NB3FIT Day, held at North Domingo Baca Park in Albuquerque, NM, brought together over 70 Native youth and families for a day of fun, fitness and celebration in honor of Native American Heritage Month. This free event, which is part of our ongoing commitment to providing events for the community, focused on promoting healthy, active lifestyles for Native youth and their families.
The event featured a variety of activities designed to get participants moving, from obstacle courses, rock climbing call and tennis, all aimed at getting families and community moving together. It was an opportunity for families to connect, have fun and prioritize health while celebrating Native heritage.
A special thanks goes out to our incredible partners, San Felipe Project Venture, Indigenous Farm Hub and US Tennis Association, whose support helped make this event a success. Their presence and contributions highlight the importance of collaboration in creating healthier communities for Native families.
We’re grateful to everyone who came out to support the event and look forward to continuing our work to provide access to health and wellness resources for Native youth and families. Thank you to all who attended, and we can’t wait for next year’s NB3FIT Day!
/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC_0571.png37885304NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2024-11-20 17:48:372024-11-20 21:51:35NB3FIT Day: A Celebration of Health and Community
Over 100 guests from Native youth serving organizations across the country attended the 2024 NB3 Foundation’s Healthy Kids! Healthy Futures! Conference June 16-18 at Sandia Resort & Resort in Albuquerque, NM. This year’s attendees participated in sessions focused on how to effectively engage youth voice in their work and spaces.
This year’s theme Hear Me, Hear Us: Engaging Youth Voice to Build Healthier Communities brought in leaders and organizations who have been successful collaborating with youth to reach community health goals.
The conference started with an opening session hosted by Native youth leaders from across the state. Devyn Kahze (Pueblo of Laguna), Jasmine Mitchell (Diné), Chenoa Scipio (Santa Clara Pueblo, Diné) and Derek Capitan (Laguna Pueblo, Diné) facilitated a session on how organizations and communities can build meaningful relationships with the youth they serve.
Ho’ala ‘Aina Kupono and Nurture Cultivate joined us from Hawaii and shared how their youth programs rooted in culture have success engaging youth.
Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council joined us from Wisconsin and shared how their programs have had success engaging youth through elder and youth events.
Native Strength Revolution shared how the use of basic yoga techniques can help build trust and meaningful relationships with youth.
Elevate Navajo is a dedicated youth organization that focuses on mentor and youth relationships in their programs. Elevate Navajo provided tools and resources their youth leaders use to actively engage youth in program.
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project shared on their programs and how youth input drives their programs and campaigns.
Bill Coriz and educator at Santa Fe Indian School has years of experience working with Native youth. Coriz shared the tools and resources that have made him successful in his role as an educator and mentor for Native youth.
The BEN Initiative and Tumbleweed Nutrition teamed up to share how they worked with youth to increase the amount of locally grown and traditional, Indigenous foods on school lunch menus in Navajo Nation.
/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DSC_8463.png37125568NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2024-08-20 16:51:132024-08-20 16:54:18Youth voice at the top of the agenda for HKHF Conference
NB3 Foundation’s NB3FIT youth program kicked off summer by hosting various sports and health camps in Native communities. Over 8 weeks, NB3FIT visited Nambe Pueblo, San Felipe Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Albuquerque Academy and teamed up with Nike N7 for a camp in Durant, Okla. Many of the camps were days to weeks long and involved a close partnership with the participating communities.
Each camp consisted of sports, youth development activities and healthy nutrition education. The summer camps were part of NB3FIT’s efforts to broaden their reach to more communities and youth. Through the hiring of part-time coaches and summer interns, NB3FIT was able to make these camps possible for partnering communities.
The NB3 Foundation Youth Council had the incredible opportunity of attending the United National Indian Tribal Youth Inc. (UNITY) National Conference in Portland, Ore. June 28 to July 4. Our delegation included four youth council members, three advisorsand the NB3 Foundation President and CEO.
Throughout the conference, our youth actively engaged in various workshops focused on leadership, cultural preservationand community empowerment. They also had the chance to network with peers from other youth councils across the country, exchanging ideas and building lasting connections.
One of the highlights of the trip was the Wellness Warriors’ activities hosted at Nike Headquarters, whereyouth participated in fitness challenges and learned about the importance of health and wellness in Native communities.
“I enjoyed being able to participate in dances and events with many other people from around the United States,” said youth council member Corey Bird.
