Native American After-School Program

Dear Friends:

Another academic year came to a close, which means lots and lots of activities and celebrations to report on from NAAF’s 2022-2023 After-School Program. As noted in NAAF’s last report, many of the After-School Program’s efforts focused on linking students to critical supports and opportunities intended to help support these young learners’ future educational aspirations and goals. For some, these efforts would prove to be incredibly timely as several program participants graduated this Spring, including the following May/June graduates that NAAF would like to recognize:

• Brandon L. - Baboquivari Class 2023
• Julian T. - Baboquivari Class of 2023
• Laura S. – Chemawa Class of 2023

Equally exciting for the District’s littlest learners, NAAF’s pre-school program, Ce:ce:m A'al o O'odham Ñeñok (The Little Children Speak O'odham), saw three of its 12 participants age out and graduate from the program in May, so they will be moving forward to join the After-School program when the new school resumes in August. While not enrolled in the After-School Program just yet, ASP is looking forward to welcoming:

• David M.
• Jordan A.
• Gyrin G.

While graduation was a time of great joy and celebration, work in the After-School Program did not end just because the book closed on another school year. For example, in June NAAF’s Educational Staff helped Tohono O'odham Community College promote the American Indian College Fund's Summer of Success Hybrid Conference. This was a free three-day conference centered on Native values and ways of knowing, which focused on assisting high school students, recent high school graduates, and high school equivalency completers through native speakers, student and professional panels, virtual workshops for prospective and current college students, and professional development sessions for staff working in higher education, high schools, and educational organizations.

Additionally, with school out of session additional learning opportunities took place for those looking to build their employment skills and knowledge. NAAF’s Educational Staff offered Food Handlers training class in June, as well as a “Career and Employment” training led by the area’s One-Stop provider to provide career guidance and advice. And for those who were interested in keeping up with their Summer Reading, at the end of May the Venito Garcia Library held a pop-up book giveaway at the Al Jek Recreation Center, in the Ali Chugk community, to give away free books.

Finally, the Spring ended on a high note as NAAF was honored to receive the “2022 Champion for Young Children” recognition award from the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Regional Council, which stands as a testament to NAAF’s dedicated educators who are wholly devoted to the children of the Nation.

Dear Friends:

NAAF’s 2022-2023 After-School Program continues to roll on with over 40 students enrolled in both the GuVo and Ali Chugk communities.  The only thing to put a damper on things in the GuVo District this quarter, pun intend, has been some chilly, wet, and windy weather.  While freezing temperatures, high winds and heavy rains brought with them some weather advisories and transportation issues, such as bus delays and flooded roads, it was not enough to dampen, another intended pun, the learning taking place in GuVo – although in early February NAAF and The Store did give away gloves, beanies, and socks to help community members try to stay warm.  There were also plenty of beautiful days to enjoy as well, so much so that some of the pictures below show some of the District’s young learners enjoying both a perfect March afternoon and a STEM lesson while working outside on their engineering skills.

Education staff have also been working hard on outreach.  For example, in March, NAAF hosted a Safety Fair for all GuVo District students and their families. Pre-school students were able to attend earlier in the day and take-home fun giveaway items, while all the school aged students were able to attend later in the day and enjoy interacting with the area’s first responders. Not only did they get to talk with the representatives that serve the District they also had the opportunity to explore some to the tools and equipment the first responders use to carry out their work. 

Outreach also played a vital part for older students with an eye on the future as NAAF’s educational staff were on hand to get an early start on promoting summer learning opportunities and help interested students connect to programs like the INSPIRE Summer Program at Arizona State University, which focuses on personal and academic success through culturally relevant programming, or the 2023 Summer Bridge program at Central Arizona College offered by TRIO Student Support Services, which focuses on providing a campus-based experience, activities and workshops to help recent grads become successful college students.  Staff also got a jump on things at the beginning of the new year by reminding students thinking about attending college in the fall that it was time to start filling out college applications, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) paperwork, and potential scholarship opportunities, such as the Freeport-McMoRan and Education Forward Arizona’s Native American Scholarship. 

