Native American Awareness Week
March 2025
Lewis-Clark State College will celebrate its 38th annual Native American Awareness Week the week of March 18-21 with a variety of speakers, events, a banquet, and powwows. This year's theme is "Acknowledgement & Awareness". All events are free and open to the public and will be held at the Williams Conference Center unless otherwise noted.
Native American Awareness Week Agenda
| Date / Time | Description / Place |
| March 18, Tuesday | Flyer Agenda |
| 10:00 am - 11:15 am | MINI-POWWOW - area fourth grade classes are invited to participate. P1FCU Activity Center |
| March 19, Wednesday | |
| 9:30 am - 2:00 pm | "LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE BOWL" In collaboration with the Lapwai School District, LCSC Nez Perce Language classes and Nez Perce Language teachers and elders, Lapwai Senior Project students Arlondo Lopez and Isias Johnson will lead this special event. Competition will focus on the Nez Perce Language with winners and categories to be determined. WCC |
| 3:00 pm - 4:15pm | "NIMIIPUU IN NEW ZEALAND" Nez Perce Language Instructor, Trina Webb will discuss her 2024 journey to New Zealand where she was able to participate in an Indigenous Language retreat of Maori Language and culture, and how she has integrated teachings into her home and classrooms. - WCC |
| 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm | AN EVENING OF STORYTELLING - Silverthorne Theatre |
| March 20, Thursday | |
| 10:30 am - 1:45 pm | "RESEARCH AND RESOURCES THROUGH THE NEZ PERCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK" Park Ranger Vivian Wilson will provide an overview of the Nez Perce National Historical Park and the resources and research opportunities available through the park and its sites along the Nez Perce National Historic Trail. - WCC |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | "NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES PANEL & ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION" Native American Studies faculty Harold Crook, Kerensa Allison, and Amy Canfield will discuss the Native American Studies and Nez Perce Language minor programs at Lewis-Clark State College in relationship to culture, leadership, and visions for the future.- WCC |
| 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | "TRIBAL PERSPECTIVES OF NEZ PERCE HISTORY WITH OTIS HALFMOON" Nez Perce elder W. Otis Halfmoon will discuss how he interprets tribal stories to the public and the importance of participating in and presenting tribal voices in the retelling of history. After service in the US. Army, Halfmoon joined and retired from the National Park Service where he worked as an interpreter, park historian, unit administrator and liaison officer with indigenous peoples across the western states. Halfmoon is committed to the documentation and preservation of Nez Perce history and culture. - WCC |
| 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm | LC Native American Awareness Week Friendship Dinner (Student Acknowledgements & Lifetime Achievement Award presented) WCC |
| March -21 | |
| 7:00pm - 11:30pm | SIMÍINEKEM WEWÉEX̣P PÁAX̣AM POW WOW & SCHOLARSHIP RAFFLE - P1FCU Activity Center |
Lifetime Achievement Award
Each year the Native American Club students at LC State College take time to recognize a member of the region's indigenous community for his or her life-long contributions to the continued existence of Native communities, values and lives.
- 1988 David Miles Sr.
- 1989 Margaret Rogers
- 1990 Oliver Frank
- 1991 Frank Penny Sr.
- 1992 Rose Frank
- 1993 Wilfred Scott
- 1994 Katherine Ramsey
- 1995 Horace Axtell
- 1996 Richard Halfmoon
- 1997 Frances Paisano
- 1998 Elsie Frank
- 1999 Allen Slickpoo Sr.
- 2000 Josephine Hayes
- 2001 Ipsus Nute (Jesse Greene)
- 2002 Cecil Carter
- 2003 Bessie Scott
- 2004 Rosa Yearout
- 2005 Lucille Wilson
- 2006 Rachel Zumwalt
- 2007 Connie Evans
- 2008 Gilbert Towner
- 2009 Jim Spencer
- 2010 Delores Lookingglass Wheeler
- 2011 Wallace Wheeler
- 2012 Katherine Powaukee
- 2013 Loretta "Chet" Halfmoon
- 2014 Florene Davis
- 2015 Leroy Seth
- 2016 Benjamin "Badge" Arthur Sr.
- 2017 Jim McCormack
- 2018 Estelline "Essie" Carter
- 2019 Allen Pinkham Sr.
- 2020 Lee Bourgeau
- 2021 Mary Jane Miles
- 2022 Vera Sonneck
- 2023 Jenny Williams
- 2024 Silas Whitman
Native American Alumni