Overall, the conference was an enriching experience that not only empowered our youth with valuable skills and knowledge, but also strengthened their sense of identity and unity within the Native American youth community. “It was an amazing experience. The numbers were around 3,000 youth participants. The inspirational speakers were great. The testimonies shared by the youth and advisors/sponsors were impressive; our group ideas and plans are similar to what’s going on with other youth council groups,” Bill Coriz, NB3 Foundation youth council advisor said.
Soccer:
We’re excited to welcome back our NB3FIT soccer program in spring of 2024! The last time we hosted a soccer program was in spring of 2020 – right as the pandemic hit. It’s been a long wait, but we are happy to bring the sport and program back to local youth. The youth soccer league will provide an organized soccer league where youth will learn fundamentals of soccer and implement the skills in a competitive soccer game at the end of each week. March will mark the start of the8-week season with a tournament to follow. Registration will open shortly after the new year. The league will be open to youth ages 6-14.
Track:
After a successful cross country season NB3FIT is looking forward to spring track and field starting in March! Leading up to the season, conditioning camps will be hosted to prepare youth for the 12-week season. Registration will open shortly after the new year.
Golf:
Golf will be back in full swing this spring! Spring program will start on March 11 and will run for 6 weeks at the Santa Ana Golf Club. Equipment is available for youth in program. Registration will also be open in January!
Questions about spring program can be sent to Director of NB3FIT, Clint Begay at clint@nb3f.org
The 2023 cross country season officially came to an end at nationals on December 9 in Louisville, Kentucky. The national race was the bow on top of what was already a record-breaking year for the NB3FIT cross country team. The running club grew to 86 runners, making it the largest youth cross country club in the state! An amazing feat that would’ve been hard to imagine just a few years ago.
This year, more practice locations were opened to help make the program accessible to more youth and families. Another addition made to help make the program affordable is sliding scale scholarships. Half of the youth in the cross-country program qualified for a scholarship from the foundation to help cover registration costs.
The youth also had outstanding finishes throughout the season. A total of 27 runners qualified for nationals. The girls 8 and under team finished first place in all their races including the regional race. They continued to nationals where they finished 5th place overall.
The team also had 6 runners tally up multiple top 5 finishes throughout the season:
Individual Top 5 Achievements
Charles Duffel (17 y/o)
1st place- AAT Cross Country Meet #25
1st place- Running Medicine Cross Country Meet
2nd Place- Team Haa’nu Meet
3rd place- NB3 Foundation Traditions Run
2nd place- Duke- Rise to Greatness Invitational
2nd place- USATF NM JO Championship
Marcus Tenorio (14 y/o)
3rd place USATF NM JO Championships
2nd place NB3 Foundation Traditions run
Quinton Begay (13 y/o)
3rd place NB3 Foundation Traditions Run
3rd place Dukes- Rise to Greatness XC Invitational
Jacqueline Durand (12 y/o)
5th place USATF NM JO Championship
Taymani Loretto (8 y/o)
4th place Running Medicine Cross Country Meet
2nd Place NB3 Foundation Traditions Run
4th place Dukes- Rise to Greatness XC Invitational
3rd place USATF NM JO Championship
Weston Grant (8 y/o)
4th place Running Medicine Cross Country Meet
4th place NB3 Foundation Traditions Run
5th place USATF NM JO Championship
Emmarina Wright, was the only runner to have perfect attendance for the whole 10-week regular season! Congrats to Emmarina and her family for the dedication to the team this season.
Each age group saw significant improvements in running times through the season:
Average improvements (previously trained and untrained runners):
2k runners: 2 minutes and 31 seconds
3k runners: 4 minutes and 47 seconds
4k runners: 3 minutes and 54 seconds
5k runners: 10 minutes and 24 seconds
At the end of the season, it’s always great to celebrate the achievements on the course and to hear about the personal successes of each runner. We look to the youth and parents/caregivers to help us learn about what the season meant to them.
From youth:
“Our team is from different tribes, but we are a family. We are special because even if we stress out the coaches, they still love us.”
“My favorite memory was getting to go new places and learning how to be a role model for the little kids.”
“At the San Felipe race I watched Marcus win 2nd place. It made me happy because our team was winning, but also because I can run with him so I can run like him.”
From Parents:
“My son’s main focus for joining XC for the first time was to get healthy and fit. He has noticed changes in his physical abilities and has given him confidence that he can do more.”
