07/22/2026
As the Youth Cultural Enrichment Academy heads into its last two weeks, here’s a look at what’s happened so far ⤵️
The YCEA is a collaboration between the Nez Perce Tribe and Northwest Indian College that began more than 15 years ago and centers on engaging in cultural practices and highlighting the importance of protecting natural resources within the scope of workforce development training.
Participants will spend more than 120 hours of “class time - out in the field” learning and working on Nez Perce culture projects and activities. The main theme for 2026 is Geological Preservation, Food Sovereignty Initiatives, and Health/Fitness Activities. There are 7 participants this year, who are all incoming 10th-12th graders from Lapwai High School.
The first two weeks of YCEA held in late June/early July focused on Geological Preservation in the Western U.S. & Health Fitness Activities. The youth took a trip to Arizona, where they were able to explore the geological formations from Idaho to Mesa, hike to Wheeler Peak, and take a dip in Stella Lake at the Great Basin National Park in Baker, NV. Several of the youth have never seen the mountains in this area, and were surprised by the vast difference of what we see up north, NWIC Nez Perce Site Manager Angela Picard shared.
The 7 YCEA Ambassadors also participated in three days of basketball in Mesa, AZ, where two College interns assisted with coaching. The teams represented well and won a championship! “I had a feeling we were gonna to win, the vibe was just right,” one player shared.
The second week of YCEA saw the Ambassadors head to Portland, OR. This included a quick visit to Washington State University, where they met BioRise staff and interns. The youth were able to hear a presentation on the program and participate in an activity discussing the importance of Nation-building. In the activity, the students debated on a hypothetical scenario that came down to accepting money with potential water degradation or opting out. Every student was engaged in the discussion and in the end were dead set against taking money with potential water damage, were focused on listening to their Elders’ opinions of protecting water, and added their own ideas of what could be done with the land, Picard shared.
From WSU, the students traveled to Portland, where they visited OMSI after receiving an invite from the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. The Commission wanted youth from the CRITFC Tribes to come explore and enjoy OMSI, while also requesting their feedback on their exhibits on water quality and salmon habitat activities. It was a long day at OMSI, with visits to the chemistry lab, teen science center, planetarium, and anthropology center, where they saw the remnants of a saber-toothed salmon. They also caught the final show of the Titanic: Artifact Exhibit. The day wrapped with a delicious Indigenous-inspired catered meal from Javelina’s. A few of the youth said their favorite part was the Titanic Exhibit due to the artifacts, the iceberg, and the storytelling involved, Picard said. On the trip home, they swung by Multnomah Falls to witness the beautiful mountain waterfall and scenery.
This week, the youth head to the Oregon Coast to explore Food Sovereignty and Food Pathways of the Pacific Northwest. The final week will be held in Nimiipuu homelands, where the students will spend time kayaking, collecting tule, and hiking the mountains for berries.
