LUMMI, Wash. – Plans are under way for construction of a new K-12 school and a new 196-acre campus for Northwest Indian College on the Lummi reservation.

The Lummi Nation received a $21 million grant for construction of the K-12 school. “We worked 10 years to obtain the grant,” said Aaron Thomas, Lummi public affairs director.

He said the school will consist of three buildings and will be open to Lummi and non-Lummi students. Thomas said the school expects 750 students.

The tribal council is expected to vote on the school design on April 7. The school name has not been chosen.

Currently, all 13 grades attend school in one building, which is considered an alternative school. Lummi students either attend school on the reservation or in Ferndale, a neighboring non-Lummi community.

The Lummi Nation has a young population. It has 4,500 enrolled members, of which 2,200 live on the reservation. The median age is 26.

Located on the northwest corner of Washington state, eight miles west of Bellingham, the nation occupies more than 12,500 acres of land on two peninsulas

Lummi is also working with University of Washington on the design of Northwest Indian College’s new campus. Lummi acquired the land for a new campus from the Henry Kwina Estate for $654,000.

Lummi had the property appraised for $458,000 and received a grant for that amount from the American Indian College Fund. But estate heirs negotiated a higher price equal to an additional $1,000 per acre, according to Squol Quol, the Lummi Nation newspaper. The Lummi Nation paid the difference between the appraised amount and the sales price.

Ultimately, the college will lease the site from the Lummi Nation.

Next is an environmental impact study.

Additional grant money received, according to Squol Quol: $800,000 for student housing, from the Federal Home Loan Bank; $1 million for student housing, from the Lummi Housing Authority; $669,000 for classrooms and offices, from the U.S. Department of Education; and $100,000 for infrastructure and fixtures, from the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Northwest Indian College is celebrating its 25th year. It was founded as the Lummi Indian School of Aquaculture, became Lummi Community College and then evolved into Northwest Indian College.

Correspondent Richard Walker reports from San Juan Island, Wash. Contact him at (360) 378-6289 or irishmex2000@yahoo.com