Families traveled from near and far to celebrate Indigenous culture and Christmastime at the 5th annual Tulalip Tribes and Marysville School District (MSD) Indian Education Christmas Powwow. On the evening of December 15, the Francy J. Sheldon Gymnasium was at capacity and rocking as local Veterans kicked off the ceremony, leading the way during grand entry.
Dancers draped in beautiful regalia, that showcased their beading and seaming talents, competed in a number of categories including fancy shawl, jingle and traditional dances. The crowd was highly interactive, cheering on their loved ones as they hit the floor to honor the traditions of their ancestors. Babies to elders engaged throughout the entire evening, dancing in circles around the gym to hypnotic drum beats provided by five drum circles.
“It started five years ago through the MSD and the Tulalip Tribes,” explained Deborah Parker, MSD Director of Equity, Diversity and Indigenous Education. “Our Native American liaisons wanted to provide a little holiday cheer because sometimes it can be a difficult time of year for some families. So we wanted to do a powwow, bring the drums out and let everybody have a good time to remind us that the holidays are about families coming together and about us loving and uplifting each other.”
Across campus, at Marysville Mountain View Arts and Technology High School, Santa Clause paid a visit to drop off gifts donated by Toys for Tots, as well as a handful of community members. While Ol’ Saint Nick stuck around for a bit to take photos with the families, the kids checked out all of the toys and got to pick one present each, choosing from a selection of stuffed animals, Hot Wheels and books.
“Little kids look forward to this all year. They’re always asking, when’s the next Santa powwow,” said Deborah. “This year we served 1,100 plates of roast, mashed potatoes and corn. We had about forty plus dancers, five drums and we gave out close to 1,000 toys. The kids were super excited, even before we opened the doors, we had a huge lineup. Every kid gets a toy and they get to pick their own toy, so that’s special. We had Santa pictures and lots of vendors, it’s kind of a festival type atmosphere. Everybody’s laughing, hugging and sharing good words with each other and that’s the spirit of what we came to do.”
TVTC grad, Jackson Bascue (Tulalip), is ready to build a better tomorrow, equipped with proper certifications and new tool belt.
By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
“It feels great,” says TERO Training Vocational Center (TVTC) graduate and Tulalip tribal member, Joseph Henry. “It’s a blessing to be a part of this program. It gives us a lot of opportunities, opens many doors for us. It’s the stepping stone of where we want to go. What I learned from this program is to be humble, utilize all your tools. It gives us a career, more than just a temporary job. I have several trades that I wouldn’t mind pursuing, cementing, masonry or carpentry, that really caught my eye. The goal is to build my own house one day. We’ve gained so much skills, it’s really an honor to be Native and take part in a program like this.”
TVTC is a hands-on learning experience that trains Native Americans, from all tribal nations, and their family members in the construction trades. During the sixteen-week course, the students learn several skills that they can apply at a variety of well-paying jobs including carpentry, cementing, plumbing as well as electrical and mechanical work. In addition, they also earn their flagging, first aid and safety certifications.
TVTC is well known throughout the nation and has welcomed Indigenous Peoples from many tribes. It is one, if not the only, Native pre-apprentice program in the United States. Most recently, the training center began adding new vocational trainings for their students such as marine technology and medical pre-apprenticeship.
On the morning of December 17, friends and family of twenty-three TVTC students gathered at the Hibulb Cultural Center longhouse to witness their loved ones graduate from the program.
With fifteen Tulalip graduates, seven graduates from other tribal nations and one Tulalip spouse, this latest graduating class saw a whopping twenty-two students complete the construction program and one student successfully finish the medical apprenticeship program. TERO strives to provide ‘training for a better tomorrow’ by teaching tribal members how to work with their hands, giving them the tools and foundation to build a new future for themselves.
“Our construction students did sixteen weeks of intense training,” explains TERO Director, Summer Hammons. “That’s five hundred and sixty-hours and twenty-eight college credits. They’re walking away with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) training, forty-hours of HAZWOPER [Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response] training, forty-hours of scaffolding, flagger certification, CPR/First Aid training and boom, scissor, and fork-lift certification.
“Our medical apprenticeship program, we started at our health clinic,” she continues. “It’s about a year-long and we worked with the Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Services. They do forty hours a week, completing a 2000-hour apprentice program in the medical field, requiring additional online classes, ten to fifteen hours a week, plus three Saturday, full-day clinical workshops. And bringing the cultural element, we’ve also brought a new aspect called marine technology and that’s working with the waters and the fishing component, so that our students can learn how to fabricate their boats and work on their engines.”
