Hoocak Academy graduates first class of Pathway Program students
By Marlon WhiteEagle
On Monday, April 25, the Hoocak Academy celebrated the first class completion of students in its Pathway Program language class at the House of Wellness in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Students and Language Division staff shared a meal and presented recognition awards, language t-shirts and wristbands for the occasion.
The Pathway Program language class began on February 2 with a total of 20 students. The last class met on April 12 with 7 students making it through the entire course. The Pathway Program was a nine week course.
The students being recognized from the Pathway Program Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells noon hour class were Ashley Funmaker, Jenel Hanson, Sheridan Cloud, Kristin White Eagle, Kayree Funmaker, Kelly Jo Funmaker, and Tyrone Cloud.
“It is an amazing day. You guys went through the whole thing. There were ups and downs,” said Pathway Program Manager Angelica Greendeer.
The community language classes of the Pathway Program were designed to teach language in a structured language learning environment. Hoocak Academy offered the Pathway Program, Pathway Accelerated Program, and Direct Response Sessions. The Pathway Accelerated Program is a 12 week course, and the Direct Response Sessions are Program tutoring sessions.
“Some of you are wondering what’s going to happen after this. The Hoocak Academy is launching the Summer Independent Study Program throughout the month of June. We’ll have online videos with language lessons. Each week we’ll email you a lesson. On Thursday of that week, email you a quiz.”
Student can meet with their instructor for one-on-one teaching, said Greendeer.
The Summer Independent Study Program will be a refresher course on the same units of study that the class studied, like the alphabet, family, names, and numbers.
The celebration also included a screening of new educational documentary titled, Living the Ho-Chunk Language: the People of the Big Voice. The video was co-produced by the Native American Student Association of Madison West High School, the Ho-Chunk Language Division. The video features interviews with Ho-Chunk Language Division staff and video from language camps.
Students received an award of recognition for their class completion. The award included the message, “With every Hoocak word you learn, the journey continues to becoming a Hoocak speaker.” It also included their English and Hoocak name.
“What did you guys think of the video? What did you like about it? Everything? It covered a lot,” said Greendeer.
Greendeer talked about conducting the class for the summer months online. The language division doesn’t have enough staff to offer classes through summer.
“Some are still ask what I have to do after this. Your work starts out of the classroom. Some of the high school students ask that same question. Say more things outside of the classroom,” said Greendeer.
The language students were presented with black long sleeved t-shirts with the Hoocak Academy logo on it, and a Hoocak Academy red wrist band.
“We wanted you guys to have the t-shirts and wrist bands so you can identify other language class students when you go about your day. You can know who to speak Hoocak to,” said Greendeer.
Other Hoocak Academy classes completed in other Ho-Chunk communities, such as Tomah and Black River Falls. Tomah’s class completion will be held on Wednesday, April 27, and Black River Falls will hold their class completion on Thursday, April 28.
“We’ve never had proficiency standards before. This is something new but we need to try it and go from there,” said Greendeer.
“We are headed in the right direction.”
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