UMA Indigenous Education Program

Upper Mississippi Academy is starting a Native American Education Program to meet the unique cultural needs of our Native American, Alaskan Native & First Nations students. The program will supplement current education offerings at Upper Mississippi Academy.

A Native American Education for All model will ensure that all students and staff at Upper Mississippi Academy will learn Native American history and culture, with a specific focus on Anishinaabe and Dakota peoples. Information will be included in all classes offered at Upper Mississippi Academy. Our program will also offer supports specifically for Native American, Alaskan Native & First Nations students enrolled at Upper Mississippi Academy, including opportunities for family involvement. 

We are in the beginning planning stages, a list of ideas is below. We will begin to offer some supports during the 2022-2023 school year.

UMA Native American Education for All

• Classroom & Curriculum Inclusion
  • Author Visits
  • Classroom Book Sets
  • Speakers
  • Tribal Flags
• Professional Development
  • Book Study
  • Topics may include: Boarding Schools, Historical Trauma, ICWA, Microaggressions, Urban Natives
• School-Wide Resources
  • Lacrosse Set
  • Mini Library
  • Speaker Series

Opportunities for Native students at UMA

• Community Events
  • Native American College Fair
  • Powwows
• Family Events
  • Film Screenings
  • Minnesota History Center
  • Storytelling
• Graduation
  • Blankets
  • Supplies for Beaded Caps
• Post-Secondary Education Planning
  • College Visits
• Workshops
  • Cooking
  • Beadwork
  • Dance
  • Dreamcatchers
  • Ethnobotany
  • Medicines
  • Moccasins
  • Ribbon Skirts & Shirts