Middle School
Youth Retreat
By Willie Mcrckr
Relationships, responsibilities, and money were some
of the topics 13 middle school students thought were
important in their lives and discussed at a retreat held
November 15-17, 1991 in Lincoln City.
The students talked about different types of relation
ships such as friendships, family, and boygirl relation
ships. How responsibilities affect middle school youth
lives was also talked about, and what some of their
Youth Council Coordinator
Has High Hopes-
By Willie Merrier
Camille Van Vleet, the youth council coordinator, is
also the alcohol and drug educationprevention coun
selor for the tribe.
She has been with the tribe for almost a year. She
attended Western Oregon State College and Chemeketa
Community College to study alcohol and drug issues.
She's had training in alcoholism, children of alcoholics,
adult children of alcoholics, the family unit and family
addiction. She has been doing prevention workshops on
AIDS, and drug and alcohol abuse; including their
impacts on the physical, social, mental, emotional, and
spiritual effects on people.
Camille works in both the community and the schools.
She provides services in eight counties with emphasis in
responsibilities are, such as chores and homework.
Money was another issue the students thought was
important. They talked about allowances, jobs, and how
they spend their money.
They talked about AIDS, and other sexually transmit
ted diseases, how to prevent them, who they effect, how
they affect Native Americans, and how the number of
infected Native Americans changed from just a couple
of years ago.
They talked about the impact of alcohol and drugs in
families, who they affect, what harm they can do, how to
cope with alcoholism, about not hiding your feelings
from the alcoholic, and to seek support.
On Sunday, the middle school students hiked on Cape
Lookout.
Baby Fair
the Willamina and Grand Ronde area. She likes working
with the youth the best.
As a result of her interest in working with youth,
Camille started the tribal youth council last year when '
she began as the prevention counselor. She started the
council by contacting a man in Oklahoma who gave her
input about the youth council by-laws and working with
Native American youth. She also learned from other
groups around the state and the local youth. The council
is for youth in the community to have their own group
connected to the tribe and to have things to do that will
not be related to drugs or alcohol.
In the future, she would like the council to have high
school youth from other communities participate in the
council. She would like to see the council accomplish
their own planned activities, such as skate parties and
the upcoming bowl-a-thon. Camille hopes the council
will be better established before getting more involved
in community activities. Besides, the youth group she is
also planning some prevention and education assem
blies on drugs and alcohol. She plans to visit not only
local schools but schools in other areas too. To contact
Camille for more information about prevention educa
tion call 879-5211 or 1-800-422-0232.
Opportunity knocks at
UC Berkeley
The American Indian Graduate Program at the
University of California at Berkeley is recruiting
American Indian and Alaska Native students.
"Increasing numbers of Indians are seeking graduate
and professional degrees beyond their B A. or B.S. as
the demand for advanced training becomes a reality
among Indian communities," according to program
director, Felicia Hodge.
The UC Berkeley program has recently celebrated 20
years and has assisted over 200 Indian graduates. The
Berkeley program actively recruits students into such
professional schools as public health, social welfare, and
business administration. There are several other
professional and academic degree programs leading to a
masters or doctorate.
"Several of our alumni have returned to school to
obtain an advanced degree such as a doctorate or
medical degree," reports Dr. Hodge. "The program
provides counseling and strong retention activities which
support students. Special grants are also available to
Indian students working toward a master of Public
Health or Social Welfare, as well as many other profes
sional areas."
Indian graduates from Berkeley are sought by many
agencies serving Indian people. For example, more than
80 percent of the graduates in the Public Health Pro
gram have received mid-level and upper management
jobs within the Indian Health Service during the last
twenty years.
Scholarships for 1992 year
The Native American Scholarship Fund (NASF)
announced today that it will have over $300,000 in
scholarship funds to award in 1991-92. It has awarded
$95,750 in the Fall of 1991, and will have more than
$200,000 to use for scholarship awards in Spring semes
ter and WinterSpring Quarters. Applications are being
accepted all year,.
Any enrolled member of a federally-recognized tribe is
eligible to apply for scholarship assistance, according to
NASF President Dr. Dean Chavers. Some 46 students
are on scholarship for the Fall of 1991.
"Because of a bequest in a will, and some large
donations from some of our 3,500 donors, we have
substantially more scholarship funds this year than last
year," Dr. Chavers stated. "Also, we have some fairly
large foundation and corporate grants for scholarships."
The priorities of the Fund are math, engineering, -
science, business, education, and computers. Both
graduates and undergraduates may apply for scholarship
funds. They should he high performing students with a
desire for service to Indian tribes upon graduation.
The NASF is located at 3620 Wyoming Blvd N.E.,
Suite 206; Albuquerque, NM or call at (505) 275-9788.
NAJA 1992 High School
Writing Contest
The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA)
is inviting Native American high school students to
submit their writing in the Third Annual Project Phoe
nix Writing Competition.
The contest is part of NAJA's Project Phoenix, a
program designed to encourage American Indian and
Alaska Native high school students to explore journal
ism as a potential and rewarding career. The project is
named after the first Native newspaper, Vie Cherokee
Phoenix, published in 1828 in New Echota, Georgia.
The writing contest is divided into the following
categories: news writing, columneditorial writing,
feature writing, and sports writing. First place winners in
each category will receive $100 and a plaque. Second
and third place winners will receive plaques.
The competition is open to any Native American or
Alaska Native high school student. Deadline for submis
sion is March 27, 1992. Winners will be announced in
May.
Articles must be submitted on 8 12" by 11" white
paper and must have been published in either a school
or community newspaper or newsletter in 1991 or 1992.
Students may enter all five categories, but only once in
each. Articles will not be returned.
Send entries to: Phoenix Competition, NAJA
Campus Box 287
Boulder, CO 80309
or call: (303)492-7397.
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For Tribal Children
from ages 0-5 and Their Parents
December 13, 1991
11:00am to 2:00 pm
Portland Impact
4707 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97215
Free Photos with Santa and Rudolph