Aspiring to Teach, Share and Belong:
Elevating Literacy, Literature and Storytelling for our Native Students
Friday, November 6, 2026
Omaha Nation Public School, Macy, NE
Conference Draft Agenda:
- 9:30 New Breed Drum Group - set up and play as people arrive
Registration Sign in - 10:00 Prayer (OC Earth), Dual Language Classroom introduction and blessing (Michelle LaMere), Welcome (Mrs. Hardy, UNPS/Loukia Sarroub, UNL), Land Acknowledgement (Kristine Earth), and Keynote Introduction (Kristine & Nepthys Justo)
- 10:15-10:45 Keynote speaker, Monique Gray Smith - Resilience and the Power of One!
- 10:45-11:00 Break
- 11:00-11:45 Break Out Session #1
- Session A. Braiding Sweetgrass Curriculum: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
(Monique Gray Smith) - Session B: Resources: World Language in Nebraska and Regional Native Language Center in Winnebago, NE
(Nick Ziegler, NDE and Jurgita Antoine, Little Priest) - Session C: Family Literacy
(Tracy Hartman-Bradley, OPS, Facilitator)
LPS's Family Literacy Program (Monica Asher, LPS)
LPS and OPS Family Literacy Success Stories (Tracy H-B, OPS & Joe Rousseau, LPS) - Session D: Decolonizing Literacy: Decolonizing Literacy: Using Stories, History and Language to Reflect Students’ Homes and Communities.
(Dr. Lydiah Kiramba, UNL) - Session E: “Roses Dance with Bees:” Poetry/Writing With and By Children and Youth
(Sarah McKinstry-Brown, UNO) - Session F: Honoring Native Ways of Knowing: Incorporating Indigenous Literature, Storytelling and Language across the Curriculum
(Michelle Free-LaMere, The Winnebago Dual Language Academy, WPS) - Session G: A Partnership - The Importance of Seeds and the Language of Corn
(Ronnie Obrien and Deb Echo-Hawk, Pawnee Seed Preservation Society) - Session H: Part 1 - A Long Way Home - The Story of a Taken Child
(Historical Context) Sarah Widger & Karen Hardenbrook
- Session A. Braiding Sweetgrass Curriculum: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
- 11:45-12:30 Lunch - Pick up box lunches or salads in the Atrium
- 12:30-1:15 Break Out Session #2
- Session A. Stories and Reflections from “Sharing the Light”
(Monique Gray Smith) - Session B: Resources: World Language in Nebraska and Regional Native Language Center in Winnebago, NE
(Nick Ziegler, ESU5 and Jurgita Antoine, LPTC) - Session C: Storytelling through Shadow Puppetry: “We are the Water Protectors”
(Renee Sans Souci, Consultant) - Session D: Decolonizing Literacy: Decolonizing Literacy: Using Stories, History and Language to Reflect Students’ Homes and Communities.
(Dr. Lydiah Kiramba, UNL) - Session E: Science Literacy/Learning Outdoors Panel
(Peggy Tilgner, UNL, Panel Facilitator)
The Winnebago HoChunk Academy Program - (Michelle LaMere, Tyler LaMere) Immersion Classroom, WPS
Omaha Nation Outdoor Classroom/Short Tour & History (Kelli Perez, Shanae Sechrist, UNPS)
Brenda Hunter Murphy - Session F: “Roses Dance with Bees:” Poetry/Writing With and By Children and Youth
(Sarah McKinstry-Brown, UNO) - Session G: Securing a Path for Four Hills of Life
(Mike Wolfe, UNPS, Umonhon/Ponca) - Session H: Part 2: A Long Way Home - The Story of a Taken Child
as told by Karen Hardenbrook with Sarah Widger
- Session A. Stories and Reflections from “Sharing the Light”
- 1:15-1:30 Break
- 1:30-3:15 Storytelling: Heather Henson and TEAM - Lessons from Remember the Way - Interactive (All participants in Theater)
- 3:15 - 3:30 Closing Remarks, Give Away, Quilt Presentation
- TABLES - ALL DAY from 9:30 to 3:45pm
- Tracy Sheridan, Beading (Isanti)
- Cindy Krafka, UNO Table
- T-Shirt Orders, Set up Order Forms for Indigenous Roots, etc.
- Area Artists, Omaha Nation School - Ed Encinas and Gerald Cournoyer
- World Language and the Nebraska Language Association, Nick Ziegler and Jurgita Antoine
- Midwest Literacy Collective - Lane Carr
- Sowers Bookstore (Lincoln) with Monique Gray Smith’s books
- Music - Oscar Rios