WHAT: Participating youth will experience a safe, supportive, respectful, and stimulating community following Indigenous ways. They learn from a wide range of guest teachers about plants, food/body connections, and culture.
Check out some of our great camp staff from 2025! Thanks to these staff for sharing a little about themselves.
QUESTIONS: Contact us at [email protected] for more information about being on staff, being a sponsor, or donating meals or supplies.
COC I. Roots to Rise (RTR): COC Founder & Director: Freedom Thompson/Director Administrator: Dr. Stephanie Bondi
- Roots to Rise is a multi-dimensional cultural art, humanities, and environmental land connection studies program designed to reach, ignite and uplift all children and youth in our community.
- Providing de-colonizing, culturally responsive Indigenous pedagogy outdoors, Roots to Rise aims to empower holistic health and wellness, and reinforce myriad life and academic skills, with promoting a positive future construct—all led by BIPOC peer mentors and qualified adults.
- By providing a safe space to enhance creativity and self-identity through art, humanities, and environment, Roots to Rise bridges gaps, creates pathways to connection, and uplifts youth holistically.
- Roots to Rise nourishes Indigenous and all community youth through healthy sustenance and sustainability. We do this by providing connections to the land, environment, art, and Indigenous wisdom. All nourishing efforts support a more human/earth healthy and biodiverse future.
- Roots to Rise provides a safe, inclusive, stimulating environment all year including a week-long summer camp to secure connections with self and others in the world of art, humanities, environmentalism land connections, and language.
2021 Major Institutional Sponsors ($500+)
2022 Major Institutional Sponsors ($500+)
- Indian Center
- LPS Indian Education
- Intertribal Spiritual Lodges
- Anitra Warrior/Morningstar Counseling
- Humanities Nebraska
- Runza Restaurants
2023 Major Institutional Sponsors ($500+)
- Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
- EarthBondU
- Humanities Nebraska
- Jeffery and Rebecca Stark Trust
- Open Harvest Co-op Seed Program
- Runza Restaurants
- Intertribal Spiritual Lodges
2024 Major Institutional Sponsors ($500+)
- Intertribal Spiritual Lodges
- Bryan Health
2025 Major Institutional Sponsors ($500+)
- EarthBondU
- Bryan Health
- Intertribal Spiritual Lodges
- Jeffery and Rebecca Stark Trust
- Nebraskans for Peace
- Runza Restaurants