Humans of St. Norbert:

“I wasn’t even thinking about college. I’m a first-generation student, so in high school my junior year, my counselor was like: ‘Where are you thinking about going to college?’ I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a thing I have to do!’

"I want to research Native American students attending a predominantly Caucasian high school versus a predominantly Native American high school, and how that affects their education.

"I grew up attending predominantly Caucasian schools my whole life. It’s always been a question that I’ve had in my mind of how not being around people of my race has affected my education. On my way to school everyday, I drove past a school that I knew to be predominantly Native American and I always wondered how different of an experience I would’ve had if I went to that school.

"I’m sure there are some differences. I know that the predominantly Native American schools incorporate traditional practices into their curriculum. I remember sitting in history class and learning about colonization and it just felt weird because I was the only Native in the room. It was weird.

"I started an organization called the Council of Indiginous People last year. There wasn’t a community for Native American scholars and I knew that it was something I wanted to create, so that's what I did.

"We’re trying to plan events for Native American heritage month, which I have a problem with because it’s just us being reduced to one month a year. Especially in schools, there should be curriculum based on all races around the year, not just a specific month. I can’t change that, but we’re still taking advantage of the month.

"I also want to have a day for Native American high schoolers to come to campus and learn about college, just so they know that college is an option for them.”
– Ruthie Tucker ‘22