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CENTERVILLE- Centerville Public School gave their elementary students a first-hand look at the Native American culture on Thursday as part of National American Indian Heritage Week.

Kenneth "Tuffy" Helgeson, a Nakoda language teacher, introduced the students to traditional Native games and plenty of outdoor activities.

Fifth-grade student Shaylyn Dilley said, "Out here you get to actually meet the people, in the classroom you just learn about them instead."

"The more the cultures understand one another, the better Montana, and the better the United States, is going to be," Helgeson noted.

"The authenticity to me is where it's all at. We could read the book, and the teachers could read the games..but when you have somebody, the Native American person, they're playing a game and they know the background of why the Indians played that game," Activities Day coordinator Sue Lorang explained.