WSU Sociology Students at Work for You!

Sociology 433, an undergraduate class at Washington State University, has been researching options and resources for topics that are important to your rural communities as you work to reduce poverty. Topics include: affordable housing, neighborhood safety, youth activities and much, much more.

Your community may be in contact with one of these teams, but all of their research may be relevant to the issues you are addressing. Click to the Horizons website http://www.horizons.wsu.edu/project/horizons3/community.html to read about their work.

A Day in the Park

August 10th
What could be better than a day of movies, pizza and swimming?
The Big River community started their day with a movie at The Dalles.
After the movie there was pizza at the park.
While everyone enjoyed the sun at the park, they help determine their future through a taking a survey.
Young and old alike shared their Community Vision.
The day concluded with swimming at the Goldendale Swimming Pool.
It was a day of fun, sharing and looking to the future.

Language Class

Language Class Schedule Change

Language Classes will now be held every Wednesday evening, 6 PM to 7:30 PM until further notice. Classes are held at the Klickitat Co. Fairgrounds 4-H Room.

Remember:

• Children need an ADULT GUARDIAN/CHAPERONE during class.
• Classes are for the whole family.
• Snacks are provided by community members. Feel free to bring a snack or drink.

Thanks to our supporters/partners: YIN Language Program, YIN Youth Activities Program, WSU Extension/4-H Program, Klickitat County and most importantly our elders and teachers!

See you at language class!
In the meantime fill your bag with a lot of roots, your nets with fish and have a safe food gathering season!

Leadership Plenty Training Starts!

We will be starting our LeadershipPlenty Training next week!! Another opportunity to gain LEADERSHIP skills.

Trainings will be held from 6 PM to 9 PM on the following dates.

February 17 at Lutheran Church
February 24 at 4-H Room March 10 at Lutheran Church
March 17 at Lutheran Church
March 24 at Lutheran Church
March 31 at Lutheran Church
April 14 at Lutheran Church
April 21 at Lutheran Church
April 28 at Lutheran Church

*Lutheran Church is located at the corner of South Columbus and Simcoe Drive in Goldendale.
* 4-H Room is located at the Klickitat County Fairgrounds in Goldendale. Take a left at the first fairgrounds gate; stay on driveway, park on the south side of the still life building. 4-H sign will be on the door.

**We need a minimum of 20 participants.

**LeadershipPlenty training has been approved for 30 Clock Hours and 3 Continuing Education Units.
**The more participants and the more you attend the more leadership skills we gain in the community!!
**Add these training skills to your job resume or school resume.
**Gas cards and child care reimbursement will be available.
**Light meal will be provided.


Questions, ask Elsie. Call her at 773-5817 or email klickitat@wsu.edu.

Language Classes

We are happy to be moving forward with one of our Action Items. Remember an Action Item is something we can do with little or no funding. We will now be having weekly classes. Children need to have a parent/guardian with them. The whole family is encouraged to attend.
Thank you to everyone that put it all together! Let's keep our indigenous language ALIVE!!

Mid-Columbia River
Indian Language
Classes

Every Wednesday and Thursday
Starting January 21, 2009
6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
4-H Room at the Klickitat Co. Fairgrounds in Goldendale

Questions call Elsie at the Extension office 509-773-5817.

Remember parents/guardians are responsible for their children during these classes.

Study Circle particpants - Nov. 2008

*Big River Native American community members in Klickitat County are interested in building broader community leadership and volunteerism. We were invited to participate in the third round of the Horizons program, an initiative funded by the Northwest Area Foundation and facilitated by WSU Extension. After successful involvement with five communities from 2006-2008, the Horizons program was brought back to three more Klickitat County communities when they applied and were selected for the program.
The purpose of Horizons is to improve rural communities’ ability to thrive by building their leadership base as they address economic challenges or demographic change. The goals of the program are to
a) improve ability to thrive by embracing diverse community backgrounds and perspectives; recognizing that everyone is needed and everyone has something to give, and
b) build diverse community leadership representing a broad cross-section of their individual community; recognizing that leadership is as important as good roads, great schools and clean water.

The community has already started working toward these goals with the Study Circles and are now getting ready to move to step two.
1. Study Circles – consists of small group talking circles focused on identifying needs of citizens affected by lack of resources or opportunities to succeed.
2. Leadership Training – a series of workshops, building leadership skills among a broad cross-section of community – every community member can provide leadership!
3. Community Visioning process – focused on putting together plans to build upon strengths and improve our ability to thrive as we face economic and demographic change.
4. Put Plans into Action - with support from the Northwest Area Foundation and WSU. The Northwest Area Foundation provides funds for plan implementation.

A total of 34 community members participated in the Study Circle discussions. After this process an Action Forum was held. The Action Forum consisted of all participants hearing ideas from Study Circle sessions. They choose four Action Ideas and participants signed-up to be on that Action Group to help make that action occur. The four top ideas they came to a consensus on were:
a. Intro to Computers/Basic Computer Classes
b. Tutoring
c. Housing
d. Language Classes

A lead contact person was arranged for each group. Groups will set up meetings in the near future to carry out their action ideas.
On December 2-4, four community members attended the LeadershipPlenty facilitator training. They will deliver the nine modules that address primary civic skills that enable community members to confidently identify problems in their communities and implement a plan of action to combat those problems.
Dates will soon be set for the LeadershipPlenty training sessions. This is step two of the Horizons Program. Big River needs 20 participants in LeadershipPlentyâ training.
If you would like information or interested in participating in the Big River Horizons program you may contact Elsie David at the WSU-Klickitat County Extension office, phone 509-773-5817 or email klickitat@wsu.edu. For more information about the Horizons program you may go to http://horizons.wsu.edu/.

* Big River is the English translation of Inchi Wana in our language. Big River is also known as the Columbia River.