Lakota YouthStay is the newest addition to One Spirit's Youth Initiative umbrella and we couldn't be happier to celebrate our first summer together! In July, 7 kids from Pine Ridge travelled to the Greater Boston Area for 9 days of summer fun, learning about oneself and the world around us, making new friends and sharing cross-cultural experiences.
The youth had the opportunity to experience the ocean with a day at the beach and Spectacle Island, explore a tidal pool, attend the Mashpee Wampanoag annual pow wow, tour Tufts University, visit New England Aquarium, see a Red Sox game at Fenway Park and get creative with photography, arts and crafts, and sculpture workshops!
Here are a few of the things that they had to say:
"I learned I want to be a person that dives under the ocean!"
"I made new friends and want to stay in touch with them"
"Going to the Red Sox game was the best!"
"The experience made me want to travel more"
"Touring Tufts was awesome and I'm thinking of going there"
Lakota YouthStay participants stay with local host families that generously volunteer their time and dedication to supporting these Lakota youth as they embark on an incredible adventure! By visiting new places like museums, beaches, workshops, and art classes, these kids are able to gain a wider perspective and learn about themselves and the world around them. While we hate to say goodbye at the end of the trip, we are so proud to see the new-found confidence and excitement they have for their futures!
Lakota YouthStay depends on the generosity of supporters like you to provide a life-changing educational and cultural experience for Native youth from the Pine Ridge Reservation, one of the most economically challenged communities in the United States.
By supporting Lakota YouthStay, you directly empower these young people to envision a brighter future.
To learn more about Lakota YouthStay and make a donation to support this program, you can visit https://lakotayouthstay.org/
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