CHEROKEE, N.C. – Beginning August 2025, CHS (Cherokee High School) Cultural Arts students will begin learning how to make ribbon skirts. This exciting addition builds on their current instruction in Cherokee baskets, pottery, finger weaving, and beadwork. The Cultural Arts class, taught by Lori Reed, is offered to all Cherokee High School students as an elective.
This Cultural Arts class has been a cornerstone of Cherokee High School for years, providing students with meaningful knowledge of traditional arts. Students gain insight into the cultural significance of Cherokee artistic practices, traditional methods of harvesting and processing materials, and the specialized techniques that make Cherokee arts distinct. In addition to deepening cultural understanding, the class now also introduces students to entrepreneurial pathways, demonstrating how traditional arts can be used to build self-sustaining careers rooted in cultural expression.
“At Cherokee Central Schools, we believe that education must reflect who our students are and where they come from,” says Cherokee Central Schools Superintendent Consuela Girty. “Expanding our Cultural Arts program to include ribbon skirt-making is more than just adding a skill – it’s about deepening our students’ connection to their identity, their community, and their culture. This aligns with our vision to empower our students, preserve our nation, and ensure our future. When we integrate culture into the classroom, we’re not only teaching content – we’re strengthening belonging, purpose, and pride in who we are as Cherokee people.”
This expansion of programming is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and the Cherokee Central Schools School Board.
- Cherokee Central Schools release
