As of 1990, the month of November marks National American Indian Heritage Month, which gives people the opportunity to reflect on and represent the culture and history of Indigenous peoples in the United States. The American Indian Student Group at Mounds View and Irondale high schools celebrates Native American culture, highlighting the importance of National American Indian Heritage Month. The group is not an official club, but it came about following the return of students from distance learning after COVID-19. Currently, Mounds View Public School’s Native American liaisons, Jill Spencer and Felicia Galvan, organize the group’s activities and events. The group does not just support the preservation of tradition, but it also supports members’ academic and emotional needs.

The progressive representation of Indigenous peoples recognizes the strength and resilience of Native American history and continues to honor it. Media sites have often misrepresented Native Americans throughout the United States’ history. By having an individual month to commemorate and represent authentic Native American heritage, new generations continue to unlearn stereotypes and racial prejudices. A month of acknowledgement puts the spotlight on political and social movements such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, which tackles the systematic vulnerability of Indigenous women to murder and human trafficking. Shedding light onto these movements plays a vital role in stopping the injustices many Native American individuals face in America. 

The American Indian Student Group provides a space where Indigenous students can grow connections with one another by sharing common interests and traditional practices. “We also do once a month meetings throughout the year and they mostly have a focus. We’ll do teachings on traditional medicines. Sometimes it’s just based on current events,” said Spencer. An example of an event is visiting with Native American elders. Along with regular meeting activities, the group participates in larger events such as field trips and the annual Mounds View Public Schools powwow.

Spencer started her role in the American Indian Student Group in 2019 after seeing the lack of support for her son who attended Irondale High School. In his senior year of high school, Spencer discovered that the district established an American Indian education program, but she had never received any information about the program. This inspired Spencer to begin her work as a liaison for the Mounds View district. “It’s really an incredible honor to work with students and families to become a trusted person for those people who don’t always have a person in the building or someone they can go to with a variety of things,” said Spencer. She cherishes the emotional connections she has made with students since starting her position. “We’re small in numbers but our history is very vast and our connection to people and place is really important,” said Spencer. 

In April 2025, the American Indian community at Mounds View and Irondale will host the annual powwow, which is free and open for all students to join and celebrate Native American culture. The powwow will include traditional clothing, art and food available for purchase, as well as ceremonies and dancing. Upon entrance, students receive a guide that provides everything they need to know about the event and powwow etiquette. “Powwows can be different; powwows in itself can be sort of a ceremony for us. Powwows can be in celebration, they can be in honor, they can be in memory, so there are a lot of things that can happen or come into play during a powwow. Our powwow’s a celebration and honoring of students,” said Spencer. 

The American Indian Student Group plays a major role in students and families’ lives in the Mounds View Public School district by connecting American Indian students with one another and their roots. Not only does this group offer a safe space to students, it also grants them connection to more opportunities for post high school plans, such as college. The American Indian Student Group ensures the recognition and value of Native American heritage every month of the year. “I would love to talk to someone at any time of the year about Native American history and culture because there is so much to know and so many different areas to talk about,” said Spencer.