The American Indian Graduate Center, a national private nonprofit and the largest provider of scholarships to Native students in the United States, named 10 high school students who demonstrate outstanding academic, artistic or leadership skills, as members of the All Native American High School Academic Team on Wednesday.
“This year’s All Native American High School Academic Team exemplifies a dedication to education, and we are delighted to honor and congratulate them for their achievements both in and outside of the classroom,” said Angelique Albert (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes), Executive Director of the American Indian Graduate Center, in a news release. “We are committed to empowering our students throughout their entire academic journey. They are the inspiration and motivation for the work that we do and watching them succeed is an indicator of our impact as an organization.”
The Center’s annual scholarships are awarded to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate and professional students throughout the United States, and the high school team will use them to help pay for their bachelor’s degrees.
The organization has awarded more than $350 million in scholarships since its inception and empowered Native students from over 500 tribes in all 50 states with educational funding and academic support services.
The winners are listed below:
Madelyn Buckley (Nome Eskimo Community) will attend Whitworth University in fall 2021 to pursue her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
Jackson Caves (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) will pursue his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Oklahoma State University this fall.
Ryan Duncan (Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) will pursue his bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma in fall 2021.
Caroline Dunn (Chickasaw Nation) will pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Vanderbilt University in fall 2021.
Bianca Hanly (Chickasaw Nation) is set to pursue a bachelor of electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall.
Leighanna Jake (Navajo Nation) plans to start her bachelor’s degree in Botany in fall 2021 at Humboldt University.
Jasmine Kinney (Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation) will attend the University of California Los Angeles this fall to study a bachelor’s degree in biology.
Chelbie Turtle (Cherokee Nation) plans to earn her bachelor’s degree in business from Northeastern State University in fall 2021.
Tyanna Van Pelt (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation) will start her bachelor’s in chemistry at Oregon State University this fall.
Danyelie Vo (Chemehuevi Indian Tribe of the Chemehuevi Reservation) will attend
Northern Arizona University starting fall 2021 to pursue her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
Native Perspective. Native Voices. Native News.
We launched Native News Online because the mainstream media often overlooks news that is important is Native people. We believe that everyone in Indian Country deserves equal access to news and commentary pertaining to them, their relatives and their communities. That's why the story you’ve just finished was free — and we want to keep it that way, for all readers. We hope you'll consider making a donation to support our efforts so that we can continue publishing more stories that make a difference to Native people, whether they live on or off the reservation. Your donation will help us keep producing quality journalism and elevating Indigenous voices. Any contribution of any amount — big or small — gives us a better, stronger future and allows us to remain a force for change. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.