Nine students from Winnebago Public School, located on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in Winnebago, Nebraska, visited with Distinguished Professor Charles Wilkinson as part of a trip aimed at preparing them for future leadership roles.
The students, who are are members of the Winnebago Public School Student Council, were in Colorado for the United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) Conference. The goal of the trip was to help determine whether to begin a UNITY chapter in their community, and a quick stop at the University of Colorado Boulder presented additional opportunities for learning.
鈥淎s plans were being made, it was decided to make the best of an already great opportunity,鈥� said Marian Holstein, vice president of the Winnebago Public School Board, who helped organize the trip.
While researching CU Boulder, Holstein stumbled on Wilkinson鈥檚 name and 鈥済ot chills.鈥� She knew about with the Bears Ears National Monument, and greatly admired his book, Cases and Materials on Federal Indian Law. Additionally, several student council members had expressed interest in becoming lawyers. All of this prompted Holstein to request a visit with Wilkinson so that the students in attendance could learn more about Indian law, the University of Colorado Law School and pursuing a law degree, and Wilkinson鈥檚 work with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
In July, the students and teachers on the trip met with Wilkinson for an intimate roundtable discussion at the law school. According to Jeff Johnson, one of the student council advisors who helped plan and supervise the trip, the visit with Wilkinson was a highlight and may even lead to a student or two attending Colorado Law in the future.
鈥淢ost of the students could have listened to [Wilkinson] talk for another couple hours,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭he group enjoyed the visit and learned more about the history of their own public school and more about Indian law.鈥�
Johnson said that he thinks that the visit showed students what kinds of opportunities exist outside of the reservation, provided ideas for their future educational endeavors, and taught them more about their school鈥檚 history.
Earlier this month, the students presented a report to a joint meeting of tribal council and school board members about what they experienced during their trip. Action will be taken on initiating a UNITY chapter in Winnebago to provide additional community service and leadership opportunities for students.