GEAR UP Spotlight: Browning High School

Binky Patrol of MT

The Browning High School AIBL (American Indian Business Leaders) Chapter has been in existence for four years.

 The Browning High School AIBL (American Indian Business Leaders) Chapter has been in existence for four years. The group of students has been involved in AIBL since the 8^th grade and has won Chapter of the Year for the past two years. Throughout the four years the club has attended conferences in Polson Montana, Minneapolis Minnesota, Las Vegas Nevada, and this year Seattle Washington. On April 7th the club boarded an 8-hour late train at 2:00 am for an adventurous journey to Seattle.

While it was a tough journey getting there it was definitely an adventure to remember. The club worked extremely hard all year to fundraise for the conference and was able to raise well over $5000 to attend. Though the main priority was attending the conference, the students were also able to attend a Seattle Supersonics/Lakers basketball game, meet Native American actor Adam Beach (Windtalkers, Joe Dirt, Smoke Signals, Dance Me Outside), travel through Seattle in a limousine, and buy coats for all of the club members to wear in Seattle. This year AIBL teamed up with Tina Wagner of MGSLP in Helena who heads up a non-profit organization called “Binky Patrol” which is an organization that provides blankets to children of special circumstances.

Our club not only raised money to attend the AIBL conference but also raised enough money to purchase material to make 10 large tie blankets and 12 baby blankets to donate to the Binky Patrol. The highlight of this trip was being able to personally deliver one of the blankets to a young girl from Browning who is currently in Seattle undergoing treatment for cancer. If you are interested in starting an AIBL Chapter in your school and would like more information, please feel free to contact us at Browning High School.