In a significant recognition of their leadership potential, Salmon River High School juniors Draiden Back and Oakley Hasty were inducted into the eighth class of My Brother’s Keeper Fellows at a ceremony in Albany on May 1.

Administered by the New York State Education Department, the MBK program is tailored to empower rising 12th-graders, particularly young Indigenous men, by offering authentic leadership experiences and the chance to develop service projects that benefit their schools and communities. These fellows gain valuable leadership opportunities in government, education and business.

Recognizing the importance of such support for Indigenous youth, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stanley Harper strongly advocated for this type of funding and programming to be included for Indigenous youth across New York state under the MBK initiative. This year, 124 students in the state have been identified as leaders, marking the largest fellows class in state MBK history.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Angela Robert oversees the grant funding and related programming at Salmon River Central School District. Salmon River has operated MBK-related programming focused on academic intervention, as well as graduation rate and college and career readiness improvements, since the first round of funding became available in 2017.

During the most recent round of funding, which runs through 2026, Ombudsman Breanne Herne and Student Counseling Program Assistant Nichelle Loran have coordinated and implemented MBK programming at Salmon River. Herne and Loran will mentor Back and Hasty through their senior year and completion of the program.

To learn more about the My Brother’s Keeper program, visit the New York State Education Department website.