Ute Mountain Ute Tribe student gives powerful argument for school on reservation

Kwiyagat Community Academy holds community meeting

A Fort Lewis College student from Towaoc gave a heartfelt explanation of the need for a charter school on the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation during a virtual community meeting with tribal members on Thursday evening.

Dyllon Mills, who is studying public health and business administration at FLC, said he is grateful for the education opportunities he was given. But the opportunities came “at the cost of my culture,” Mills said.

Despite his success in school, he was “still missing a big chunk” of himself, Mills said during the meeting. The Montezuma-Cortez public schools “didn’t make me understand how to value my culture,” which created “doubt in my success,” Mills said.

Operating and running a charter school, the Kwiyagat (Bear) Community Academy, that focuses on Ute and Nuchiu language and culture is an “opportunity for us to become better,” Mills said.

Read the full article on The Journal at: https://www.the-journal.com/articles/ute-mountain-ute-tribe-student-gives-powerful-argument-for-school-on-reservation/