National

The school’s national partnership is with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in southeastern Montana. The school developed a cultural exchange program with the tribe, which has grown and evolved over its 12-year relationship. The school collaborates with a number of entities on the reservation, the principal partner being Chief Dull Knife College. Other collaborators include Northern Cheyenne Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council, Lame Deer Public Schools, Northern Cheyenne Tribal School, St. Labre Indian School and Colstrip Public Schools. Tribal elders and educators develop an array of programming and cross-cultural learning that takes place both on the reservation and in Akron. Students and educators from both communities visit the other and teach and learn alongside one another. Program highlights include developing new city and county legislation that established North American First People’s Day in Akron and Summit County, an annual celebration and education about indigenous people. Students also collaborated to create a web-based app about the Portage Path, one of Akron’s most ancient and historic landmarks. Students have learned history together, studied genocide, explored ancient indigenous art forms, and spent time in each other’s school, homes and communities learning what it’s like growing up in their respective contexts.