FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 17, 2005
For more information contact:

Diane Moser, Wyoming Business Council,
WCWI Ex-officio
307.777.2848

Ethete woman named 2005 Wyoming Woman of Distinction

ETHETE - The Wyoming Council for Women’s Issues (WCWI) presented the 2005 Wyoming Woman of Distinction Award to Merle Haas of Ethete, WY during a luncheon on October 14.

Haas is the executive director of the Sky People Higher Education Program. She has been the executive director since 1997 and through Sky People, she has supported and encouraged enrolled Arapaho tribal members to attend college and technical schools. In 1999, Haas participated in the founding of the Wind River Tribal College in Ethete.

In addition, Haas serves on the Planning Committee for the National Indian Education Association which will be in Denver in Fall 2005.

She also supports Arapaho language and cultural preservation efforts and cultural understanding between Indian and non-Indian communities in Wyoming. Haas received a fellowship from the Wyoming Council for the Humanities to record, transcribe and publish noted Arapaho storyteller Ralph Hopper’s stories in Stories from Yellowcalf.

She is a Northern Arapaho storyteller as well, providing cultural presentations to many audiences and for such organizations as the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

She grew up in a traditional Arapaho family and continues to share her values from that upbringing in her educational and cultural work.

Haas graduated from Riverton High School in 1971 and received an Associate’s Degree in General Education with a minor in Business and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in English Education in 1977. She has been employed as an Arapaho Language and Curriculum Specialist for the Wyoming Indian Schools Title V Program and as Native American Studies Director/Instructor for Central Wyoming College.

Haas has two daughters in the military: Inez Haas (Navy) is stationed at San Diego Naval Base in California and Jude Haas (Army) is stationed at Ft. Hood Military Base in Texas. She also has one grandson, Brandon Kahlil Coffee.

The “once in a lifetime” Wyoming Woman of Distinction Award celebrates those who have had a significant impact on women and families in Wyoming with regard to education, community, health and legal issues.

The WCWI is a 13-member council with representation from each of the nine Judicial Districts in addition to four at-large members and one ex-officio member from the Wyoming Business Council. The WCWI is a Governor appointed council. Visit www.wyomingwomenscouncil.org.

###