Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Seeking to help troubled American Indian youth

Seeking to help troubled American Indian youth

Feb 17, 2005 - 23:16:23 CST

By KAYLA COGDILL, Bismarck Tribune

Motivating the hopeless, disinterested and uninvolved learner poses a challenge as youth rebel to find a place of acceptance and understanding, a conference was told Thursday.

More than 300 educators, social workers and parents gathered at the fourth annual Indian Child Welfare Conference at the Seven Seas Inn in Mandan. The conference is designed to educate those who work with American Indian youth and families to understand the culture and cutural impact.

Rick Curwin, an educator from New York, has traveled the world spreading his message on how to manage youth behavior in a manner that respects the dignity of each individual.

"Some kids feel more safe and cared for in jail than they do at home," Curwin said. "A sense of values and culture has been lost over time, and native children have very little to value."

He also said kids are not the problem, the parents are.

"Everything starts at home," said Sherrice Roness, parent involvement coordinator at Standing Rock Indian Reservation. "When parents get involved, grades go up and attendance increases, but it is a trial-and-error process to find what will work to get parents involved. Every community is different, and it is frustrating because sometimes there will be a workshop and only two people will show up, and the next workshop more than 30 people will come."

Michelle Waslaski, a day treatment social worker at Standing Rock, said she was here to get helpful ideas on how to reach the youth who are struggling academically and behaviorally.

During the seminar, Curwin explained that people have a need to belong to something that is bigger than themselves.

"Kids have to belong to something that matters to them that can't be taken away from them or doesn't have to be earned," Curwin said. "Motivation is wanting to do something, not having to do something."

Paul Ronningen, director of children and family services at the North Dakota Department of Human Services, said Curwin and the other speakers were chosen based on their expertise in dealing with American Indian families and youth.

The conference ends today.

News > Local

Printer friendly version Seeking to help troubled American Indian youth

Comments

TBcommember wrote on Nov 15, 2006 12:08 PM:

" I am from the Twin Buttes community and not once was I given in writing infomation on when school board elections were being held...the people are not notified early enough to go cast their votes....Over the years, corruption infiltrated into the polls for election or re-election. Now that these individuals I know have been caught and indicted, being re-elected in a school board position should not change the course of the indictment of an individual being charged. "

yeah wrote on Nov 9, 2006 5:56 PM:

" so why make melissa out to be all bad when she has been re-elected by "the people". if she was such an awful person that lauren makes her out to be then why would the people even think about re-electing her? answer that! "

Who needs to know wrote on Oct 16, 2006 2:35 PM:

" Carla you really calm down and think about buying tobacco o.k? It is not healthy for you and if you already act like you are addicted to TOBACCO then you must have had it while you were illegal age from someone who cares "

Sick and Tired...of Racists wrote on Aug 16, 2006 8:14 AM:

" What the hell? Are we reading the same article here? Where in the article does it say that these people were a result of "outside problems" or anything other than white? Diversity will ruin Bismarck? Obviously Bismarck is not as "welcoming" as Sick and Tired states if "we must discriminate because we are white." Go back to Mayberry. Diversity is welcome by a lot of people, me included. This story is about a group of delinquent young people, not about how non-whites are ruining Bismarck! "

Mark wrote on Jul 10, 2006 1:47 PM:

" I wholeheartedly agree with the above individuals sentiments on diversity. All that we are doing ,in large part, is bringing in outside problems and all the people that sponsor these people to come up here should have to pay for them too. I can think of much better uses for my tax dollars than bankrolling the next crop of government program parasites. "

Sick&Tired wrote on Jun 26, 2006 10:26 PM:

" I didn't know Bismarck had a discrimination problem. Since Bismarck is a majority white community, we must discriminate on some level. Bismarck as a community has been very welcoming to anyone. The community will respond negatively when they aren't working and committing violent crimes, like the mugging at the carwash. Bismarck is a very peaceful communitity and we don't want crime!!! If Bismarck starts becoming more diverse the Bismarck we love will be forever lost!!! "

Eugene Dumont wrote on May 24, 2006 8:19 AM:

" I believe that at 18, the year when men become men and woment become women they should be allowed to buy tobacco, but the big question is why waist money on something that may kill you? "

Heather wrote on May 11, 2006 6:09 PM:

" Actually at the age of 18, in this state, you are ALLOWED to live on your own, go to jail, die in war, vote for President, AND buy tobacco. "

carla wrote on Apr 18, 2006 10:30 PM:

" Why is it that at 18 a person is a legal adult able to live on his/ her own, go to jail, die in war, vote for president, but cannot buy tobacco? It's absurd! "

Post Your Own Comment

All online comments are limited to 350 words total.
Comments are reviewed for taste, tone and language before posting.
Some comments may be used in the Tribune's print edition.
We value and respect your privacy, but The Bismarck Tribune might
disclose certain information to governmental entities if served with subpoena.