White House Education Initiative Underway Today in Rapid City

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents.

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA - White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education director William Mendoza will join senior Obama Administration officials to meet with tribal and community leaders on Friday in Rapid City to discuss expanding American Indian and Alaska Native educational opportunities. President Obama created the White House Initiative last month to improve outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Participants will include Tex Hall, Chairman, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation; Jefferson Keel, Lieutenant Governor, Chickasaw Nation, and President, National Congress of American Indians; William Mendoza, Director, White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education; Keith Moore, Director, Bureau of Indian Education, US Department of the Interior; Joyce Silverthorne, Director, Office of Indian Education, US Department of Education and Jo Ann Kauffman, member, Nez Perce.

The Initiative's work includes creating opportunities for students to learn more about their American Indian and Alaska Native cultures and to receive an education that prepares them for the future. Today's meeting is the first in a series by the Initiative in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of the Interior. Additional meetings will be held in Norman, Oklahoma, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Seattle, Washington.

Members of the public must register in advance to participate at IndianEducation.org.

Today's meeting will take place at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel conference center, located at 2111 North Lacrosse Street.

posted January 20, 2012 11:40 am est