NAJS has touched the lives of so many individuals in need. They have provided resources to young Native leaders for the past 20 years and continue to grow and touch more lives.
I received the Native American Jump Start IUNA in the Summers of 2020, 2021, and 2022 to help assist with my educational and personal costs of attending the IUNA summer program to achieve the necessary education and leadership skills. I was able to receive funding to attend my summer 2023 internship in MA for Senator Elizabeth Warren's office in Boston, MA.
I was very grateful to receive such funding in regards to help pay for my transportation fees and food costs as I was cooking my own meals to eat on my lunch breaks. I am currently able to serve my role as the NAJS Grants & Administration coordinator, and building my networking skills through my job has been a great opportunity to meet other Native American educators or workers who serve roles within the higher education world.
This organization has given me the opportunity to connect on a deeper level with both my Indigenous community and my Indigenous spirituality. Through this experience, I’ve felt truly seen by my mentors, supported, and cared for by the staff and fellow peers. It has also allowed me to form meaningful, long-term mentorships that continue to guide and uplift me.
I’ve felt encouraged and inspired to continue pursuing my academic journey, and I’m now in a place where I feel grounded in my identity and connected to my people. Knowing that there is a strong, supportive community and organizations that have consistently made themselves available to me has been incredibly empowering and emotional.
For all of this, I am deeply and forever grateful. Thank you NAJS, I will always support you and all that you do for the Indigenous community!
I am incredibly grateful for the support I received from Native American Jump Start. NAJS provided me with the financial assistance I needed to pursue my education and supported my dream of becoming an Athletic Trainer. Their commitment to empowering Native American students has been truly transformative in my life, and I am proud to be a part of their incredible mission. Thanks to Native American Jump Start, I am now practicing athletic training on the Pine Ridge Reservation, providing care for Lakota student athletes. They assisted me earning both of my degrees, and I highly recommend their programs to anyone who needs a leg up in their educational or professional journey!
I have a good experience with this nonprofit as a student and now as a member of the nonprofit team.
Native Jumpstart is a wonderful company that goes out of their way to help students on their academic journey.
Native American Jump Start helped me with travel expenses when I had to travel for Unity! Their contribution greatly impacted me and allowed me to travel to the conference and meet new acquaintances across North America! From these connections, I facilitated conversations around Indigenous Youth in their respective tribes!
They are incredibly helpful and communicative in regard to my grant and wanting to continue help me financially while I pursue my PhD.
I had the pleasure of being a part of Native American Jumpstart through the partnership with Chipeta Trading Company in 2024. They have provided me with financial support and other indigenous students pursuing opportunities in higher education. Through the resources and networking opportunities, they have helped me work towards my next educational adventure, creating an open-hearted collaboration with mentorship and networking opportunities. Thank you NAJS!
Native American Jump Start is a nonprofit that believes in its recipients. As an alumni, I can speak to internship opportunities that have given me the tools to feel confident in the working world as a young adult, specifically in Ndn Country serving our communities. NAJS supports Native Peoples who have gone out and secured opportunities pertaining to education and employment by empowering it recipents. NAJS support makes these said oppurtunites a reality for many, they have done this for me!! Through various interships oppurtunity that have led to community, I get to embrace what it means to be a relative that encourages other Native Peoples specifically young ones that we can thrive in spaces that we are told were not built for us. We are empowered by recognizing we have an additonal community via NAJS rooting for us.
NAJS is an amazing organization that makes it possible for Indigenous Students to pursue impactful endeavors. I am grateful and honored to be a two time grant recipient!
I had the opportunity to receive grant assistance for an internship in 2019. The care the show for interns goes beyond financial support. They value finding success for Indigenous young people and giving them the voice to uplift others. Since my 2019 internship, I have had the opportunity to assist NAJS with youth programming for local schools in Jackson. Having the platform to share my lived experiences as an indigenous person in education while also sharing my culture is special. I’m glad Native American Jump Start is around to support future generations.
In December 2022, Native American Jump Start awarded me a grant to assist with personal expenses while I was enrolled at The Indian University of North America. This made it easier for me to devote to my academic goals and relieved some financial strain. In spring of the next year, I received addition help as I was working part-time as an intern for a Native Justice Coalition and wrapping up my practicum for a master's degree with Indigenous Health and Wellness Connections. I am incredibly appreciative of this
nonprofit since it freed me up to concentrate on improving myself and working for Tribal Communities. Through my internship, I had the opportunity to facilitate Healing Stories for Boarding School Survivors, and assist with the planning of a Children’s Remembrance Walk. I made the commitment to adopt a holistic approach to health via my studies, understanding that health is influenced by all four dimensions—social, mental, emotional, and physical. I am currently moving into a new position at Head Start as a Family Advocate. I am confident that, with the support of Native American Jump Start, my history, experiences, and education will enable me to succeed in this line of employment.
