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 Lakhotiya Skinciyapi mentoring program, through connecting elementary kids with high schoolers through sports and Lakota language, increases physical activity and improves self-identity.
Our Bells and Shawls program is a space for youth and families to come practice their dancing and singing skills or come to learn.
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 in selected career tracks such as community design and architecture, communications & marketing, food sovereignty, project management, and lakota montessori childcare, to name a few.
Middle School Lifeways Camp is a multi-day program in which middle school youth and adult and teen mentors learn about traditional Lakota ways of being and visit the sacred sites.
The WWHY Girl Society is a place for girls to meet regularly to strengthen their identity, while empowering and educating our girls. The Girl Society provides mentorship and prepares girls for life challenges and traditional Lakota womanhood ceremonies.
Youth Leadership team
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Aimee Pond
Youth Leadership Development Director
aimee@thundervalley.org -
Kellee Brewer
Youth Leadership Development Co-Director
kellee@thundervalley.org -
Leannah Vitalis
Youth & Family Specialist