February 8, 2002

Four Native American girls from Crow Agency, MT, are the driving force behind an innovative approach to one of the most pressing problems facing their reservation and others like it—a severe housing shortage that has families waiting a decade or more for their own place to live.

For the past year and a half, these exceptional students have been working to change local misperceptions about an ideal housing solution—straw-bale construction. Using the resources at hand, such as a blowtorch, hose and thermometers, the girls developed a series of tests to prove that the straw-bale technique does not pose a fire or rotting hazard, and provides attractive, affordable, energy-efficient housing.

The girls have secured help from community elders and through Red Feather Development Group, St. Labre Indian School, the University of Washington and others. They are also 2001 winners of the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant. As part of the Bayer/NSF Award, this prize is given out annually to a group of exceptional young innovators to help make their research come to life. With this assistance, the girls are moving to the next step in proving that straw-bale construction can answer the long-lingering housing problem.

In July of 2002, they will take their work one step further, building a straw-bale community center on the Crow Reservation.

Over the next several months, I will be sending you updates on the girls’ progress as they work with their community partners, moving forward to the completion of their straw-bale community center.

This is an outstanding example of American youth working against all odds to make their community a better place to live. The four young women are breaking down barriers and making a real difference. I hope you will come to find their story to be as inspiring as the community partners and the residents of the Crow Nation have. For more information, see the enclosed materials, call me at 412-281-2345, or visit the website at www.christophercolumbusawards.com.