LITTLE BOSTON — The release of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s 2005 annual report showed in numbers that the tribe is improving and where the money was going. But it’s difficult to give an accurate indication of how well the tribe is doing culturally through statistics.

The largest project the tribe is working on, said Tribal Special Projects Director Greg Anderson, is the new Little Boston Library, which will be finished in 2007 and complete the House of Knowledge complex. With that in the works, the tribe’s budget committee will meet in September to review annual funds and discuss potential projects.

One proposal that is in the works is creating a system of trails throughout the S’Klallam reservation, Anderson said.

“There are no sidewalks available,” he said. “The idea is to create a trail system that will connect all the areas of the tribe together. It will be a place to exercise and a safe way to get around for people who live on the reservation.”

The projects aim to improve the community, but there are already several programs in place that are supporting traditional tribal values.

“The tribe has seen a massive improvement, particularly because of education that has been gained,” Anderson said. “As the educational levels have come up, the tribe has expanded services, employment has expanded. That makes a big big difference in the way people in the tribe act.”

The Port Gamble S’Klallam became self-governing in 1992, Anderson said, and took over many operations that had been run by state and federal offices. This allowed the tribe to focus on programs that supported issues its members believed to be important, among them was education.

The tribe now provides a myriad of educational programs that promote learning at all levels.

“An additional goal for the tribe is working to educate all tribal members so they can better help the community,” said Tribal Career and Education Director Jill Metcalf.

She said the college programs offered by the tribe — a two-year degree through Northwest Indian College and a four-year degree offered by The Evergreen State College — have been very popular with tribal members. There are currently 70 students enrolled in the two-year program.

The tribe’s educational center also has Homework Club for grades first through sixth, summer school and tutoring opportunities for different ages, among other programs.

“We’re talking with Olympic College about a cultural program,” Metcalf said. “And we’re working with the school district to implement cultural based curriculum about our tribe.”

Another program that has a lot to do with children and culture that is thriving is the foster care program.

“Twenty-five years ago, we only had three homes on the reservation that were licensed foster homes,” said Marilyn Olson, tribal director for children and families. “Jolene Sullivan set up our program. Since January of 2005, we had 13 licensed families, and we were ready to license two more.”

The foster care program works hard to place children in homes that will keep them in the tribal culture, Olson said. Displaced children from the tribe need to stay in an environment that will nurture their traditional beliefs, and Olson said with the licensing of more families, that is becoming more and more possible.

“Most satisfying is the pride you see right here,” Anderson said. “You can’t measure that people are more interested in their culture. You have to see the change in attitude.”