Editor’s Note: Lance Comes At Night is a member of Big Sky’s RISE group.
A typical RISE meeting begins with students signing in and settling into their seats as they wait for a Zoom meeting to start.
The RISE students wait for other schools in Missoula from different reservations across Montana to join in. Once everyone joins, the groups talk about the upcoming RISE summit, which will take place in a major Montana city in April, and is where students gather to share traditional Native American culture and games.
The semi-virtual RISE meetings usually end with a guest speaker, like an elder or even a community leader, whom offers stories, cultural teachings, and/or leadership advice.
RISE, which stands for Resilience in Something Else, is a Native American youth leadership program that strives to help students get closer to culture and heritage. RISE gives Native students at Big Sky and other Montana schools a place where they can connect with their culture, support one another and have a sense of belonging both in school and their communities.
Camille Allen, a support staff member at Big Sky, explained that because the group meets with other RISE programs across the state through Zoom, it allows students from different communities to share experiences.
Allen also highlighted the annual RISE summit, where students come together in person to talk about culture, identity, and what it means to be Native in their schools and tribes.
A recent RISE event that the Big Sky program was a part of was a buffalo harvest. Students at the harvest got to hear traditional songs/language, and learn the ways the buffalo was used.
These experiences show what the program is about. Big Sky student Tyler KickingWoman shared how RISE has helped him feel more connected to his culture and community.
“I feel like RISE has kept me connected with my people,” KickingWoman said.
“Sometimes school makes me feel alienated because of the lack of Native culture, but RISE has helped me feel more included.”
KickingWoman also shared what he is looking forward to in the program.
“I’m looking forward to the RISE summit this year because it teaches a lot about my culture and heritage.”
