EAGLE BUTTE, S.D.-Earlier this month, five Lakota teens who are participating in the Cheyenne River Youth Project's "Growing Into Wowachinyepi" program traveled to Washington, D.C. to learn to articulate and pitch their individual platforms and learn more about becoming leaders and culture-bearers for the Lakota nation.

The Growing Into Wowachinyepi initiative was designed to honor the Cheyenne River community's youth leaders in a culturally relevant and respectful way, while also giving participants opportunities to continue their leadership journey. The youth project created the program i...