STEAM Camp Educates Tribal Youth in Summertime
From Thursday, March 16, to Friday, March 17, the Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery Indigenous P.O.W.E.R. Program held a Science Technology Engineering Art and Math camp at Watchetaker Hall for federally recognized tribal youth.
Harlequin Ototivo, Project Director for Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery Indigenous P.O.W.E.R. Program, said there was young adults’ part of the IAMNDN youth council at the event. She said STEAM camp is important to the kids to give them something to do during spring break.
“It's also teaching them science and we do culture as a prevention tool, so we teach culture with the science,” she said. “So, for example, we are setting up a teepee tomorrow for the older kids, so the knowledge behind that is the engineering part about it and then also kind of the mathematics.”
Ototivo said they do the activities but in a cultural way.
“All of those subjects combined, we do activities according to those subjects and we do it in a creative way,” she said. “We just don't do like boring science or boring technology. We try to make it creative for these little creative minds.”
Ototivo said her favorite projects were the kids making turtle keychains with pony beads and balloon art, where the balloons are filled with paint and participants throw darts, creating various designs on canvas.
“And then also just the icebreakers and interaction with other youth,” she said. “I'm just so happy that I get to do this because I missed out on a whole lot during pandemic. Because before pandemic, I was interacting with youth on a daily basis and I really missed that. And I'm so glad that I'm doing this today and just seeing all their smiling faces and it's making me so happy just to see that again.”
Ototivo said they use culture as a prevention tool for the negative effects of underage drinking and prescription drug abuse. She said it’s important for her because she wants the younger youth to break the cycle and break generational trauma, especially for the upcoming generations.
“They can break that cycle and talk about mental health and wellness and how drugs and alcohol can affect your body with their youth as well,” she said. “So, with my part as being an advocate for youth, I lead them in the right direction to be successful leaders and to make them understand how important life is.”
Ototivo is in grad school working to become a Licensed Professional Counselor to be a therapist for native youth. She said she’s passionate about being with youth.
“They always put me in a better mood after I have to do a bunch of adult stuff and they make me youthful,” she said. “And I'm just really passionate about being a future therapist for them and helping them out through their traumas and through their struggles.”
Ototivo said it’s important for the youth because they really do need it.
