LAPS News:
As part of Native American Heritage Month, the Los Alamos Public Schools Native American Parent Advisory Council (NAPAC) and the Los Alamos High School Native American Culture Club, with a grant from the LANL Foundation, are sponsoring a screening of the Emmy-nominated film,” However Wide the Sky: Places of Power” Tuesday, Nov. 29. The screening will start at 6 p.m. at the SALA Event Center (the former Reel Deal Theater at 2551 Central Avenue in Los Alamos).
The film is by Silver Bullet Productions and is narrated by Tantoo Cardinal. A conversation with Silver Bullet Productions CEO Pam Pierce will follow the screening. For more information on the film, go to silverbulletproductions.com.
Participants are encouraged to RSVP by scanning the code on the flier or by email to Julie Dare at j.dare@laschools.net.
This past Tuesday, the School Board unanimously approved the Native American Heritage Month Resolution recognizing the rich and diverse cultures, and contributions of Native Americans and will continue to support the work to preserve the language, history and traditions of tribes and pueblos. LAPS recognizes that its schools sit on Native American Homelands. New Mexico is home to 19 Pueblos, 3 Apache Nations and the Navajo Nation.
The School Board encourages all students, staff and parents to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of Native Americans and to reflect on how we can further help to strengthen tribal communities in New Mexico.
LAPS students can participate in Rock Your Mocs 2022 Wednesday, Nov. 16 or during the entire week of Nov. 14-18. Rock Your Mocs week was started in 2011 by Jessica Jaylyn Atsye of Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, and beginning in 2013, has been organized by event producer Melissa Sanchez as a worldwide movement every Nov. 15.
During Rock Your Mocs Week, people wear their moccasins or other attire, take a photo, create a video or story, add the hashtag #ROCKYOURMOCS and upload to social media. Rock Your Mocs week is an opportunity for Native peoples to celebrate tribal individuality and a celebration of Indigenous cultures. Non-Native individuals may also participate in the solidarity and respect of Native peoples by wearing Native-made moccasins.
Currently, LAPS has an enrollment of 144 Native American students in grades PreK-12. Students represent a diversity of tribal affiliations. Middle school students are encouraged to join the Native Hawk Club which meets every other Tuesday during lunch. The LAHS Native American Culture Club meets the first and third Fridays of the month during lunchtime.
Community members are welcome to join in the activities planned for the week.
For more information about the 2021 National Native American Heritage Month celebration, go to https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/.