Every year, NativeVision awards two $5,000 scholarships to outstanding Native American high school seniors with a commitment to education, athletics and leadership who are entering their first year of college in the Fall. Submit completed applications by May 28, 2021 at 5 p.m. (EST) to:
Marlena Hammen NativeVision Scholarship Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health 415 N. Washington Street, 4th Floor Baltimore, Maryland 21231 Telephone: 410-955-6931; Fax: 410-955-2010
NativeVision staff and coaches are producing videos to virtually engage youth. Mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health remain important -- follow along for weekly video updates!
Throughout high school, Joleece Pecore received top awards in Oneida and Ho-Chunk art shows, danced with troupes representing Ho-Chunk culture, and played multiple sports, including softball, basketball, and running with cross-country. Joleece helped with many community service activities in high school, including a public service announcement to help flatten the curve of COVID-19 within the Ho-Chunk community. Joleece plans to major in American Indian studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and hopes that through this degree path she can continue to uplift Native nations by respectfully showcasing honor and tradition.
Rylee Desautel
Rylee Desautel wants to double her impact to improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous communities by becoming a registered nurse, through courses at Columbia Basin College, and eventually working in physical therapy with her tribal community. A multi-sport athlete, Rylee gained many awards in basketball, volleyball, softball, and received All-State basketball recognition. Rylee also participated with Inchelium Tribal Youth council all four years of high school, alongside coaching youth in various sports and volunteer work through National Honor Society.
NativeVision
NativeVision is a unique national youth enrichment and empowerment initiative for Native American children, operated by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. Launched in 1996 in partnership with the NFL Players Association and the Nick Lowery Charitable Foundation, more than 40,000 Native youth and tribal community members from dozens of tribes across the country have been reached to date.
Native American youth living on reservations today suffer the poorest health, socioeconomic and educational status of any racial or ethnic group in the country, with the highest rates of suicide, obesity, diabetes, high school dropout, substance abuse and poverty. NativeVision is a strengths-based program to overcome these challenges.
NativeVision began as a summer sports and life skills camp, bringing together Native youth with former college and professional athletes who volunteered as mentors and coaches. It has evolved into a comprehensive year-round program, including:
Six camps throughout the year, held during school breaks,
An in-school and after-school curriculum that promotes nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles and the pursuit of education through an activity-based, experiential curriculum, and
Community events promoting fitness and nutrition.
Local NativeVision project coordinators implement the year-round curriculum and community outreach, and partner with volunteer local and national coaches to lead the camps. The curriculum and program materials have been developed over many years by Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health in partnership with tribal communities. The curriculum materials and technical assistance are available for replication by other tribal communities and programs, with the overarching goal to strengthen and inspire the next generation of Native American leaders.
Kids' Dreams
NativeVision teens on the Navajo Nation share their vision for the future.
