by Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Teton Saltes (Oglala Lakota) was named a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy for a second straight season, announced officials earlier on Monday. It marks the fourth time in the last six seasons that UNM has had a semifinalist for the award, with Garrett Adcock in 2015 then in 2016 as a finalist and Saltes the last two seasons.
Saltes was also named earlier this year to the Outland Trophy Watch List and on November 29 he was named to the PFF National Team of the Week for his play against Utah State.
Saltes was honored over the summer as a Lobo Hero for his work on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, working with his native Oglala Lakota tribe to distribute needed supplies to those on his home reservation, which was hit particularly hard. Saltes also has worked in and is passionate about suicide prevention, about children’s reading, and he has served with the Save The Children Action Network as an advocate for children, speaking in Washington in 2019. He was UNM’s nominee for the All State AFCA Good Works Team, which hasn’t been announced. The depths of Saltes’ community service could fill up a web page, and it certainly has filled up his nomination form.
Salte has graduated with a degree in political science and Native American studies, and he will spend his senior season with UNM while enrolled in Law School. After suffering a season ending injury in 2017, he gave a live sideline interview with ESPN2’s Molly McGrath about his community service work and what he is hoping to accomplish, using football to further several causes. He stated back then as a freshman that he needed to go to law school because to affect change, you have to change the law, and that would be the best way to do it.
He continually gives back to his communities in New Mexico and South Dakota. In South Dakota, he works with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Sweetgrass Project which works in Suicide Awareness and Suicide Prevention. He is trained and has volunteered to work the Suicide Prevention Hotline as Peer Mentor and has goes to schools to speak on Suicide Awareness and Prevention on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and other Indian Reservations within South Dakota.
Saltes has also volunteered with Oglala Lakota Schools by speaking with school aged children on the struggles they face in life on the reservation and on bullying and how it effects as kids and tools to cope with bullying.
He is actively involved in his community through the BEAR Program (Be Excited About Reading). He also serves as a Peer Mentor and works with youth in the summer, on school breaks and through an online program in improving reading skills. In the BEAR Program children perform live theatrical skits with props and costumes to address bullying, suicide and home life issues. He works closely with suicide providers teaching life skills and providing support as I have completed ASSIST Training through the program. Through the BEAR Program we also conduct winter coats and clothing drives in which I support and assist from my college campus in New Mexico. Teton also helps support the community on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by collecting food for the Food Bank, operating out of our community center for families in need.
Saltes has also contributed in New Mexico, serving as the keynote speaker in Santa Fe, speaking about the importance of being involved in your community and completing your education. He serves as a student ambassador for the Save the Children Action network and in the spring, he was excused from a week of practice to attend lobbying activities in Washington D.C. to promote early education which involved working closely with our U.S. Congressional Reps in developing Policy.
He initiated meetings with “Save the Children Action Network” to promote working closely with many of the Native American Communities on the reservations throughout the United States. Saltes has been reviewing potential legislation and initiatives that would fit into the scope of “Save the Children” organization.
This is one awesome man.