By NB3 Foundation

Traditions Run Recap: Celebrating Youth, Culture and Community

 

This year’s Traditions Run was a celebration of running, culture and the personal connections that each participant has to the sport. Hosted just east of the Black Mesa Casino in partnership with the Pueblo of San Felipe, the one-of-a-kind race brought together nearly 300 youth athletes from across the state. The Traditions Run is a reflection of the importance of running in Native communities. Running has historically been a vital part of our cultures. This event uplifts the strength of our youth and the deep roots of our traditions.

Open to all youth ages 6-18, regardless of team status, the race provides an inclusive space where young runners from all different communities come together, share in the experience and compete. The energy on the course was felt all around as youth participants tackled the tough terrain demonstrating their own strength  and determination.

We are grateful to the local running community for their support and participation helping make the event a success. Their participation helped to inspire and motivate us all to continue showing up for our youth and neighboring communities.

Thank you to everyone who made this day possible. We look forward to continuing this Traditions Run for years to come, as we honor the cultural significance of running and the bright future of all youth.

/by
By NB3 Foundation

November Events

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by getting healthy with us!
In November, we are bringing back the Zero to 60 Challenge, if you don’t know what it is just know you’re in for a real challenge. We are calling on our partners, families, and friends to give up all sugary drinks for a full 30 days! You’d be surprised at how hard and awarding the challenge is. Sign up here!

We also have NB3FIT Month, a whole month dedicated to youth and families healthy and active. We are calling on tribes, organizations and schools at to host a health centered event for their community! Formerly, NB3FIT  Week we expanded the week so there is more opportunity for people to participate! For NB3FIT, we are hosting the NB3FIT Community XC Race on Sunday, November 13 at Santa Ana Golf Club.

/by
By NB3 Foundation

Over 65 youth will represent NB3FIT XC

Cross country season is back and is in full swing for NB3 Foundation’s NB3FIT program. This year boasts attendance numbers we have yet to see since the pandemic. With four practice sites in Albuquerque, Pueblo of Sandia, Pueblo of Santo Domingo and Rio Rancho over 67 youth ages 5-17 will be running this fall. Expanding back into surrounding communities is to thank for increased registration numbers. NB3FIT coaches are divided up at the separate locations where they lead practices twice a week. At the end of the week all runners come together for a communal practice to help promote team identity and encourage relationships between youth at the varies sites.

The team is set to run in it’s first race on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the John B. Roberts Dam. Stay connected with us on social media for updates on the team throughout the season.

/by
By NB3 Foundation

Water Trailer will be rollin’ through the 2022 Gathering of Nations

You are invited to visit us and taste some refreshing fruit infused water from the Water First! Water Trailer at the 2022 Gathering of Nations. The NB3 Foundation crew will be out and about giving samples of healthy and tasty fruit infused waters, as well as providing information to youth and families about the benefits of choosing water over sugar-sweetened beverages.  

The water trailer was created as a tool for the NB3 Foundation staff to take our Water First! Campaign on the road and into communities. If NB3 Foundation is asking you to drop sugary drinks, then of course we had to give a tasty alternative. Previous flavors have included pineapple-jalapeño, mint-orange, strawberry-basil, cranberry-orange, watermelon-mint and many more!  Tell us what combinations you want to try! 
 

We haven’t been to Gathering since 2019! So if you see us on the road, give us a honk and wave! We hope to see you soon at GON.  

Friday and Saturday April 29-30, 2022 at EXPO New Mexico. The trailer will be located between the Manuel Lujan building and the Arts building. You can’t miss us!  

 

/by
By NB3 Foundation

  NB3 Foundation announces 2021 NB3FIT Youth Golf Team  

NB3 Foundation is excited to introduce the 2021 NB3FIT Youth Golf Team. The team is made up of 14 elite Native youth golfers ages 12 to 18 from across the state of New Mexico. The golf team was formed to provide an opportunity for young Native golfers to pursue their passion for excellence in golf, contribute to their communities and serve as positive role models to their peers.  

“It’s been a long time coming and I’m excited we are able to provide this opportunity to Native youth golfers around the state,” Clint Begay, director of NB3FIT said. “Many of our youth face a number of barriers when pursuing high levels of competition in golf. My hope is that we can help bridge the gap by providing skills training, equipment, tournament opportunities and youth development through mentorship and community service.”

The golf team will meet and practice regularly, attend 10 golf tournaments through the end of the year and develop a community service plan, completing at least five hours of community service each month.

“It’s great that we are able to provide this opportunity to Native youth. It was not long ago that I was in their shoes, so I know how much golf means to them. I’m going to do everything I can to ensure they succeed on and off the course,” Demitrius Payne, NB3FIT coordinator said.

The golf team has started practicing and will be competing for the first time at the NB3 Junior Tour event May 15-16. They will continue to play 10-12 more tournaments throughout the summer giving them the opportunity to advance their golf skills to compete at all levels.  

