Pemayetv Emahakv Opening Marks Education Milestone for the Tribe

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Held at Brighton Charter School

By Susan Etxebarria

BRIGHTON — The large covered breezeway, with its high-steeple roof connecting two larger buildings at Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School resembled a grand ballroom, with row after row of white folding chairs and a red carpet leading to a stage big enough for an orchestra.

Standing at the podium looking out at the sea of faces, Education Director Louise Gopher greeted the guests who came to celebrate the school’s Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting on Oct. 4. Behind her could be seen the tips of the brightly colored swings and slides of the playground.

“I want to welcome everyone to the Ribbon Cutting of Pemayetv Emahakv which in my language means ‘Teaching Our Way,’” Gopher said. “I had the idea and a lot of people took it from there. This is the end result that many of us dreamed about … it’s a wonderful thing for our community, and for our Tribe.”

Sitting in a cordoned off area below the stage were Tribal officials, VIPs and the full court of Tribal Princesses and Princes in traditional regalia.

Gopher invited President of Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. Richard Bowers Jr. to the stage. As he took the podium, cameras flashed and newspaper reporters from major media outlets, including The Tampa Tribune and The Palm Beach Post, listened attentively.

“We are living in a fast paced world today and education is very important to our people,” he said, before directly addressing the Tribal students in attendance. “You have every opportunity right here to fulfill your dreams, to lead the Tribe, to do whatever you want in your life to come. To survive in this world our Tribe needs new leaders, educated leaders. It’s all up to you.”

Next Alice Sweat, who heads up the Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) at Brighton and Big Cypress, led a word of prayer in Creek. She told the audience she was asking for a blessing for the school, the teachers, for the directors and leaders, and a blessing on the food to be served.

Then, Brighton Council Representative Roger Smith took the mic. He said the Brighton school has come a long way “from the wooden school where Mr. [William] Boehmer of the Bureau of Indian Affairs taught us here in the 50s, to this concrete building today.”

“It is the first Tribal charter school in the [Eastern] United States,” he said. “The more education our children get, the more that will help our Tribe.”

Billy Cypress, chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe, also spoke at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Cypress said the Miccosukee Tribe came to show their support for approach the Seminole Tribe is taking in “determining what kind of education and determining what kind of community they want their young folks to live in.”

“When you see a school like this being built in a community it is telling you something,” he continued. “It is an investment in your young folks and in your community.”

Brighton Board Representative Johnnie Jones spoke next. He explained that the Charter School “was started because we were losing our tradition and our culture.”

Jones explained to the guests how the Brighton education staff taught culture and language classes at Brighton one day a week through the Pull-Out Program each Friday. The program was started in 2003.

“I am glad that Louise and her education staff pushed for this school and now the children can come five days a week and learn our language and our culture. Without them, the students would still be going to Okeechobee. Some of the kids today can speak their language and I am proud of them,” he said.

Jones reminded the guests that there was a day when teaching Indian youth their language was forbidden in this country, and how important it is that Seminole youth be prepared to survive in an uncertain future.

Then, Culture Teacher Jay Braswell, and a very special group of students, made their way to the stage. It was the newly-elected Pemayetv Emahakv Student Council. Brighton Rep. Roger Smith introduced them to the audience.

The Student Council is: Delaney Osceola, chairman, Layton Thomas, 5th Grade, Michael Gracia, 4th Grade, Riley Osceola, 3rd Grade, Aiyana Tommie, 2nd Grade, Lance Howard, 1st Grade, and Mallorie Thomas, Kindergarten.

Then Smith swore each of the representatives into office. Each student stood alone, in full Seminole dress, lifted his or her right hand, placed their left hand on the Bible, and earnestly took an oath over a microphone in front of hundreds of family, friends and strangers. Each gave a short acceptance speech, first speaking in Creek, then in English.

Tribal Treasurer Mike D. Tiger spoke next. He addressed the audience on behalf of his mother, the late Winifred Tiger, who played a crucial role in educating Seminole youth.

“She envisioned something like this coming about some day,” Tiger said. “It is something we have all worked on … education is something you can never have taken away from you and we are going to give our kids the utmost here.”

