Native American consultant brings joy to Watersmeet

By P.J. GLISSON

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Watersmeet - When Ricky White interacts with kids at the Watersmeet Township School, it's like an exercise in glee.

They flock to him like groupies, engaging in high-fives, group hugs, and lots of smiles and laughs.

"If I wanted to feel like a rock star with kids jumping all over me, that would be the place I'd go every day," he told The Globe.

White is a Native American consultant, and for more than a year, he's been regularly visiting the school to work with all ages of students, as well as with the staff and administration.

He visited most recently last week and explained his own evolution.

"I started out as a teacher in 1997," said White.

He worked in the schools of St. Paul, Minnesota, teaching Native American culture and art.

After several years, he became a school administrator, and along the way he earned accolades such as the Minnesota American Indian Administrator of the Year and the Minnesota American Indian Teacher of the Year.

But he grew discouraged with statistics relating to Native American children, who traditionally have performed poorly in reading and math and who are less likely to graduate from high school or college.

"So I kind of got off my high horse of school administration," he said.

White is aware of the facts: "98% of educators are primarily non-Native and white, and there's nothing wrong with that," he said.

But, in Watersmeet, 3 of 4 kids are Native American.

The imbalance has created a predictable result for years. "We learn very little about the Native Americans in K-12, and then we learn even less in college," said White.

He does not fault the teachers. Instead, he said, "They're definitely afraid to infuse Native American content because they don't want to desecrate or offend."

Hence, he promotes a gentle approach.

"There's no loss anywhere," he said. "We're not shredding the curriculum."

Moreover, he said, "The teachers were doing fantastic work before I even got here," and they want what's best for the kids.

As a result, he merely encourages teachers to include - here and there, in the existing curriculum - attention to Native American best practices.

"There's a natural connection that people end up making when I expose them to Native American content and themes," he said, adding, "What is good for Native American students is good for all students."

For instance, he said, "You apply these strong, good, solid relationships," along with "identity building."

He also advises teachers to understand their students' community and their history.

He believes that, when low performance occurs among Native Americans, it has roots in the cultural pain of what Native Americans have endured, going back many decades.

"The reality is we have an intergenerational and historical poverty and societal challenges embedded in our community," he said.

He said that, while Native American children are loved, they also are raised within a culture that includes a residual "trauma" from issues such as mandatory boarding schools in times past.

Such boarding schools attempted to school Native American children in white culture and white language. "Not many of our people know our language," said White, "and that was by design."

He added that 90% of Native Americans were affected by more than 500 boarding schools that existed from the late 1800s until long into the 1900s.

In the process, he said the Native American population diminished, and new problems arose, such as the concept of murdered and missing Indigenous women, an issue that has become prevalent enough to earn the acronym of MMIW.

Overall, White said that problems stemming from a difficult history continue to result in bad outcomes such as significant rates of murder and suicide among young Native Americans.

"Then, you expect that our kids are going to land in school kindergarten-ready," said White.

Now, however, his influence shows in the school, starting with an entry sign that says "Boozhoo," which means anything from "hello" to "welcome" in the Ojibwe language.

In art class, the students have created dream catchers, which are symbolic among Ojibwe Indians as a protectant of positivity and good dreams.

In addition, White said that clinical services now are based within the school, noting, "Part of what happens is a deep collaboration."

He mentioned the school's strong association with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, led by Chairman James Williams Jr. in Watersmeet.

"So it's really a gelling of all these things," he said. "Now, we try to push the sense that we're all in this together."

He advises building on grandfatherly concepts of familial and tribal love, honesty and trust.

Teachers also suggest themes such as forgiveness, which was the focus during his Feb. 23 visit to the school.

"We're still learning to crawl," he said. "Everyone is learning."

He said that it's OK for teachers to learn along with the kids, but added, "The teachers feel confident in their risk-taking now."

White also values his relationship with school Superintendent George Peterson III.

"We call each other brother," he said. "Probably the greatest compliment he can give me is to ask 'Where were you 25 years ago?'"

White received his master's degree in education from St. Mary's University and his bachelor's degree in education from Lakehead University. 

But he is more interested in the potential of the school's youngest students. "The kids in kindergarten now - they have years till graduation. Just imagine what experiences they're going to have."

He said "long-term effects" are the ultimate goal, and results are already clear: Watersmeet's graduation rate, honor roll and attendance are climbing.

White questioned whether the process is spiritual and then immediately answered: "I'd say yes when it's mindful."

But he said what he does has no technical connection with religion. Nor, he said, is he trying to be "a born-again Indian."

But he believes that he can help people to gain confidence in who they are. Perhaps the best result goes back to the joy with which the students greet him. "Kids are happier now," he said.