In Our Own Words uses the arts to provide Native-American youth in San Francisco with a supportive peer group and positive role models. The 1994/1995 program taught young people how to integrate modern technology with native traditions to produce videotapes and radio programs. Meeting once a week for 3 hours at the Indian Education offices in the participants' community, the program was divided into three phases. In phase one, youth learned about poetry from a poet and Lakota drummer, wrote their own poems and compiled an anthology. In phase two, they worked with the local public radio station to produce their own radio program: They read their poetry on tape, edited the tape and then aired the program with a live call-in session. In phase three, working with computer technology, youth learned how to combine imagery, music and words into a videotape of their poems, which was shown at a final event for families and friends. "I know that this program helped prevent at least one of the participants from dropping out of school," says Janeen Antoine, director of American Indian Contemporary Arts, adding that youth had to stay in school to participate in the program. "Even though they didn't get paid to participate, they came diligently every week and often on Saturdays."