Words are powerful. Although I majored in communications, my heart was always in English. I loved writing ever since I was a little kid. The power of words fascinated me. When I attended the Brooklyn New School in New York City, I wrote a small book and even illustrated it. It’s

WASHINGTON — A recent weeklong visit to Washington, D.C. gave four Seminole Tribe teens a hands-on view of the federal government’s inner workings as it relates to Native sovereign nations. The high school students and kids from 16 other Tribes that included the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, the Mohegan Tribe of

BRIGHTON — The Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School community convened in the school cafeteria Feb. 12 to hear Apsaalooke (Crow) Nation hip-hop artist Supaman and jingle dress dancer Acosia Red Elk share messages of positivity and hope. For nearly two hours, the guests spoke about overcoming insecurities and unhappiness. Supaman broke the

BRIGHTON — First- through eighth-grade students at Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School fought butterflies in their tummies, stood tall and strove to spell words correctly at the school’s eighth annual spelling bee Feb. 10. The students knew there would be only one winner, so strategies such as asking for definitions or usages

BIG CYPRESS — Ahfachkee School honored its academic superstars Jan. 27 during the first semester awards ceremony at the Herman L. Osceola Gymnasium in Big Cypress. Among the awards were Ahfachkee School’s top elementary, middle and high school GPA earners: Mikiyele Cypress (middle school), Sarah Robbins (elementary school), Eden Jumper

BRIGHTON — Marking February’s American Heart Month, Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School middle school students participated in the Hoops for Heart program Feb. 5 to help raise awareness about heart disease and stroke. Sponsored by SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators) America and the American Heart Association, Hoops for Heart originated

BIG CYPRESS — Playing cops and firefighters with real police and fire rescue personnel is fun for boys and girls in Big Cypress. "I just like everything I get to learn," said Akira Cabral, 10, during a recent Seminole Police Department Explorer Program meeting with the Seminole Tribe of Florida Fire

BIG CYPRESS — Students from Ahfachkee School culture classes are digging so deep into their roots that they can almost taste it – almost. On a recent Wednesday afternoon inside the perimeter of a Seminole camp at Billie Swamp Safari, ninth-grader Zoey Puente tilled lines of edible aloe plants while classmates

BRIGHTON — Fortified with the spirit of adventure, 33 Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School sixth-graders approached an archaeological dig like treasure hunters. But instead of gold, they found evidence of human life from before Brighton became a reservation in 1935. The Dec. 17 field trip marked the second year PECS teacher Mindy

I’ve always aspired to uplift my people and pave the way for future generations to continue the success our ancestors fought for us to have. My inspiration comes from past and present leaders who put others’ needs before their own desires. As we continue to progress, it can be difficult