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New York State Indigenous My Brother's Keeper Mission
New York State Indigenous My Brother's Keeper Mission
" My Brother's Keeper Indigenous Education Program (MBKIEP) is to increase the academic achievement and college/career readiness of Indigenous studentswith an emphasis on boys and yourng men." New York State Education Department (NYSED)
Lafayette MBKIEP Goals
Support Indigenous students in strengthening cultural idenitiy and well being
Partner with Local Onondaga Nation community members to lead cultural activites to bring into our schools
Support Indigenous students in planning successful furtures while in high school and after high school.
Create a successful indigenous male peer to peer program.
Our District's My Brother's Keeper (MBK) initiative launched in 2020. Our commitment is to increase the academic achievemnt anf college/career readiness of Indigenous students within our District, with am emphasis on the Indigneous young men.
LaFaytte's MBK program is dedicated to empowering and uplifting not only the young men, but all indigenous students. With guest speakers and cultural learning workshops with people from all over Haudenosaunee territory. With the emphasis on exposing the students to many different universities as well as trade schools.
Lafayette has expanded the efforts and took on the challenge of becoming a My Brother's Keeper Community in 2022. Lafayette is the first Indigenous MBK program to take on this initiative.
Our focus is to uphold two young male students in giving them a community project for the year to bridge the gap between community and school.
Lafayette Milestone for Community
Increase participation of indigenous males in school clubs and leadership roles
Hold annual Indigenous Heritage month.
Create a peer to peer mentoring program for all indigenous young boys
Attend the Indigenous College and career fair
Fellows plan and lead at least one community service project per year.
One of our First MBK fellow Bruce Benedict, alongside his mentor Walt Nowey of Big Picture identified and tapped maple trees located behind the Junior-Senior High school partnered with the Onondaga Nation Farm. They successfully produced enough maple syrup to distribute to each Onondaga Nation elder for the Onondaga Nation School Community Give.
For his MBK Community Project, Fellow Parker Booth, alongside his community mentors Parker Booth Sr. and Monroe Powless focused on improving the Onondaga Community Lacrosse Box. During the first phase of the project, he prioritized the bench area, recognizing the need for restoration and enhancement. Parker successfully removed the old benches and developed a detailed plan for the next fellow to lead the reconstruction process.
Our third MBK Community Fellow, Maddox Lazore, alongside his mentor and father, Mike Lazore, focused on improving the landscaping in front of the Onondaga Nation School. Maddox began the project by creating a blueprint of his vision and then brought that idea to life with the support and guidance of his mentor. Together, they planted a Japanese maple tree and several dwarf spruce trees to enhance the space. Throughout the project, Maddox also learned about landscaping techniques and explored different design software programs that help plan and place plants effectively. This experience allowed him to gain hands-on skills while contributing to the beauty of the school community.
MBK fellow John-Lou Moreno and his mentor collaborated on a project to build planter boxes for our FACS teacher, Mrs. Charpentier. They developed a blueprint and successfully executed the build. A Big Picture student, Wyatt, assisted the build and delivery of the finished boxes. Mrs. Charpentier was then able to plant various items for her class, including tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and wildflowers.
Indigenous My Brother's Keeper Coordinator
Indigenous My Brother's Keeper Coordinator
Chwent (Hello),
I am Meagan Smith, Tuscarora Bear Clan, and I have resided in the Onondaga Nation community for nearly 20 years.
This is my sixth year as the Indigenous My Brother's Keeper. In this role, I have focused on creating diverse cultural experiences for the youth of Lafayette. My primary goals are to foster a safe, fun, and inclusive environment for our Indigenous youth, while also providing them with post-high school opportunities.
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