Reports from the Field: Noon Day Sun: The Eastern Band of Cherokee and Building a Nation's Future

Abstract

Abstract:In 2009 we had the honor of touring the new Cherokee Central Schools campus with a group of college students. As we saw the beauty and heard the story of the struggle to make the campus a reality, we immediately thought that here was an American Indian education success story that the whole world needed to hear. This article is the result of our desire to tell that story. Readers will learn about the history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' education experiences, the complicated battle to reacquire land for the school, and the commitment among the Cherokee to build a school that will be a model of "green" education for educators across North Carolina and the United States.