By NB3 Foundation

NB3FIT XC Team at National Championship: A Season of Growth and Achievement

The NB3FIT cross country team had an exceptional season, wrapping up with 22 youth  qualifying for the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship. This group included 5 8U girls, 5 8U boys, 8 9-10 girls, 1 9-10 boy, 1 13-14 boy, 1 15-18 boy, and 1 15-18 girl, with four runners competing as individuals. This year marked a significant milestone as more runners from a variety of age divisions qualified than ever before.

The team saw substantial growth, not only in numbers but in performance. In previous years, the 8U age group made up the majority of the team, but this season we witnessed a more balanced spread across age divisions. Six first-year cross-country runners were part of the team, and their rapid ability to adapt to the sport was impressive. Returning runners also achieved personal milestones, such as Jillian Calabaza from Santo Domingo Pueblo, who placed 33rd out of 199 runners at the National JOXC Championship.

Throughout the season, the team experienced significant evolution. Many runners were moving up to older age divisions and adjusting to longer race distances, which can be a challenge. However, as the season progressed, the athletes embraced the transition and worked hard to improve. Some runners saw improvements of up to 8 minutes from the start of the season, setting personal bests. The growth wasn’t just in times; the bond between the runners and coaching staff deepened, and the team became more unified. By the end of the season, we had transformed into a true family, supporting one another through challenges and celebrating each success together.

The most rewarding aspect of coaching this team was seeing the joy and determination of the athletes. Whether on race day or during practice, the team’s enthusiasm and energy made any outside struggles seem small. Being together, outdoors, and active helped everyone focus on the present and gave us a sense of community and strength.

Attending Nationals also provided our youth with valuable lessons that go beyond the track. Traveling as a team reminded them of the importance of representing themselves, their teammates and their communities. The team mantra, “Run for your people, run for your team, run for yourself,” echoed throughout the season, reinforcing the idea that dedication and hard work can open doors. For many of our runners, Nationals set a new standard, inspiring them to continually strive for greater achievements both individually and as part of the team.

This season has been a remarkable journey for the NB3FIT team, full of growth, challenges and triumphs. As we look to the future, we are excited to see where this experience will take our runners, knowing they will continue to inspire others with their passion and commitment.

With the cross country season now complete, the NB3FIT Run Club is looking ahead to track season. Registration is currently open, and practices are set to begin at the end of March. The team is eager to continue building on its success and welcomes new and returning athletes to join the program.

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By NB3 Foundation

NB3 Foundation Staff Continues to Strive for New Heights


We are excited to share a story of dedication and growth within the NB3 Foundation family. Erma Trujillo, Pueblo of Cochiti, has shown incredible determination over the past two years as she worked tirelessly to achieve her goals.

While managing the demands of her role in keeping the Foundation’s finance department running smoothly, Erma also dedicated herself to completing her degree in accounting – all while raising her 10-year-old daughter with unwavering love and support. Her hard work and perseverance paid off as she recently graduated with honors from the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting (BSBA).

We’re proud to announce that Erma has now stepped into a new role as Director of Finance for the NB3 Foundation. In this leadership position, she will guide our financial strategies and help ensure the long-term sustainability of our work in supporting Native communities.

“Earning my degree while balancing work and family has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences. I’m incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of my family and colleagues. I am proud to step into the role of Director of Finance, where I can continue contributing to our mission of empowering Native youth and communities,” she said. 

Please join us in congratulating Erma on her incredible achievements and this well-earned opportunity to continue making a difference. 

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By NB3 Foundation

The NB3 New Mexico Grande Slam Golf Event supports health and opportunity for New Mexico youth

The Notah Begay III New Mexico Grande Slam golf event is more than just a tournament; it’s a key fundraiser supporting the NB3 Foundation and other nonprofits dedicated to improving the lives of youth across New Mexico. Each year, the event raises essential funds to provide tools, resources and programs that empower children to live healthier lives.

This year, the NB3 Foundation is proud to partner with the National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI). A portion of the funds raised will support NDI’s mission to bring dance and creative expression to youth, helping them build self-esteem, discipline and confidence.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our generous sponsors whose support makes this event possible. Your contributions are key to delivering resources and creating meaningful change in New Mexico’s communities. By raising funds for organizations that support youth, we’re helping shape a healthier future for the next generation.

We invite everyone to get involved whether through participation, sponsorship or spreading the word. Thank you to all who make the New Mexico Grande Slam a success. Your support is building a brighter future for the youth of New Mexico. See you in 2025!

Together, we go Grande for the kids of New Mexico!

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By NB3 Foundation

NB3FIT Day: A Celebration of Health and Community

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!

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By NB3 Foundation

Youth voice at the top of the agenda for HKHF Conference

Healthy Kids! Healthy Futures! Conference

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.

Following the opening session, attendees attended learning and networking sessions hosted by presenters including: Positive Coaching Alliance, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Elevate Navajo, Native Strength Revolution, Nurture Cultivate, Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, Bill Coriz Kewa educator, The BEN Initiative , Tumbleweed Nutrition and  Ho’ala ‘Aina Kupono.

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.

We’d like to thank our event sponsors BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico and Raving for helping make the event a success.

To look back on the 2024 conference visit https://www.nb3foundation.org/hkhf-conference/

Stay tuned for dates and location for 2025!

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By NB3 Foundation

NB3FIT hosts summer camps in communities

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.

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By NB3 Foundation

Youth Council attends UNITY Conference in Portland

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 advisors and the NB3 Foundation President and CEO. 

 

Throughout the conference, our youth actively engaged in various workshops focused on leadership, cultural preservation and 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, where youth 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.  

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By NB3 Foundation

Spring programs preview

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 the 8-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

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By NB3 Foundation

NB3FIT XC ends record season at Nationals

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! 

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By NB3 Foundation

NB3 Foundation partners up to bring youth basketball league to local youth

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.

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