“In the beginning my daughter was nervous, intimidated, and said it was hard. Throughout the weeks she grew more confident and was so proud of the strides she has made and was excited to be part of a team!”
“I am very glad I had my son join the XC program. He is motivated and is now in the basketball program. Even though he sees that he’s different from children his age group, he knows that it doesn’t define who he is or limit his capabilities!”
Looking ahead
After a strong cross country season, the foundation is looking forward to a having a strong showing in spring for the track and field season. The new season will start in March with registration opening up following the new year.
86 Runners
48 females
38 males
100% identify as Native American
45 ages 8 and under (6-8)
30 ages 9-12
11 ages 13+
Communities represented:
Hopi
Acoma
Laguna
Isleta
Sandia
Tamaya
Zia
Jemez
San Felipe
Kewa
Cochiti
San Ildefonso
Santa Clara
Diné
San Carlos Apache
Kickapoo
Lakota Sioux
Tohono O’Odham
Thank you for the support of NB3FIT cross country!
/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DSC_0307.jpg37125568NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2023-12-28 19:21:332023-12-29 06:11:15NB3FIT XC ends record season at Nationals
This winter the NB3 Foundation partnered up with Tamaya Wellness Center (Pueblo of Santa Ana) to bring a basketball league to local youth. Basketball is popular in the communities with many youth leagues scattered around the area, however, many are not affordable or accessible to families. Participating in an Albuquerque league requires families to travel over 20 miles just for the child to participate. The Tamaya Wellness Center is located just north of Albuquerque – making it more accessible to many local tribal communities and families.
There are currently over 190 youth participants ranging from 5-17 years old in the inaugural league. Through the partnership, league games are played every Saturday at the Tamaya Wellness Center gymnasium located in the Pueblo of Santa Ana. Teams are coached by parents and local community members who all received coach’s training. Coaches also have access to equipment and the gym to host a practice at least once a week.
When the cross country season comes to an end, it usually means the foundation’s youth programs are on break until the spring. However, with the addition of the basketball league, we are happy to say we provide year-round youth programs for Native youth.
We’re grateful for the continued support of the Pueblo of Santa Ana and it’s Tamaya Wellness Center. Without the partnership and the use of their facilities, this league would not have been possible.
/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/DSC_2146.jpg37125568NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2023-12-28 17:52:532023-12-29 06:15:51NB3 Foundation partners up to bring youth basketball league to local youth
Today, the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation is thrilled to welcome Tunté Vigil (Tesuque Pueblo/Rosebud Lakota) as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Vigil brings a variety of experience from education, management, business development and tribal gaming. Her passion for Native youth and communities shines through in all her work and volunteerism and will help strengthen and advance the mission of the NB3 Foundation.
“The board of directors has taken its time and been very intentional to fill this position with a qualified and equally passionate leader to take the organization even further as a national leader in Native youth health. Tunté’s proven results in strengthening tribal communities, building relationships and strategic thinking make her an excellent fit for the organization,” said Notah Begay III, founder.
As President and CEO, Vigil will take the lead and be responsible for planning, implementation and management of the organization, ensuring commitment to the core values and serving as a leading advocate for Native youth health. Tunté joins the organization at a critical time as Native communities work to reclaim their systems of health.
“I am pleased and excited with the board’s decision to bring on an experienced, Native-woman professional to lead our team. Tunté brings a depth of knowledge, passion and lived experience that will strengthen our team and ability to move the needle for Native youth and communities,” said Jon Driskell, COO and former acting president and CEO.
“I am humbled and honored for the unique opportunity to serve and strengthen the Native Youth programming at NB3 Foundation. I am excited to enhance the four core areas through traditional values and teachings; our children are sacred and our future leaders who will carry our culture, language and ways of life,” Vigil said. “I look forward to engaging with the talented staff, partners and collaborators, and especially with the youth! Thank you to the NB3 Foundation Board of Directors for having the confidence in me to contribute my leadership to such an amazing and impactful organization”.
Vigil is committed to serving Native people, especially the youth of all communities. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family, participating in her both her Pueblo and Lakota cultures and living a healthy lifestyle.
/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.png00NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2023-06-05 15:34:432023-06-05 15:34:43NB3 Foundation welcomes Tunté Vigil as new Chief Executive Officer
NB3FIT Track kicked off the season at Volcano Vista High School on April 29 marking the first competitive meet for the majority of the team.
