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Abenaki Arts & Education Center | Vetted Resources for Vermont Schools
This page includes official statements, publications, documents for use by teachers, administrators, media and the public.
Background
The Abenaki Arts & Education Center was established in 2017 with the purpose of being a centralized hub for supporting teacher development and as a location to find resources that are vetted by an inter-tribal committee of Abenaki community members and teachers. We also offer enrichment programs for schools and professional development opportunities for teachers
Correcting Historic Erasure
By integrating Abenaki Arts & Education Center (AAEC) vetted resources, teacher trainings, and Student Enrichment opportunities, and the American Abenaki Curriculum: A Journey of History and Resilience (2025) educators are correcting historic erasure and school administrators are making a commitment to fulfill the goals of Act 1 (Ethnic Studies) and honor Vermont’s pledge to support the cultural continuity of Vermont’s four State-recognized Tribes.
Why do Abenaki enrichment programs and curriculum matter?
The following authored articles contextualize regional history and educational framework that support teachers and administrators in understanding why lived experience and representation matter.
Acknowledging a Complicated History and Identity by Vera Sheehan (2025). Introductory essay for educators and administrators to complicated regional history, continuity of culture, and identity.
Decolonizing the History that is Taught in Schools Across the Abenaki Homeland by Vera Sheehan (2020) is the framework and foundation of our work. Culturally sustaining pedagogy and representation ground our work in people and this place. This is also reflected in our work and the American Abenaki Curriculum: A Journey of History and Resilience (2025).
“The colonization of the Northeast did not happen overnight, quite to the contrary it is a long and complicated process, therefore reversing the history of colonization that is taught in our schools is also going to be a complicated process that cannot be done quickly or by one person. It will take all of us working together to make a difference.”
– Vera Sheehan, from Decolonizing the History that is Taught in Schools Across the Abenaki Homeland
Partnerships with National Park Service
- 2022 | Indigenous Peoples Day Event. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.
- 2022 | Indigenous Peoples Day Event. Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park
- Abenaki Word of the Week
- 2022 | Vermont Abenaki Artists Assoc. presented by Saint-Gaudens Memorial and West Claremont Center
- 2018, 2022, 2023 | Consulting and staff training for Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
- 2016 | Curated the exhibition Parley and Protocol. Fort Necessity Battlefield National Historical Park. National Park Service
Education Leadership and Advocacy
- Vermont Association for the Social Studies (VASS). Annual Conference. Presenter and Exhibitor (2017 and 2025)
- Middlebury College, Visiting Instructor for the Department of History of Art & Architecture: Abenaki Art Then and Now (maintains ongoing relationship as Guest Lecturer).
- Saint Michael’s College, Adjunct: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, Curriculum and the Arts.
- Vermont State College, Lead Instructor: Present Abenaki Culture in the Classroom (2018 – present)
- University of Vermont (UVM) Larner College of Medicine and the UVM Health Network, 2022 Conference . Mending Ourselves, Together. Presenter and Collaborator. The Abenaki COVID-19 Storytelling Project.
- University of Vermont (UVM) Larner College of Medicine and the UVM Health Network, 2024 Conference . Building Solidarity: Sustainable Pathways towards Health Equity. Presenter and Collaborator. Beyond the Curve: Using Traditional Indigenous Methodology to Address Wellness and Equity.
Scope of Work
The Abenaki Arts & Education Center offers a variety of programs and services, ranging from vetted resources, Teacher training, school enrichment program that are available for immediately usage; in-person or virtual programs can be scheduled at mutually agreed upon times. Learn more about our Programs & Services.
Vetting and New Resources
The content on this website was vetted by a group of Abenaki educators, scholars, and culture bearers who feel that these are excellent resources. Materials created before the four Abenaki Tribes may reflect an incomplete record. Most of the academic discourse before that time focused on early historical accounts, however scholars like Gordon Day and Colin Calloway suggested that further research would likely uncover addition information. Lived experiences, community knowledge, together with 19th and 20th century records are helping to fill those gaps. New resources will be published as they become available.
In The News
A new curriculum in Vermont schools is about and designed by American Abenaki communities in the state by Pat Brady, Northeast Public Radio, December 29, 2025. This article explain how the new curriculum is a dream come true and the impact it will have for all of the teachers that requested it.
State-recognized tribes present Abenaki educational resources. WCAX, December 18, 2025. video segment on the American Abenaki Curriculum.
Certificate program meets growing needs, demands on equity and justice. Saint Michaels College. 2023.
Here’s how Vermont educators are advocating for a diversity of perspectives in the classroom by Ethan Bakuli. Burlington Free Press. August 7, 2020. This article highlights how we are trying to integrate Abenaki perspectives into curricula for many subject areas.
Decolonizing Native American Art: The Indigenous Resistance by Angelique Herring, Asst. Culture Editor. Triton Publications: The Online Current. Mar 11, 2017.
Recognition & Support of AAEC
Abenaki Arts & Education Center is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ Cultural Sustainability program, made possible by the Wallace Foundation (2025-2026).
Vermont Humanities: recipient of competitive project grants: Water is Life Teach-in (2023) and Video Series (2025)
Partners
Official Institutional Support
2025 Executive Proclamation for Abenaki Recognition and Heritage Week (Proclamation 25-75) – Gov. Phil Scot renewed his continued support for the four State-Recognized Tribes (Elnu, Koasek, Nulhegan, and Missisquoi).
