COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Several students from the American Indian Student Alliance stood outside the gymnasium at North Idaho College selling hot chocolate and talking with others about the upcoming Census 2010. It was a perfect day for such an endeavor with sunny skies but temperatures hovering near the freezing mark, a perfect day for hot chocolate.

Antonia Bancroft, a Navajo from Tuba City, Ariz. is president of the organization. She explained the reason for the event. “There are two reasons. Our club is having a hot chocolate fundraiser and also acquainting people with the upcoming Census 2010.”

Why the early start on census talks at NIC?

“We want to get as many students involved as possible, especially Native American students, because we want all populations accounted for. We want tribes to be accounted and want natives to be out there and involved so they can take it to their family and friends. We have lots of promotional, informative items here on the table,” she said.

Evanlene Melting Tallow, Blood and Blackfeet, serves as advisor for the AISA. She explained how the club had made a proposal to the Census Bureau to promote the census for the community of North Idaho College and targeting the Native students. “The reason is to let families know that if they put ‘multi-cultural’ and don’t put ‘Native American’ they won’t be counted as Native Americans. That can really effect funding for Native Americans.”

“That’s huge! Many students and families are multi-racial but if they don’t put down ‘Native American’ it brings down the population and when the federal government is giving out funds they’ll show a decrease in population when there really isn’t. The club is promoting people to fill out the census and talking to their families and others on how to fill out the census so that their census will count.”

The students in the club decided this was a worthwhile project they wanted to do. There was another side issue as well. They will also receive $3,000 from the Census Bureau for their work in promoting Census 2010. The students decided to purchase hoodies with the funds. They will have Census 2010 on them in addition to the club logo and North Idaho College (NIC). The money will go directly to the company producing the hoodies.

The hoodies will be worn whenever the club is involved in a fundraising event. Starting in January AISA will also have a table in the Student Union Building on campus to promote information about the census to the general population and to distribute promotional items such as they were on this day outside the gym which included shirts, car fragrance, lanyards, and various sheets of information.

The AISA is a small organization but especially valuable for Native students although everyone is welcome, regardless of race. “It’s a get-together for us (Natives) to feel welcome,” Bancroft said. “Some of us have come off the reservation and we’re used to that communal environment. It makes me feel welcomed and feel at home knowing there are other Native students here and we have a club. Our final event of 2009 will be a potluck on Dec. 17 for club members and others to hang out together one last time before Christmas.”

A hot chocolate fundraiser had been held a year ago and “we did pretty good,” Bancroft said. “The last fundraiser was an Indian taco sale. Part of that money was donated to sponsor three kids from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. We bought them gifts and little stuff. Three years ago we used funds to go to an Indian Education conference in Seattle. The funds give the club options for doing different things.”

Melting Tallow pointed out another recent acquisition that will likely become increasingly important. “The club received a grant from the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho of $2,000. In turn the club decided to take that money and put it into a scholarship fund. They’re going to work on fundraisers for that fund because we don’t have any scholarships here at NIC for Native American students.

“I think this club is very positive for the community and they work really hard and do really well at school,” she said.