The NB3FIT program added track to its rotation in 2022 to provide youth another way to stay active until cross country returns in the fall. The sport also appeals to a different group of youth who may may like the short distances more than the longer cross country runs.
In an effort to reach more youth, NB3FIT established four different practice sites for families to choose from. Families have the option to attend the site nearest them with one being in Albuquerque, one in Bernalillo and two in pueblo communities. The same curriculum is taught at all the practice sites and youth come together once a week to practice together.
With two meets in the book, the team is already showing bright futures ahead. NB3FIT has one of the largest teams in the area with youth competing in almost every category. There is a learning curve to track, and youth are becoming more comfortable with the rules and fundamentals as well as learning the importance of pacing themselves for different events.
Next on the schedule for NB3FIT Track is the Albuquerque Athletic Track Meet May, 20 at Eldorado High School. This year’s state race will take place on Saturday, June 10 at Cleveland high school followed by a regional race on July 8 and nationals in Eugene, Oregon on July 29!
Keep up to date on the team by following the NB3 Foundation on social media!
/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_8818-2.png37803024NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2023-05-17 16:53:382023-05-18 21:25:19NB3FIT Track off to a quick start
Nb3FIt Program Coordinator, Autumn Quiver leading a warm-up exercise at Bernalillo Elementary School.
In April, Quiver completed a two-month training and received a U.S. National D Coaching License from the US Soccer Federation.
Autumn Quiver and fellow coaches training for the National D Coaching License.
NB3FIT Soccer came to an abrupt end in March 2020. Since then, NB3FIT has been working to figure out the best way to reintroduce the program to communities.
“Our soccer program relied heavily on us being in communities with youth. With shutdowns and the extended shutdowns of local communities it has made it hard for us to bring it back before now,” Clint Begay, director of NB3FIT said.
Autumn Quiver, NB3FIT program coordinator and lead soccer coach, has been connected with the foundation since her adolescence when she was first a youth participant of the program. Now, as a longtime NB3FIT coach, she is leading the revival of the soccer program through professional development and partnering with local schools.
“We’ve been trying to bring back soccer in the communities and decided to start by visiting the schools,” Quiver said. “In the past our participation numbers were always higher when we went to schools and brought soccer to students.”
Through a partnership with the US Soccer Foundation, Quiver visited three local schools, for two weeks, to lead soccer activities and to test curriculum feasibility in school settings. The partnership was a great way to get NB3FIT in front students, who are program age, and to help secure funding that could be used to strengthen the soccer program.
In addition to her work in schools, Quiver has been working on her skill set in the classroom. In April, Quiver completed a two-month training and received a U.S. National D Coaching License from the US Soccer Federation.
“With getting this license I am being mindful and growing as a coach, she said. “I’ve loved and played soccer and want to provide that experience to the youth in our communities.”
The D Coaching License prepares coaches to lead teams from U6-U13 in a participation environment. The training process also teaches coaches to not only plan out sessions and run practices, but the importance of putting the player first.
“[The training] is a player-centered curriculum and focuses on being mindful of the emotional well-being of the player. How they learn, how long they can learn and understanding that though youth seem like they should learn at similar rates 7-year-olds learn a lot differently than 9-year-olds,” Quiver pointed out.
The license, credentials and training back up everything NB3FIT is teaching, and has boosted Quiver’s confidence as the foundation gets closer to relaunching the soccer program. Looking ahead, she has her eyes set on refreshing the foundation’s decade-old soccer curriculum and making sure it is up to date with her training.
“We are excited to get back out there and plan to offer some local camps to help reintroduce ourselves into communities,” she said. “We are eager to lend our support to communities as they share the game to their youth.”
Since 2020, NB3FIT has offered more sports and activities including track and field, tennis camps, a youth golf team, and most recently a girls basketball team. NB3FIT hopes that through visits with schools and hosting camps soccer will slowly get back in the rotation of sports they provide to Native youth.
Follow the NB3 Foundation on social media to get all updates on NB3FIT programs.
/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screen-Shot-2023-05-10-at-4.38.23-PM.png14801208NB3 Foundation/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nb3logo.pngNB3 Foundation2023-05-12 16:04:172023-05-12 17:34:39Quiver is taking the steps to bring back NB3FIT Soccer
