As part of Los Alamos' Native American Heritage Month observance, three educators for pueblos near the Laboratory on Tuesday discussed their tribes' and communitys' efforts to collaborate with the University of California and the Laboratory. Panelists included from left to right, Jolene Nelson Montoya, director, Education Department, Santa Clara Pueblo; Julie Abeyta, director, Northern New Mexico Community College American Indian Affairs Program; and Kevin Shendo, director, Education Department, Jemez Pueblo; and Joe Garcia, standing, head of the tribal relations team in the Lab's Government Relations (GRO) Office. Garcia was the moderator for the panel discussion. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez, Public Affairs

Native American panel members discuss Lab contributions

Three tribal members who serve as educators on Tuesday discussed their tribe's and community's efforts to collaborate with the University of California and the Laboratory. Panelists included Jolene Nelson Montoya, director, Education Department, Santa Clara Pueblo; Julie Abeyta, director, Northern New Mexico Community College American Indian Affairs Program; and Kevin Shendo, director, Education Department, Jemez Pueblo.

The panel discussion, sponsored by the Laboratory's American Indian Diversity Working Group, the Diversity (DVO) Office, the Diversity Affirmative Action Board and the Lab's Tribal Relations team in the Government Relations (GRO) Office as part of Los Alamos' Native American Heritage Month observance, focused on the Laboratory-tribal relationship and how it has evolved over the last 60 years.

"My first experience working with the Lab was when a cooperative agreement was signed between the Lab and Santa Clara Pueblo," Montoya said. Montoya visited the University of California, Berkeley campus and met with University of California President Richard Atkinson. Atkinson challenged Santa Clara Pueblo to expand its educational efforts and the pueblo did so by sending high school juniors and seniors to the UC, Berkeley campus to become part of the Berkeley experience, Montoya said. Students also visited the UC, San Diego campus and the experience provided students with additional exposure to UC institutions, she said.

Abeyta told the audience that the Laboratory and Northern New Mexico Community College have had many collaborative successes over the last five years. Abeyta discussed the undergraduate research program, Environmental Training Initiative, Career Development and Technology and Environmental Monitoring Certificate programs at Northern as examples of successful collaborations.

"In the last 10 years NNMCC has seen an increased effort by the Laboratory to work with the surrounding communities. Today the atmosphere is more open, inviting and more people are willing to come to work at the Lab. We would also like to continue to see more internships develop," Abeyta said.

Jemez Pueblo's Education Department will work with the university to establish memorandums of understanding so that students can attend UC institutions, said Shendo. "Jemez Pueblo is currently better linked to technology because we have more computers, diverse school programming such as Early Childhood programs, a Higher Education Center and two charter schools," he said.

He said Jemez Pueblo also is looking toward the future by establishing plans for an online tutorial program where students can communicate in real time with their teachers and for a video documentary project that mirrors UCSD's, said Shendo.

The panelists agreed that much more work needs to be done but that growth is occurring because more students are being mentored about the value of education. In addition, efforts are underway to encourage Native American students to apply to major institutions, prepare them for interviews, teach them how to fill out college admission forms, make contact with admissions personnel and sell themselves to admissions officers, they said.

"Time, effort, leadership and consistency is what's needed for change to occur," said Joe Garcia, head of the tribal relations team in GRO and moderator for the panel discussion.

At 11 a.m. next Monday, May 5, the American Indian Diversity Working Group is hosting a panel discussion with the governors of the four Native American pueblos that have signed accords with the Department of Energy.

San Ildefonso Pueblo Gov. John Gonzales, Santa Clara Pueblo Gov. Denny Gutierrez, Cochiti Pueblo Gov. Simon Suina and Jemez Pueblo Gov. Raymond Loretto will talk on the government-to-government relationship of the pueblo nations with the Laboratory and DOE; it's past, the present situation, and views of the future. A discussion with the audience will follow the presentations. The panel discussion is in the Pecos Room on the second floor of the Industrial Business Development Building on Trinity Drive downtown.

-- Kathryn Ostic

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