Students Drum to a Different Beat

Oklahoma City Public Schools System's Native American Studies Program

The drum has long been an intricate part of the Native American culture. For eight Native American students the drum is changing their lives.

"I had asked my good friend and colleague, Mr. Graham Primeaux, who used to work for me what we could do for our Indian males, especially around the middle school age and he told me a story about how he received a drum when he was 16 years old and how it changed his life," Dr. Star Yellowfish, Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) Indian education director said. "So we thought we would try the same concept, as there are certain life values and cultural values that one receives from the drum making process and responsibilities that go along with a drum keeper, thus the Developing Responsible, United and Motivated Students (DRUMS) project."

During the week of July 7-10, 2009 the eight students attended the first DRUMS project held at the Stroud Wilderness Center in Stroud, Okla. The students were Marvin Garcia, Timothy White, Gabriel Esquivel, Geno Esquivel, Adrian Candia, Christian Gorham, Robert Torres and Julian Serrato. Out of the eight students, six were Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal members.

"Our hopes are to have more of our native youth become high school graduates and eventually become great leaders of our nations," Shea White, OKCPS student advisor said. "This is an innovative first time project that taught our young men how to make drums while learning valuable life lessons during the process."

The main objective of the program is to increase students' self-esteem, promote leadership, cultural pride and unite Native American students by giving them a sense of belonging, White said.

Students were chosen through a nomination process that began with the OKCPS Indian education advisors. The advisors work within the schools and nominated students whom they thought would benefit the most from the program. After being nominated each of the boys had to write a one-page essay on why they wanted to be a part of the DRUMS project. After being selected, the parents had to sign a release giving their child permission to participate.