2021 NB3FIT Golf Team members 

Angelo Martinez, 12, Albuquerque, NM, Hispanic, Bosque School  

Zachary BlueEyes, 14, Kirtland, NM, Dine’, Kirtland Central High School 

Tristen Toledo, 15, Albuquerque, NM, Pueblo of Jemez, Walatowa High Charter School 

Ardell John, 15, Kirtland, NM, Dine’, Kirtland Central High School 

Skyler Woods, 15, Kirtland, NM, Dine’, Kirtland Central High School 

Luke James, 15, Gallup, NM, Dine’, Miyamura High School 

Noah Pozernick, 15, Gallup, NM, Dine’, Miyamura High School 

Adiance Cheromiah, 16, Laguna, NM, Pueblo of Laguna, Laguna-Acoma 

Kyle Begay, 16, Kirtland, NM, Dine’, Kirtland Central High School 

Lance Nerva-Chee, 18, Albuquerque, NM, Dine’/Kewa Pueblo, Cibola High School 

Maddison Long, 14, Albuquerque, NM, Coeur d’Alene/Dine’, Volcano Vista High School 

Melody Sandoval, 16, Albuquerque, NM, Pueblo of San Felipe, Amy Biehl High School 

Shandiin Harper, 17, Farmington, NM, Dine’, Piedra Vista High School 

Emily Kitseallyboy, 18, Kirtland, NM, Dine’, Farmington High School 

/by
By NB3 Foundation

Report evaluates NB3 Foundation’s Native Youth on the Move initiative

This report, prepared by Emily A. Haozous, PhD, RN, FAAN Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, provides the qualitative results of nine interviews, the NB3 Foundation’s Native Youth on the Move post report, and the final reflections document produced by New Mexico Health Equity Partnerships.

The interviews were between NB3 Foundation staff and partner organizations, and contained discussions regarding successes, achievements, lessons learned, and self-guided evaluation of each organization in their work related to the Native Youth on the Move initiative. This report provides a detailed description of the key themes that emerged from the qualitative data analysis of those data. The data from the eight partners organizations, NB3 Foundation staff, and the additional contextual data generated qualitative themes of: growth, COVID pandemic, relations, and keeping track, with further subthemes described in the full report. A separate theme of collective impact characterized the partner organization relationships as mutual, mixed mutual, hub or spoke organizations, or non-mutual. Each partner organization is also briefly described in the full result.

About the Native Youth on the Move initiative: 

In fall 2017, the NB3 Foundation began a new partnership with the Nike N7 Fund on a unique initiative – Native Youth on the Move – designed to increase the number of Native youth (ages 7-18) participating in play, physical activity and sports in the greater Albuquerque area. This place-based initiative is a first for the NB3 Foundation and the N7 Fund. With the three-year grant from the Nike N7 Fund, the NB3 Foundation served as the back-bone organization for this project, bringing together local Native and non-Native organizations, leaders and stakeholders to address barriers and lack of participation in sports and physical activity among Native youth.

/by
By NB3 Foundation

NB3FIT youth put in over 6 million steps during two month step challenge

Since July, NB3FIT has been hard at work learning, practicing and mastering the art of providing virtual youth programming. During the most recent eight-week session, NB3FIT worked to include more physical activity and healthy nutrition activities for the youth. 

 A step and water challenge were added to the curriculum, and as a collective (22 virtual programming youth; 5 coaches) walked/ran/danced/played a total of 6,309,573 steps – which figures out to about 2192.27 miles! To promote being active and to help with the calculation of steps, youth were given FitBit’s and challenged to complete a minimum of 5,000 steps a day.

 “It was a big success providing the youth the FitBit’s … we never thought we would get over 6 million steps,” Clint Begay, director of NB3FIT said. “It’s pretty amazing seeing what the youth accomplished, and even more amazing that they were motivated to complete the steps on their own time.”

 “It was really great to hear the youth talk about their walks and runs during our check-ins,” Autumn Quiver, NB3FIT program coordinator said. “You could tell the FitBit’s really motivated them to stay active throughout the day.”

 Along with getting in steps, youth participated in the NB3 Foundation’s Zero to 60 Challenge. They were gifted new water bottles and asked to track their water intake throughout the day. 

 “Staying hydrated is always something we want to promote with our youth,”  Quiver said. “Sometimes youth can view drinking water as ‘boring’, so we always try to be creative in the ways we motivate and encourage them to stay hydrated … gifting them new water bottles was one way we did that.”

 During check-ins NB3FIT coaches would ask about daily step and water goals and provide activities and ideas to help youth reach their goals. 

 “I think with virtual programming it’s good to know there are still ways to promote being active and healthy even if you aren’t physically present with the youth,” Begay said.  “We are still learning new things, but it is encouraging to see the accomplishments of the youth in this last session.”

 Moving into 2021, NB3 Foundation plans to continue virtual programming until it’s deemed safe to gather in groups. 

 

Total steps in 9 weeks (22 youth, 5 coaches)

6,309,573 steps = 2192.27 miles

 

Top 5 steppers!

