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District Indian Education coordinator highlights student achievements and program outcomes
Summary
Tamara Carter presented the Columbus County Schools Indian Education program May 11, outlining an approximately $81,000 budget, staff roles, cultural programming (Waccamaw Siouan school day), extracurricular supports and a 94.4% graduation rate for American Indian students in 2024–25, and she recognized scholarship recipients and student projects.
Tamara Carter, who leads Indian Education for Columbus County Schools, briefed the board on May 11 about program activities, staffing and student outcomes.
Carter told the board the Indian Education program operates on a budget of approximately $81,000, which pays assistant salaries and partially covers student registration fees for events such as the North Carolina Native American Youth Organization conference. She named staff assigned to the program: Nadine Patrick (administrative assistant), a full‑time assistant at Hallsboro Artesia and a part‑time assistant at East Columbus High School.
“Receiving the Purple Star designation for 2026 is a tremendous honor and reflects our school's commitment to support military connected students and their families,” Carter said, outlining a range of cultural and academic supports. She described four program objectives: increase school readiness, increase academic achievement, decrease chronic absenteeism and decrease dropout rates.
Carter highlighted outcomes and activities tied to those goals: a cohort graduation rate of 94.4% for American Indian students in 2024–25 (the highest subgroup rate in the district and above the state rate cited by the presenter); participation in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (ACES) club; a healing green space project; grant‑funded robotics and coding opportunities; and cultural learning such as corn doll projects and traditional foods.
The presentation included recognition of scholarship recipients and student award winners at conference and state levels and acknowledged partnerships with the Waccamaw Siouan community and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Carter also noted a local scholarship program (Back the Braid) that previously awarded a $5,000 scholarship to a student.
Board members thanked Carter and the Waccamaw Siouan community for supporting the school day for fourth graders; Carter invited questions and said she would continue program work and follow up on requests for further information.
