Meet Amanda, Role Model for a Bright Future

Meet Amanda, an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe. She grew up on the Crow Reservation in Montana and was grateful that her mother and father each taught her many traditional values, which she carries with her to this day.

Amanda is another one of our students who was awarded a scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year by the American Indian Education Foundation (AIEF), a program of National Relief Charities.

In her essay to us, Amanda spoke fondly about her memories of attending powwows and the Crow Fair, which her tribe has held annually for over 100 years to celebrate the culture of the Crow people and other tribes of the Great Plains. This past year, Amanda was selected as Miss Crow Fair Rodeo. In her capacity as rodeo queen for 2012, Amanda hopes to serve as a positive role model for other young Crow women and show them through her example that culture, community involvement, and academics are all essential pieces of success.

As a student in high school, Amanda effectively managed her time in order to get good grades and also make time for extracurricular activities. She was active in sports and lettered in both basketball and volleyball. She was also part of the Rodeo Club and a member of AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society).

Academically, Amanda excelled and made the Honors and Advanced Placement Programs all four years of high school. She attributes her high school academic success to the time she spent on her school work and studying for her courses.

Now a sophomore in college, Amanda continues her involvement with the Rodeo Club and AISES, along with her academic success. She is working on an undergraduate degree in Pre-Med, with plans to get her doctorate in Pharmacy. After college, Amanda plans to return to her home reservation and work to serve the Crow people at the local tribal hospital.

When deciding which college to attend, Amanda chose a local tribal college for its proximity to home and cost efficiency. She understood that she would get a good education while having the support of her family nearby to help her as she adjusted from high school to the rigors of college. Amanda plans on transferring to a larger state university in Montana once she has completed her studies at the tribal college.

As a result of her hard work and dedication to her studies, Amanda succeeded academically – both in high school and now in college. And, she brought a positive influence to those around her as a strong role model involved in local community activities and academic clubs. The AIEF team is proud of Amanda and her accomplishments and is confident that she has a very bright future in store.