Indigenous mother and TVTC graduate, Katrina Black Elk (Fort Belknap), with her kids who proudly display their mom’s achievements for student of the quarter and perfect attendance.
The TVTC participants work on a number of projects throughout the course, all while developing important and necessary skills like time management, finance and resume building. The program is largely based on creating a brighter future for tribal families. Therefore, TVTC puts a special emphasis on including the families throughout their loved one’s journey, hosting fun family nights and providing a number of resources for children, to parents who are enrolled in the classes.
As the graduation ceremony continued, the students received their diplomas as well as a tool belt they can put to use once they’ve landed their first job. Upon receiving their certificates, it was easy to see that each student shared a unique connection with their instructors Mark Newland, Billy Burchett and Lisa Telford.
“When I first started I wasn’t sure if I would complete it because my whole life I’d quit things before finishing,” expresses Tulalip tribal member and TVTC grad, Rose Runningwater. “Lisa pushed me really hard to do this for myself. I completed this class because I wanted it and I realized that because she pushed me. It was a really good experience and I know today that I’m a woman who can spread my wings, fly and get what I want out of life.”
Many students offered hugs and even shared a few words of appreciation about their teachers, gifting them with items such as paddles and blankets.
“I can’t describe it; it makes me want to well up right now,” says Mark after receiving a beautiful Eighth Generation wool blanket. “I’m so humble, I just try to pass on what I know to the people of my community. We had a large class – lots of strong personalities, leaders and also six strong women to help out. We built four tiny houses that will be utilized here in Tulalip and we also built some looms for this museum that are on display right now. It was a really fun class and I’m excited to see where this will take them.”
Committing to a program that takes months to complete is no easy feat by any means. Although a majority of the class lives locally, a handful of student’s live hours away from Tulalip and made a long-distance trip every day, including Warm Springs tribal member, Nalani Brisbois, who lives nearly one hundred miles away in Nisqually. By befriending fellow classmate and Colville tribal member, Annette Squetimkin, Nalani fortunately did not have to make the entire commute alone.
“I would wake up at 3:30 every morning, get ready and hit the road by 4:30,” Nalani says. “I’d stop in Tukwila and pick up Annette and we’d get here around 7:30. It was kind of hard – early mornings every day. Sometimes I didn’t want to come back but I kept at it and I’m happy because it was really worth it.”
Puyallup tribal member, Sandy Dillion, can relate to his classmates as he had early mornings as well and would return home late evenings after traveling through stop-and-go traffic, taking away much needed family time from his wife and kids.
“It was pretty tough,” he says. “Waking up at 4:30 in the morning and having to leave the house at 5:05. It was worth it for me though because just thinking about it, in the long run, driving this far every day to make some money in my future is definitely going to pay off. Our TERO department [in Puyallup] is not as big as this one, so for them to reach out to other tribal members to get them educated and started on a career path is important. I’m really appreciative of this opportunity and I want to thank the Tulalip Tribes.”
Several union representatives were in attendance, looking to introduce themselves and recruit new employees. The TERO department recognized two local construction business owners, Chris Winters and Gordy Sansaver, who acted as liaisons, assisting TVTC graduates find work throughout the years. Many TVTC Alumni sat amongst the crowd, supporting the new graduates. Alumni took a moment to share their success stories and experiences with the program, encouraging other tribal members to consider a career in the trades.
“If you have any interest at all, come sign up,” said Mark. “You’ll find out that working with your hands, working outside and building a future is for you because the rewards are tremendous. The Tulalip TERO program has paved the way for so many students. It’s there for the taking, you just have to reach out and put your mind to it and go for it.”
The TVTC pre-apprentice construction program is accredited through Renton Technical College and South Seattle Community College and is funded by the Tulalip Charitable Fund and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. There is no cost to enroll in the apprenticeship and the program comes highly recommended from previous students.
For further details regarding the TVTC program, please contact TERO at (360) 716-4747.
On December 12, 2018, The Tulalip Police Department along with Emergency Medical Services responded to three drug overdose cases. The substances used in each of these emergency responses was suspected to be heroin laced with fentanyl. Two of the victims made it only a few yards before collapsing, fortunately Tulalip Police Officers responded and administered lifesaving doses of Naloxone, a medication used to counteract opioid overdose. Due to the quick action of Police and Fire emergency responders, all individuals survived and were transported to area hospitals for medical treatment.