Other exciting and fun happenings that occurred for the children and families of GuVo included in January, NAAF, as part of the TON’s Healthy People Coalition, hosted a Sober Family Bingo at The Store, all GuVo District community members were inviting to take part in a fun-filled event with free food and prizes. In February NAAF’s Prevention staff hosted a “Healthy Native American Minds” workshop in Ali Jek for adults that focused on how to cope with stress and anxiety session.  In March, a brand-new greenhouse was added as part of Ruth’s Oidag (Garden). The new greenhouse added an additional 800 square foot to the garden and increased STEM learning opportunities for the District’s young and growing learners.  Finally, as mentioned in the last report, the GuVo District had been working toward opening the Free as a Bird Skatepark.  For years young O’odham have taken up skateboarding and were vital in creating the vision for this skatepark. Through the dedication and strength of the young people and community, they pushed forward and manifested this skatepark into fruition.  The park’s Grand Opening was held this March.

Dear Friends,

We’re so excited to share everything happening in GuVo District right now. 

The After-School Program kicked off the 2022-2023 school year on August 8th. Attendance is back to fully in-person, with 41 enrolled students between GuVo and our NEW second location at the Al Jek Rec Center in Ali Chugk community. NAAF's education team of Monica, Selina, Malena, and Addy have developed an exciting curriculum, including STEAM activities, I:mig (Tohono O'odham language immersion), traditional wreath making, music lessons with Tucson Girls Chorus, harvesting butternut squash, beans, and melons in the oidag, and caring for the flock of 12 hens, who are laying up to 10 eggs every few days, shared with community members. 

Evidence-based learning is incorporated throughout each week with curriculums such as Botvin LifeSkills, including lessons and activities adapted to honor culture as prevention. The student-artists are flourishing after their art classes this summer, as evidenced by some really stellar entries in NAAF’s annual Holiday in the Desert greeting card art contest, and Program Coordinator Addy weaves O’odham language into drawing classes; students learn about babad (frog) and s-ce:dag`(green) while drawing adorable frog pictures and playing math leapfrog games with O’odham numbers. Ethan is teaching the students traditional songs and round dances for all ages. 

In more great news, we are taking field trips again!  Addy recently chaperoned a group of ASP students to the Peace Parade in Ajo, where they learned poi spinning, and the kids also traveled to Marana, Arizona for a Halloween pumpkin patch festival with a zipline and a petting zoo. On October 14, NAAF hosted its own all-ages carnival-style Fall Festival for GuVo District, complete with educational booths, face painting, outdoor games, arts and crafts, a costume contest, and a Fun Run. NAAF also unveiled our brand new Library Kits! Students can borrow take-home kits for Alphabet, STEM, Dinosaurs, and other fun learning adventures for the whole family. 

Staff have been working hard on outreach, with our new Prevention Specialist Christie Manuel visiting San Simon Elementary School kids during Red Ribbon Week for a culture as prevention presentation centering healthy, fun alternatives to substance abuse - a graduate of San Simon herself, Christie was a big hit, and she will be continuing these visits in the future! The Early Ed team also gave a talk at the Tohono O’odham Community College symposium on language immersion; NAAF’s Early Ed program is the first of its kind among the four sister tribes. As always, NAAF’s goal is to share our strategies for educational success throughout the Tohono O’odham Nation so that we can uplift all community members.

NAAF’s Learning Center has continued to serve as a tutoring and college counseling access point for multiple District students, becoming an educational resource that has far surpassed our vision when it was established during the pandemic. The RLC served over 30 students in person last quarter, with more accessing virtual resources. 

