Using the powerful voices of American Indian students, a new public awareness campaign explores how America's 30 tribal colleges are helping Native tribes fight poverty and educational failure. Underwritten by the U S West Foundation , the 1998-99 campaign of TV and print public service announcements was released in November.
Buffalo roam the prairie.
Raindrops dance on a river top. To help meet environmental and educational challenges, Indian tribes have created 30 colleges since 1968. The Chippewa-Cree are taught that water is sacred. About 85 percent of the colleges' 26,000 Indian students live in poverty. But statistics show the schools are successful by combining traditional college classes such as biology with cultural courses like Indian language.