Native Vision Year-Round Program

Native Vision has expanded its reach this year to develop year-round programming in three tribal communities.  The communities include White Mountain Apache, Southwest Pueblos, and Haudensaunee Nation.  Native Vision's year-round programs have been designed to promote four major areas of well being for Native children and families; 1) Healthy Minds, 2) Healthy Bodies, 3) Healthy Families, and 4) Healthy Communities.  Each program area involves a variety of school, community and home-based outreach.  A description of each program arm is provided below.

Healthy Minds:  The goal of "Healthy Minds" is to promote children's intellectual development and educational achievement.  Healthy Minds activities include:

• workshops to train American Indian youth and teachers to design media campaigns that promote wellness and decrease high risk behaviors of Native student populations across the country;
• a tutoring program to assist at risk youth to successful bridge the transition from middle to high school; and
• arts and crafts projects with elders to promote self-expression and cultural pride.

Healthy Bodies:  The goal of "Healthy Bodies" is to increase levels of fitness for children with the aim of reducing high rates of diabetes and obesity.  Strategies for achieving this goal include:

• structured in-school and after-school recreation programs tha ttrack children's levels of fitness and changes in Body-Mass Index (BMI).  Specific emphasis has been on developing, implementing and evaluating a 10-week experiential running curriculum spanning topics from running techniques, nutrition, history or running in native communities, traditional foods and other life skills topics;
• semi-annual mini-camps conducted at each site highlighting two sports and integrating various life skills workshops at each camp;
• recreational sports leagues to help kids get fit and stay out of trouble on week ends and in non school hours; and
• fitness programming for adults, including specific classes for elders.

Healthy Families:  The goal of Healthy Families is to strengthen vulnerable families and improve health and life outcomes for young American Indian parents and their children.  Current strategies include:

• media campaigns to promote positive parenting; and
• relationship building and life skills workshops conducted at Family Institutes for high school teens.

Healthy Communities:  The goal of Healthy Communities is to strengthen American Indian Communities.  Strategies will include:

• traditional foods cooking classes that re-introduce and educate community members about traditional foods and how to prepare them;
• community gardens to grow and cultivate traditional crops; and
• environmental education and awareness projects to enhance the well being of the earth and ecosystem.