As part of the Obama Administration's Generation Indigenous (Gen I) initiative to remove barriers standing between Native youth and opportunities to succeed, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will join Miccosukee Tribal Leaders to announce an important educational achievement for Native youth.
Director of the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education William Mendoza, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior Kevin Washburn, Director of the Bureau of Indian Education at the Department of Interior Charles Roessel, Miccosukee General Council Chairman Colley Billie and Miccosukee Indian School Principal Manuel Varela will also be on hand to discuss important educational progress for Miccosukee youth.
According to a recent White House report, Native youth have the lowest high school graduation rate of students across all schools. To address the critical educational needs of these students, the Administration's Blueprint for Reform, an initiative of the White House Council on Native American Affairs chaired by Secretary Jewell, is restructuring Interior's BIE from a provider of education to a capacity-builder and education service-provider to tribes. Secretary Duncan recently announced the availability of about $4 million in Native Youth Community Projects grants from the Department of Education to help prepare Native American youth for success in college, careers and life as part of Gen-I.