St. Paul Public Schools Indian Education Program
Our mission is to assist American Indian students in graduating from high school with a quality education and a positive cultural personal identity.
A’xaoheohtse, means “greet everybody” in Cheyenne….
Hese’evenehe-ese’he, this means April in the Cheyenne Language. It’s funny I still don’t get to completely type this because it is missing accent and pitch marks in the spelling. It is something as a people that we have had to adapt to. I am Northern Cheyenne and Oglala Lakota. I am trying to learn some of my indigenous languages, slowly but surely. I was given a Cheyenne dictionary. I look at it and feel lost. I will continue to open it and get familiar with words. It is springtime and a time for renewal. I take this as a chance to renew my brain and tongue to learn one of my languages. I hope others take an interest in your own indigenous language. It could only be a good thing and bring you closer to who you are as an Indigenous person. I will learn flower next since we will be seeing lots of those soon. Beautiful colors flowing in the wind. Enjoy the nice weather that will be upon us and even enjoy a spring shower and walk around in it, appreciating that water is life!
Dianna Johnson, Educational Assistant-Sewing Society Lead
You may have recently heard that St. Paul Public Schools Ramsey Middle School staff and students are requesting a name change. Ramsey Middle School is named after Alexander Ramsey, he served as both the First Governor of the Minnesota Territory (1849-1853) and the second Governor of the state (1860-1863). He negotiated treaties on behalf of the U.S. Government with the Dakota and Ojibwe people. During Ramsey’s service many of the factors that led to the War of 1862 were directly related to the treaties Ramsey had helped negotiate and the lack of compliance with them by the government and traders.
Ramsey had stated in 1862, “Our course then is plain. The Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of Minnesota.” Not long afterwards thirty-eight Dakota men were hanged in Mankato on Dec. 26, 1862. Many Dakota people were imprisoned and others were held in an internment camp at Fort Snelling. Later they were forced to reservations in Dakota and Nebraska Territory.
The school staff, students and supporters will be presenting information to SPPS School Board members on April 13 and will continue to engage the community on this discussion. Many of the school staff and students do not feel that Alexander Ramsey is a positive representation for their building and the mission of the school. In the next few months they will search for a new name.
Resources:
- Minnesota Historical Society - Alexander Ramsey House
- Minnesota Historical Society - The US Dakota War of 1862
Nicole Other Medicine, School Social Worker, Indian Education Program
Welcome back to school! I am excited to see our students are returning to school in person!
Today, I would like to talk about the “Opiate Epidemic”. Opiates are drugs such as prescribed pain relievers, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Percocet, Vicodin. And the most notorious opiate is HEROIN. I remember in the 1960’s as a student myself, we had heard how dangerous Heroin was. It was due to the Vietnam War back then. Our soldiers were coming back from war addicted to heroin due to suffering wounds and then became addicted to the drug.
Sad to say, the same thing is happening today. The majority of people addicted to pain pills and heroin begin using them after getting addicted from using them as prescribed by a Doctor. The prescribed pain pills are made up of the same ingredients as in heroin. As a Counselor, I have heard this story many, many times. Addiction happens very quickly. Heroin “hi-jacks” the brain. The brain is changed by this drug. This is what makes it so very difficult to get off of “heroin” or “opiates”.
Heroin/opiates triggers our “reward system” in the brain. It over flows our brain with the feel-good dopamine, ”serotonin”. Our brain’s mechanism triggers this on its own but when opiates are introduced to the brain, it floods the brain significantly to the point that the body can no longer release enough serotonin on its own, without the drug.
Drug addicts do not choose to be addicts. They HAVE TO HAVE the drug. It keeps them from experiencing withdrawals. Withdrawals are very uncomfortable and can last up to 7 – 10 days. Symptoms include sweating, shaking, headaches, sleeplessness, body cramps, diarrhea, hot and cold flashes and lack of appetite. Most people will not die from withdrawals but most people probably wish they could die.
There have been a significant number of students who have suffered a sports injury and as a result, began abusing their pain medication. The on-going trend suggests that when the prescription is no longer filled by the Doctor, people will then transition to the use of heroin. They find that heroin is more affordable and more available to obtain.
This is a very insidious addiction. There is so much more involved, but I will continue to provide information through the coming Newsletters. As for today, if you know of anyone who is struggling with addiction, know there is help available. I would be glad to answer any of your questions. I can be reached at St. Paul Public Schools – Indian Education Program, 651-744-5528 or email: kathryn.urich@spps.org.
Kay Urich, Chemical Health Teacher
 |  |  |
Recipe from Dream of Wild Health
- 6 ears fresh corn, husked (or 1 ½ cup frozen corn)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup cooked wild rice
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp lime juice
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp honey/maple
- ½ tsp ground cumin
In a large pot bring salted water to boil, add corn. Cook, covered for 5 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough cut corn from the cobs.
In a serving bowl combine corn, blueberries, cucumber, onion, cilantro, wild rice, and jalapeno. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine lime, oil, honey/maple, cumin and ½ tsp salt. Cover, shake well to combine. Add to salad; toss. Cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 24 hrs).
This is one of my favorite ways to have wild rice when the weather is getting warmer. I don’t add the jalapeno pepper and the salad is still great. You can eat it as a side dish or just on it’s own!
Recipe provided by Nicole Other Medicine, School Social Worker
