DURANT, Okla. -- A grant from the U.S. Department of Education, through the Office of Indian Education, has made possible Southeastern Oklahoma State University's Native American Excellence in Education (NAEIE) project.

The grant was a collaborative effort between the University and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

The grant was awarded in July 2005. It was designed to assist 12 Native American students who are Teacher Education majors at Southeastern.

The grant covers four years, including an Induction Year, which is the first year of teaching.

The goal of the NAEIE project is to provide support and training to Native American students in completion of a pre-service education program which will enable them to meet the requirements for full state certification and licensure as teachers. Course work must lead to a bacheloršs degree in Education before the end of the grant award period.

Southeastern's first class consisted of eight Choctaw students, three Chickasaw students and one Seminole student. Nine participants had graduated by the spring of 2008. Three are completing their degree program this fall and spring.

All nine graduates have secured employment in their respective teaching fields. Participants signed an agreement to teach in a school with significant Native American student population. The SE graduates are teaching in areas averaging 38 percent Native American student populations.

Misty Cedillo, Durant, is teaching Head Start in Farris; Johnie Dewbre, Marietta, is a 4th-grade teacher at Buffalo Valley; Brandie Dixon, Durant, is teaching high school science at Dale; and Stefany Higgs, McAlester, is a K-4 teacher in McAlester.

Also, Jerrod James, Broken Bow, teaches elementary physical education and coaches high-school baseball at Battiest; Kami Kesler, Ada, teaches Head Start at the Ada Big Five; Natalie Lawson, Wilburton, is teaching third grade in Wilburton; Patti Rosenthal-Schulze, Antlers, is teaching second grade in Kingston; and Amber Tamez, Tishomingo, is teaching second grade in Springer.

NAEIE Coordinator Chris Wesberry said, "The grant has been fantastic. The participants have received training concerning Indian Education at the state and national levels. In addition, they have received an abundance of classroom resources that focus on Native American culture and history.

"A goal that we have for this grant is that the participants become the school resource person concerning Nation American education. We believe they are capable of doing that."