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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2018)
12 S moke S ignals MARCH 15, 2018 A time to learn, experience and share 16th annual Native Youth Wellness Day draws approximately 120 attendees By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer “The greatest gift we have re- ceived is that of life, but not all of what life gives to us we will see as great. However, anytime you have an opportunity to learn or create something new, it is a gift regardless.” That was the message that marked the 16th annual Native Youth Wellness Day held Friday, March 9, in the Tribal gym. Approximately 120 youth from Seattle to Burns attended the event, which concluded with an evening Round Dance and meal. Other highlights included team building, a hypnosis show and vari- ous motivational speakers from the Gresham-based Native Wellness Institute. Tribal Council member Kathleen George welcomed participants to Grand Ronde. “We are so pl ea sed to h a v e you here,” she said. “You honor us with your presence.” Other Tribal Council members in attendance in- cluded Brenda Tu- Caleb Gonzales (Cherokee), left, gets his hand omi and Secretary autographed by Isaiah Holmes during the Jon A. George. Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Native Youth Public Affairs Ad- ministrative Assis- Wellness Day held in the Tribal gym on Friday, March tant Chelsea Clark, 9. Under hypnotism, Gonzales thought that Holmes Youth Council Co- was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. ordinator Shannon Simi and Youth Prevention Activi- Robert Johnston, founding mem- ties Assistant Cristina Lara helped ber of the Native Wellness Institute organize and attended the event. and Native American speaker and JOIN US! 3.23.2018 College Campus Visit Explore campus. Get an idea what it would be like to be a student there. Consider different career paths. 2018 LINFIELD CAMPUS TOUR 9AM– 4PM WHO: All 6-12 grade Native youth. WHAT: Campus tour, then pizza & a movie WHEN: March 23, 2018 WHERE: Linfield College Permission slips can be found at Youth Ed. Contact Mercedes Jones for more information 503-879-2282 from the University of Ari- zona. “But on the other side of that was school,” she said. “I hated it. I still don’t like it to this day. One of the first questions the coach asked me was what my GPA was. I didn’t want to answer the question because at the time, it was only 1.8.” After being told getting her grades up was crucial to playing in college, Lopez was offered a scholarship to a private school to play high school softball. She took it, thinking the change would be beneficial. “I hated it,” she said. “I felt like a total outsider.” Lopez continued to excel at softball and received schol- arship offers from colleges across the country. In 10th Jackie Blackbird, a Native Wellness Institute grade, she was called to the board member, sits on Sedona Williams’ lap dean’s office and told she needed a different post-high as she thinks Williams is Santa Claus while school plan due to her poor under hypnotism during the Confederated grades. Tribes of Grand Ronde Native Youth “I transferred out,” Lopez Wellness Day held in the Tribal gym on said. “I wasn’t going to let Friday, March 9. A hypnotism show was part anyone tell me what I could of the day and Blackbird volunteered to be and could not do with my hypnotized. future.” By doubling up on classes at night school and attending morn- ing tutoring sessions, Lopez raised her grades and committed to play- ing for Oregon State University. “Freshman year was a real eye-opener,” she said. “I had a lot to learn and was still making bad coach, served as event master of decisions. … What I want to em- ceremonies. He invited youth to phasize today is the mental aspect come to the stage and lead the in- of being a student athlete.” vocation, explaining that it could be After two successful seasons anything from a prayer to a song. with the Beavers, Lopez tore her Gabriel Redtorishsuk of the shoulder. A week after the season, Standing Rock Sioux sang “Greet- she had surgery, followed by eight ing Our Grandfather” and Hoitema months of rehab. During the middle Talayumptewa of the Hopi Tribe of her junior year season, she tore said a prayer. her shoulder again. That meant a “The reason why I am here today second surgery and several more is to bring this idea of wellness and months of rehab. However, her re- share it with you,” Johnston said. covery was not progressing and she “Everything that was given to me was told by a doctor a third surgery was meant to go through me. I use meant being medically retired. it in my actions, my words and my “I was crushed, crying and in a teachings. That is what wellness is dark place,” Lopez said. “I had to all about.” deal with a lot growing up, but the Oregon State University softball thing I loved the most, that I was player Lovie Lopez (Wintu) talked the most passionate about, was to attendees about athletics and about to be taken from me and I leadership. thought there was nothing I could Despite being a Division One do about it.” athlete and a successful student, Then Lopez had a realization. Lopez said she didn’t always make She asked for a chance to play the best choices. left-handed. “I was a bad kid and making a lot “I want to be the best at every- of really bad decisions at a young thing I can do, so I accepted this age,” she said. “Softball was an challenge,” she said. “It has been a escape for me, a gateway that kept real struggle.” me out of real trouble.” Just a few days ago, she said she When she was 13, Lopez was told had a training breakthrough, which by a coach that she was a good play- has motivated her to keep moving er, but “a little small,” and would forward. have to work harder and be better “What happened in the past is than all of her teammates if she gone,” Lopez said. “What is in the was serious about competing at the future doesn’t exist yet. The only Division One collegiate level. thing I can control is right now, and “So I took it as a challenge and my attitude and efforts.” started training more and more,” The Native Youth Wellness Day she said. was sponsored by the Tribe’s Youth Less than a year later, Lopez Prevention Program. received her first scholarship offer