Choctaw Nation’s YAB celebrates 20 years of empowering future leaders

The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) recently celebrated a major milestone, celebrating 20 years of empowering young people across the Choctaw Nation.

Originally founded as a health initiative, YAB has grown into a program that instills leadership skills, promotes community involvement and encourages personal growth among students.

Deputy Director Jason Campbell shared the program’s beginnings and how it came to be such an impactful program for Choctaw youth.
“Originally, this organization was kind of created as a health initiative for youth,” Campbell said.

He shared that Chief Batton saw a need for the youth to be involved in a program that could hone their leadership skills, so YAB was created.

The first YAB meeting took place with just 17 students in Hugo, Oklahoma.

Since then, the program has expanded to 29 chapters with around 400 members.

To honor this anniversary, YAB hosted a quarterly conference with a morning student-led business meeting, followed by remarks from alumni, Chief Batton, Assistant Chief and Speaker Williston.

Jason Campbell estimated 50 alumni and 100 current members to be in attendance.Attendees had the opportunity to mingle, play cornhole and participate in various other games.

The event aimed to encourage current students to get acquainted with some of the alumni.

It was a day focused on highlighting alumni achievements, allowing them to return, share how YAB had impacted them and update everyone on what they had been doing since their time with YAB.

“We’ve got some real amazing success stories out there, and so we just want our current members to see and understand that, hey, regardless of what challenges you may have in your life, what challenges you may be facing,” said Campbell. “Some of these alumni, they came from these same areas, these same communities, where these current students are growing up and that these other folks kind of walked those same steps and found a way to overcome and, you know, and have a bright future.”

Through monthly business meetings, community service projects and leadership activities, YAB strives to build strong, self-reliant leaders.
Campbell shared the program’s mission to prepare students for life beyond high school, regardless of what that looks like—whether it’s college, trade school or entering the workforce.

“We’re very honored and proud to be that one extracurricular they chose to be a part of,” he said. “We want them to be the most well-prepared that they possibly can be.”

YAB goes beyond just leadership skills; it emphasizes teamwork, communication and perseverance.

“So, it goes way beyond just, you know, leadership,” Campbell added.

“It’s just trying to prepare them to be an active citizen, you know, a productive member of society.”

The Youth Advisory Board’s legacy over the past two decades is evident through the accomplishments of its alumni and the program’s continuing growth.

As YAB looks to the future, the program remains dedicated to supporting the next generation of Choctaw leaders, helping them find their path, develop their potential and give back to their communities.

What is YAB

The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) empowers youth to become leaders with a servant attitude toward others.

This program utilizes a leadership curriculum to develop students’ potential through creative thinking, presentation, planning and team building to foster success as tomorrow’s leaders.

Students are inspired to use their service leadership skills through community service projects to promote positive change within their communities. A transcript of accomplishments will be available to the student for resumes, scholarships and college applications.

Eligibility

The program is available to all students in grades 8 – 12 who live in the Choctaw Nation’s service area. Participants must participate in two consecutive meetings. YAB participate in any combination of two projects/events, trainings, or quarterly conferences.

Choctaw Nation Sponsored Events

• Veterans Day
• Memorial Day
• Trail of Tears Walk
• College Connect/Career Expo

YAB Sponsored Events

• Speech Contest
• Quarterly Conferences
• Monthly Collaboration
• Professional Development Training

Community Service Initiatives

• Promoting Literacy
• Going Green Initiative
• Community Enhancement Projects
• Promoting Faith, Family and Culture
• Mentoring
• Prevention and Awareness Initiatives
• Active Duty/Veteran Appreciation