Math, Science and Technology Department

Native Science Field Center (NSFC)

Elvin Returns from Scout, Director, Native Science Field Center, Phone

The Native Science Field Center is a collaborative effort to develop adult education programs, and a science biological assessment program. This initiative will help insure that adults and youth have access to the knowledge the need to reduce human impacts on the environment.

How you can become involved
Oglala Lakota College offers training to educational staff, community and education leaders. Contact Elvin Returns to find out what you can do for your community.

NSFC is organizing year-round environmental science education programs for adults and youth (8-18) in Boys and Girls Clubs, AISES chapters, Upward Bound programs, and schools NSFC will help youth and elders integrate environmental science, culture, and language through the sharing of scientific data and stories about individuals and community.

By encouraging youth and adults to ask questions about ecological health issues and actively participate in field research and honoring indigenous and scientific ways of knowing, this project will nurture future generations that are more capable of monitoring and caring for tribal lands, waterways, and each other. Tribal Watch.

Tribal Watch is a volunteer monitoring program where adult volunteers, high school teachers, and students will be able to conduct biological inventories of their local open green spaces. Scientists can then use the data to identify long-term changes in urban natural areas.

Tribal Watch will provide teachers and students with an opportunity to learn more about urban ecology and enable them to influence wildlife habitats, while helping scientists gather data on urban wildlife statewide.

Because Tribal Watch is a multi-year field experience older Native and non-Native youth will be able to mentor younger ones in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. Hopa Mountain. Hopa Mountain supports natural community leaders, young people and adults in realizing their hopes and dreams for their hometowns.

Natural community leaders are those individuals who step forward when others look to them for help. Hopa Mountain provides these leaders with training, mentoring, and networking opportunities and financial resources to help them create and expand much needed opportunities for advancing the education, ecological health and economic well being of their communities.