East Vancouver — Jacquelyn Nielsen, 17, was recently named one of 10 Dreamstarter grant winners, giving her $10,000 to work with a community nonprofit on a project to increase wellness supported by Running Strong for American Indian Youth.
The recipients are all Native Americans younger than 30. Nielsen, who was the only recipient in Washington, will work on her project with Portland-based Wisdom of the Elders Inc. The grant winners were announced by Billy Mills, a Native American who won a 1964 Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-meter run.
“The Dreamstarter program is one more step toward overcoming the poverty of dreams among so many Native young people,” he said in a release from the organization. “The Dreamstarters come from communities and tribes all over the country. They are bound together by the idea that, despite the challenges, their dreams can guide them to build a strong future for themselves and for their communities.”
