Sens. Baldwin and Tester, who is also Chairman of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee, spent the morning touring LCO Ojibwe Community College, WOJB Radio, and also made a special stop at the Waadookodaading Language Immersion School, where the senators were serenaded by special songs performed by the students.
“I couldn't be happier of our students and staff at Waadookodaading, their presentation to the senators made me so proud of our community and what we've accomplished,” said LCO Tribal Governing Board Chairman Michael “Mic” Isham Jr. “During the musical presentation I was so proud I had to fight off tears welling up in my eyes. And the senators were impressed by what they saw.”
Sen. Tester also made a stop in Ashland to meet about the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) language program funded by an Administration for Native Americans (ANA) grant. Isham learned of the senators' visit and invited the pair to visit LCO and tour a number of its enterprises, LCO Ojibwe Community College, and LCO School, as well as the Waadookodaading school.
“Since Waadookodaading is right on the edge of a funding gap, if nothing happens we could be shutting the doors of Waadookodaading come February,” Isham said. “Many LCO programs wanted us to visit but I felt it was important that we make the focus of the visit: Waadookodaading.”
Students held math and geography lessons in native Ojibwe, also singing two songs in the traditional language.
“We met for 45 minutes afterward to discuss the issues. Senator Tester gave us some suggestions and told me he had never seen such a great language immersion program as ours,” Isham added. “I really believe they will do what they can on their end, as we will do on ours, to keep Waadookodaading going.”
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