Nathanial Fast Wolf, 14, is a member of CRYP's second cohort of Waniyetu Wowapi ("Winter Count") Art Interns. He also served as a Sustainable Agriculture Intern in 2014, spending the summer in the Winyan Toka Win ("Leading Lady") organic garden, and he's a regular participant in the Cokata Wiconi ("Center of Life") Book Club.
Nathanial says Book Club has been, by far, his favorite activity at CRYP. He's completed two sessions to date, reading a total of eight novels, earning a new Kindle, and hiking Hinhan Kaga (Harney Peak) in March 2015 as part of a special session focused on Native American literature.
Nathanial says he's grateful for CRYP's international volunteer program, which brings volunteers from around the world to South Dakota's remote, 2.8-million-acre Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. That program, in fact, has ignited his interest in Russian culture.
After his high school graduation, Nathanial says he'd like to experience international travel — in particular, he's hoping to visit Russia. And, he wants to go to college to become either a journalist or a pharmacist.
In the meantime, he's focused on his art internship, and he has some friendly advice for young people considering the garden internship: Wear proper clothing and shoes.
And, above all, take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.