2025 Columbia Gorge high school graduates gathered with family and friends to celebrate their achievements. The Johnson O’Malley (JOM) and Oregon Indian Education programs hosted the celebration at The Rise Center in The Dalles, OR June 16. ▣ Gavin/CRITFC
Community members and parents at the big drum singing in the graduates and their families.▣ Gavin/CRITFC
THE DALLES, Ore. – Over three dozen tribal students from the Columbia River Gorge gathered with their friends and family at The Rise Center in The Dalles to celebrate their graduation from with a potluck barbecue hosted by the local Johnson O’Malley (JOM) and Oregon Indian Education programs.
During the luncheon, families, educators, and community leaders gathered to honor students for their hard work and dedication to reach this milestone.
“Celebrating this milestone is so important because Native students represent such a low percentage rate in graduation,” said outgoing JOM program chair Venus Allison. “That accomplishment of making it through all the trials of life and letting them see how proud we are of them is important. A lot of students are kind of closed off or shy and don’t want to go to their graduation ceremony; this may be their only time of acknowledgement.”
At the annual event, each graduate receives a traditional wool blanket and gift bag during the ceremony.
Student Highlight: Gavin Bensel
Gavin Bensel, is a Yakama descendant and recent graduate of Glenwood High School, Gavin is pursuing his passion for welding at Wyoming Western Welding Academy in a six-month program. His journey into welding began during his freshman year with mitering work, which shaped his path toward stick welding—a craft he grew to love. Beyond traditional welding, Gavin enjoys creating sculptures and handmade items like small cars, coat racks, and frisbee golf accessories. He is working toward his professional pipe welder certificate and will be the first welder in his family, making him a first-generation tradesperson. After completing his certification, Gavin plans to work in gas or oil pipeline welding. A former basketball and football player, Bensel says he, “recognizes the importance of trades on the reservation and believes that entering any trade can be tremendously beneficial,” for his community.
Gavin Bensel, 18, of Glenwood, Washington, proudly receives his certificate of achievement, blanket, and gift from the Johnson O’Malley and Title VI program leaders. ▣ Gavin/CRITFC
JOM Leadership Transition
Life-long JOM participant and volunteer Venus Allison with her father Gerald Allison, Jr. at the 2025 graduation BBQ. ▣ Gavin/CRITFC
The graduation luncheon also marked a leadership transition for the area’s JOM program. After eight years of service, long-time chair Venus Allison (Gila River Akimel O’tham) stepped down, handing leadership to Charlieann Herkshan (Warm Springs).
Both Allison and Herkshan work in the Victim’s Advocate office of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department.
JOM is a federal Native education program dating from 1934 to improve cultural awareness and self-esteem among American Indian and Alaska Native students and increase the number of program students successfully completing high school and pursuing higher education. The program serving the Columbia River Gorge is closely associated with Oregon’s Title VI Indian Education program.
Allison’s personal connection to the program spans decades. She was born to parents from different tribal communities, her father being of the Gila River Indian Community (Akimel O’odham) in Arizona and her mother being of the Apache community of Colorado. The couple and their children found community through the JOM program after settling in the Dalles in the 1970s.
“Both my parents were tribal members from outside of Oregon,” she said, “When my dad began volunteering with JOM, that togetherness he had with other tribal members meant that he could join this community. I remember participating in the program when I was four or five years old, going to meetings and sitting in the back watching adults work things out.”
Among some of her favorite memories were the annual Christmas parties JOM held at The Dalles Armory.
Allison said, “It was filled to the max with so many people, it was amazing. All of us being together and having a meal with gifts and candy; I loved it.”
Services like Christmas dinner parties and summer culture camps aren’t necessarily the first thing that spring to mind for folks when they think of an educational group for tribal students and their parents, but Allison said that’s how the JOM has been connecting with and supporting families for as long as she remembers.
Gerald Allison, Jr., Venus Allison’s father, reflected on the program’s evolution and importance to families like his. As someone who moved to the region from out of state, he found the JOM program essential for maintaining cultural connections for his children in an area where Native families were often isolated from larger tribal communities.
Charliann Herkshan at the 2025 Columbia River Round Dance. ▣ Gavin/CRITFC
Participation has been a lifelong commitment for the Allisons, and Venus doesn’t foresee that changing now that she is taking a background role for the group. She said she is looking forward to seeing what new ideas and fresh take on services incoming chair Charlieann Herkshan will bring.
“Venus has done an amazing job with 10 plus years of service and has always been good about including more involvement, and the programming gets better each year,” Herkshan said.
Herkshan, who grew up on the Warm Springs Reservation, has been involved with the program since 2021. She hopes to bring a fresh perspective as a parent with children entering the school system.
Herkshan, who has one child going into kindergarten and a stepson starting his senior year at Madras High School, said. “I feel good about being the chair. JOM leadership expressed that they needed help going into the new school year and I wanted to help the committee and look forward to the 2025-2026 school year.”
