The Spirit of Education Scholarship

The Scholarship Fund will support the mission of Heart of the Earth, Inc., promoting excellence in the field of American Indian education, the revitalization of indigenous languages and the preservation of North American tribal cultures. These scholarships are meant to be a resource not only for the individual student but also to their cultural community as a whole. We envision the far-reaching impact new American Indian teachers will have on native students when they come back to the community to teach and be a tangible example of success to inspire others to follow in their footsteps. The legacy of this fund will be thriving cultural communities with fluent indigenous language speakers, cultural workers and educators who are actively engaged in the preservation of their people, history and culture. Eligible applicants must be a high school graduate or have attained their GED, and also have a great-grandparent, grandparent or parent who is/was an enrolled member of an American Indian tribe.

The application process will depend on which type of educational path the student chooses: four-year college-bound or community grassroots language immersion program. Students attending a four-year college or university will compete for the first year's scholarship, but once a recipient, will receive three additional years of scholarships as long as their grade point average is maintained as outlined in the application guidelines. Those individuals choosing to become fluent in a North American indigenous language will develop a course of study in conjunction with a fluent native speaker. Scholarships for community grassroots language immersion programs will offset costs for travel, materials and stipends in accordance with established Master Apprentice guidelines.

Application must be received by March 22, 2006. To receive an application, provide the following contact information.