Big congratulations are in order for NAAF's Garden Assistant MJ Ramon, who recently received his GED! He advised new GED students to study hard, and that this will positively impact his life by giving him new opportunities. MJ is a valued member of the community and has been a major advocate for GuVo District's Free as a Bird Skatepark, soon to open this Winter!  

All the best to you and your loved ones,

NAAF

Dear Friends,

NAAF’s After-School Program (ASP) kids have been busy! We went back to in person sessions as of Mid-April, and the students hit the ground running - literally. Outdoor activities and games in Ruth’s Oidag included soccer, scavenger hunts, tending to the chickens, our first Sober Movie Night of 2022, and garden planting and harvesting. The students held a naming contest for the chicken flock, with notable winners Bubbles, Chocolate Dip and Valkyrie. We have improved access to the garden with a new walkway ramp addition, and the NAAF crew is almost done finishing up a long-term project - our outdoor wood-fired pizza oven! For the Easter holiday, the kids participated in Easter egg coloring and watching a STEM-centered video about how Peeps are made. In late April, we had a Ho’okmal (butterfly) Release Party in the Oidag. 

We are continuing to incorporate Tohono O’odham language and culture into the ASP program, and this Spring the students learned the parts of the body, colors and numbers in O’odham. They played the O’odham game kahoot, practiced making toka sticks (for the traditional game similar to field hockey), and in May they participated in i:ibhai (prickly pear) and ciolim (cholla bud) harvests. Climbing and exploring in the desert was probably the best part, but everyone also received a packet of ciolim and several recipes, including Spice Dip and Fruit Salad. In Ruth’s Oidag, everyone planted gepi (watermelon), pumpkin, huñ (corn), and hiv haj (sunflower seeds), and in May/June the harvests brought broccoli, cabbage, spearmint, and zucchini, which were shared among the students and the community. The final day of ASP 2022 was May 27. NAAF is so proud to announce that we had two graduations! Autumn graduated from Maur Hill Mount Academy, and she plans to continue her academic journey in the Fall, studying the O’odham language and elementary education. And, Olivia is our first ever graduate of Ce:ce:m A’al O O’odham Ñeñok (NAAF’s Early Education program). She is ready to start attending SAP and ASP with the big kids! 

NAAF is thrilled to share that we held our first ever Language and Culture Summer Immersion Camp from June 20-24! NAAF hosted 32 students between the ages of 2 and 18 for five days of learning, art, music, games, crafts, and sports, with lessons in O’odham language, culture and jewed (land/geography) woven throughout. Each day had a different theme and guest teacher - basket weaving, ha’a (pottery), toka, e’esa (traditional gardening and songs), and Sawku:d (gourd rattle making). The big kids also did O’odham vocabulary drills, and played soccer and musical daikud (chairs). The little ones of our Early Education cohort sang songs such as “head shoulders knees and feet” and held hands for traditional dancing, made pottery, beaded shell necklaces and traditional dolls, and learned colors and numbers by practicing pencil control on O’odham worksheets. NAAF provided healthy snacks and lunches every day, including snow cones with sitol (saguaro fruit syrup), and lots of water for everyone to stay hydrated! Held in Ruth’s Oidag beneath our two shady mesquite trees, the camp was a rousing success, offering the students of GuVo District the opportunity to learn and have fun together and honor their ancestors while making new memories with ancient traditions.

Links:

• Ho'okmal (Butterfly) Release Party

GLOBAL GIVING  Spring 2022 (Jan, Feb, Mar)

19796  Native American Advancement Foundation After-School Program

Dear Friends,

Spring is here and NAAF’s After-School Program is still growing strong!

Due to the COVID spike over the 2021 Holiday Season, in accordance with Tohono O’odham Nation and GuVo District guidelines, we continued 2022 with our virtual school model.  NAAF's After-School Program (ASP) currently provides virtual group sessions Monday through Thursday and scheduled on-site sessions for 45 enrolled students and their families from Preschool to 12th grade. In our blended sessions, one family per day attends in-person at our Remote Learning Center building, while the remaining attendees join in via computer, with each family rotating for their in-person day at the RLC. Students must still wear masks or face shields indoors, and teaching staff continue to sanitize desks, chairs and supplies, and facilitate handwashing breaks. 

