Bear-Coon awarded Native Studies citation at U of A (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Bear-Coon awarded Native Studies citation at U of A

[submitted photo - Tracy Bear-Coon with Cree syllabics at U of A.]

By richard mackenzie
STAR Reporter
Oct 12 2005
http://www.thegoldenstar.net/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=100&cat=43&id=508537&more=

Former Golden resident Tracy Bear-Coon made the decision four years ago
to leave her job as Native Co-ordinator for local schools and move her
family to Edmonton in pursuit of a university education.

And, since entering the University of Alberta (U of A), Bear-Coon has
made the most of her difficult choice, this fall becoming the
first-ever recipient of the Eric Newell Dean's Undergraduate Citation
in Native Studies.

The $10,000 award, endowed by U of A Chancellor Eric Newell, is spread
over four years of study and requires a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a normal
course load.

"To get this citation is almost surreal," Bear-Coon said. "I could never
imagine this is where I could be."

Bear-Coon is in the fourth year of a five year study, which will see her
graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Native Studies and a
B.Ed.
She recalls that her job in Golden served as a source of inspiration
when she was making the tough decision to move. And her time as an
educator continues to motivate her when workloads get grueling.

"I had the privilege of working with some fabulous teachers while in my
old job. I worked in Field, at Lady Grey and also at Edelweiss," she
says.
"I love standing up in front of the classroom.

"It's nice to have a captive audience."

Bear-Coon is also motivated to help with what she sees as the continuing
problem of poor graduation rates for Aboriginal students.

"I am Cree [from the Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan] and I
grew up in a lot of places where I was probably the only Native person
or even minority," she says.

"One of the things that would have been beneficial for me would have
been to have a role model in the schools."

"I always thought, looking at books and magazines and my teachers'
faces: 'Where do I belong.Where do I fit in?'

"I didn't see anything of relevance to me and I think that is some of
the problem for Aboriginal students.

"They don't see relevance because they don't have role models. It's not
the only reason, but I think it's a huge factor."

While at U of A, Bear-Coon will focus on the Cree Language Education in
Alberta Project.

Funded by a $25,000 grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada, the study is examining ways to preserve and
retain the Cree language for future generations of Aboriginals living in
Alberta.

Bear-Coon says that one conclusion she and her peers have drawn from the
study is that the federal and provincial governments should be forming a
Language Commission.

Former Golden resident is determined to find solutions to issues facing
the Aboriginal community