EAGLE BUTTE, SD (January 23, 2012) — The new year is off to a busy start for the teenagers who participate in the Cheyenne River Youth Project®’s “Youth Leaders in Service” (YLS) program. On January 3, the teens were already planning their first 2012 project, Random Acts of Kindness; and the very next day, they distributed that kindness around the community.
“At our planning meeting, we discussed what it means to provide someone with a random act of kindness, a small idea that can have a large impact,” said Camille LaPlante, CRYP’s youth programs assistant and YLS coordinator. “The teens came up with their own interpretations of what that kindness would look like — spring cleaning, which would include mowing grass, garden prep and cleaning up yards; finding homes for stray dogs and providing grooming services; and picking up trash around the reservation.”
For this first distribution of Random Acts of Kindness, the young people assembled more than 100 goodie bags. Then, on January 4, they shared those goodie bags with local businesses and passers-by they met on the street. The YLS participants visited Eagle Stop, Lakota Thrifty Mart, Rosie’s Closet and the neighboring automotive shop, the WIC office, Indian Health Services and the Four Bands Healing Center.
After the distribution, the teens shared their news and photos on the YLS blog at http://cheyenneriveryouthleaders.wordpress.com/.
At the YLS program’s January 17 meeting, LaPlante and the teens began planning the January Birthday Party at The Main. Scheduled for 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, this event will allow all children with January birthdays to celebrate with decorations, cake, gifts and games.
“We’re going to do panda-themed games in the Cokata Wiconi gymnasium, including panda races, freeze tag and zombies-versus-pandas,” LaPlante said. “The teens also will create activities for The Main’s activity room, such as panda bowling, limbo with a bamboo stick, pin the puff on the panda and even a panda look-alike contest in which the volunteers dress up the little kids as pandas with ears, face paint and special shirts.”
“We’re encouraging families to attend the birthday party, as it coincides with our new Family Day program at the Main,” Guiliano added. “Every Thursday, we’re inviting family members to come spend some time with their
kids at our youth center.”
YLS participant Joseph White Eyes will design the birthday cake, and the entire YLS crew will craft the decorations — painted-trashbag giant pandas, and a giant bamboo forest. The teens will work on the project every day this week to be ready for the Thursday event.
According to Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director, every YLS project teaches teens to practice traditional Lakota values.
“All of our activities demonstrate some combination of bravery, fortitude, generosity and wisdom,” she explained. “When the teens designed and painted trash cans to place around the city of Eagle Butte, they were showing respect for Mother Earth and generosity with their talents. When they presented our veterans on Veteran’s Day with special thank-you notes and care packages, they were loving, respecting and honoring those who served with such courage; and with the Random Acts of Kindness and The Main’s birthday party, they are again demonstrating generosity — with their time and their talents.
“It’s so important to have our traditional Lakota values present in all that we do,” she concluded. “We want to show our teens how they can incorporate those values into every aspect of their lives.”
A year ago, the youth project received an important Learn and Serve America grant to implement YLS, which enables area youth to develop service projects in their local community. The Corporation for National and Community Service and Hopa Mountain, a Bozeman-based not-for-profit organization, provided funding for the grant.
For those who are interested in participating, CRYP hosts weekly YLS meetings on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center.
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 visit www.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.