The phrase "Indian Education for All" doesn't mean much to Helena Middle School students Jayden Maharg and Rivers Anderson, but the concept of having all Montana students know something about American Indians does.

"It's part of Montana -- Native Americans," Anderson said.

Anderson and Maharg are among hundreds of students involved in a door-decorating contest throughout elementary and middle schools in the Helena School District.

The sixth-graders were putting final touches on the door of their classroom before judging begins this afternoon.

Using a blow dryer, rocks and some red tissue paper, they created a fire next to the door as part of a men's traditional dancing theme.

Maharg said he enjoys getting involved in school projects like decorationg the doors, and it's also a good opportunity to learn something important.

"So we know what other cultures are like," he said.

Kathleen Brown, one of the district's Indian education specialists, said having classes pick themes for their doors helps to instill a sense of community.

It works particularly well in the elementary grades, she said, where each class chose a clan and coinciding characteristics to decorate their doors.

The students get pencils with characteristics printed on them for which the students strive: respect, truth and responsibility.

The winning class at the middle-school level gets a pizza party and megaphones, also with the characteristics printed on them.

Brown said the school community at HMS really got excited about the project.

"This school (HMS) is very open to diversity," she said. "They really just embraced this idea."

As another part of a week at school focusing on Indian education, sixth-graders enjoyed a powwow Thursday afternoon, and Quincy Bjornberg was one of the dancers.

Bjornberg, a sophomore at Helena High School, is a dancer in the Old Medicine Singers and Dancers group, which hosted the powwow.

Bjornberg, a Chippewa Cree, is eager to share her culture with others.

"It's important (to share my culture) because we want to educate people about our culture and the dances, so they know we are more than just Indians," she said.

Bjornberg is one of the performers in the jingle dance, which is traditional performed as a healing dance for someone who is ill.

Brown said she hopes the project will give educators a reference point when teaching about American Indian culture.

"With visuals, they'll remember things a lot better," she said.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com