Youth Programs
Our youth programs are focused on helping young people learn through doing, with hands-on projects that teach leadership skills and develop a sense of community, culture and tradition.
Dolly Parton's
Imagination Library
Remember how exciting it was to get a new book when you were a kid? This program brings that excitement to over 1 million children each month. We partner with the Jocko Valley Library to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to kids from birth to age five. We currently have 63 children in the program, and have served an additional 160 kids. To enroll your child, call us at 406-726-5550.
Youth Art Program
Thanks to Diné (Navajo) and Salish descendant Cameron Decker for teaching this series of workshops that combined hands-on art projects with field trips to see public art displays. Classes included making sculptures and having them scanned and 3-D printed, creating light drawings with glowsticks, and field trips to the Missoula Art Museum and Missoula Public Library. The kids had so much fun and found new sources of inspiration and new ways to express themselves.
Teen Art Project
Participants in our Teen Art Project created individual and collaborative artwork that are now displayed in public places throughout Arlee. Thanks so much to instructor Cameron Decker for all his work with our arts programs. Special thanks to artist Corky Clairmont for attending our “Beyond the Frame” art show and providing his insight and wisdom into what art means for us as individuals and as a community. Thanks to the Missoula Art Museum, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Montana Arts Council, and the Bill and Rosemary Gallagher Foundation for supporting this program.
Yaya Dolls
The kids had a great time making yaya dolls out of fabric scraps and yarn in a recent workshop. They were invited to use the materials provided or bring their own for a personalized touch. It's fun to watch the fabric and yarn take shape and come to life. This is always a popular class and all the participants love having a doll to take home.
Art Journaling
In this workshop, kids learned bookbinding to create an art journal that they can use for inspiration as they explore their creativity and develop new artistic skills and ways to express their ideas.
Field Trip to GNP
Thirty fifth graders and one fourth grader from Arlee learned about the National Park Service and enjoyed art and cultural lessons on a recent trip to Glacier National Park. For a majority of the students, it was their first visit to a national park. The trip was sponsored by the Arlee Community Development Corporation (Arlee CDC) and funded by “Connecting with our Homelands,” a grant from Hopa Mountain with funding from the National Parks Service for Indigenous organizations and schools that want to bring youth ages 5 -18 and elders to a national park to share Indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage, and traditions.
“It’s important to educate young people on our deep connection to the land around us,” Cameron Decker, youth program coordinator for the Arlee CDC. “Knowing more about how the land has nourished people physically, spiritually and culturally through the generations creates a deeper understanding that where we live affects how we live.”
The trip included a presentation from GNP education specialist Matt Daniel about the national parks system, the connection Indigenous people have long had to the park, the importance of conservation, and the endangered species that live in the area. Native artist Aspen Decker gave a lesson on the cultural importance of cedar for providing bark for canoes, baskets, and clothing. She spoke about the protocols and seasonal cycles for these gathering processes, and the importance of preserving natural resources. The kids also received backpacks with art supplies to encourage them to draw inspiration from the park’s natural beauty.
