Osage Area Schools Fitted with Unique Environmental Learning System
The Osage Nation provided a formal presentation for local educators about the Osage Flint Hills “Place-Based” educational tools
By Osage Nation CommunicationsON Communications
Donors, Osage Nation Principal Chief Standing Bear (fourth from left), and educators line-up for a photo following the dedication on Monday, Jan. 23, at the Osage Nation Law Building in Pawhuska, Okla.
Pawhuska, Okla., (Wednesday, February 1, 2017) —How many school age children are aware of the unique environment they live in? This is the question answered by educational learning tools created by the Flint Hills Discovery Center. On Jan. 23, several Osage County area educators were able to attend a dedication provided by the Osage Nation about the Osage Flint Hills learning tools now available at no cost to eligible schools. Debra Atterberry, Strategic Planning and Self-Governance Analyst for the Osage Nation, organized the dedication. As a former educator, Atterberry saw the potential and value in partnering with the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation to help facilitate placement of the learning tools at schools on the Osage Reservation.
She said, “[The Osage Nation] assisted the coordinators of the program by contacting the schools, facilitating meetings and providing historically correct Osage information used in the project. The Osage Foundation and the Osage Casinos sponsored the project financially. The Education Department, Historic Preservation Office, and the Office of Self-Governance and Strategic Planning worked collaboratively with the Kansas group to make this happen.”
Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear supports the initiative and is excited about schools creating learning opportunities for students living in the Osage Flint Hills region to experience their immediate outdoors as another classroom. He said, “we need to get our children out in the Tallgrass so they can see, hear, smell, and feel this land to really learn about it…to protect it and preserve it.”
Annie Wilson, Flint Hills Map and Education Program Coordinator, said the project started as an answer to what is special about where we live. She said the answer to that question offers numerous and valuable “place-based education” opportunities using a student’s immediate environment to support basic education requirements for science, math, history, reading, and writing.
Four area schools were outfitted with maps and information as well as the Osage Nation’s premiere Osage language school, Da-Po-Skah Ahn-Ko-Dah-Pi (Our School). All the schools were eligible for the learning tools due to the fact that they are located in the Osage Flint Hills region. As well, the Osage Nation Interpretive Center, Osage Nation Education Department, Pawhuska Business Development Center and the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve also received the museum quality map exhibit for their buildings.
The exclusive learning tools feature an impressive and potentially one-of-a-kind map of the Flint Hills spreading northward into Michigan and as far south as central Oklahoma and as wide as the state of Kansas. The Osage Nation Reservation is situated in the southern region of the Flint Hills where much of unique tall grass prairie ecosystem in this area has been preserved and protected.
Phillips 66 was among several other donors who were recognized at the dedication for their contributions towards the implementation of the learning tools in schools.
For more information, see www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/map or call the Debra Atterberry, Osage Nation Strategic Planning and Self-Governance Analyst, at 918-287-5549.
http://www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/243/Flint-Hills-Map-Education-Program
For Media Inquiries: Osage Nation Communications 918-287-5599