5: Aubrey Quiver (6)- 187,393 steps

4: Illiana Morningdove (7) – 195,028 steps

3: Antone Quiver (11)- 219,895 steps

2: Elsie Chaves (9)- 279,808 steps

1: Quinton Begay(9)- 323,560 steps

 

 

 

/by
By NB3 Foundation

Gachupin, evaluation coordinator, graduates with Master’s in Public Health

Special congrats to NB3 Foundation team member Alva Gachupin (Pueblo of Jemez) for achieving an amazing milestone! Gachupin will be graduating from the University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health with her Master’s in Public Health on December 18.

We are so proud of Alva, not only has she played an integral role in  helping build and excel our Indigenous Evaluation and Research Department, but she has been accomplishing her educational goals at the same time!

Congrats Alva, you show us all that hard work and dedication pays off! We are so honored to have you on our NB3 Foundation team.

“I received my Master’s in Public Health from the University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. The journey I set forth to reach this milestone has had its share of trials and tribulations and it tested my ability to continue to move toward my goals and to persevere from the different challenges along this journey. It gave me the ability to see through a different lens, it gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as individual, as a mother, and as a Jemez woman. Obtaining your hardest goals and dreams can be scary but the more you put yourself through uncomfortable positions, you come out even stronger. I did something that scared me for years, and I am fortunate and humble that I did take this journey. If it wasn’t for my past, and current mentors along my journey, I wouldn’t be where I am. I plan to grow my career in public health and to be an advocate for our Native American communities because all too often, we are a statistic and that has to stop at some point. The knowledge gained is not only for me, it is also for my people, and our youth that will someday lead us.”

/by
By NB3 Foundation

Farewell from Evaluation and Research intern

Caitlyn Olive

As an intern for the Notah Begay III Foundation, I had the opportunity to gain valuable experience as a doctoral student. I was given the opportunity to sharpen my writing skills through projects and to expand my cultural awareness through the opportunity to participate in the Indigenous Evaluators Convention and projects. I am grateful to the NB3 team for being so kind and welcoming to me. They took the time to introduce and explain aspects of their culture to me. I also gained the experience of exploring a new area of research, Indigenous evaluation methods. I learned the importance and difficulty of creating evaluation methods that capture both the people and the culture. Previously, I had learned how to use research to evaluate people, but in learning about Indigenous evaluation methods, I found that when you fail to evaluate the culture of the people, then you are not actually capturing the true essence of the people. I am so grateful for my time at NB3 Foundation and I know the next intern will be equally as blessed by this company.

My only advice for student internships is to keep being such warm and welcoming colleagues. I immediately felt appreciated because you each took the time to meet me, even though I worked virtually the entire time. I also want you to know how great I think it is that you all take the time to tell your colleagues that you value them and their work. I think that is super important and something that is rare to find in a company.

Thank you for welcoming me with open arms and for guiding me as I learned so many new things. I am so appreciative to each of you, but especially Renee and Alva who were so kind and patient with me. I wish you all the best as you and I look forward to seeing what great things you accomplish next!

 

Caitlyn’s Cirriculum Vitae:

Anticipated May 2022

Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction

University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM), GPA 4.0

Research Interests: Social-Emotional Learning in Physical Education and Physical Activity

Advisor: Dr. Karen Lux Gaudreault

 

May 2019

Master of Science in Kinesiology: Sport Pedagogy          

University of Georgia (Athens, GA), GPA 3.95

Thesis: The Influence of a Four-Week, Physical Activity Infused, Social-Emotional and Character Development Program on Children’s Social-Emotional and Character Development Self-Perceptions

 

May 2017

Bachelor of Science in Physical Education K-12 Pedagogy, Minor in Coaching                                            

East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, TN), GPA 3.93, Summa Cum Laude

Honors in Discipline Program

Tennessee Licensure in K-12 Physical Education and Wellness

 

We wish Caitlyn the best on her bright future!

/by
By NB3 Foundation

NB3 Foundation announces resignation of President and CEO Justin Huenemann

 

The Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation announces the resignation of President and CEO, Justin Kii Huenemann. Since 2015, Justin was a dedicated and valued member of our team who provided valuable leadership to the organization. Under his leadership, NB3 Foundation has been further recognized as a national leader in Native youth and community health. We are grateful for his many contributions which have strengthened our organization and furthered progress towards our mission.

 

“It has been an honor to serve Native youth and their families through the NB3 Foundation. At no time is it more important than now to have our young ones engaged in healthy opportunities that reinforce and support their abilities to achieve their fullest potential. I look forward to continuing to ensure our Native relatives are able to live life on their own terms” said Justin Huenemann.

 

Founder and Board Member, Notah Begay III shared, “Justin Huenemann elevated the NB3 Foundation to a position of national prominence through his leadership, creative thinking and networking. As a result of these efforts NB3 Foundation was able to enhance services to Native youth and expand our reach. It is with the deepest appreciation that we wish Justin well in the next chapter of his career.”

 

The Board and Staff wish Justin great success in his future endeavors. The NB3 Foundation remains committed to carrying on our work and our mission to ensure Native children achieve their full potential by advancing cultures of Native American community health.

 

The Board of Directors has named Chief Operating Officer, Jon Driskell, interim president and CEO of the Foundation.  If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Driskell at jon@nb3f.org.

 

 

/by