On Feb. 28, Big Lake schools' American Indian Education department hosted its second annual Powwow for American Indian students and their families.

“The "Together Powwow” (translated to "Maamawi Niimi’idiwin,” in Ojibwe and "Wiitaya Wacipi” in Dakota) was held at St. Francis High School and was co-hosted by six area school districts: Big Lake, Centennial, Princeton, Chisago Lakes, St. Francis, and Cambridge Isanti.

The celebration aimed to build community and foster cultural pride. It featured over 50 native dancers (including eight of whom were Big Lake students), three drum/singer groups, and over 45 native vendors and food trucks.

 Raven Gosner, Big Lake Schools’ American Indian Education Coordinator called the 2nd annual gathering a “huge success,” citing that attendance numbers doubled from last year.

"We have not only created a community within our own district, we have created an even larger community by partnering with our neighboring districts,” Gosner said. "So many new friends and connections have been made.”