Youth Leadership
Our youth are the future of our Nation. Through our Youth Leadership Development Initiative, the Thunder Valley team works to create a program of activities that are culturally-rooted, tend to our physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing and ensure access to a wide range of opportunities for our youth.
This initiative offers many different programs throughout the year to help grow and guide our youth, including:
The Summer Youth Leadership Academy is a program for high school students to build upon their leadership skills and critical thinking. The Summer Youth Internship Program gives our youth access to valuable job skills selected in, communications & marketing, food sovereignty, media & art, and traditional activities such as archery, plant harvesting, and beading to name a few.
Youth mentors learn about traditional Lakota ways of being and visit the sacred sites.
Girl & Boy Societies is a place for the youth to meet regularly to strengthen their identity, while empowering and educating our girls and boys. The Girl’s and Boy’s Societies provide mentorship and prepare our young people for life challenges and traditional Lakota Coming of Age ceremonies.
