Summer Internship Program

Youth experience different careers within the Mille Lacs Band

By VIVIAN LaMOORE, INAAJIMOWIN EDITOR

The Ge-Niigaanizijig Summer Internship Program ran from June 13 through August 5 this summer with seven teenagers participating in the eight-week program. This program was open to teenagers ages 15 to 19 years old, giving them the opportunity to work alongside a career mentor currently working in a position that piqued their interest, choosing from a variety of career positions within the Mille Lacs Band. Rachel Boyd and Knute Peterson, Ge-Niigaanizijig Youth Facilitators, were placed to lead the program.

The interns were on the job with their career mentors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Some of the interns had the opportunity to work additional hours with their mentor. “We tried to best match the interns with people in fields of work they had expressed interest in. In most cases we were able to do that,” said Knute Peterson.

The interns attended career training classes each Monday put on by the Aanjibimaadizing Education department. Donita Odden developed the career training for the program and took the lead on educating the interns on a variety of subject matter. Jen Gabrio assisted in the presentation of the materials. Some of the subject matter covered included:

• Identifying wants and needs

• Developing a spending plan

• Financial literacy

• Banking 101

• Taxes

• Budgeting

• Job searching

• Choosing your path (military, higher education, trades)

• Dream job and its job description

• Job descriptions

• Applications

• Resume preparation

Each week featured a guest speaker who would match with the subject matter being discussed. Guest speakers included: Katy Radunz (OMB), Tony Pike (Military), Michele Berger (Higher Education), Craig Hanson (Trades), Virgil Wind (District I Representative), and Wendy Merrill (District II Representative). Each speaker was very knowledgeable in the subject matter they were presenting.

The interns worked in the Aanji Loop office or from home on a Community Service project each Thursday. “At the start of the program, we had set a goal for each intern to plan and execute a community service project. In the end, each intern did indeed plan for an event, but given the time restraint of the program, we only had time to put on just one event,” Knute said. “The youth wanted to put on a Round Dance. They planned, prepared, and put on a round dance for the community.”

The interns painted posters, planned a meal, brainstormed who would sing, MC, be the stickman, and who would cook. They learned about some of the costs for such an event. The day of the event, the interns began setting up at 9 a.m. and did not finish preparation until just before the event at 5 p.m. And at 5 p.m., they put on their hairnets and gloves and began serving the meal.

They served until 6:30 p.m., when the singers started singing. Then it was clean-up time and working security until 10 p.m. “I believe this was a great lesson for the interns about all the hard work that goes into such a large event,” said Knute. “It was a huge success!”

Along with this community service project, some interns had the opportunity to build dog houses for community members. They learned to measure out cuts, use a drill, use a chop saw, and use a jig saw. Two houses were built by these interns this summer. According to the veterinarian services program partnered with the Band, Mille Lacs Band is the only tribe in Minnesota and Wisconsin with a youth dog-house building and distribution program for tribal members.

In all, 14 Mille Lacs Band staff volunteered to be a career mentor for the program with seven youth participating. Participating in the internship program were:

• Theresa Weous: placed with Kayla Nelson, Nay Ah Shing Teacher, and Paula Hoffman, Oshki Maajitaadaa Teacher.

• William Boyd: placed with Carl Klimah, Fisheries.

• Kateri Bush: placed with Jan Manary, Health Services.

• Nigel Ladd Jr.: placed with Todd Moilenen, DNR, and Curt Kalk Jr., HHS Facilities.

• James Stensrude-Eubanks: placed with Stan Nayquonabe, Ge-Niigaanizijig Coordinator.

• Anthony Benjamin Jr.: placed with Tim Taggart, Ge-Niigaanizijig Fitness Coordinator.

• Andriah Anderson: placed with Jacqueline Redearth, Ge-Niigaanizijig Youth Mentor.

Ge-Niigaanizijig activities and regularly scheduled meetings are designed to inspire and motivate youth to embrace a traditions-based pro-social lifestyle free of chemicals, anti-social or risky behavior, promiscuity, and dependency. These activities are offered to all eligible Reservation service area youth from kindergarten through age 20.

See more photos from the Summer Internship Program on the Galleries page!