On Thursday, December 13, 2018, Tulalip Police Department Drug Task Force Detectives assisted by Tulalip Police Criminal Investigations, Patrol, and Fish and Wildlife served a search warrant for alleged illegal drug activities at the residence located at 8629 27thAve NE. This residence had been the source of recent community complaints and following a narcotics investigation probable cause for a search warrant was developed.
The service of the search warrant at 8629 27thAve. NE. resulted in five adults arrested on various charges to include: manufacture/delivery controlled substance, unlawful possession of firearms, possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a stolen firearm, and outstanding arrest warrants. Distribution quantities of illegal narcotics were seized, along with other evidence of possession with the intent to deliver controlled substances. Additionally three stolen firearms were seized from within the residence.
The Tulalip Police Department remains committed to protecting the community by deploying resources to investigate complaints of alleged narcotics sales recognizing the devastating impacts of this criminal behavior on individuals, families, and the community. Those struggling with addictions are encouraged to seek the resources offered to assist them. Community members who may have important information regarding the sales of controlled substances are asked to call the Tulalip Police Department, Drug Task Force/Investigations Tip Line at 360 716-5990. Anonymous calls will be received and followed-up on.
In the late 1920’s, one of the most revered innovators of all time introduced the world to a cartoon character who many children, over several generations, grew up with.Making his debut in black and white animation, the character is first seen whistling while steering a ship in Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon to feature sound with orchestrated music and sound effects.
The cartoon became such a huge success that both the cartoon and his creator became iconic household names. Nearly one hundred years later, kids still adore Mickey Mouse and his creator, Walt Disney, who is still fondly remembered after over fifty years since his passing.-
On December 5th, Walt Disney’s birthday, Tulalip Youth Services planned a magical evening for the community at the Greg Williams Court, celebrating the works and lifetime of Walt Disney. Decorations included a number of balloon characters and several Disney-themed backdrops for families to take photos. A DJ played all of the Disney hits as families arrived in full costume, dressed as their favorite heroes and princesses. After enjoying a pizza dinner, the youth worked up the spirit to showcase their singing talents in a round of karaoke, opening with How Far I’ll Go from Moana and Let It Go from Frozen.
“We have been wanting to do an elementary-age dance because we always do dances for the teens,” says Tulalip Youth Services Education Coordinator, Jessica Bustad. “We saw that Walt Disney’s birthday was coming up, so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to have a dance and karaoke night for the elementary ages and their families. We need to have more fun family events where people can come and relax and the kids can run around and be themselves and share their talents with singing. We have a lot of youth and adults who love to sing and we like encouraging them to do so.”
Young tribal member, Tashina Cortez, had a blast at the event and sang a few songs throughout the evening along with her friends.
“I came here for the party because I love to dance and I’m doing a ton of karaoke,” she says. “I love all of the Disney characters and watch all the movies, but my favorite princess is Belle from the Beauty and the Beast. I think that Disney is the best at producing movies.”
Walt’s imagination brought to life countless classic films and cartoons such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Bambi, Peter Pan and Mary Poppins, to name a few. In the 1950’s he opened the gates to the most magical place on earth, Disneyland. Because of its popularity, Disney began working on the concept for Disneyworld and the Epcot Center before passing from lung cancer in 1965.
To this day, both theme parks remain the ultimate vacation destination for families to visit and meet their favorite characters together. Disney’s vision has carried well into the 21st century and his company continues to push boundaries, producing a number of family friendly TV shows, cartoons and movies.
Disney cartoons have taught many of us valuable life lessons and brought smiles to children and their families across the entire world. In many Disney projects, there’s a common reoccurrence of promoting positive family values, displayed in such films like Pinocchio, Lion King and the Little Mermaid. Youth Services chose to honor Walt Disney based on his many lessons and values that he’s incorporated into his work.
“We want to promote family togetherness with a good activity, something fun to do on a weekday,” says Danielle Fryberg, Youth Services Executive Assistant. “We got all of these awesome decorations and we also chose to display signs that have positive messages and inspirational quotes that he’s [Disney] said.”
There wasn’t a frown in sight as kids visited with their friends, cousins and siblings. Laughter filled the room as the little ones chased each other on the dancefloor while the parents admired their kids’ antics from afar. And although most kids go crazy about the Disney universe, young Isaac Lafountaine isn’t necessarily a huge fan. However, his grandmother is so he happily accompanied her to the dance.
“We came here just to listen to the songs,” he said. “I kind of like Disney. I guess I would say my favorite is probably Mickey because we watched a lot of Mickey Mouse while I was growing up. My favorite part about tonight though was when me and my grandma were tossing the beach ball back and forth.”
