Tue, August 19, 2008
By Luella N. Brien- Billings Gazette Staff - August 19, 2008
Allison Monroy had a busy summer.
She attended the inaugural First People's Youth Entrepreneurship Camp at the University of Great Falls. The leadership camp is geared toward 13- and 14-year-olds and focused on running a small business.
Allison, 14, met many American Indian business owners, athletes, Gov. Brian Schweitzer and his famed dog, Jag.
"We learned how to be a leader and how to run a business," Allison said.
The group of more than 20 middle school students from across the state met at UGF in June.
Not only did Allison attend the camp, she received a full-tuition four-year scholarship to UGF.
Each student was instructed on how to create a service plan for a community project. Allison's project was to raise money and buy school supplies for the Indian Health Board of Billings.
The health board runs a youth group for American Indian middle and high school students in the Billings area. The youth group gives the kids a place to go once a week after school and summer activities, including day trips and overnight camping trips.
Allison had a garage sale and used that money to find the best bargains for school supplies. She and her mother, Jeanne Monroy, used local schools' supply lists to buy the basic essentials for the students and also bought some fun items, such as highlighters, colored markers and sticky notes.
Allison has never been a part of the IHS youth group to which she donated the supplies because it's geared toward more at-risk youths, many of whom are homeless or abandoned, said Marjorie Bear Don't Walk, Indian Health Board executive director. The school supplies go to those students who are in need.
"We don't have a lot of money to help these kids," Bear Don't Walk said. "Allison is quite an extraordinary child to accomplish what she did."
The Indian Health Board offers a twice-a-week, walk-in clinic and weekly diabetes prevention and dental programs. The health board also offers state-certified outpatient substance abuse treatment and mental-health services.
"We get money to offer basic services, but we will never have enough money to fix the problems after they happen," she said. "So we focus a lot on prevention."
Adding to the shortage of funds are annual federal budget cuts and almost no donations from the community, Bear Don't Walk said.
"It's really admirable what Allison and her mother did. She raised the money and negotiated with store owners," Bear Don't Walk said. "Every time there was an obstacle, she overcame it."
Allison wanted to have her service project include kids, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to do.
Jeanne Monroy said she and Allison approached the Indian Health Board for ideas, and they both agreed the youth group would be a perfect fit for their project.
"I just like helping people," Allison said. "If they need help, I like helping people. I know I'm helping the community and doing something right, and it's fun."
Contact Luella Brien at lbrien@billingsgazette.com or 657-1232.