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.

Inside Lacrosse podcast about NativeVision, featuring Martin Sheen

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Marlena Hammen, NativeVision Program Coordinator at mhammen@jhu.edu or 443-287-5167.