As Walt once said, ‘the most important thing is family’. He’d be delighted to see all of the families enjoying quality time with each other at the Youth Services Disney Dance and Karaoke night, a fitting way to celebrate his 117th birthday.
Marysville School District’s very own Equity, Diversity, and Indigenous Education department created the Student of the Month awards to recognize outstanding students who have demonstrated commendable academic success in the classroom. Student awardees in the past have displayed an admirable dedication to their school work and active involvement amongst their peers.
Previously, only one girl and one boy student were honored, but the program has grown to include one impressive student from each of the elementary, middle, and high school levels. For their commitment to excellence in the classroom and backed by strong recommendations from school faculty, Dakota Laducer of Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary, Devaney Jones of Totem Middle School, and Keyondra Horne of Marysville Getchell High School were announced as students of the month for November.
The three students, all Tulalip tribal members, received special recognition and were given a commemorative certificate during the Marysville School District’s school board meeting held on Monday, December 10.
Dakota Laducer, Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary.
Indigenous Education Liaison Breezy Distefano introduced Dakota to everyone in attendance. “Dakota has shown so much perseverance in his learning, and tries to learn something new every day,” she said. “He has recently increased his testing scores by over 200 points, which is a huge accomplishment.”
QCT Elementary teachers and Admin staff turned out to cheer on Dakota.
Dakota accepted his award with a large ovation from the crowd as many Quil Ceda Tulalip teachers and administrative staff turned out to support the young man’s academic milestone.
Principal Douglas Shook explained, “We are absolutely proud of Dakota and the growth he has made as a student, but also as a leader. He is one of our students that embodies the growth spirit we have at Quil Ceda Tulalip. We have a lot of staff that are rooting for his success.”
Devaney Jones, Totem Middle School.
Next up, 8th grader Devaney was described by Native Liaison Terrance Sabbas. “Devaney is an amazing student who has top notch grades and is a great role model for all Totem students,” he said. “Talking with Devaney’s teachers they said she’s an incredibly hard worker, is very respectful, and has shown tremendous writing skills. What I enjoy most about Devaney is she takes her job as a student seriously and wants to achieve as best she can.”
Keyondra Horne, Marysville Getchell High School.
High school student of the month honors went to Getchell High School student standout, sophomore Keyondra Horne. “She has a 3.75 GPA and has only missed one day of school this year, so that is so awesome what she’s been able to achieve with her academics and attendance,” described Lead Indigenous Education Liaison, Matt Remle. “Not only is she succeeding in school, but even more astounding she is highly involved and engaged with her traditional culture. Keyondra is a fancy dancer in the Powwow circuit who reigns as a Princess for the Stillaguamish Powwow. She’s also been selected as a leader of her peers to be head-woman dancer for the upcoming MSD Christmas Powwow. No doubt, she will succeed in her post high school endeavors where she wants to go to college and major in Accounting.”
Going forward, a selection committee will review all student nominations based on their academics and school engagement. Each month three students (representing elementary, middle and high school levels) will be recognized as students of the month. For more information or to nominate a student, please contact Director of Equity, Diversity & Indigenous Education, Deborah Parker at 360-965-0059.
Buckets, buckets and more buckets. The Tulalip Heritage boys’ basketball team exceeded expectations last year by advancing all the way to the State tournament in Spokane. This season, with nearly every player returning and joined by several talented playmakers, the expectations are not only to get back to State, but to win-out this time and earn the coveted title of State Champion.
In the early stages of the 2018-2019 season, the Heritage boys are displaying a level of play that warrants such lofty expectations. In their season opener, they made quick work of Shoreline Christian by playing at a scorching offensive pace that resulted in an 80-27 win. Heritage newcomer, sophomore guard Leno Vela scored a game-high 22 points, Alonzo Jones added 17 points and Isaac Comenote chipped in 14 points.
Two day later they didn’t shoot the ball nearly as well, but still easily outpaced Concrete, 58-22. Alonzo led the team with 17 points, while Isaac added 12 points.
With four days off between games, the team not only got in quality practice time but also saw their already deep roster get deeper with the return of guard Josh Iukes and forward Sam Fryberg.
Providence Classical Christian had no idea what was in store for them, as the Hawks put on an offensive clinic on Tuesday, December 4. The boys drained 3-ball after 3-ball when they weren’t scoring easily at the rim. Tulalip finished only points shy of hitting the century mark in the blowout, winning 94-14. The scoring touch carried over days later when the Hawks traveled to Lopez Island and put a hurting on the Lobos. Behind a high octane offense, the boys cruised to a 92-45 victory.
