UNLV students spring cleaning at Stewart Indian School

CARSON CITY, Nevada – UNLV students taking part in the university’s Alternative Break Program will spend next week at Stewart Indian School, completing landscaping and other projects, while also having the opportunity to learn about the Stewart Indian School and Native American culture.

The Stewart Indian School in Carson City is in the process of being restored as a cultural site. Students from the UNLV Alternate Break Program will be on the Stewart campus next week to clean up the historic cemetery and several buildings. Guy Clifton/Travel Nevada
The Stewart Indian School in Carson City is in the process of being restored as a cultural site. Students from the UNLV Alternate Break Program will be on the Stewart campus next week to clean up the historic cemetery and several buildings. Guy Clifton/Travel Nevada

The group, scheduled to consist of 10 students, will have a travel day from Las Vegas on Sunday, May 14, and start their week on Monday with a welcome, orientation and tour of the Stewart Indian School campus with Sherry Rupert, executive director of the Nevada Indian Commission. After the orientation, at 11 a.m., the students will begin cleaning up the Stewart Indian School Cemetery.

The service activities will continue on Tuesday with a clean out of the school’s auditorium. Long closed, it is one of the buildings planned for future rehabilitation as the school is transformed into a cultural center in the months ahead.

Along with their volunteer work on the Stewart campus, the students will be taking several educational trips, including to the Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitors Center on Wednesday afternoon; the Nevada State Museum, Carson City Visitors Bureau Great Basin Native Artist Exhibit and Rupert’s Gem Shop on Thursday afternoon/evening; and a tour of Lake Tahoe from a Washoe Tribe perspective on Friday afternoon.

Each of the students paid the university program $120 to participate.

Here is the itinerary for the week:

UNLV Alternative Break Trip

Stewart Indian School, Carson City, NV

May 14-19, 2017

 

Monday, May 15, 2017

  • 9:00-11:00AM Learning: Welcome and Orientation – Presentation and Tour of the Stewart Indian School and Stewart Indian School Cemetery History – Nevada Indian Commission Office with Sherry L. Rupert, Executive Director, Nevada Indian Commission (NIC) and Chris Gibbons, Curator, NIC
  • 11:00-12:00PM Service: With NIC and Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California: Stewart Indian School Cemetery cleanup
  • Lunch on your own
  • 1:00-5:00PM Service: Continue cleanup of Stewart Indian School Cemetery

 

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

  • 8:00-10:00AM Service: Complete any cleanup of Stewart Indian School Cemetery
  • 10:00-12:00PM Service: Begin cleanout of Stewart Buildings – Auditorium
  • Lunch on your own
  • 1:00-5:00PM Service: Cleanout of Stewart Buildings – Auditorium

 

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

  • 8:00-12:00PM Service: Continue clean out of Stewart Buildings – Dining Hall
  • Lunch on your own
  • 1:00-5:00PM Learning: Travel to Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitors Center, 709 State St., Nixon, NV (775.574.1088) to meet with Billie Jean Guerrero, Museum Director

 

Thursday, May 18, 2017

  • 8:00 AM-12:00PM Service:  Continue clean out of Stewart Buildings – Dining Hall
  • Lunch on your own
  • 2:00-4:00PM Learning: Nevada State Museum Under One Sky Exhibit and VIP Basket Exhibit with Gene M. Hattori, Curator of Anthropology

 

4:00-4:30PM Carson City Visitors Bureau, Great Basin Native Artist Exhibit – Mark Salinas, Cultural Coordinator, Carson City, 716 N. Carson St., Carson City, NV (Building just north of Nevada State Museum – Phone:  775.687.7410)

 

4:30pm-5:00PM Rupert’s Gem Shop – Tobin Rupert, Owner, 2800 S. Curry Street, Carson City, NV (Phone:  775.882.5988)

 

Friday, May 19, 2017

  • 8:00-12:00PM Service: Complete Stewart Indian School Building Clean Out – Girls Dorm
  • Lunch on your own
  • 1:00-6:00 PM Learning: Tour of Lake Tahoe from a Washoe Perspective – Tour given by Ben Rupert
  • 6:30-8:00PM Traditional Dinner sponsored by Ben and Sherry Rupert