Head Start celebrates students with return of annual powwow
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RONAN — Head Start celebrated its students and families with the return of its annual powwow at the Ronan School District Event Center on April 28.
Though this is the first powwow held for the program since 2019 due to COVID, the student celebration has been a staple in the community for decades. Andrea “Ondi” Adams, a Head Start teacher since 2006, has also been a Head Start student and parent herself. She’s seen the powwow evolve over the years.
“It’s really grown,” Adams explained. “It used to be we’d have it at different venues a long time ago. As a parent I remember it being in the Arlee Community Center, it was in the Mission Community Center, and the high school in Ronan. But since we’ve been having it at the Event Center it’s really grown, and it’s really popular with the children and families.”
Head Start and Early Head Start are programs that offer comprehensive services to low-income families. Along with providing medical, dental, health screenings, developmental screenings, and nutritional services for children, every child also receives a variety of learning experiences to foster intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth.
“Teachers put a ton of effort into planning and prepping and putting it into their lesson plan so those are all really great learning experiences for the kids,” Adams said. These learning experiences can include language lessons, traditional food cooking activities, and even motor activities where kids can learn to bead with materials appropriate for their age.
Additionally, the program invites parents to be involved and make dance regalia for their children. “That’s been really powerful,” Adams commented. “That parent involvement component is really powerful for families to build their skills within advocacy, with understanding the education system, opportunities for volunteering, for employment, for skill building. It really is a great program.”
Adams explained that Director Jeannie Christopher has also made it a priority each year that the kids within the program receive moccasins to wear. Working with moccasin maker Patty Bundy, Adams explained, “She’s kind of come out of retirement and has just done an amazing job getting moccasins for all the children.”
With an estimated attendance of around 800 people, teachers, kids and their families danced to the five drums that attended and enjoyed a community meal provided by Head Start to bookend a year of hard work.
“I think people are just really ready to be gathered and connecting and getting to see friends maybe they only see a couple times per year,” Adams said. “It’s a great time to celebrate for all of the teachers, children and families.”
Those interested in helping out at next year’s powwow can do so by reaching out to the Head Start office at 406-745-4509. Volunteers for making fry bread, helping teach parents to sew outfits for their children, and more are invited to reach out. Donations of shawls, shirts, vests, or traditional regalia materials would also be greatly appreciated.
