Columbus County employees recognized for efforts on State Advisory Council of Indian Education

COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Recently two Columbus County School employees were recognized for their efforts towards furthering the education of Indian American Students.

The State Advisory Council of Indian Education recognized Tamra Carter, and Reah Jacobs, for working with the Indian Education Program at Columbus County Schools.

The Indian Education Program is a resource for American Indian Students. The program gives students the chance to dive deeper into their culture and gain some extra support along the way.

The program is funded through a grant from Title IV. For the 2023-2024 school year Columbus County Schools got about $87,000 to support its Indian Education Program.

The county is home to over 300 Indian American Students and one of the programs can be found at East Columbus Junior Senior High School. The school is has students from the Waccamaw Siouan and Lumbee Tribes.

American Indian Students in Columbus County have the chance to take classes that educate them on their cultural, native practices, and they even get extra guidance when going through the college application process.

Leaders of the program said it helps support Indian American Students, while giving them the chance to learn about history and discover where they may go.

“We are the most diverse school here in Columbus County and we serve a significant portion of American Indians,” said Doctor Kenneth L. Bowen, the principal of East Columbus Junior Senior High School.

Bowen said he wants to make sure all of his students make the most out of their education. American Indian Students at the school learn about about a variety of cultural practices and teachers said it provides a sense of pride.

“As American Indians or Native Americans, we walk in what’s called two worlds. So we walk in the American Indian world. And we also walk in the normal non native world. So we want our students or our children to know their American Indian culture, because it’s very, very important. And if we don’t keep our culture alive, then it’ll just die out,” Tamra Carter, the director for Indian Education.

Ensuring American Indian Students have the chance to learn about culture and tradition with a focus on academic growth, is what Carter said the program is all about.

“We’re proud of our culture and we want the rest of the world to be proud of our culture and we also need to educate people about our culture,” said Carter.

Columbus County is just one of 19 counties in the state that has the Indian Education Program.

“You know, culturally, we need to know who we are so we can see where we’re going. If we don’t know who we are. We have no self identity,” said Reah Jacobs, who formally served on the State Advisory Council of Indian Education.

Leaders also said the diversity of the program gives the chance for a well rounded education.

“I’m a product of such a program, the school district where I attended had a program as well and I will say that it did benefit me as a student. So I’m very proud and coming here to be able to work and hopefully support and benefit students that we have,” said Bowen.

In the 2021- 2022 school year American Indian Students in Columbus County performed above the district in Reading and Math– and fell short in subjects like biology and English. The program also helps high school students with the college application process and applying for scholarships

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