Undefeated at (4-0), the Heritage buzz was growing in anticipation of the always competitive rivalry game with the (2-0) Lummi Nation Blackhawks played on Saturday, December 8. Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium was jam-packed with spectators and rowdy fans representing both teams.
In the opening minutes, the Hawks found themselves in an unfamiliar position as they trailed 0-6. They responded by finishing the 1st quarter on a 23-9 run behind timely outside shooting by Isaac and Sam Fryberg bulling defenders in the post.As they often do, Tulalip and Lummi both raised their play especially on the defensive side to tighten the game through the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
With four-minutes to go in the 4th quarter, the Hawks had a slim 63-60 lead. Chants of “Tulalip power!” echoed through the gym as the home crowd did their best to pump up their Heritage team. The boys responded by finishing the game on impressive 12-6 run fueled by a series of made jumpers by the team’s go to one-on-one scorers, Alonzo and Leno.
The decisive run sealed a 75-66 win over a quality Lummi team and kept the Hawks’ undefeated record intact. Leno had a game-high 18 points, while Alonzo and Isaac scored 14 points each.
At (5-0), Tulalip has soared over all their opponents thus far by making full use of their roster’s rare combination of speed, shooting and pure athleticism. Their blistering pace has made it extremely difficult for teams to keep up with, let alone make it a close game. Through their first five games, the Hawks are scoring 80 points per game while only giving up a measly 35 per to their opponents. That differential makes for a whopping 45 point average margin of victory, domination at its finest.
The Tulalip Heritage girls’ basketball team returned for the 2018-2019 season with a bunch of new faces, both on the team and on the coaching staff. Marc Robinson is the new head coach, while Jeff Monsegur and Adiya Jones join him as assistant coaches. Only three girls from last year return; junior guard Deachae Jones, Tavionna Jones, and sophomore Krislyn Parks. They are joined by newcomers Jacynta Myles, Hazel Black-Tomahawk, and sophomore Anndraceia Sicade.
Knowing a new team identity has yet to be crafted and several players need in-game experience to develop confidence, Lady Hawk players and coaching staff went into the season with realistic expectations.
A home-opener played on Tuesday, November 27 versus Shoreline Christian gave Heritage spectators their first look at the new group. Krislyn put on a show, displaying her point-forward capabilities, while scoring a game-high 17 points. The rest of her teammates combined only managed 4 points however, as the home team lost 21-39.
Two days later, Tulalip hosted the Concrete Lions and quickly put their home-opening loss behind them. Veteran Deachae was out with injury, so the Lady Hawks had to play Iron-5 style, which they did valiantly. Krislyn’s again played as the primary ball handler, while managing to score 13 points. This time she got big contributions from her teammates. The freshman duo of Jacynta and Hazel both got hot from the floor at opportune times. Jacynta led all scorers with 17 points and Hazel chipped in 14 points. Tulalip earned their first W of the young season with a 48-31 victory.
“The biggest difference from our first game was that we played much better on defense by communicating with one another,” said Jacynta after the win. “We played as a team and didn’t let any bad plays get down.”
Next up, the Lady Hawks travelled to Lopez Island and faced off against an undefeated Lobos team. Nothing on offense was clicking, and the defense struggled to matchup against a Lopez starting unit that moved the ball really well. Tulalip was on the wrong end of a lopsided score, 20-48.
Returning to their home court in front of a large audience, Tulalip hosted Lummi Nation on Saturday, December 8. In the first half, the Lady Hawks jumped out to an early 13-5 lead behind a series of 3-point buckets. Lummi adjusted their defense and full court pressed Tulalip, who were once again playing with only one primary ball handler in Krislyn. Against the press defense that forced the ball out of Krislyn’s hands, the Lady Hawks were thrown completely out of their game. As a team, the Lady Hawks turned the ball over 32 times, which led to easy transition buckets for Lummi. That difference would be too much to overcome as the girls lost 32-42, dropping to (1-3) on the season.
“We will continue to work hard at getting our players to feel more comfortable on the basketball court,” explained assistant coach Adiya of the team’s biggest area for improvement. “We have players who are very shy on and off the court, so working with them and helping them find their comfort zone is a work in progress. We knew coming in it would be a slow start for us, but after more practice and a few more games we’ll be better.”
The Tulalip Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating Lauralee Bill-Tom who is a reported endangered juvenile runanway.
If you have information regarding the whereabouts of this missing juvenile please call the Tulalip Police Department 360-716-4608 or Det. David Sallee at 425 508-1576
