| My name is Janice (Gertie) Jefferson-Benson. I was
born and raised on the Lummi Reservation. My father is Robert W. Jefferson
and my mother is Lily Ann Scholtz. I have five children and one
grandchild.
I am attending college at Northwest Indian College and
will transfer to Western Washington University to complete my degree in Political
Science. At NWIC I was inducted into the Beta Theta Beta Chapter of Phi Theta
Kappa, as treasurer. Last year I was chosen to be a recipient of the Gates
Millenium Scholarship.
I am an active participant in various fundraising events
throughout the community. My major focus has been the Relay for Life with
the American Cancer Society. I lost my Dad, two years ago, to cancer.
I learned to weave in 1984 from my childrens' grandmother
on their fathers' side. She came down to Bellingham from Vancouver Island,
prepared to stay a month so she could teach me the art of weaving. Two weeks
later she went home. Her comment was, "You are born to weave, it just came
so natural to you. There is no more that I can teach you. I am going home."
I have been weaving for 16 years and hope to one day pass
the art of my weaving onto my children or other Native Americans that wish
to learn. |
