Heart of the Earth, Inc. was formed in 1999 to increase the public's awareness of the true history of American Indians; sponsor services that strengthen the stability of American Indian youth and their families; reduce the academic achievement disparities and lack of opportunities that engulf American Indian students in the public school system; enlist support and advocacy that results in improving the standards and quality of education for American Indian students; affect policy change that increases federal, state, foundation and private funds to American Indian K-12 schools and American Indian students seeking post secondary educational opportunities.

Board of Directors
Chairman:	Treasurer/Secretary:
Clyde H. Bellecourt	Pamela Zeller

Members:
Garfield Clark	Elaine Salinas	Michael Forcia
Cory Peterson	Lyle H. Iron Mountain	Jim Shadko

In 1972, Heart of the Earth Survival School was founded by the American Indian Movement and parents of American Indian students in Minneapolis. The K-12 school was established to address the extremely high American Indian student drop-out rate and lack of culturally correct student-centered education. Heart of the Earth Survival School was the first American Indian school in the country to create and operate a culturally based K-12 school with an American Indian teaching and administrative staff, as well as maintaining an active parent board with strong parental involvement in all aspects of the school.

Heart of the Earth, Inc. was formed in 1999 to increase the public's awareness of the true history of American Indians; sponsor services that strengthen the stability of American Indian youth and their families; reduce the academic achievement disparities and lack of opportunities that engulf American Indian students in the public school system; enlist support and advocacy that results in improving the standards and quality of education for American Indian students; affect policy change that increases federal, state, foundation and private funds to American Indian K-12 schools and American Indian students seeking post secondary educational opportunities.

Today, Heart of the Earth, Inc. has launched a new initiative to create and sustain a permanent scholarship endowment fund to acknowledge and support the accomplishments of graduating high school students who have set and embraced high academic, cultural and leadership standards for themselves within their high school and community. It's guided in this mission by a Board of Directors comprised of community and business leaders, educators and American Indian community members who have a personal and professional commitment to civic duty and volunteerism for numerous years in the Twin Cities and within the state of Minnesota