A New Outdoor Club Helps Tribal Youth Stay Connected to Their Culture

Situated near the Wind River Reservation, Lander Valley High School‘s (LVHS) student population includes a significant number of tribally enrolled students. Many of these students move to Lander to attend the high school, which can sometimes result in a lack of connection to their culture and the land of their ancestors. To address this problem, several tribal groups, working in collaboration with the Treeline Project and other Lander outdoor entities, came up with the idea of launching an outdoor club designed to get tribal students consistently outside to connect with their land, culture, and community. The program, open to students both on the reservation and at LVHS, will ensure youth have the opportunity, transportation, training, and gear to get outside at least once a month. They just needed a little help to launch it. LOR’s funding will support the purchase of outdoor gear, food, and fuel that will help the club kickoff its first seven months of activities.