Siletz news /, December 01, 2000, Page 10, Image 10

TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Welcome to the
Prevention
Dimension
Shu’-yi’de-ghayt-nin’sh
Shu’-yi-de-ghayt-nin’sh means
We are getting well
Shu’ (sounds like “shoe”)
yi (“i” is a long “a” sound)
de (short “e” like in “den”)
ghayt (sounds like “kite”)
nin’sh (long “e”)
The articles and information you see
here are offered as a way to increase
communication and share information,
knowledge, and humor. We welcome
questions, suggestions, and artwork from
youth age 12 to 17.
Please contact Lisa Brown at
1 -800-922-1399, ext. 238, or 541 -444-8238
to turn in articles or information that may
be printed in an upcoming issue of Siletz
News. You also may e-mail documents of
interest to lisab@ctsi.nsn.us.
MC Lyte Rocks
Coliseum in Portland
Nov. 8, 2000, marked another day in
history for The Girls Initiative. The United
Girls Summit hit Portland, Ore., in a big way,
leaving many teen-agers excited and full of
hope and energy.
The community-based coalition of
girls, young women, and their supporters
united in creating social change through
advocacy, education, and activism. They
provide opportunities for girls to grow
personally while learning how to become
activists, educators, and most importantly,
their own advocates.
The Girls Initiative Network provides
positive social outlets to escape social ills
that are pervasive in our society. It was a
fantastic turnout, with special guest MC Lyte
sharing thoughts on how to focus on your
dreams and make them a reality. She also
spoke about knowing your potential and
always doing more than what is required in
class or on a job because you never know
how it may affect your next phase in life.
MC Lyte spoke about how important
the choice is of what music we choose to
10
(L to r back row) Jill Dale, Courtney Gorham, Jamie Zuber,
(I to r front row) Angel Gorham, Jasmyn Whitehead, and Brittney Payne
enjoy The Girls Summit in Portland in November.
listen to. “Your body is a temple. You wouldn’t
put bad food into your body, would you?”
she asked the group of 1,000 young ladies.
“If you put bad food in your body, you would
become ill.”
Audience members asked her to
comment on relationships. She said, “None
of you out there should even be thinking
about love at this time. If some guy comes
up to you, tell him to go out into the world
and come back when he has something to
offer you, such as an education, a career,
and the experience to make good
decisions.” She stressed the importance of
education, family, and role models.
The event was a very uplifting
experience for the eight youth and three
adults who attended the summit. Originally,
19 girls signed up to attend. Unfortunately,
the 6 a.m. departure time reduced the
number to eight determined young ladies.
Special thanks to chaperones Lynn
Whitlow of Siletz School (LCSD) and Jill
Dale of the Lincoln County Commission on
Children and Families (LCCF), who paid for
the mileage to transport youth. Thanks to a
generous personal donation from Siletz
School Principal Jess Kennison, we had a
wonderful dinner before returning home.
Also, special thanks to the State Incentives
Cooperative (SICA) grant that the Siletz
Tribe received from the Office of Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Programs (OADAP), which has
been used to build partnerships. This
funding has allowed the opportunity to
collaborate with resources such as LCSD,
LCCF, and SICA, which makes these
activities possible for community members.
The United Girls Summit was
sponsored in part by local hit radio station
Jammin’ 95. The summit attracted more
than 1,000 young women destined to move
their futures in an upwardly positive fashion.