The Native American Jump Start Grant has been an invaluable catalyst in my academic and professional journey, empowering me to navigate challenges and unlock opportunities for growth. This transformative support has facilitated my participation in programs like the Native American Research Internship, Four Directions Summer Research program, and Native American Community Health Internship.
Through the grant's assistance, I've developed positive relationships with research and cultural mentors, reshaping my career goals and reigniting my passion for the natural sciences. It has been instrumental in overcoming obstacles, such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has allowed me to engage in lab-intensive research crucial for my academic and professional development.
Most importantly, the Native American Jump Start Grant has opened doors for me to contribute meaningfully to addressing health disparities within Indigenous communities. It has become a cornerstone in my commitment to advancing Native representation in research and healthcare, allowing me to advocate for equitable spaces and holistic well-being. This support has not only fueled my personal growth but has also positioned me to make a lasting impact on the underrepresentation of Indigenous people in these critical fields.
I have worked with Native American Jump Start since it's very early days. The vision and mission of NAJS is one that is needed today, is important to me, and is making a difference in the lives and future of Native students. Many grant recipients have shared personal stories of their success and fulfillment of their own goals in higher education. The success of these students have critical and lasting impact on their community and families - all while laying a solid groundwork for more native students to follow. NAJS is filling a gap that is making a difference.
I received grants from Native American Jumpstart in 2012, 2022, and 2024. The organization is committed to overseeing students at all levels of their academic background from post-high school through secondary and advanced degrees. As an alumni representative and former NAJS scholar, I recommend this organization to Indigenous students. Recently, I was voted as Vice-Chairwoman and am proud to announce that the board has 100% vested interested in provided funds and expertise to the students.
This organization provides critical assistance to students who worked hard to get college scholarships, but need financial help to actually get to the school. I've met beneficiaries of the program, and they have all said that this assistance was absolutely needed, and it truly set them up for success as they began their journey to getting a college education.
Directly Connecting resources to those who need them and seeing results! There are so many things I’m proud of Native American Jump Start for, but being able actually see my donations meet those who need it and watch it translate into future opportunities is what we are most of. As a member of the volunteer Board of Directors I first hand see the quality candidates applications and worthwhile internships they are pursuing. The variety of tribal candidates is as varied as their programs, research, and interns. I’m always impressed by the challenges our candidates want to resolve, they are truly a gift to our society. It is equally fulfilling seeing the follow on successes from our past recipients as they continue down their journey of academic, community, and government service. Knowing we a small part in these amazing endeavors is enough to keep me donating year to year and serving on the Board.
The youth are our future, this non profit organization benefits many future Native American students looking to better themselves and their prospective families. They do this by providing college scholarships to students to help further their educational needs. I have seen many students in the past that have gone on to prosper due to this amazing program.
I've been involved with NAJS for over 15 years and I have seen the impact that the organization has made on the lives of many deserving Native American young students
I received a grant from Native American Jump Start in May 2019 to help me travel from my home state of Oklahoma to Wyoming to complete my summer internship at Grand Teton National Park. I am fortunate that someone was looking out and shared about this great organization with me!
Native American Jump Start is an amazing organization that supports and provides many opportunities for Native Americans to take advantage of opportunities for training, education, and exploration that would not otherwise be available to them. We have worked with NAJS in our work force development program for young adults on Pine Ridge Reservation. They have helped to prepare young Lakota people for experiences with different cultures and helped people from other cultures learn more about the Lakota. They also have developed much needed training programs with excellent curriculum and instruction for the Lakota youth. Ray Southworth, a board member, was excellent to work with and made it much easier for the young people to navigate a transition to working with people from other cultures but also for preparing for the work world.
There are few organizations that offer this kind of help to Natives and fortunately NAJS offers excellent programs and instructors.
If I could give this organization more than five stars I would. Native American Jump Start over the last two years have played a critical role in financially supporting and training young Native Americans from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Specifically your Board Member Ray Southworth has played a dedicated and caring role in our employment and cultural program here along the NH seacoast for the last two summers.
Native American Jump Start is a group of dedicated individuals who are committed to helping Native College Students achieve their potential by providing financial grants to high-potential students with College internships. As a past chair and board member, I can say that this group of volunteers does all they can to keep expenses as low as possible so more students can get the support they need to thrive in their careers and life. I believe that the financial support of this organization is a donation well made and will have the maximum impact.
I've been involved with NAJS for over a dozen years. The organization does an amazing job in serving Native American individuals and families as they pursue educational and employment opportunities. They have great success stories of grant recipients becoming tribal chairmen, museum curators and leaders within the native community.