During her sophomore year of high school, Makenzie Little had a life-changing opportunity to write for her town paper — it was love at first word. Since then, her interest in journalism has grown, and she is focused on honing her skills and expanding her journalistic experiences in high school and beyond. The next step may well be majoring in journalism or communications in college.

Dr. Thomas Reed has approached his education, career, and commitment to the Indigenous STEM community with enthusiasm and dedication. Dr. Reed, Hopi, has firsthand familiarity with the financial challenges many Indigenous families face in both reservation and urban settings. “After all the needs were met, we didn’t have much left growing up,” he recalls. “I saw family members and friends who were engineers working for decades at Boeing, near where I grew up in Seattle.

For Stephen Silva-Brave, education is tied to community. A citizen of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, Silva-Brave credits his current path to his Grandmother Eleanor Brave. She was raised on the Rosebud Indian Reservation but moved to Dallas as a young woman through the BIA Urban Relocation Program. She then split her time between Texas and South Dakota, and her grandson continued this tradition, visiting relatives on the Rosebud Reservation throughout his life.

Silva-Brave pursued his education in Texas but found his purpose through his Native

Discovering AISES during his first month at university not only helped Matthieu Lavallée find a community – it launched new possibilities. He chose to study chemical engineering far from home at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, well-known for its engineering program and co-op work placements.

It’s the Only National Science Fair Supporting the Bright Future of Indigenous STEM
If you want to feel optimistic about the rising generation, come to NAISEF (the National Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Fair). This unique event offers students in grades five through 12 an opportunity to show off their research projects, and just as important, meet each other and articulate their findings. It’s the place to go to witness the promise, perseverance, and creativity of aspiring young Native scientists.

Keeya Wiki’s first name — a Yurok word tied to rising — serves as both a vision for her future and a reflection of her path. A senior at Ashland High School in Oregon, Wiki already navigates the world of international diplomacy with the poise of a seasoned advocate. Beyond just maintaining an inherited connection to the lands and waters of her Yurok and Māori ancestors, she embodies that connection as a foundational responsibility — the grounding factor of her identity.

The Case for Two-Year College and Career Certificate Programs

The road to higher education is paved with decisions that guide — and sometimes reroute — students to their destination. Finding the right path might seem overwhelming, but breaking the miles into smaller steps can help, and for many students, starting at a two-year school is a solid beginning. 

Benefits of community college 

Tips for being more effective at sharing news, proposing ideas, and asking questions

You spend a lot of time communicating —maybe more than you realize. And how you communicate matters. Ultimately, it’s how you connect with other people. Whether you’re composing a message, speaking up in class, or having a one-on-one conversation, you’ll be more effective if you feel comfortable in your approach. There is no single “right” way to do it. Instead, the goal is to develop a style that works for you with the people in your life. As with any skill, it takes practice.

I am trying to gather all the ingredients necessary to cook up an impactful career in food science. Many tribal lands today are classified as food deserts — areas where grocery stores are scarce. The alternative is typically convenience stores stocked with products that aren’t fresh and nutritious or likely to be on a shopping list for traditional cuisine. Food is much more than calories: it connects us to each other, to the Earth, and to ceremony. Food science, therefore, is vital to advancing tribal resilience and sovereignty.

It was a Tuesday morning like many others, until I turned on the TV and saw the news coverage of the Hawaii wildfires. Seeing the devastation caused by the wildfires, I was determined to help, and the Hawaii wildfire project and my path through the sciences solidified that night. Now, I am a senior at Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City. I’ve used my time there to hone my interests, and I’m excited to explore the areas of plant science and microbiology in college.