California Valley Miwok Tribe’s Student Ambassador Tristian Wallace attended the 2014 White House Tribal Nations Conference events in Washington, D.C. This is the 6th White House Tribal Leaders Conference held in Washington D.C., hosted by President Barack Obama.
The California Valley Miwok Tribe is very proud to announce its first ever Student Ambassador Tristian Wallace (Tribal Member) whom attended events at the 2014 White House Tribal Nations Conference held at the Capital Hilton in Washington DC.
In June 2014, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama embarked on their first visit to Indian Country, they visited the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. President and Mrs. Obama met with a group of Native youth who courageously shared their stories of struggle and triumph. After hearing their stories, President Obama challenged his Administration to do more and do better for the young people in Indian Country. The Obama Administration is working to find solutions to the pressing problems that confront Native Youth, with an emphasis on education, economic development, and health. The attention to these matters are brought forward with hopes that actions will be taken by all Americans to work together to remove barriers that stand between Native youth and their opportunity to succeed.
The crisis of Indian education is perhaps most apparent in the Native high school dropout rate, which is one of the highest in the country. The 2011 National Indian Education Study demonstrates that much work still needs to be done. American Indian and Alaska Native students lag significantly behind their non-Native peers in both reading and math with test scores remaining static or have even decreased since 2005. Approximately 90 percent of Native children are currently enrolled in public schools, both urban and rural, while 7 percent attend schools within the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) system. Regardless of where they attend school, the majority of Native students are not receiving a high quality education that is also rooted in their language or culture – the core of their identity.
On Dec 2, 2014, Student Ambassador Tristian Wallace attended the National Congress of American Indians Tribal Leaders Preparatory Meeting hosted by NCAI and the regional Inter-tribal partner organizations held at the Capital Hilton. She also met and conversed with various Tribal Leaders during the two day conference event. Representing CVMT, as the Student Ambassador, Tristian Wallace also attended and actively participated in the NCAI Tribal Leaders Reception held at the National Museum of American Indian (NMAI).
On Thursday, December 4th, 2014, Student Ambassador Tristian Wallace met with Congressman Jerry McNerney and Teresa Frison Esq. (Legislative Assistant/Executive Assistant) at Congressman McNerney’s Washington DC Office, located in the Longworh House Office Building (HOB). Before leaving Washington DC, Student Ambassador Tristian Wallace was able to take in a little sightseeing. Miss Wallace visited the George Washington Monument, Washington State Capital Christmas Tree, the Lincoln Memorial; Natural Museum of History, and the National Museum of American Indian.
