On Wednesday, February 29, the Cheyenne River Youth Project® in Eagle Butte will kick off its 2012 “College Night” program with a presentation from the University of Michigan Law School. The free evening program will take place at 5-7 p.m. in the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center’s Internet Cafe, and Cheyenne River youth are encouraged to bring their parents and other family members.
CRYP started the program in 2007, allowing visiting “Alternative Spring Break” volunteer groups from schools around the country to help educate local teens about applying for and attending college. Now in its sixth year, College Nights remain wildly popular events on the spring calendar.
“Since Day 1, the Cheyenne River community has strongly supported College Night events at our campus,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “The kids get to ask questions about issues that concern them, and their family members learn more about how to support them as they embark on the application process.
“Everyone seems excited to interact with the visiting students, who essentially serve as goodwill ambassadors for their schools,” she continued.
During its visit, each ASB volunteer group makes an evening “College Night” presentation about its school and about college life to Cheyenne River’s middle- and high-school children. The presentation includes information about the application process, degree programs, financial aid and social activities; a lengthy question-and-answer session; and distribution of college literature that guests may take home with them.
In addition to the University of Michigan Law School, this spring’s ASB and College Night calendar includes visits from Viterbo University, Creighton University, Iowa State University, Dartmouth College, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Michigan and Northern Kentucky University. All College Nights will take place on Wednesday evenings at 5-7 p.m. in the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center’s Internet Cafe (see sidebar).
“We’re delighted to welcome back Northwestern University’s medical school, and we’re thrilled that we’ll be hosting the University of Michigan’s law school,” Garreau said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our kids to learn more about pursuing careers in medicine and law, which require so much advanced education. Our guests are able to show them the path to making those dreams come true.”
Garreau said middle school students also are welcome to attend College Night events with their families, as many tweens already have their sights set on higher education. In addition, students from schools in other communities are encouraged to attend.
“This is a remote area of South Dakota,” she said simply. “There aren’t many chances to learn about these nationally recognized schools in an environment where the kids can ask questions and learn from students who currently attend those schools. And it’s a great mix, with public and private institutions, and both undergraduate and graduate students, represented throughout the spring season.”
While the College Night program is relatively new, the youth project has enlisted the volunteer support of ASB programs around the country for years, hosting each student group for a week. The volunteers spend time with the children at The Main Youth Center and Cokata Wiconi Teen Center; help clean and repair facilities and equipment at the CRYP campus; prepare the 2-acre, naturally grown Winyan Toka Win Garden for planting; conduct creative — and frequently entertaining — local fundraisers; and much more.
“The ASB groups have really become part of the yearly rhythm here,” Garreau said. “They’re an important part of our team, and we are so grateful for their help and support. Given the economic challenges that not-for-profit organizations continue to face, we depend on our volunteers.”
In return for their valuable service, the volunteering students have opportunities to experience Lakota culture through activities at both youth centers, lunches at the Cheyenne River Elderly Nutrition Center, guest speakers and other special events.
“This really is a cultural and educational exchange program,” Garreau explained. “When the volunteers and kids spend time together, their interaction becomes a major step toward mutual understanding — and, more importantly, toward reconciliation.”
Although they may not yet be ready to think about college, young children attending The Main Youth Center also look forward to the Alternative Spring Break season.
“The group volunteers bring tremendous creativity to our project, and they teach our children so much about the world around them through the richness of their own unique experiences,” she said. “We all look forward to springtime, because with the spring breakers comes a surge of very special energy that gives everyone a boost as we move forward into the busy summer season.”
To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project® and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visitwww.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, visit the youth project’s Facebook “Cause” page. All Cause members will receive regular updates through Facebook.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project®, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.
Upcoming College Nights at Cokata Wiconi
February 29 – University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, MI
March 7 – Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI
March 7 – Creighton University, Omaha, NE
March 14 – Iowa State University, Ames, IA
March 21 – Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
March 28 – Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Evanston, IL
April 4 – University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
May 9 – University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
May 16 – Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY
* All College Night programs take place from 5-7pm in the COkta Wiconi Internet Cafe