Summer Youth Corporation (Dló̜ó̜’ Yázhí Day Camp)

Dló̜ó̜' Yázhí Day Camps twelfth season of operation will take place for five weeks in June & July, 2026. Camp will operate out of the Thoreau Community Center and will serve 40-50 campers ages 4-15, as well as up to 6 counselors-in-training and 10-12 counselors and activity specialists. Historically, our campers hail from Thoreau and surrounding communities of Crownpoint, Prewitt, Smith Lake, Mariano Lake, and Church Rock. Each summer, between 90-98% of our campers identify as Diné, while 2%-10% are nonnative. We aim to rent a van this summer to transport campers who live further from the Community Center or who may not have transportation to and from camp. Camp’s primary goal is to increase campers’ self-esteem, resilience, and connectedness through camp activities, including sports, nature exploration/education, art, Diné language/culture activities, cooking, and team-building. 92% of surveyed parents felt their children were not spending enough time outside, so camp also aims to help kids disconnect from technology and connect with the outdoors. Campers participate daily in Nature Explorers, which has them learning more about the land around them. Activities for the younger campers include nature walks, scavenger hunts, and natural art activities. Older campers learn more about the different plants and animals in the area, and explore traditional ways of interacting with them; for example, campers make their own natural dyes to use. Thanks to the nonprofit Silver Stallion Bicycle & Coffee, our older campers had the opportunity to go mountain biking weekly on Thoreau trails. Each camp group also plans their own day hike; with support from staff, campers create their own supply lists and map out their routes. We also do 1-2 overnight camping trips with kids age 10 and up. During these trips, campers learn and practice wilderness first aid skills, wilderness cooking, fishing, and Leave-No-Trace principles. As a result of camp programming, we hope to see an increase in campers’ problem-solving skills, social skills, and self-esteem as measured by developmentally appropriate surveys and camper interviews. This summer, we intend to use a modified version of Attitudes Towards Outdoor Play Scales to gain data on kids’ comfort-levels and changing attitudes towards nature and the outdoors. We also aim to create a cycle of leadership within the community by providing leadership opportunities and training to campers as they age. Last summer, former campers made up 40% of our staff, and 40% of our campers were returning. In this way, we hope to build on campers’ development and provide them with future opportunities for employment.