Our hybrid After-School Program groups students into two learning cohorts for breakout sessions, named with Tohono O’odham environmental vocabulary - ka:ck (ocean) and duag (mountain). Teaching the O’odham language to the youth of GuVo District is an integral component of NAAF’s I:mig project.  Translated in English as “all is related,” I:mig provides a foundational connection between language, existence, environment, culture, humans and non-human species. Incorporating I:mig and himdag (lifeways) into the curriculum is a core part of ASP. 

We are continuing our ASP curriculum with emphasis on STEM and hands-on outdoor activities in Ruth’s Oidag (garden). The students learned about winter crops and seed planting of broccoli, cabbage, onions, peas, and nasturtium (edible flowers). Students were given seed packets for home garden planting as well, and learned O’odham names for the various crops. Classes are supplemented with a daily USDA meal service to each child’s home, along with weekly educational packets that include at-home scholastic materials for each day’s blended virtual/on-site program.

Outdoor and virtual lessons in Ruth’s Oidag include nutrition and healthy recipes, Tohono O’odham language, Sonoran desert seasons, food systems, and composting science. NAAF teachers also introduced interactive technology into the Google Meet lessons, with collaborative jam boards on which students draw and write during lessons. Each child created a jam board to learn about composting by sketching the process with specific fruits, vegetables and organic matter.  They drew their dream garden maps with favorite veggies for Spring planting and learned about desert ecology in relation to agriculture and the O’odham calendar wheel (See photos of Calendar Wheel, jam boards and garden map).

Valentine’s Day is Ibdág Tas (Heart Day). To celebrate, NAAF educators taught a remote student cooking class with Tohono O’odham language, art and candy-making kits. Program Coordinator Adriana created a culinary video with how-to instructions for kids and their families to make Ibdág Tas treats with heart-shaped candy molds. We have shared this delightful video on NAAF’s Youtube channel - link is below!

One of NAAF’s core initiatives is to foster a love of reading in young people, and this quarter the After-School Program collaborated with Literacy Connect to celebrate Love of Reading with a Dr. Seuss event during the week of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Students showed up in costume as their favorite book characters, wore their superhero tshirts, dressed up for Career Day, and also participated in Crazy Hat Day. Parents attended a volunteer workshop with Literacy Connects to learn how to teach children ages 5 and under how to read.

The NAAF Education Team of Monica, Malena, and Adriana also had the opportunity to attend the Tucson Festival of Books, where they volunteered at the First Things First booth. They experienced popular exhibits like the life-size Brain and Heart tours tent, networked with other learning organizations, authors, and teachers, made fun videos of the event to share with the students, and brought back numerous books, lesson plans, and creative ideas for youth reading programs. NAAF plans to attend the full Festival next year as a Field Trip with our ASP students! 

We’re also thrilled to report that NAAF’s pilot program collaboration with Tucson Girls Chorus (TCG) is a resounding success. This virtual cross-cultural music class, held during the After School Program, is open to students all throughout GuVo District and is so popular we expanded it to include Pre-kindergarteners! Our older student mentors-in-training assist the TCG instructors to share classical music theory alongside Tohono O’odham traditional music, language and himdag.  As a side benefit, younger students attending via Zoom have the opportunity to experience proper etiquette and develop their computer skills; they’re learning how to use the camera and microphone and interact positively in a virtual environment. The music program will celebrate success with a final choral performance in April. The goal of broadening music education in GuVo District is continually adapting and inspiring, and plans are already being made to partner with TCG again in the Fall.  (See screenshot of Zoom Music Class)

With gratitude, and all our best Springtime wishes.

Links:

• Youtube Valentine's Day candy making!