Nicole Mutchler received a $1,660 Public School Proud Grant for their proposal, “Native American Values and Virtues.” In the application, they wrote, “This grant will serve K-5 classrooms, adult emergent learners, community members, and future educators. The project will teach six Native American values and virtues of love, gratitude, harmony, respect, bravery, and honor. The virtues are divided into four sessions in which the group meets to study and discuss the meaning of the virtues in our lives. Preparation for these sessions is carried out amongst the teachers, students, adult learners, and future educators to build schema for enrichment and celebration on gathering days.

The quarterly reading and small group discussion will uplift student experiences and voice. Students will learn etiquette surrounding public discourse, practice the communication of their ideas, assess their own understanding of the content or skill, and gain confidence in sharing their thoughts in the group. Then students will be asked to work on these skills not only in the classroom but share and practice that skill at home. The Native American Values and Virtues project offers students coming from culturally and academically diverse backgrounds the opportunity to become well-rounded learners and inculcate these principles into their lives outside of the classroom. It also promotes good citizenship and life skills for their futures.”