Healthy Native Youth monthly e-Newsletter

August 2024

Back-to-School

Getting Ready for a New School Year

HNY Scavenger Hunt: Discovery Journey

The Healthy Native Youth collective met with native youth and caring adults this summer asking the following questions that produced honest, from the heart responses.

What are youth in your community struggling with the most?
What barriers/challenges are you experiencing in teaching and engaging youth?
What’s on the minds of your youth?
What are you learning in health class?
What would you like to learn from your parents/caring adult/relatives?

Youth Feedback: It was clear youth want information about topics such as: sex ed, healthy relationships, dating, substance misuse, mental health skill building and, to learn from a trusted adult at home or at school.

Adult Feedback: Caring adults want curricula, tools, resources about these same topics with guidance on how to teach and engage youth and, how to include parental involvement at home.

This month’s back-to-school issue spotlights opportunities to start building your toolbox! Download our HNY Scavenger Hunt Handout to learn more about resources for your local planning efforts!

Healthy Native Youth Website Spotlights

Curriculum Spotlight: Native STAND 2.0

High School Sexual Health Program for Native teens

Native Students Together Against Negative Decisions (STAND) 2.0 is a comprehensive, adolescent sexual health curriculum for Native high school students that focuses on life goals, healthy relationships, sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy prevention, while also covering drug and alcohol misuse, suicide, and dating violence.

Hear from your peers to inspire you for ideas, to alleviate your fears & doubts, and to go for it! Native STAND Facilitator Testimony Video

There are a lot of phenomenal Native STAND 2.0 educators across Turtle Island implementing the curricula in their communities. Click here to hear their stories. Native STAND Facilitator’s Playlist

View Native Stand 2.0 Webpage

Implementation Toolbox GATHER Phase: Partner Map

Leveraging Youth Advocates and Community Partners for Support

The Implementation Toolbox is a helpful resource with ready-to-use templates to start or to enhance your adolescent health planning and programming in your local school and community health setting.

As the new school year begins, check out the Gather Phase to involve community partners and identify the health priorities and interests of youth in your program.

Download Partner Map Template

Gather Phase: Mini 101 Video

Learn more about the Implementation Toolbox and the five phases in 1-minute video bites:

Find local Youth Advocates and Community Partners with a map to identify and to leverage support for your students. Have fun with others in the teaching journey!

Implementation Toolbox Mini 101 Video Playlist

Text Message Spotlight: CARING Messages

Suicide Prevention for Native teens, college students, and veterans

Native teens and college students have lots on their hearts and minds. A little pick me up message can make a difference. Caring Text Messages are hopeful & encouraging messages for each age group for their mental health.

Send us a text message to join:

“CARING’’ to 65664 (youth 13-24)
“COLLEGE” to 65664 (for college students)
“VETERAN” to 65664 (for veterans)

Tribal Health – Reaching out InVolves Everyone (THRIVE) works to reduce suicide rates among American Indians and Alaska Natives living in the Pacific Northwest that includes many resources to connect to culturally responsive peer and crisis support services.

Click to see a list of THRIVE resources!

Back-to-School (B2S) Activity Tip: Encourage Youth and Young Adults to sign up as part of B2S events!

View CARING Message Campaign Info

Community of Practice

Community of Practice Kick Off in September

Back-to-School with Healthy Native Youth (HNY)

Come get the highlights on using the HNY website to empower and support positive youth development, embrace cultural teachings, and demonstrate the effectiveness for your youth programming!

Click to Register for CoP

From the CoP Archive:

Healthy Native Youth Highlights & Resources

If you want to get you, your team, and other key community stakeholders motivated before the September 11^th CoP – check out this oldie, but goodie from the CoP Archive. It’s a keeper!

View Recorded Sessions Homepage

The Latest

Celebrating our Research Academy Graduates

Keeping the Circle of Support Strong

It takes a lot to raise Healthy Native Youth!

The NW NARCH Public Health Academy for High School students is one of many examples from the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board's Adolescent Health team, and offers opportunities for positive youth development and career workforce pathway goal setting.

We welcome the Year 2 cohort (2024-2025) of mentors and youth from the PNW region!

We love our amazing mentors, thank you for all you do!

Learn about the Academy

Shout Out to the 2024 Graduates!

Congratulations to all the Class of 2024 graduates from Pre-K to graduate school and beyond!

You are our ancestors’ dreams come true! The NPAIHB Adolescent Health team would like to lift our hands up to recent graduates from educator, to emerging Indian health, education, and tribal public health research leaders.

Patsy Whitefoot (Yakama/Navajo), Honorary PhD

Received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Washington State University. She is an educator, leader, elder, mentor, and tireless MMIW advocate at all levels.

Gabrielle S. Evans (Haliwa-Saponi), PhD, MPH, CHES

Received a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health. She serves as Provost Postdoctoral Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health.

Amber K. Williams (Quinault/Skokomish/Makah) MPH

Received a Master of Public Administration (Tribal Governance focus) from Evergreen State College. She serves as the Quinault Tribe’s Juvenile Wellness Court Coordinator.

Jeidah DeZurney (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians)

Completed her term as a NPAIHB Tribal Youth Delegate. She serves as a Native Youth and Family Support Program Manager for Multnomah Education Service District.

Maiya Martinez (Spokane)

Completed the OHSU Wy’East Post-Baccalaureate Pathway Program. She serves as a NPAHB Tribal Youth Delegate and is preparing for the MCAT exam for medical school.