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The 48th Annual St. Joseph’s Indian School Powwow is September 21. Students have been hard at work practicing dance and drum group since their August 11 return to campus. Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Indian School Announces 2024 Powwow Royalty”
School is back in session at St. Joseph’s Indian School, and staff and students are hard at work preparing for the powwow of the wakhaŋeža – the blessed little ones. Annually on the third Saturday of September, the school hosts the powwow, which is open to the public. Some one hundred ten St. Joseph’s students and more dancers from around the region will participate in beautiful Native American regalia on Sept. 21, 2024. Continue reading “Join in the Fun and Rich Culture at St. Joseph’s Indian School’s 48th Annual Powwow”
August 11 marked the start of an exciting new chapter for students at St. Joseph’s Indian School. After a gloomy, rainy start to the day, the sun cast its warm rays over campus. Warming and calming the hearts of children and their families as they arrived with anticipation and excitement. Continue reading “Welcoming New and Returning Students at St. Joseph’s Indian School”
St. Joseph’s Indian School hosted a national training for the OK Corral Equine Therapy Red Series in July. Attendees included 10 of the school’s counseling staff, three attendees from nearby Lower Brule Reservation and seven others from around the country.
OK Corral President Greg Kersten led the three-day training in the school’s recently opened Equine Therapy Center. The 19,200-square-foot facility includes a large riding area, tack rooms, a wash bay, a classroom, bathrooms, offices, an observation area and a kitchenette, making it an ideal place for hosting the training.
Robyn, Director of Counseling Services, thanked Kersten for bringing the training to the South Dakota campus.
“I have had the opportunity to participate in this training elsewhere, and I saw this as an important opportunity for our staff. It is our pleasure to share our facility with others who also can benefit,” she said.
The school’s horses, Blue, Coachee, Gramma, Pony Boy, Sox and Violet worked with trainers to provide the Red Series training — Crisis to Confidence: Turning “Bad” into “O.K.” This seminar is the definitive crisis management offered by OK Corral and blends the basics of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy with nonverbal, emotional skills to make a “bad” situation “O.K.”
The school’s program has an additional four horses, Napolean, JT, Slim and Willow who are training to be part of the school’s Equine Therapy Program. St. Joseph’s Indian School developed this jewel of the school’s Counseling Services program over the past six years because the šúŋkawakȟáŋ — horse — is a relative to Native American students who attend there. For centuries, there has been a special kinship between the horse and the people.
To learn more about St. Joseph’s Indian School, visit stjo.org today!
The St. Joseph’s Indian School Bookmobile wrapped up a busy summer in mid-July. The tour broke records in every category! Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Indian School Bookmobile Completes a Record-Breaking Summer”
A remarkable story unfolded in the heart of South Dakota on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Indian School. It’s a tale of patience, perseverance and trust embodied in a stray dog. Continue reading “A Tale of Trust: Frankie’s Journey at St. Joseph’s Indian School”
At St. Joseph’s Indian School, the fun never falls … It just keeps on rising! Especially when Native American children attend Rising Eagle Day Camp! Speaking of rising … We experienced a RISE in fun and a RISE in our camper numbers! This year Rising Eagle Day Camp served 764 children. That is an increase of 34 kids compared to the 2023 camp season. Continue reading “The Fun Never Falls, It Rises at Rising Eagle Day Camp”
On Thursday, May 16, the 21 seventh-grade students of St. Joseph’s Indian School prayed and smudged before embarking on the trip that has become a rite of passage. Continue reading “Another Successful Cultural Trip in the Books at St. Joseph’s Indian School”
St. Joseph’s Indian School was recently named a “2024 Top-Rated Nonprofit” for the eighth year running by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits. Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Indian School Repeats as Top-Rated Nonprofit”
On Friday, May 24, seventeen students were honored as they finished their grade school years at St. Joseph’s Indian School. One of the most joyful events of the year, graduation is always a celebration of thiyóšpaye — extended family — among relatives, staff and students of the school. Continue reading “Seventeen Graduate from St. Joseph’s Indian School Grade School Program”