2025 Executive Proclamation (No. 25-159) – Governor Executive Proclamation (2025) – Gov. Phil Scot has renewed his continued support for the four State-Recognized Tribes with a new Proclamation for Native American Heritage Month.
House Resolution 10 (H.R. 10) (2023): Unanimous support from the entire House of Representatives.
Vermont Congressional Delegation’s statement (May 2023): A joint statement from Senators Sanders, Welsh, and Rep. Baliant commemorating Abenaki Recognition and Heritage Week. The delegation stated, “Today we are incredibly fortunate that the four bands of Vermont… have preserved and continue to share their traditions.”
Legal & Legislative Information
To ensure district compliance school administrators can reference the following legal foundations for our work.
The legal status of the four State-Recognized Tribes is codified into law under which acknowledges their “historic and cultural contributions of Native Americans to Vermont,” Vermont Statutes Title 1, Chapter 23 (1 V.S.A. § 852)
§ 853a. Recognition of Elnu Abenaki Tribe
The Elnu Abenaki Tribe has filed an application for tribal recognition with the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs and has complied with the recognition requirements contained in subdivisions 853(c)(1)-(9) of this title and is hereby recognized by the State of Vermont as a Native American Indian tribe. (Added 2011, No. 9, § 1, eff. April 22, 2011.)
§ 854. Recognition of Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation
The Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation has filed an application for tribal recognition with the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs and has complied with the recognition requirements contained in subdivisions 853(c)(1)-(9) of this title and is hereby recognized by the State of Vermont as a Native American Indian tribe. (Added 2011, No. 8, § 1, eff. April 22, 2011.)
§ 855. Recognition of Koasek Abenaki of the Koas
The Koasek Abenaki of the Koas has filed an application for tribal recognition with the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs and has complied with the recognition requirements contained in subdivisions 853(c)(1)-(9) of this title and is hereby recognized by the State of Vermont as a Native American Indian tribe. (Added 2011, No. 106 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 7, 2012.)
§ 856. Recognition of Missisquoi, St. Francis-Sokoki Band
The Missisquoi, St. Francis-Sokoki Band has filed an application for tribal recognition with the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs and has complied with the recognition requirements contained in subdivisions 853(c)(1)-(9) of this title and is hereby recognized by the State of Vermont as a Native American Indian tribe. (Added 2011, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 7, 2012.)
State of Vermont Official Apology for Eugenics
AAEC is grounded in Vermont’s commitment to accurate historical representation. In May 2021, the Vermont House and Senate unanimously adopted J.R.H. 2 (No. R-114), a State resolution apologizing for the State sanctioned Eugenics movement. The resolution recognizes the specific harms done to the American Abenaki community and serves as a call to action for educators to use authentic resources to correct the historic erasure.
Education Policy: ACT 1 Ethnic and Social Equity Standards
In 2019, Vermont established the Act 1 Ethnic and Social Equity Standards Advisory Working Group to “review standards for student performance adopted by the State Board of Education and recommend to the State Board updates and additional standards to recognize fully the history, contributions and perspectives of ethnic groups and social groups.” AAEC Director Vera Sheehan was a member of the Working Group. During her tenure, they evaluated the Vermont Education Quality Standards and went on to develop the “IRIS Ethnic Studies Framework (2023).” The Working Group final report was submitted (2023).
Abenaki Alliance: Official Tribal Statements
As an educational partner of the Abenaki Alliance (abenakialliance.org) AAEC provides direct digital content from the unified statements and policy positions of the four State-recognized Tribes: Elnu, Koasek, Missquoi, and Nulhegan.
Click on underlined article titles to open links.
Current Affirmations
- Official Announcement: American Abenaki Curriculum (Dec 18, 2025): press release from the Commission on Native American Affairs.
- Joint statement on the integrity of the 2011 and 2012 State-recognition process (Oct 22, 2025): unified response for Abenaki Alliance leaders refuting Canadian claims and affirming the rigorous process for recognition.
- Call for Tolerance and Open Exchange (April 23, 2024): Video of press conference with Alliance Chiefs advocating for respectful dialog and cultural authenticity.
Foundational Records
- Position Paper: Legal and Policy Arguments for Recognition (April 2024): A definitive scholarly resource that justifies the statutory framework of the Abenaki recognition process..
- Statement on Vermont’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (April 14, 2023): Alliance statement about State’s restorative justice commission following 2021 apology for historic Eugenics.
- Joint Statement on Shared Lived Experience (June 6, 2022): foundational affirmation of the distinct reality of Abenaki Tribes living in Vermont
For Press Inquiries & Consultations:
Vera Sheehan, Director
abenaki.education@gmail.com | 802-579-0049
Consultation available for Teacher Training, American Abenaki Curriculum, Act 1 alignment and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy implementation.
Readings
- Decolonizing the History that is Taught in Schools Across the Abenaki Homeland (Sheehan 2020)
- American Abenaki Curriculum: A Journey of History and Resilience (American Abenaki Curriculum Committee 2025)
- Acknowledging a Complicated History and Identity (Sheehan, 2025)