Education: The Life Blood of the Future

Harvard. Dartmouth. Hamilton.

These three elite institutions of higher learning were founded with a mission to educate Indian students. But these goals, put forth during the 17th and 18th centuries, failed to come to any significant fruition for Indian people. Fast forward to the 20th century, when the Oneida Indian Nation implemented its own mission to offer its people an education and a better future, and witness significant change.

Since 1990, when the Nation implemented its scholarship program, more than half of the Nation’s adults have availed themselves of the opportunity to seek advanced education.

The program gives Oneidas funds equal to the tuition at a state college. Those who prefer to attend private schools receive the equivalent of the state school tuition. A stipend toward living expenses is given to all students.

The year also brought another crop of Oneida graduates forward. In 2008, marching literally or figuratively to the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” Oneidas earned college degrees ranging from associate to doctorate. Seventeen Oneidas earned college diplomas: one doctorate, three master’s, 10 bachelor’s, and three associate degrees. Another 77 are currently enrolled in college.

From non-traditional students to youth right out of high school, the Nation’s college-age population is inclusive, embracing all who wish to achieve educational enrichment and personal fulfillment. And Oneidas have reached their goals by earning degrees from colleges and universities both near and far, including Rochester Institute of Technology; Syracuse University; Nova Southeastern University, Florida; Ferris State University, Michigan; University of North Carolina, Pembroke; University of Central Oklahoma; Institute of American Indian Arts, New Mexico; and Cazenovia College.

“The future of our people depends upon education and will unto the seventh generation,” said Wolf Clan Council Member Keller George. “Our Nation has established a program that encourages higher learning, a requirement for us to continue to compete successfully in the 21st century.”

Manlius Pebble Hill

Oneidas need not wait to attend college to reap the benefits of the Nation’s educational programs. The youngest school-aged Oneidas — from kindergarten through 12th grade — have the opportunity to enroll in Manlius Pebble Hill, a prestigious, nationally recognized preparatory school. Twenty-seven Oneida students attended the school in 2008. Since the program began in 2000, three Oneidas have graduated from the academy.

The Nation pays for tuition, books, and the meal plan at the influential school for Oneida students who meet the school’s requirements. The school is noted for the individualized attention students receive, along with its superior liberal arts curriculum.

And the Oneida Nation is doing its part to safeguard its future. Through the Nation’s ongoing support of its scholarship programs, the Nation aspires to a future brimming with hope, possibility, and continuity.

“I don’t think that anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future.” - Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee

Youth Work Learn: Education Through Job Experience

Before the college applications are posted and majors selected, youth in the Oneida Nation’s community have the opportunity to try different job skills through real-world work experience. The Youth Work Learn (YWL) program completed its 17th year last summer and has offered more than 500 participants between the ages of 13 and 20 an introduction to formal work settings for its six-week duration. The experience offers a glimpse into the work environment while initiating youth into the protocols and ethics incumbent upon employees.

YWL participants worked diligently under the tutelage of Nation professionals in varying departments, including Four Directions Productions, Early Learning Center, Behavioral Health Services, Nation Police, and the Health Center.

The youngest participants — 13- and 14-year-olds — formed an eight-person crew, working odd jobs around the Nation, as well as being part of an archaeological dig looking for Oneida artifacts for two weeks of the YWL program.

Work provides its own educational value, and YWL is but another example of the Oneida Nation’s commitment to use every opportunity to promote learning in its community.