Fort Peck Community College Wins National Awards
Fort Peck Community College students have received national recognition for their achievements at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student Conference this year.
Marc Cioffi, a member of the English faculty at the school, explained that Fort Peck Community College students attend the convention each year. For the first time, the college conducted a ceremony to salute its participants at the Greet the Dawn facility on Friday, April 4.
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium advocates the interests and promotes the development of tribal colleges and universities. The convention was held on March 8-12 in Rapid City, S.D.
There are 35 tribal colleges active in the consortium. “Some schools don’t bring any awards home,” Cioffi said. “Our students worked hard and had late nights.”
Shelby Walton of the Fort Peck Community College earned first place in persuasive speech. Cioffi served as coach.
The team of Laykin Cantrell, Hamyanie Campbell and Tali Peterson captured top honors for NASA unpiloted vehicle competition. They were coached by Judy Ogle.
Hamyanie Campbell of Wolf Point felt the event was beneficial to her. “I liked how it allowed for creativity in each event and show off our personal styles,” she said. “I also liked how it brought everyone together and highlighted everyone no matter what college they were from.”
Peterson, also from Wolf Point, added that she was surprised with the first-place honor. “I was glad that we could finish first for our college.”
Peterson also participated in film festival with a piece called “The Tribes” and hand games.
Cantrell, coached by Ogle, placed second for website design.
In the science bowl competition, the team of Simon Jones, Monica Campbell and Hamyanie Campbell placed third. Coaches were Joanne Stewart-Kloker and Amon Barry.
Jones, who is from Billings, said this was his first year in the competition.
“It was a blast,” Jones said. “It was something new.”
He also competed in the science poster event with a poster regarding tracing metals in bison.
