石童学院培养下一代社区领袖
BOX ELDER, Mont. – Rising senior Jason Rosette (Chippewa-Cree), has climbed through the ranks at Stone Child College, a tribal college on the Rocky Boy Reservation, from local school district maintenance professional, to paraprofessional and community mentor, 感谢学院对他和其他学生的教育之旅的投资.
Stone Child College (SCC) recently rolled out Vision 2025, its new “future-focused, student success-centric strategic plan,” which was developed in partnership with students, faculty, staff, and friends of the college, 其中包括帮助像杰森这样的学生“拥抱梦想，摘星”.”
Jason calls himself a “non-traditional” student at SCC, 但他符合许多部落学院学生的特征. 根据美国印第安人高等教育联盟(AIHEC), around 33% of TCU students are adults with families, 高中毕业后，谁想要回到学校或开始上学. 并不是杰森的学生背景让他成为了SCC即将升入高年级的学生, 他坚持不懈地去攻读学位.
46岁的杰森大部分时间都在亚利桑那州度过，远离他的部落文化和社区. 虽然住在亚利桑那州让他和他的墨西哥根有些AG亚游集团官方网站APP, 他只是通过与纳瓦霍和阿帕奇等当地部落国家的人生活在一起，才熟悉了土著人. 他说，观察这些紧密AG亚游集团官方网站APP的社区让他渴望与自己的文化身份AG亚游集团官方网站APP起来.
由于远离自己的文化，不了解自己，杰森走上了一条经历了许多挑战的道路, including finding himself without a home. Then, shortly after high school that Jason became a father. 为了养家糊口，他放弃了自己的教育目标. But upon doing so, 杰森说，他很快就意识到，高中文凭并不能给他所需要的机会, and he knew something had to change.
After learning his mother would be returning to school, Jason relocated to Rocky Boy, Montana to follow her on a journey toward higher education. But first, before enrolling in classes, Jason worked at Box Elder Schools, serving in maintenance and then in various kitchen roles. During this time, Jason开始了解SCC为土著学生提供的许多项目机会，他利用了土著学生的免费学费, while maintaining his employment, 并欣然接受了学习克里语和部落历史的机会，将其作为课程的一部分.
杰森说，在上了最初的几门课程后，他知道自己走在了正确的道路上. “I decided to give my associate’s program everything I had. I felt like my job was to lead by example.” And that he did.
杰森完成了他的商业管理副学士学位, was named student of the year, and participated in the Knowledge Bowl, hosted by AIHEC. Jason began connecting to his tribal culture, language, and spirituality, and began attending ceremonial events with his family.
“Before, I felt lost, and I didn’t know who I was. 融入我的文化和语言让我有了更大的目标。.
拿到学位后，杰森立即进入一家部落企业工作. 他从呼叫中心的初级助理一步步升到管理职位. But these career highs were met with some personal lows. 尽管他取得了胜利，但杰森说他正在经历一次酗酒的发作.
“I was a high functioning alcoholic,” Jason recalled. “我每天都准时上班，除了工作之外，我能完成所有的工作职责, I was using alcohol to cope with the stresses of life.“杰森又一次站在人生的转折点上，寻找改变的机会. He dedicated his life to God, 这让他戒了酒，并开始思考他的教育之旅的下一步.
After taking personal inventory of what he had experienced, 杰森知道他的下一步，包括重点防止这些循环在年轻一代. Jason回忆起疫情期间在Box Elder学校厨房工作时喂养儿童的经历. “Our community has a 90% unemployment rate, 我知道喂养这些年轻人是我当时能为国家服务的最重要的事情,” he said. “一个专注于学习的地方能给人们带来如此积极的影响，我感到完全不知所措. I was helping nourish the kids in my community with food, but I knew I could be doing more to serve them.”
To get started on his new career path, 他了解到Box Elder学校有一份辅助专业的工作，并主张自己承担这个角色.
It was a perfect fit. The more he worked with young people, 贾森说，他越强烈地感受到继续接受教育的召唤. He sought out guidance from a school superintendent, Jeremy MacDonald, 谁鼓励他继续他的道路，并建议博克斯埃尔德学校将与他合作，使他的梦想成真.
杰森开始在SCC上课，以获得教育学学士学位，他将于2024年毕业.
“I think about my past and all I’ve been through. My goal is to stand up for our youth,” Jason said. “我相信土著人正面临着系统性的问题，而不是仅仅谈论这些事情, 我正在挑战自己，积极地做出改变.”
以及他作为一名教师为年轻人服务的愿望, 杰森还选择在他的保留地担任运动队教练，为部落青年服务. 他积极与K-6年级的学生一起工作，这些学生在石头儿童推广服务组织的青年队中打棒球和篮球. Jason believes sports can help build confidence, encourages teamwork, and helps develop positive attitudes.
杰森自豪地说，他已经戒酒五年了，现在是他学士学位课程的最后一年, getting ready to embark on student teaching. 他用最喜欢的一句话总结了自己的人生经历:“他们试图埋葬我, but they didn’t know I was a seed.虽然他不确定这句话的作者，但杰森肯定是在写自己的故事.
Cory Sangrey-Billy, President of Stone Child Community College, 她说，杰森的故事是一个完美的例子，说明了为什么她和她的员工如此努力地制定2025年愿景——通过培养未来的领导者来建立一个更强大的社区.
“石孩相信，每个走进我们大门的人都有潜力和目标. Jason向我们展示了他通过教育发展技能的承诺和兴趣，我们正在为他投资一条道路. 他的旅程证明了，当我们超越现状，放眼未来时，我们能做些什么.”
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