A hardscrabble childhood didn’t “harden” Erika Torres-Hernandez, but it did sharpen the Chippewa-Cree tribe member’s resolve to achieve her goals and give back. A recipient of a Toyota Tribal College Scholarship, Torres-Hernandez studies math at a tribal college in Rocky Boy, Mont. Once the 3.7-GPA student earns her four-year degree from a university, she plans to return to the reservation to teach high school.




