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Cooperative South Coast Indian Education Summer Camp
Since 1977 the Indian Education Programs on the Oregon
south coast have operated a cooperative Indian Education Summer
Camp program for its American Indian/ Alaska Native students.
Begun as an idea at North Bend's Indian Education Parent Committee meeting,
the idea spread throughout the region and developed through the original
idea to currently involve eight south coast Indian Education programs
in as many school districts.
As Coos County Indian Education Coordinator, Jim Thornton began to develop
the cooperative summer program from among all of the area Indian Education
program parents, teachers and students. Initially the Coos County Education
Service District served as fiscal agent for the program. Later, MOTHER
EARTH'S CHILDREN began serving as fiscal agent for the cooperative program
at no cost to the programs. As a non-profit Oregon corporation, MOTHER
EARTH'S CHILDREN provides services to American Indian/ Alaska Natives
at no cost. As fiscal agent for the cooperative South Coast Indian Education
Summer Camp, MOTHER EARTH'S CHILDREN can seek supplemental funding from
the USDA Summer Food Service Program For Children. Other funds are provided
by each of the eight Indian Education programs who sponsor their American
Indian/ Alaska Native students at a cost of $135 each.
Many different camp directors have served well as directors
of camp over the years. In addition to the camp director, the program
also has other camp staff that work at the residential camp with students
who are grouped in high school (4 days), grades 7 & 8 (a full week),
and grades 4-6 (another full week).
INDIAN STUDENTS RETURNED TO SUMMER CAMP in 2002 TO A NEW CAMP
AT POWERS CAMPGROUND
This was our 26th annual Indian Education Summer Camp! Begun in 1977,
our Indian Education summer camp is open to all eligible American Indian/Alaska
Native students that have ED Form 506s on file in each of the seven south
coast school districts who have Title IX-Indian Education programs in
their school districts. Bandon, Brookings-Harbor, Coquille, Florence,
Myrtle Point, North Bend and Powers were all eligible in this year's 2002
summer camp. There were no additional costs to students who participated,
since it was included in each program's budget. 
Returning this year after several summer's away, was
Esther Stutzman. Esther continues to bring a lot of wonderful activities
to camp this last year at our new location at the Powers Campground, with
a lot of help from Powers!
Supported usually by the sponsorship of the USDA Summer Food Service Program
for Children, along with regional Indian Education programs, we are pleased
to use this Federal program to help us keep our costs down through receiving
reimbursement for meals served to all eligible Indian students in our
camps. Although filling out this required form for camp (along with other
forms in our application packet) is not exactly fun, it does help us to
continue to offer camp at no cost to campers.
To register for camp each year, fill out your camp registration that will
mailed out in our Indian Education Newsletter in early July, mail your
completed application and have it postmarked by the date given on the
application form. Since we expect an increase in the number of campers
each year, we are not always able to accept last minute campers bringing
their applications to the bus. By sending in your application on time,
this allows us enough time to plan for camps and to mail out camper packets
for their return back to us prior to all camps. The camp packet includes
camper confirmation of camp availability, USDA and health forms that must
be returned to attend our camps, as well as a list of things to bring
to camp and the bus schedule.
See you at camp again next year for our 27th year!
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