These schools aren't just teaching about Indigenous Peoples - they're walking with them.

What if every student learned about Native communities firsthand through service? That's what many local schools have been doing here at our Lafayette, CO hub and on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Denver Waldorf students have split firewood and learned about Lakota horsemanship at our Hub. Downtown Denver Expeditionary School students helped tan a bison hide, learning hands-on about the role of bison in Native cultures. Elementary students from St. Anne's Episcopal School have been sharing presentations with their classmates about their experiences visiting Pine Ridge.


This week, students from the Mackintosh Academy-Boulder and the Dawson School have spent time packing food boxes with care for Native families. And the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning (RMSEL) has taken multiple trips to the Pine Ridge Reservation recently, immersing in Lakota culture alongside tribal members, delivering material aid, and repairing the fence at the pasture that will soon house a Native-led bison herd.

Isaac, a former Gen7 youth intern and RMSEL student who now helps lead trips, said the following of his most recent visit to the reservation: "As you’re driving up to Pine Ridge and you’ve been on a trip beforehand, you kind of expect what you’re getting into - but you always underestimate the Rez. I’m always happy to see my friends who live there. There’s always a lot of eagerness to help. I learned a lot and I think all the students did too."

It's so common today to hear older generations express their concerns about the new generation - but in our experience, the kids are more than alright: young people are leading the charge to be in community with those who look different than them, live differently, and come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. They are curious, courageous, and eager to lend a hand while deepening their understanding of their own communities and those of others.

The present is so uncertain for so many people - but with Gen7 youth leaders like these developing their skills, values, and cross-cultural relationships each day, we believe the future is in good hands.