We’ll be hosting the final three events of our 2013 “College Night” program in the coming weeks. You won’t want to miss presentations from Germany’s University of Koblenz-Landau on April 24 and the University of Michigan on May 15.
We’ll also be offering a “Regional College Night” on May 1. Staffers Kellie Jewett, Anthony Potter, Tammy Eagle Hunter and April Bachman will be sharing their experiences, their perspectives on higher education and information about such hot topics as the application process, financial aid and scholarships. Featured institutions will include United Tribes Technical Colleges in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota.
“All four staff members grew up here on Cheyenne River, so we think they’ll be able to offer valuable insights to our young people,” said Megan Guiliano, CRYP’s youth programs director.
The free evening program takes place at 5-6 p.m. in the Cokata Wiconi teen center’s Keya Cafe. CRYP staff is encouraging Cheyenne River middle- and high-school students to bring their parents and other family members.
The nearly 25-year-old, not-for-profit youth organization started hosting College Nights in 2007. The program allows 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 seventh year, College Nights are still a mainstay of the spring calendar at Cokata Wiconi.
“The College Night program has given us a wonderful opportunity to work more closely with Cheyenne River’s schools and other community organizations that support our local youth,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “We’re all eager to expose our kids to the many options that are available to them after high school. Through College Night, the teens get to learn more about different colleges and universities, they can ask questions about the issues that concern them, and their families learn more about how to best support them as they embark on the application process and eventually leave home.”
She also observed that the College Night program gives visiting volunteer groups an opportunity to serve as goodwill ambassadors for their schools — and learn more about reservation life and Lakota culture in the process.
“At CRYP, we’ve always believed in the power of our project as an exchange program,” Garreau explained. “Our volunteers have as much to take away from their experiences here as our young people do.”
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 deciding which college or university is the right fit, 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. “We believe that exposing children to the realities and benefits of higher education early can have a powerful impact,” Garreau commented. “That’s why we have our Main University program for the young children who attend The Main youth center. Once those kids hit 11 or 12 years old, however, we need to do something else to inspire them. College Night does a great job.”
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 organize special activities for 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 an important part of CRYP,” Garreau said, “and we are so grateful for their help. With a small staff and limited resources, we really depend on our volunteers.” In return for their 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.
“Again, the Alternative Spring Break program — and volunteering with CRYP in general — really is a cultural and educational exchange,” Garreau explained. “When the volunteers and kids spend time together, their interaction becomes a major step toward mutual understanding — and, more importantly, toward reconciliation.”