Three Star Government Solutions (3SGS), in partnership with the University of Southern Maine, provides culturally responsive training and technical assistance (TTA) to Alaska Native communities under a cost-reimbursable subcontract from ACF’s Children’s Bureau. Grounded in Indigenous Ways of Knowing (IWOK), this work strengthens tribal child welfare systems, enhances workforce capacity, and supports the development of prevention and strategic action plans to improve outcomes for Native youth and families. 

Key Actions 

• Designed and developed the framework for two national art and community competitions. 

• Promoted the competitions through targeted outreach and culturally informed messaging. 

• Administered application processes, coordinated logistics, and managed timelines. 

• Facilitated winner selection, awards processing, and dissemination of results. 

Outcome 

• Successfully launched and managed two large-scale competitions with national reach. 

• Engaged youth in creative, culturally grounded expression around drug prevention themes. 

• Promoted visibility of Native youth voices and increased awareness of substance use issues through the arts. 

Notable Achievements 

• Leveraged 3SGS’s strong connections with Native communities to ensure authentic and meaningful youth engagement. 

• Delivered a scalable model for culturally relevant competition management and outreach. 

• Strengthened NIDA’s ability to reach diverse youth audiences through creative channels. 

Lessons Learned 

• Culturally tailored outreach strategies are essential for meaningful engagement with Native youth. 

• Effective competition management requires seamless coordination across design, communication, and administration. 

• Art-based initiatives can be powerful tools for education, prevention, and community connection.