Buster Mitchell, a Mohawk from Akwesasne, was instrumental in the founding of NAIEA/NY. An elementary teacher for 12 years, Buster furthered his graduate education to become of the first Native American principals in New York State. He served as principal for 18 years, leaving a positive legacy and impact at the St. Regis Mohawk School. His friends and colleagues remember him for his deep and abiding commitment to the education advancement of Native American Children, youth and adults, and especially for his love of sports, boating, skiing and golf, as well as his unending sense of humor. His family graciously gave NAIEA/NY permission to honor him by naming this annual award for continued education service to Native American Education, the William “Buster” Mitchell Educator of the Year Award.
During today’s NAIEA/NY (Native American Indian Education Association of New York) conference in Niagara Falls, Andrea Cooke was awarded the William “Buster” Mitchell Educator of the Year Award. Ms. Cooke has been a Seneca culture and language teacher and educator for 20 plus years in schools serving native youth. She has worked on Ohi:yo territory, Cattaraugus territory and on Onondaga territory. In addition, she has been active in the Seneca and Onondaga communities her entire adult life. If you know Ms. Cooke, you know she holds a wealth of knowledge about Hodinöhšyonih culture and is dedicated to educating anyone willing to listen. She has boundless energy and is an active and proud mother of seven, grandmother of fourteen and clan mother of the deer clan. Ms. Cooke has been working in Salamanca School District for the last seven years with six as a teacher and becoming part of the Native American Curriculum Team last July.
Ja:göh Ms. Cooke!!
