Town of Madison Hosts 1st Annual Native Arts Day on School Trails at Dillard Elementary

By ADMIN-RAS | Published April 25, 2024 | No Comments

Rockingham County Arts Council News Release • April 21, 2024 • J. Edwards, Exec. Director

MADISON, NC — The Town of Madison, with support from the Rockingham County Arts Council, Rockingham County Education Foundation (RCEF), Gildan, Rockingham County Tourism, Dan River Basin Association (DRBA), RedHawks American Indian Educational and Cultural Group, and the NC Arts Council, sponsored the inaugural Native Arts Day on the Trails K12 at Dillard Elementary.

The trail, which was designed and built by RoundRock Design, leads to an open-air classroom situated in the woods along Big Beaver Island Creek. The outdoor classroom was designed and built by Lowe’s Home Improvement of Mayodan.

The trail and classroom were funded through grants from the NC Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission, Duke Energy, Reidsville Area Foundation, and Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Native Arts Day featured artists and educational exhibits from Monty Branham with pottery and flute from the Catawba Indian Nation; Joey Crutchfield offering drumming, singing, and storytelling from the Monacan Indian Nation; Coda Caliver showcasing beading from the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation; and Patrick Suarez, an educator and traditional dancer from the Meherrin Indian Tribe.

Jenny Edwards, who works with both the Rockingham County Arts Council and Rockingham County Education Foundation, credits the Red Hawks American Indian Educational and Cultural Group as the visionary force in revitalizing Indigenous culture in Rockingham County. “As a key founder of the first all-youth pow wow in North Carolina, established in Eden, they have been true change agents by bringing together talented American Indian artists for educational purposes,” she noted.

The trail and outdoor classroom on Big Beaver Island Creek were projects initially led by Edwards during her tenure with DRBA. After becoming the Executive Director of RCEF, she took the reins in overseeing that organization’s collaboration with RoundRock Design on Trails K12. The initiative builds school trails specifically tailored to the needs of students and teachers.
“While trails on school campuses might be unexpected,” Edwards says, “we’re seeing a big demand from teachers for well designed paths they can take their students out on to learn in the natural world. There are so many studies showing that students thrive in – not just nature-based learning – but in forest-based education.”
Anna Wheeler, NC Program Coordinator for DRBA, also a partner on the Trails K12 initiative, remarked on her involvement in Native Arts Day: “It was an amazing experience. It’s rewarding to see that the outdoor learning spaces we started creating in 2015 in Madison are now enriching children’s understanding of indigenous cultures and reconnecting them with nature.”
Gordon Allen, a well-known North Carolina photographer, captured the day: “today was one of those special occasions where I witnessed artists from the Native American community enthusiastically sharing their stories and showcasing their artistic skills with a very attentive group of students from Dillard Academy.”

Lindsay Pegg, Rockingham County Tourism Manager, shared a glowing endorsement: “Children exclaimed that this was the ‘best field trip ever’ right on their property!”

Native Arts Day leads into the 2nd Annual Youth Pow Wow, set to be held on April 27, 2024, at Morehead High School in Eden. The Pow Wow is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Cindy Adams, Marketing & Special Events Manager, Eden, at (336) 623-2110.