2024 Native American Education Conference (NAEC)
The WY Native American Education Conference instills pride & strengthens the engagement of youth through Native American history & culture.
Date and time
Location
Central Wyoming College
2660 Peck Avenue Riverton, WY 82501Refund Policy
About this event
- 1 day 5 hours
This year's Theme: "Community Wisdom and Engagement: Teaching Resilience to Our Indigenous Youth."
Youth Ticket Price - Free
Adult Ticket Price - $35 Per Person**
Exhibitor/Vendor Tables starting at $125. Additional sponsorship options available. No political candidates or political organizations are allowed.
**Additional Charges for Credit or Debit Card Processing
PTSB and UW credit available.
Please note that the majority of the conference workshops will be available in-person only.
The following schedule is subject to change:
General and Workshop Sessions
Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, from 1-5 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
You will enjoy workshops that benefit and edify all individuals involved with Native American student education. Areas of emphasis include:
- Enhancing health of Indigenous youth/Supporting emotional needs of students.
- Best teaching practices for Native American youth.
- Understanding and appreciating Native American culture, history, and traditions.
- Supporting instructional and learning needs of Native American students.
- Wyoming "Indian Ed for All" social studies standards.
- Strengthening resilience and perseverance/Empowering youth.
- Unifying school and community.
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The Wyoming Department of Education and the Conference Planning Committee honors outstanding Native American students with the prestigious Pacesetter Award. The Award honors the top Native American students from each high school in Wyoming for their academic and community achievements. This year's winners will be recognized on Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. in the CWC Peck Auditorium.
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Featured Keynote Speaker:
Jason Baldes - "Tribal Buffalo Restoration: Culturally Relevant Reconnection and Revitalization." - Aug. 6 at 3:30 p.m.
Jason Baldes (Eastern Shoshone) is an ecologist who has devoted his life’s work to restoring bison to public lands.
"The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes maintain cultural belief systems and values that have been passed down through the generations, that can help guide one on their journey through life. Education is an important pathway to finding meaning and purpose on that journey, and elders of both Tribes have maintained and encouraged young people to pursue an education, and return home to help their people. I found my pathway to helping my people with buffalo, and working to restore a connection that has been in place for time immemorial."
Feature Films
dêtetsi vo'i oninjakan Winding Path
11 a.m., Aug. 7
dêtetsi vo'i oninjakan Winding Path is a powerful short film produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Robin Honan and co-directed by acclaimed filmmakers Alexandra Lazarowich, winner of the Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, and Academy Award winner Ross Kauffman, in collaboration with University of Utah Health and its Native American Summer Research Internship (NARI) program, made possible by a generous grant from the Kahlert Foundation. This partnership resulted in an emotionally resonant film that underscores U of U Health’s commitment to meaningful storytelling and community engagement in the arena of public health and health disparities.
A question-and-answer session with the film's subject Jenna Murphy will follow.
Frybread Face and Me
8 a.m., Aug. 7
Two adolescent Navajo cousins from different worlds bond during a summer herding sheep on their grandmother's ranch in Arizona while learning more about their family's past and themselves.
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Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024 (Bonus workshop; additional details forthcoming)
ACT WorkKeys: The Complete Works— Assessment and Curriculum Workshop
ACT WorkKeys and the ACT WorkKeys Curriculum are stronger together. This workshop will provide the knowledge necessary for preparation for taking the ACT WorkKeys assessments. For schools or districts who use WorkKeys Curriculum, you will learn how to provide both individual and classroom/schoolwide supports and embed into the school day.