AUGUST 1, 2002
Smoke Signals 7
Tribal Youth Maintenance Crews Clean Up, Impress Residents
Lonnie Leno works with young people to get them ready for the real world.
By Peta Tinda
Since June 1, the sight of a white van with a
roof rack, Tribal logos and a trio of teenagers
spilling out the side have become familiar in
Grand Ronde.
The teens are part of the Grand Ronde Tribal
Summer Youth Employment Program. Lonnie
Leno, Tribal Maintenance Coordinator, super
vises the three youths working on the landscap
ing crew.
The aim of the program is to provide employ
ment experience to Tribal youth, along with a
sense of civic pride, in a positive, community ori
ented setting.
The three teens, Kevin Linton, Cedar Westley,
and Nathan Meuller, work four hours a day
from 8 a.m. until noon. Their tasks include mow
ing grass, pulling weeds and picking up trash.
It's all part of getting the kids ready for the
real world, said Leno.
"My goal is to get them used
to the idea of showing up,
putting in the hours, and
doing things responsibly,"
said Leno.
"And they've done really
well at everything. They get
experience using tools and
the other nice thing is that
they only work a half day, so
they get to have some time
in the afternoon," said Leno.
"I get a real sense of accom
plishment and I like to work
with my friends," said Cedar
Westley, sitting in the back of the van. "Pay
day is nice."
The Youth Crew can most often be seen
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Tribal youth
Kevin Linton
(top) and
Nathan
Mueller work
in the yards of
Grand Mead
ows. Both
work for the
Tribe's Sum
mer Youth
Employment
Program.
around the Grand Meadows, Tribal Buildings
and the Tribal Elders' Housing. Having them
work closely around the community is another
1 'jVi
of the program's goals.
"We work around the Elders a lot," said Leno.
"They get a lot of praise and comments from the
Elders, in a good way. That's important, that
the youth get connected with the Elders."
One Tribal Elder who has much praise for the
youth crew is Annabelle "Peachie" Hamm, who
lives in Grand Meadows. The team came and
cleaned her yard and made a very good impres
sion while doing so.
"I was so impressed with the young people.
They were so respectful. And I was amazed at
what a good job they did," said Hamm. "They
did a better job on my yard than any of the
grown up crews and they were just young kids.
They took care of my yard, pulled all of the weeds
and did anything you wanted them to do. And
then one came up and asked 'Is there something
else I can do?' I was really impressed. That was
really respectful of our Elders," said Hamm.
Leno and his crew no doubt appreciate such
compliments.
The main emphasis of the program, said Leno,
is being respectful, responsible and doing a thor
ough job.
"If there was one thing I would want these
guys to take from this it would be to do good job
and do it right the first time," said Leno.
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New Education facility will be home to all Tribal Education programs.
By Ron Karten
Boxes weren't yet unpacked, a copy machine
wasn't yet placed or plugged in and the basket
ball half court was little more than a figment in
designers' imaginations when we tracked down
Tribal member Lisa Leno, Youth Education
Supervisor and her team.
After years in the old Riley Porter House, the
new operation finally offers the kids a separa
tion between recreation and study spaces. Two
computers at the Riley Porter House are ex
panding to five in the new space. A large multi
purpose room
will have a
pool table, a
television, a
small workout
room and
plenty of space
for after-school
tutoring, cul-
"This way you don't lose kids in transition,"
said Leno.
Tribal member Chris Bailey, Youth Education
Secretary, likes the feel of the new place.
"It's nice for the program," said Bailey.
Youth Education Specialist Richard Sohappy,
said the new facility has "more to offer," and it
certainly doesn't hurt that he has an office of
his own here.
Cultural Specialist Dustin Harmon, like
Sohappy, spends most of his time working in the
tural and leadership events. Outside will be
that half basketball court, a barbeque pit, and
a peaceful setting.
Though there is good reason for separating
recreation and education in the new facility, the
Youth Education Center also makes some im
portant new connections.
"Before, we were really separated," said Leno,
referring to the pre-school, youth and adult edu
cation components. Now, the three education
components are separate, but part of the same
complex.
"I like the (new) connections," she said.
These connections make it easy for staff and
students from Youth Education to become fa
miliar faces at the pre-school and adult educa
tion centers and that makes it easier for pre
schoolers to transition upward and for high
schoolers to make the move to the adult center.
schools, where he tutors kids and helps them set
up their educational goals. While his and
Sohappy's titles may be different, he said they
work together for the benefit of Tribal students.
And Leno credits the full-time staff attendance
in schools, starting three years ago, for the
strides Tribal students are making.
"Having staff at the school full-time, we've seen
such an increase in attendance," she said. "They
(Tribal youth) need support systems and they
need advocates. Sometimes, it just takes get
ting shot down once in sixth grade and a kid
never recovers. But when we can be at a meet
ing with a student and a teacher and act as a
bridge that can make a difference. And then,
we teach them how to be their own advocates."
The result of all this work, she said, is that the
drop out rate has gone down.
"This will be a home base for them," said Leno.
"Everything we planned for the building, we did
for the kids what they wanted, what they
needed. It's a beautiful building, and it's all their
own.
"This will be a home base for them. Everything
-L t J V V" r- we planned for the building, we did for the kids
i'il ( .V jjwBP what they wanted, what they needed. It's a
Z Ctjf 11 - beautiful building, and it's all their own."
O? ("(Vf Lisa Leno
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"Moving Up" - Youth Education staff Richard
"Bubba"SoHappy (left), Chris Bailey (middle) and Dustin
Harmon strike a pose in front of the new euducation
building where the Youth Education is now housed.