Herkshan was initially invited to participate by former liaison Lucy Begay, beginning with cultural activities and victim assistance work. Her involvement expanded to teaching sewing classes and language instruction during cultural camps.
“Having access to culture on the reservation is so accessible. Here we have to bring in teachers from the reservation. The students aren’t surrounded by tradition like those on the reservations; they have been lacking that,” Herkshan explained. “We now have small groups and we’re revitalizing with a goal to bring in more language into our Gorge schools.”
The program has significantly expanded its reach through partnerships with organizations like the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), Next Door Inc., and the Columbia Gorge Education Service District. These collaborations have enabled programming on both the Oregon and Washington sides of the Columbia River.
“Our partnerships are amazing,” Allison noted. “When I was in high school, we had constant fundraisers to do simple things like go to a conference. Sometimes we would work all year just for that one conference. With these partnerships now, we have funds that we didn’t have in the past.”
Student Highlight: Alex Daigneault
A student at Hood River Middle School who will be attending Hood River High School, Alex lives in Cascade Locks and is affiliated with the Lovelock Paiute tribe. After a year in the JOM program, Alex has focused on strength and fitness training as well as science studies. As a multi-sport athlete, he plays football, baseball, and basketball, participating in all-star practices and Little League baseball as he seeks higher skill levels and greater competition challenges. Alex credits the JOM program with providing essential support, including help with equipment like shoes, and said he appreciates the recognition and backing he receives. He expressed particular gratitude for feeling welcomed and accepted by the program, noting that even though he’s not from the local tribes or state, he still feels recognized and valued as a Native student.
Alex Daigneault with his mother, Alanna Happy, at the JOM graduates banquet in June. ▣ Gavin/CRITFC
Johnson O’Malley and Title VI program volunteers gather for a group photo after recognizing more than three dozen students during their June celebration. This is the largest group of graduates volunteers and JOM officers can remember ever celebrating. JOM students participation grew exponentially after organizations like CRITFC and Next Door Inc. began collaborating with the program and the JOM was able to offer services to Washington state students as well as Oregon.▣ Gavin/CRITFC
Working Together to Nurture Both Minds and Spirits
At the heart of the Gorge area JOM program’s success are generations of dedicated parents and community members who have volunteered their time and resources to the students.
“As a young person, I benefited greatly from the work of the Indian Education Parent Committee and the opportunities they created for Native youth,” said JOM vice-chair and CRITPD police chief Russell Spino (Warm Springs). “Our Indian Club worked closely with the committee at the time, combining efforts to uplift and support our community. The dedication and leadership of those committee members inspired me deeply—and they continue to inspire me to this day.”
Traditional tribal wisdom teaches that children need learning for both their minds and their hearts—school nurtures their intellectual growth while cultural education feeds their hearts and spirits. Academic support and school advocacy, provided by JOM liaison Azariah Ozias, addresses one facet, while cultural opportunities helps students maintain a connection to their heritage and community as they progress toward graduation.
The power of this dual approach becomes clear when graduating students share their stories. They describe how the program provided them with both cultural grounding and academic support that proved essential for success in schools where Native students often felt isolated and disconnected. They speak with gratitude about the program’s cultural camps, mentorship opportunities, and strong community connections that helped them maintain their identity while pursuing academic achievement—proving that young people can honor their heritage while excelling in contemporary educational settings.
Proud family and friends snap shots of their graduates during the celebration.▣ Gavin/CRITFC
The program’s strength lies in its community partnerships.
“It’s incredible to witness the partnerships between the Indian Education Parent Committee, the Education Service District, CRITFC, and The Next Door Inc.,” said Spino. “Their ability to unite the river community in support of education is truly inspiring. Celebrating 37 Native American graduates in the Zone 6 area is a remarkable achievement.”
Operating out of the RISE Center, where St. Paul’s Episcopal Church generously donated space including three classrooms, a sewing room, clothing closet, and large area for cultural activities, the program creates a true community hub. Here, the heart of the program beats strongest through “Eagle Quest,” the name given to the cultural activities gatherings for the Native students.
Throughout the year, Eagle Quest weaves together tradition and community. The annual cultural camp in July brings families together for intensive learning and connection. Christmas dinners create warmth and fellowship during the winter months. Participation in The Dalles Cherry Festival allows young people to share their culture with the broader community. And ongoing after-school programs ensure that cultural learning never stops.
CRITFC employees regularly volunteer at Eagle Quest gatherings, sharing their expertise in traditional skills like sweat lodge construction, bow and arrow making, and hand drum making. These sessions connect young people directly with their cultural practices while building relationships with positive role models. Tribal police officers participate, helping to build positive relationships and perceptions with Native youth and families—demonstrating that the program’s impact extends far beyond its walls into the broader community.
“Academic achievement, while important, isn’t enough,” said Spino. “Young people also require the deep roots that come from culture. By combining these two, we are preparing the upcoming generation to go out in the world with both the knowledge and wisdom they’ll need. I’m proud and honored that our program can play a role in supporting the success of these young women and men.”