Tribal Community-Based Programs

With the generous support of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and The Helen A. Powers Fund, AISES is serving high/middle school students who are citizens of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Western North Carolina. Our goal is to increase awareness, interest, and competency in STEM and Computer Science (STEM+CS) among Eastern Band of Cherokee middle school students; thus, preparing them for a 21st Century workforce.

AISES provides EBCI middle schools with cutting edge technology, such as, Discover Drones and Sphero BOLTS (robotics equipment), which is designed for use in educational settings. AISES also works with Eastern Band of Cherokee educators to provide culturally contextualized curriculum to engage students in these hands-on STEM activities. With the support of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, students and teachers from Cherokee Central High School are given the opportunity to attend the AISES National Conference each Fall.

For more information please contact:  Taylor Kingsbery, AISES Program Officer, tkingsbery@aises.org

Cherokee Preservation Foundation is an independent nonprofit foundation established in 2000 as part of the Tribal-State Compact amendment between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the State of  North Carolina. The Cherokee Preservation Foundation’s mission is to preserve native culture, protect and enhance the natural environment, and create appropriate and diverse economic opportunities in order to improve the quality of life for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and their neighbors in western North Carolina. 

The Helen A. Powers Fund provides one-year grants to organizations providing education and healthcare services to the people of Western North Carolina. Its mission is to serve the people of western North Carolina by supporting organizations committed to education and healthcare. 

Cherokee Central HS Students at the AISES 2019 Leadership Summit in Cherokee, NC

Cherokee Central HS Students Class Robotics Challenge 2019