THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN FUNDED IN FULL BY THE THOMAS O. BROWN FOUNDATION & THE GUESTS OF BACKPACKER’S BALL
The enduring connection of the Blackfeet, Salish, Kootenai and Pend d’Oreille tribes is one of the park’s more significant and important stories. It is hard to imagine fully experiencing Glacier in the absence of these tribal stories, yet the park has few cultural history interpretive or educational programs developed.
This project will support the second year of the American Indian cultural history interpretive and education program that will be professionally, culturally accurate, and authentic in conjunction with the local tribes. Programs will meet National Park Service interpretive and State of Montana education standards. The park’s goal is to engage tribal youth and families to help create park programming and provide delivery of those programs during the school year, as well as during the summer to more than 13,000 visitors and students.
Additionally, the project will provide support for the related Blackfeet Youth Engagement VISTA volunteer who is working to engage more youth in conservation careers and training of Blackfeet students, with the assistance of the VISTA volunteer, Blackfeet Community College and National Association of Interpretation instructors. Curricula will help to train and prepare youth that are interested in working for or learning about Glacier National Park, as well as those interested in performing in the Native America Speaks program series.
Public educational programs will be offered at the 1913 Ranger Station near St. Mary.
