Native American Jump Start, an organization whose mission is to provide opportunities of growth and success for Native American individuals and families through education and employment, granted $10,000 to Grand Teton National Park Foundation to help further the Foundation’s Tribal Youth Engagement initiative in Grand Teton National Park. The two organizations celebrated this generous investment recently at the Teton Powwow, which was hosted by Native American Jump Start and Central Wyoming College.
Grand Teton National Park Foundation has funded Native youth education and employment programs in Grand Teton since 2016. The focus of these efforts is to provide opportunities for indigenous youth to meaningfully connect with their ancestral homelands while also exposing participants to careers in the conservation field. From week-long experiential programs to month-long internships focused on trail work and vegetation management, the Foundation’s Tribal Youth Engagement initiative has brought more than 150 teens and young adults from regional reservations to the park for these immersive and life-changing experiences.
“Native American Jump Start has been a long-time supporter of our Tribal Youth Engagement programs in Grand Teton,” Grand Teton National Park Foundation President Leslie Mattson said. “We are grateful for their increased investment and commitment to ensuring that indigenous youth with ancestral ties to Grand Teton National Park are able to experience this special place.”
“An important part of our mission is to provide educational and employment support for your Native people. Through this partnership with Grand Teton National Park Foundation, we are excited to be able to provide support to our local Native communities from Wind River and Fort Hall. We look forward to playing a role in supporting young Native people as they pursue educational and employment opportunities within Grand Teton’s program,” Native American Chief Advancement Officer David Deschenes said.
With support from Native American Jump Start and several other corporations, foundations, and individuals, Grand Teton National Park Foundation will provide more than $250,000 in 2024 to bring youth from the Fort Hall and Wind River reservations to the park for a combined eight weeks of adventures, career training, and internships.