Tacoma Public School's Indian Education Program has always been something of a bare-bones intuition. Long operated by one full-time employee on a shoe-string budget, the Puyallup Tribe's five-year, $500,000 grant has made quite an impact on the program that fosters academic and social support to Native American students in all Tacoma schools.

Since the Tribe announced the $500,000 grant ($100,000 a year for five years) back in 2008, Indian Education Coordinator David Syth says the program has been able to stretch further, making an even greater impact in the lives of local Native American students.

Support from the Puyallup Tribe has allowed Indian Education to hire three part-time para-education professionals, host a monthly advisory and culture night, offer fee assistance for various educational costs, tutoring for grades k-12, college presentations and tours, and a special graduation event for seniors, as well as 10 $500 graduate stipends for the most deserving students.

During the recent holiday season, Indian Ed partnered with local schools to distribute holiday hams to families who may otherwise go hungry during the festive season.

David Syth said they were able to distribute 67 hams to families at 12 schools with a high population of Indian students, as well as to the Tahoma Indian Center.

Lincoln, Stadium, Foss, Oakland and Mount Tahoma High Schools, Jason Lee, Gray, Giaudrone, Stewart, First Creek and Baker Middle Schools, and Fawcett, Sheridan, Blix, Roosevelt and Edison Elementary Schools each received a handful of hams, which principals and counseling staff handed off to the families they knew needed it most.

"Without the Tribe's contribution, we would be a one-man department," David Syth said. "Budgets are so tight, it covers a lot of our budget and allows me to hire additional personnel, who are able to have a presence at our schools. 
It really is a good feeling to be able to have personnel out there."

Indian Education specialists monitor all high school student grades and have an active presence at Lincoln, Mt Tahoma, Stadium, Foss and Wilson at least one day per week. They also have Native American Study Hour at First Creek, Giaudrone, Jason Lee and Stewart and a math focus night for elementary school students each Thursday at the district's Madison Complex.

"Without the support of the Puyallup Tribe the TPS Indian Education program would not otherwise be able to provide this type of assistance to our Native families within the Tacoma Public School system," David Syth said. "To be able to help families and community during these tough economic times is very rewarding. Thank you to the Puyallup Tribal Council for their past, current and future support and contributions of Tacoma Indian Education and our Native community at large!"