After the Tribal dignitaries spoke, there were honored guests who spoke as well. The first was Phoebe Raulerson. Raulerson was elected Florida’s Principal of the Year in 1990 as well as serving as a principal for 12 years, spending some of that time as Okeechobee High School’s principal. She also served as the Okeechobee Superintendent of Schools and currently serves on the Florida Board of Education.

Raulerson said she felt strongly that heritages like the Seminole Tribe’s are very important to keep alive in America. The Seminole enrich the state of Florida and tell Americans much about themselves as a people, she said.

“In this United States, all the Tribes are going to be looking at this school because all of them will lose their language if their children do not learn it,” Raulerson said. “And if they lose their language there is no more Tribe. It is extremely important [this goes well] for this community, and extremely important for our nation.”

Then Raulerson read a congratulatory letter from Lt. Governor Jeff Kottcamp. In part, the letter said: “This school will ensure that future generations of Seminoles will learn about their heritage. At this school, Seminole children will build their own foundation for success by learning the ways of today and the ways of the Seminole Tribe through many generations.”

Then she introduced another remarkable educator, the acting Commissioner of Education, Jeanine Blomberg. According to Raulerson, Blomberg “has a unique interest in this school because she is a member of the Chickasaw Tribe.”

She said throughout the 30 years she has worked at the Department of Education in Tallahassee she visited many schools throughout Florida but this one means most to her personally. She commended the uniqueness of the Charter School in that the students will be able to learn their culture integrated with their curriculum.

“I just wanted to point out to the kids that you have an incredible opportunity to learn your language,” she said. “I think back and my mother went to an Indian boarding school but she was not encouraged to speak her language.”

T.K. Weatherall, president of Florida State University (FSU), then spoke.

“I would like to commend the Tribe for the vision to develop this school,” he said. “It just an outstanding example how the Tribe works with their vision and realization that change is inevitable, but also, to recognize the importance of one’s history.”

He congratulated all involved and said FSU looks forward to working with Pemayetv Emahakv.

“We are already beginning to send interns and research projects down,” Wetherell said. “We can’t tell you how proud we are being a part of Seminole culture.”

Pemayetv Emahakv principal Russ Brown, a man with many achievements in the education field, then spoke. Brown talked about the innovative programs and curriculum the Charter School will have, including the Apple computer and iPod program, the physical education program, nutrition program and the reading and math programs, and especially, the culture programs.

Brown also informed the audience about the process of getting the Charter School off the ground. He said the Glades County School Board approved the charter school’s application in 2005. According to Brown, the school board agreed to sponsor the school.

“We are fortunate and pleased to have Glades County Public Schools as a partner and for the leadership they have provided,” said Brown.

The final speaker was Sandra Barker, chief executive officer of Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School, Inc. According to event emcee Will Bacon of the Tribe’s Education Department, “she was crucial in the development of the school.”

“I want to express appreciation and gratitude to the Seminole Tribal council and to Louise Gopher for the prospect of becoming a significant part of this incredible project,” said Baker. “This initiative has become the most significant object of the entire 35 years I have spent in education.”

During these proceedings, both Barker and Gopher were presented with a bouquet of flowers as a special thank you.

Gopher also introduced the Seminole royalty in attendance and asked each one to speak. Miss Florida Seminole 2007-2008 Jennifer Chalfant, 19, Bird Clan, spoke first.

“I wish all the students good luck and wish I could have gone here,” she said.

Junior Miss Florida Seminole Princess Alicia Nunez, 14, Panther Clan, and daughter of David and Deanna Nunez, then spoke.

“It took me until a couple of weeks ago to realize that every decision and every choice is going to affect every part of my life,” she said, mostly addressing her peers. “This is where it starts. I have had most of the teachers and so it is going to be a wonderful school year.”

After the ribbon cutting, tours of the school were followed by a dinner, with most of the catering and décor provided by Seminole businesses including Best Buds Flower Shop, Renegade Barbeque and caterers Mary Jo Micco and J.R. Huff.

A commemorative, limited edition sculpture, dedicated to the children of the Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School, was given to each attendee. It was based on the art of renowned artist Sara Kuck, whose paintings hang in the foyer and the library of the school.