Students Prepare for Upcoming School Year

Comanche Nation Youth Services held a Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 3, at Watchetaker Hall.

Tribal students in Pre-K through 12 grades could stop by and pick up school supplies before the start of the school year.

Comanche Nation Youth Services Director Dena Landers said they gave out notebooks, binders, writing utensils, backpacks and other supplies.

Comanche Nation Prescription Services and Optometry, as well as the Indian Hospital Dental Clinic, also participated.

Students were also able to receive free haircuts.

“Haircuts are important because, you know…it can be rough for our tribal families, our parents, grandparents, aunts, you know, who is taking care of our youth, that it's hard for them, you know, to get off and go take care of that stuff,” Landers said. “And so, it's just another, something that we can help to take that stress off of them.”

Some students were able to register to vote for the November election.

“A lot of our youth are turning 18…or they just turned 18, and they're eligible to register,” she said. “So, we just want to give them the option and make it easier for them to learn…how to register for that election so they can vote in November.”

Landers said the staff was a big help in putting on the event.

“We also had our youth workers from this summer who helped us set up…We collaborated with other departments who wanted to engage with us, so we reached out to them,” she said. “We had volunteers reach out to us with the cops and kids that they wanted to collaborate, so they brought some people up to help us set up, and then same thing, if they need our assistance, we'll go down there and help them. So, it was just…a group effort. Everybody was willing to help, and a lot of people reached out to set up or ask if we needed anything.”

Landers said the program plans to offer after-school tutoring and is still working on the schedule and coordinating with the schools.

For those who could not make it to the Back to School Bash, there will be school supplies at the upcoming outreaches from Thursday, August 8, through Saturday, August 10.

There are also gift cards for school clothes available through Youth Services.

More information can be found by calling the office at 580-699-7242.