Native American cadets discover they belong to the same nation in history class
In history class, two Marine Military Academy cadets discovered they not only share Native American roots, but they actually belong to the same nation!
Juniors Cameron Rush of Bakersfield, Calif., and Anthony Wulfkuhle of Glendale, Ariz., both met for the first time in August in their U.S. History class. It was during a lesson on Native Americans that the teenagers learned about their connection to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Shawnee, Okla.
According to Wulfkuhle, their history teacher Randall Hill was telling the class how he was a Native American originally from Pottawatomie County in Oklahoma.
“I told my teacher: That’s the county of my tribe. I’m Potawatomi,” Wulfkuhle said. “Then Rush said, ‘I am, too!’”
Though no one doubted the boys, Rush and Wulfkuhle gladly proved their Potawatomi ancestry.
“A few days later, we both brought our Potawatomi IDs to class,” Rush said. “It was pretty cool.”
Rush is the son of Jennifer Betti of Bakersfield, Calif., and Brent Rush of Edmond, Okla. His Potawatomi lineage comes from his father’s side.
Wulfkuhle is the grandson of Somporn and Joseph Wulfkuhle of Glendale, Ariz. His Potawatomi lineage also comes from his father’s side.
Both young men have proven to be exemplary cadets at MMA. Wulfkuhle, a first-year cadet, was already named the September 2016 Cadet of the Month for Echo Company. Rush, a third-year cadet, was named the September 2015 Cadet of the Month for Fox Company.
(Left to right) Marine Military Academy juniors Cameron Rush of Bakersfield, Calif., and Anthony Wulfkuhle of Glendale, Ariz., are both tribal members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
