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Indian Education Staff
Michael Folsom is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, where he was born.
He came to Huntington Beach in 1990 to work as a counseling psychologist at Marina
High School. He met Alma Rail, Seneca, who was running the Title VII, Indian Education, program and was president of the Southern California Indian Center, Inc.
Alma referred students and parents to Michael for counseling services. He soon became an executive board member of Southern California Indian Center, Inc. and continues to serve
on the board. In 1992 he moved to Spokane, WA where he worked as a counselor for Indian Education.
While in Washington, Mr. Folsom had two children who are now eleven and thirteen.
During his involvement with Indian Education, his interest expanded into the area of program development which resulted in the opening of the Medicine Wheel Michael and his family moved back to Huntington Beach in 1998 to run the Title VII program 1/2 time and work1/2 time as a school psychologist. He began working full time for Indian Education in the spring of 2001. Michael says working for the Huntington Beach Indian Education program is a dream come true. His duties include:
Michael's educational philosophy is that all students can and want to succeed. We are living in a complex time and Indian Education needs to give our students the chance to express, discover, and Achieve their Dreams whether academic, personal, and/or emotional. Students are modeled an "I Choose" way of being and learn how to be a Good Relative. The skills learned through Indian Education will be kept for a lifetime. All aspects of the Title VII program incorporate his belief and the result is a contemporary perspective of Indian Education which enhances Spirituality, Respect for All our Relations and nurtures the Skills and Values needed to thrive in a world that is continuously changing. Betty has been active in Indian Education since 1984. She started working the Pow Wows for the Indian Center. She began working for Indian Education in 1990. She is in charge of special government forms for the program. She does genealogy for students and parents to find their Native American roots so they can obtain a tribal enrollment number and a Degree of Indian Blood. She helps students to identify their Indian heritage so they can be eligible for tutoring and many special services that Indian Education can provide. She puts together special events preparing forms and talking to the community. Her duties are varied and so are the rewards.
José was born in Orange, California and is of Chichimeca, Tarascan, Apache, and Spanish descent. He graduated from Golden West College and from the California Military Academy. He served as a Lieutenant in the Army Reserve Components, including the Army National Guard, as well as Regular Army. He received college credit from the University of District of Columbia, Washington D.C. in lower division Electrical Engineering as a result of graduating from the U.S. ARMY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING. He was a Map Drafter Trainee for the County of Orange. He was a Master Tutor Instructor for Golden West College from 1983-1999. Then, José became an Ambassador for Golden West College. He is also a lead at the Orange County Fair Grounds for Gate Operations. He was a volunteer for the Southern California Indian Center, also. José speaks Spanish, German, and Russian fluently, knows some American Sign Language, some French, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese and he's learning some Western Apache & Cherokee Languages. He was an Instructional Aide Special Education at Ocean View High School for a few years, and also was an Instructional Aide-Spanish at Huntington Beach High School for several years. He was a private tutor for all age groups, José was an Instructional Aide for K-8, currently, 2-5 year olds with Autism. He, also, was a Mentor for the Business Academy students at Ocean View High School. He has found being a staff member of Indian Education these past years a very rewarding experience. He has participated in Score training, cultural activities, where this past 3years & half José has become an instructor of Basket Weaving and teaches throughout the district and beyond. He contacts students and parents. José enjoys helping students and parents learn about the Native People, as well as learning about his own people. José is known as AFOKALAUA (Pockets-many or many pockets in Choctaw) and has several E-mail accounts: afokalaua@nativeweb.net, jrivera@hbuhsd.k12.ca.us, josearmandorivera@yahoo.com, aquemando@hotsaucezone.every1.net. Copyright © 2001 HBUHSD Indian Education. All rights reserved.
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