Schedule Includes Main University, Basketball Tournaments, Movie Nights, Field Trips, Wellness Activities,“Thanks for Kids” Dinner, Christmas Craft Fair and Holiday Parties
Although its staff and volunteers are hard at work on this year’s Christmas Toy Drive, the Cheyenne River Youth Project® is making sure that the young people who attend its two youth centers have plenty to do throughout November and December. The calendar is overflowing with youth programming and a series of special events.
The nearly 25-year-old, not-for-profit organization launched its winter season with a bang on Saturday, November 3. That day, more than 75 teenagers and their enthusiastic family members converged on the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center for a 5-on-5 basketball tournament, a video game tourney, a trivia game show, snacks, lunch, dinner and a movie. All youth events were free.
“After kicking off our winter season like that, we need to keep the energy high through the end of the year,” said Megan Guiliano, CRYP’s youth programs director. “With a little creativity and the help of our amazing volunteers, I think we’ve come up with a youth programming schedule that’s going to keep our teens and younger kids really excited.”
On Friday, November 9, The Main youth center hosted a Movie Night for the 4- to 12-year-olds. “The Adventures of Tin Tin” began at 6 p.m., complete with refreshments.
“Movie Nights are always free, and we’re hoping to do more of them at both centers throughout the winter months,” Guiliano said. “With the assistance of a USDA Rural Development Community Facilities grant, we were able to purchase a movie screen and theater-grade projector and sound system this year, which gives our kids a real theater experience.”
But that’s not it for movie fun. Teens participating in the new “Book2Movie Club” will enjoy a trip to Pierre on Saturday, November 17, to see “Breaking Dawn, Part 2” in the theater during its opening weekend.
Guiliano said she hopes teens will keep that weekend free, even if they’re not part of the Book2Movie group. On Friday, November 16, Indian Country Today will be on the CRYP campus for an evening devoted to wellness.
“At 4:30 p.m., we’re going to host a suicide prevention talk for teens, followed by a healthy meal at 6 p.m.,” she explained. “After supper, we’re going to have a special circuit training session for teens in our new Fitness Center. We’re encouraging our teen participants to get their waivers signed so they can use this state-of-the-art facility; the 16th will be a good opportunity to get acquainted with the equipment.”
Next, on Monday, November 19, staff members, volunteers and teens will hit the Cokata Wiconi courts for a basketball tournament. Guiliano said she expects a lively evening, as an all-boys volunteer group from Marquette University High School in Wisconsin will be on hand to share in the fun.
The final event for November will be a special “Thanks for Kids” dinner on Tuesday, November 20 at 6-7:30 p.m in the teen center’s Keya Cafe. It will be open free to the public, and the Marquette University High School students will assist with food preparation and meal service.
“We want to take the opportunity to celebrate what we’re most thankful for — our children,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “This is our way of letting the kids, and their families, know how important they are to us and to the whole Cheyenne River community.”
Kicking off December will be Main University’s graduation ceremony, scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 1. Main University is one of CRYP’s most popular and enduring programs, and during this semester, children ages 4 to 12 have been able to participate in eight exciting classes: The Art of Imagination, Beyond Your Back Door, Cooking & Nutrition 101, Backpacking Through Europe, Mythology, Acting Accents & Improv, Roomba Zumba Fitness and Lakota Culture.
This year, for the first time, CRYP staff decided to separate the children into groups by age range.
“We began separating them in the second week,” Guiliano reported. “The 4- to 6-year-olds participate in age-appropriate activities, while the 7- to 12-year-olds attend one of the two Main University classes offered that day.
“We call the younger kids ‘The Eagles,’ and the older kids ‘The Buffalo,’” she continued. “The separation has worked really well, because it’s understandably difficult for a 12-year-old and a 4-year-old to participate in the same class.”
The next day, on Sunday, December 2, CRYP will host its annual Christmas Craft Fair at Cokata Wiconi from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Later that week, the younger children will enjoy a Charlie Brown-themed Christmas party at The Main from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 6. On Friday, December 7, the teens will have their turn, attending a “Nightmare Before Christmas” party at Cokata Wiconi from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
It’s not all about the holidays in December, however. November was NaNoWriMo — also known as National Novel Writing Month — and CRYP wants to celebrate the accomplishments of Cheyenne River’s youth writers.
“During NaNoWriMo, people from all over the world attempt to write a novel in one month,” Guiliano explained. “Youth under the age of 18 can set their word goal at the beginning of the month, and if they reach it, they receive five published copies of their work. As a reward for our NaNoWriMo writers, we’re going to take them on an all-day trip to Rapid City on Saturday, December 8.”
At last, after the Rapid City trip, CRYP will suspend youth programming until January 2 so staff and volunteers can focus all their attention on the Christmas Toy Drive… sorting, wrapping and distributing thousands of gifts to roughly 1,200 children across the Cheyenne River reservation.
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.