Tribe announces $1.37M in education donations

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe announced it recently donated $1.37 million to area schools and nonprofits.

In a ceremony at the Stensgar Pavilion at the Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley earlier this month, the Tribe’s leaders thanked teachers and administrators in attendance for their work and dedication.

“Education changed my life and opened so many doors for me. In fact, I don’t think there’s a job or career in this world that’s as important as teaching. The work our educators do prepares our students to lead and helps to solidify a more secure future both for our students and our state. We’re grateful for their efforts and their dedication to our students,” said Chairman Chief Allan.

Coeur d’Alene Tribal leadership made a commitment to education in 1992 when it volunteered to return 5 percent of its net gaming revenues to the financial support of education as part of its gaming compact with the state. In the years since then, the Tribe’s cumulative lifetime donations to education have surpassed $24.1 million.

This year there were a large number of applications for performing arts and fine arts programs from across the state. The donations funded the purchase of musical instruments, art supplies, pottery supplies, sketch books and drawing pencils, art therapy programs, and more. “Everyone has different strengths and passions. Providing students the opportunity to experience the arts, theater, band, and choir is just as important learning reading, science, and math,” said Allan. More than $100,000 of this year’s donations supported the arts.

The Tribe also received many requests for technology updates to allow classrooms to keep up with the changing world. More than $71,000 of this year’s donations will help purchase iPads, Kindles, Chromebooks, laptops and computers, and classroom projection systems.

The Tribe also pledged $100,000 to support North Idaho College’s Technical Education Campus. Other local recipients include the Kroc Center’s Third-Grade Swim Program, Idaho Drug Free Youth, Gizmo, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre, the United Way of North Idaho’s Ready for Kindergarten Program, and many others. In addition, the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, St. Maries, Lakeland, Tekoa, and Troy school districts all received funding for various programs.

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe is accepting applications for 2017 funding through Sept. 30.

For information or to request an application, contact the Tribe’s public relations director, Heather Keen, at (208) 686-2023 or [email protected].