Youth Wants To Be “A Voice For His People”

A Poplar youth recently traveled to Washington, DC, after winning a national essay contest about a subject he feels intensely strong about; youth and violence. The trip, as well as his life experiences and renewed outlook on life, have served as a catalyst, sparking a passion in him that has helped him find his identity and the leadership role he would like to take on for his community.

Joshua Failing, 15, is like many other freshmen at his school. He enjoys hanging out with his friends. He loves some aspects of school and dislikes others. He plays football, basketball, wrestles, is involved in track, pep club and choir. He enjoys listening to music and is indecisive about what he would like to be when he grows up. However, there is a level of maturity in him not typical of your average teen. He wants to hear more positive news about his Native American community and he wants to be a voice for “his People”.

The essay contest, “Do the Right Thing”, is sponsored through the Montana Crime Board and centers on topics relating to bullying and violence. Failing’s three-page essay answered three questions which included how violence has affected him personally, what the possible causes of youth violence are and how he could effect change on the topic.

In July, he traveled on an all expense paid trip with his mother, Allison, and his 8th grade English teacher, Erin Solem, Culbertson, as a representative student for Montana. Of 65,000 applicants, only 55 students were selected nationwide with most states selecting a female and male representative. Prior to being selected, he was one of 10 finalists in Montana that got to travel to Helena for the selection process. He was invited to a buffet styled celebration in the capital where he was announced as one of the selected essay winners.

Weeks later he was packing his bags.

“I knew I would be the only person from a reservation so I didn’t think a lot of people would relate to me or some of the things my school went through with violence and suicide,” Failing stated. As it turned out, he connected with the youth right away and spent all of his free time with them rather than taking in all of the sites. He did visit the Supreme Court and the Department of Education and was one of the few students to read his essay at the Library of Congress to dignitaries including several senators and the Ambassadors of Kuwait.

Tragically, several years ago, there were six local teen suicides that took place in the Poplar community over a period of time. This is where some of Failings essay inspirations derived from. “It was hard to see my friends and their families suffering. It was really a tough time for our school,” Failing recalled. It was these tragedies and the issues of bullying and youth violence that led Failing to his decision to try to make a difference in people’s lives.

While he agrees there are problems on the reservation with drugs and alcohol abuse and youth violence, he is concentrating on changing the stereotypes of “rez life” by acting as a role model to his peers. “I think a lot of our societal problems stem from the fact that many younger generations aren’t familiar with their Native culture and heritage. There is a lost identity there. We don’t have a voice for our people. We need more role models. I want to help kids and be that voice,” he said.

Erin Solem has been encouraging her students to participate in the contest for three years.

“A lot of the issues this contest wants youth to discuss are relevant and I want my students to see just how far writing can take them. Journaling is an excellent release for them. It’s an outlet for them to express themselves,” she said.

Failing is the first of her students to be selected as a contest winner.

Failing admits he wasn’t always open to changing his attitude or behavior. “I used to get in trouble, but then I chose to listen. I want to be a leader for my community,” he said. His mother says the change in his attitude has been an amazing process to watch over the past few years. “It has been a huge change that words can’t describe. Josh grew up without a dad but other relatives and friends stepped in and offered guidance, wisdom, belonging and encouragement. While we were on this trip I felt like I was watching all of these qualities come out in him,” she remarked.

Failing has held dear to one of his cultural traditions and attributes the practice of ‘sweating’ with saving his life and motivating him to be a better person more in tune with his identity. Several years ago, he began attending a sweat lodge with his grandfather, John Morsette, Poplar. “I thought this would be a one-time experience for me but I have stuck with it. It helped me find my identity and my place because before I had no identity. When I am doing this, I feel at home and I have met a lot of great people,” he said.

He also attributes his success to being involved in the Native Youth Academy, a summer camp program for Montana and Wyoming youth to learn and grow with varying activities and workshops.

In the future, Failing wants to pursue a PhD in law or the medical field.