A national scholarship is available to help local American Indians pursue goals of a higher education.

Marilyn Pettit, chairperson of the state’s Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) American Indians Committee, is working to educate area youth about the

To qualify for the American Indian Scholarship, students must carry a grade point average of at least 2.75 and provide proof of American Indian blood.

“Of course it has to be someone who has some Indian blood, (but) they do not have to be 100% Indian,” Pettit said.

Those interested in learning more about the scholarship can contact their school guidance counselor, she said. The deadline for the applications is April 1, 2010 and the committee will award 20 of the scholarships.

To date, the DAR committee has awarded 403 American Indian and Frances Crawford Marvin scholarships, society spokesperson Melissa Eastlake said, adding that records indicate the committee provided scholarships as far back as 1941.

Despite her attempts to inform area youth about the scholarship program, Pettit said she’s not aware of anyone locally who has ever applied. Part of the reason for that fact might be because strenuous application processes for some scholarships can turn off many students, she said.

While the scholarship is only for $1,000, Pettit said the simple application process is well worth the time of local youth especially considering the rising costs of higher education and the cutting back of other financial aid programs.

“Hopefully we will find some local students that will find that this will help them,” she said.

Eastlake said the scholarship’s are just one of the many ways in which the DAR and the committee to support American Indians across the country.

“It is up to us, as Daughters, to contribute back to them through the many programs of the American Indians Committee,” she said.

Pettit also serves as the chair of the Cheyenne chapter of DAR and has been instrumental in educating communities about the history and heritage of American Indians.

“I have just always had such an interest in our Indian culture, because they were here a long before any of our ancestors were and they have contributed a lot to our society,” she said.

To promote that history and to help recognize November as Native American Heritage Month, Pettit helped organize a window display at the Edward Jones office in downtown Torrington.

The display includes historical items like a prayer pipe, headdress and a Cherokee blowgun. The following individuals contributed to the window display: Dan Ringle at the Homesteader’s museum, Paul Puebla, Louise Torrance, George Zeimans and Vickie Zimmer.

The other ten chapters of DAR in the state of Wyoming are doing different things to honor American Indians, whether it be through a window display or other activities.

“We feel that our Native American Indians, America’s first people, have shaped our nation through their cultural, religious, social and political contributions,” Pettit said.



For the complete article see the 11-25-2009 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 11-25-2009 paper.

Share on Facebook