FORT WORTH -- Tony Sides III knew nothing about his family's culture.
He had never danced in a powwow or heard about his Jicarilla Apache ancestors.That changed when Sides, 13, joined American Indian Education, a program in the Fort Worth school district that aims to help Native American students complete high school and attend college while learning about their heritage.On Saturday, the McLean Middle School student danced with his classmates at a powwow at Billingsley Field House in Fort Worth."I was not exposed to this growing up," said his mother, Gretchen Sides, who sat in the front row." I am so proud and honored my children have made this effort. I am living and learning through them."The district started the program in the 1990s and began sponsoring the powwow five years ago as a way to reach students and raise awareness.Currently, 436 students in the district have identified themselves as being of American Indian descent.Dropout prevention efforts are critical, advocates say, as 46 percent of American Indian students nationwide will not complete high school, compared with 22 percent of white students, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education, a national organization that advocates for at-risk students.That is why Saturday's gathering raised money to send eight Fort Worth students to a higher education readiness program at Tarrant County College, said Alice Barrientez, the group's liaison."If we can give our kids the opportunity to experience college, that gives them something to aim for," Barrientez said. "We want them to be successful at every level."Powwows help build pride in culture, heritage and family, which helps the young people succeed in school and elsewhere, said Melanie Eckhout, whose 7-year-old daughter, McKena, attends Benbrook Elementary School. The family belongs to the Caddo tribe in Oklahoma.Eckhout worried about passing down her family traditions to her daughter, but this program has made that easier, she said."This is who we are," Eckhout said after dancing with her mother's and grandmother's shawls. "Passing down this heritage from Benbrook, Texas, is a little more challenging, but you make it a priority."The first time Tony Sides attended a powwow, he could not picture himself participating."I thought it was crazy," he said. "I didn't understand any of it."Soon, however, he began chatting with other dancers, asking questions and reading about the traditions. His mother started attending powwows with him and learning aspects of their culture."I had no idea how spiritual powwows could be," Gretchen Sides said. "I feel honored to be a part of this. It's better late than never."Sarah Bahari, 817-390-7056Twitter: @sarahbfwHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
