Dló̜ó̜’ Yázhí Day Camp is a nonprofit summer camp in Thoreau, New Mexico that serves children on and around Navajo Nation.
DYDC focuses on building self-esteem, resilience, and connectedness in campers.
Visit https://www.dlooyazhi.com/ for more information.
The Dló̜ó̜’ Yázhí Day Camp (DYDC) completed its 9th summer of operation in 2023. Camp was held at the Thoreau Community Center in Thoreau, New Mexico. Participants included 41 campers representing the Diné and A:shiwi (Zuni) Nations, ranging from ages 4-14 years.
DYDC was led by 10 counselors, collectively representing the Navajo, Zuni, Oglala Lakota, Apache, and Caddo Nations. There were three directors, two of whom are Diné, plus three counselors-in-training.
Daily activities included cooking, sports, art, and nature exploration and science. Campers gained cooking skills and learned about health and nutrition. Campers participated in a variety of activities including basketball, softball, volleyball, tag games, capture the flag, badminton and more.
There were also basketball and knockout tournaments for the camp families to watch. The youth explored the land, used natural materials to build “prairie dog homes,” participated in a nature scavenger hunt, and developed their artistic skills through painting. Campers also tried sewing, pottery, beadwork, and recycled-material art.
DYDC hosted trips outside of camp, such as an overnight camping and fishing trip to Bluewater Lake State Park, hiking in Bluewater Creek, the canyon of the Hogbacks in Gallup, and to the lookout tower in the Cibola National Forest, as well as a trip to Gallup. Also, on the last day of camp, families and community members were invited to join the campers for a lunch cooked by the oldest campers.
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