Elizabeth Doney Havre Daily News edoney@havredailynews.com
ROCKY BOY’S INDIAN RESERVATION In an effort to gain even more diversity in their college, Montana Tech sent students from Malaysia, Nigeria, China and Montana tribe’s to visit Rocky Boy’s science and math students at their high school. The visit was part of a recruitment tour by Montana Tech to selected reservation schools in Montana at Hardin, Lame Deer, Hays, Rocky Boy, Heart Butte and Browning last week. Seven of the juniors in his class maintained straight A’s in math and nine are in pre-calculus, Rocky Boy science teacher Matt Antonich said. He said he and the math teacher supply assignments to each other so the courses complement each other. “There are so many economical development ventures in engineering that our tribes are developing right here in Rocky Boy with the North Central water line, ethanol plant and dam,” Shaylee Russette, enrolled Chippewa Cree and Montana Tech student said to her younger peers. “That’s millions of dollars that we will pay to other people to come in and do these jobs I don’t know about you, but I think that money should go to tribal members. Our tribal council knows that we need engineers and they will help you to succeed.” Russette also told the students about the Montana Indian Fee waiver that minority students can receive to waive their tuition after graduation and the assistance that the council gives to students for tuition, books, fees and rent to attend college. “The opportunities are there I don’t see why native people can’t do even better than others,” Gbegna Sobowale who came to Montana from Nigeria on a 20- hour flight to the advanced engineering college said. “I encourage and challenge you to think about science and engineering as a career choice. Without science and engineering, you can never be a nation.” Sobowale stressed the importance of contributing back to the community through development of resources with the knowledge that the Montana Tech can provide students to learn exactly How to do that. He also discussed scholarship opportunities and the petroleum industry. “Someone who goes to college will make a million dollars more in their lifetime than someone who does not,” Holly Burnett of the Flathead Indian Nation of Montana said to the students. “I don’t know about you, but I want to make a million dollars.” One of Rocky Boy students, Jolie Demontiney, really enjoyed the recruitment project where she and her partner built a petroleum rig. Because of the things that the Montana Tech students said, Demontiney is seriously considering going to their college because it’s not as far away or expensive as the University of Washington where she already had in mind to go. “It was fun and interesting,” Demontiney said. “I really like working with my hands like, a lot. It helps me learn better.” “I’m thinking about going into engineering,” Rocky Boy student Jacob Flying said. “Because like they said we need more engineers to do this rez a favor.” For more information about Montana Tech, visit www.mtech.edu/admission.
