We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Derek Bell, a 2016 graduate of Chinook of Chinook High School and an enrolled student of Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC), was recently selected as the winner of the Montana Campus Compact - Montana Athletes in Service Award 2022 for ANC. In a press release it describes the award as, "For 30 years, Montana Campus Compact and its campus affiliates have supported students, faculty, and communities across Montana with programs that encourage and recognize community service. Montana Campus Compact's CEO Council are proud to honor these athletes whose extensive volunteer efforts have been of great benefit to their communities." Bell, a sophomore in Industrial Trades, is captain of the Archery Club at ANC, where he teaches new members how to shoot the traditional bow. He helps an elderly local farmer with irrigation, hay baling, and caring for plants at ANC USDA Extension Garden. Derek also has volunteered time at the PAWS animal shelter.
Bell is at ANC studying Industrial trades and getting his bachelor's degree in Ecology, "I'm studying the microbiome in water and nutrient levels, it's a science that helps with agriculture and gardening taking care of the land and gardening, and people as well, "said Bell. "Covid had shut everything down when I started the Industrial Trades and while attending the school, I looked into starting the Archery Program back up. I got a group of people together and we started getting together to shoot. Right now, we have about five or six that attend the group regularly."
The Archery program is still new and like anything it takes time to grow but they are moving forward with some big plans in hand, "We try to go shoot together every week, maybe two times. We try to shoot Monday and Wednesday at the Bingo Hall, at the Agency or sometimes we hold practice outside as well." The archery program has been able to use some equipment that the school had on hand, but that he has been doing fundraisers such as bake sales to raise money for the program.
Bell said he was notified of winning the Award about a week before they would be presented at half time of the Cat/Griz game in Bozeman. Bell, however, was unable to attend, "I had already had a hunting trip planned with friends and family that resulted in a really great trip and ended with the harvesting of a nice Muley buck." Bell stated he was informed he had been nominated about a month before the winners were announced, "My boss, Manuel Morales at ANC nominated me for the award. He is the USDA Extension Director and I serve as his Assistant, about a month later I got the call from Montana Campus Compact that I was chosen to represent ANC.
"It was nice, I wasn't expecting it and I'm very grateful to have received it." Bell hopes the award will help the club move forward, "I think it is going to bring a lot of light to the club. Especially for these younger kids. Having something to do, to get exercise and be involved in something when it starts to get cold in the fall and winter. And to be able to offer that opportunity to these students, it will help them adjust to school, stay focused and really be good for the college as well as themselves. I'm hoping that we can grow our numbers and in turn raise more funds."
Bell is recently qualified to instruct the archery program, "I was certified to be an instructor at a class held by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks at Hays/Lodge Pole Schools which allows me to grow the program through competition and training." A lot of doors are open, but Bell is taking his time to decide his next step, "I'm holding out all options for the future and where archery will take me. I have a very passionate love of Archery. I shoot pretty much every day and it is very much a part of my life. Being able to be outdoors and being able to do that activity and really getting back to my roots. Being efficient at using that weapon in a way that honor's my ancestry is really where the root of that passion comes from."
Bell and the Archery Club are currently raising funds for an exciting new adventure, "The Aaniiih Nakoda College Archery Club will be traveling to the AIHEC (American Indian Higher Education Consortium) conference in March 2023. At the conference, Indigenous students from around the United States will gather to share in fellowship and friendly competition. The club has started fundraising to help support students in their travels. We plan on having silent auctions and bake sales as our primary fundraisers. I'm hoping to take about 10 people down to the conference."
