In Their Words

Anaconda Junior Senior High School

Honors Junior English and U.S. History

It all started with a good book. In Fall of 2025, as part of an Indian Education for All project, the Honors Junior English class at Anaconda Junior Senior High School read the novel There, There by Tommy Orange. Their literary journey was guided by this question: How can we recognize indigenous peoples' places in modern society while also honoring their traditional identities? 

The students carried their inquiry to U.S. History Class, where they studied Native Americans past and present and learned about the historic significance of Anaconda to indigenous people. Ultimately, the students posed this scholarly question: What is the contemporary experience of Native people living in the Anaconda area? They did what good researchers do: Went straight to the primary source. 

The group of 26 students—guided by their history and English teachers—joined four Native people who shared their cultural experiences and life stories at a gathering at the Hearst Free Library in April. Additionally, they journeyed to Helena, Mont., to gather historical information at the Montana Heritage Museum and the archives at the Montana Historical Society. They used what they learned to create podcasts intended to inform and engage their listeners about historic and contemporary Native people and issues. You can listen on the "Podcasts" tab on this Website. The podcasts, produced with equipment funded by a Karen Cox Memorial Grant for Mrs. Hansen's English class, are intended to showcase learning, pay homage to indigenous people, and build bridges of understanding amongst all who call the Anaconda area home.