Native American educators are celebrated and honored at NIEA Convention and Trade Show in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Honoring and celebrating the achievements of Native educators for their work and dedication to their students and commitment to excellence in education is among the founding principles of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA). That is why every year, the successes of standout educators are recognized during the Annual NIEA Convention and Trade Show, the largest convening of Native educators in the country. This year at the 50^th Annual NIEA Convention and Trade Show on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 educators from across the country will receive various awards in Minneapolis where the first NIEA Convention was hosted in 1969.

NIEA is excited to celebrate the achievements of eight Native educators. The NIEA Educator of the Year is Tami Johnson, White Earth Ojibwe; the NIEA Elder of the Year is Carolyn Fiscus; the NIEA Community Service awardee is Summer Sky Palmer, Kiowa; the NIEA Parent of the Year is Mee Kai Clark, Pawnee Nation; the NIEA Teacher of the Year is Freda Tippeconnie, Kiowa; the three NIEA Lifetime Achievement Awardees are Shirley Tuzroyluke, Tlingit/Nisga'a; Makalapua Alencastre, Native Hawaiian; and David Beaulieu, White Earth Chippewa.

Additionally, in honor of fifty years of Native education advocacy, NIEA is launching the Dr. David Beaulieu Legacy Scholarship at the 50^th Annual NIEA Convention and Trade Show, Oct. 8^th to Oct. 12^th. Beaulieu is being honored with the scholarship in his name to celebrate his lifetime of work, service, and dedication for Native education. With an initial goal of raising $50,000, NIEA will conduct both a raffle of beautiful donated Native American blankets, art, jewelry and more as well as a text-to-give campaign to raise funds for the scholarship during the 50^th NIEA Convention Gala on Oct. 10.

The Dr. David Beaulieu Legacy Scholarship will support Native college students entering their junior or senior year who are pursuing a major in education, policy, political science, or public administration. Additionally, the scholarship will support NIEA's legislative and programmatic fellow positions in Washington, DC.

The Annual NIEA Convention & Trade Show brings together more than 2,000 Native educators, advocates, researchers, school officials, and tribal leaders to discuss ways to advance educational opportunities for Native students. Registration for the Convention is available onsite at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Visit NIEA at www.niea.org.

CONTACT
Geneva Hamilton, [email protected]

SOURCE National Indian Education Association

Related Links

http://www.niea.org