St. Joseph's Indian School

On the last day of school, Thursday, May 21, Lakota (Sioux) students at St. Joseph’s Indian School spent the afternoon enjoying all kinds of outdoor games and activities during our annual Field Day event. From long jump and obstacle courses to parachute games and water activities, students were laughing and running all afternoon long.

“I am having a lot of fun at Field Day today!” Camella, a St. Joseph’s student, said with a huge smile.

Tug-of-war quickly became a favorite activity among most students, with one particular matchup becoming legendary.

One class decided to go boys versus girls. The girls definitely outnumbered the boys, but the boys were confident they could still pull out a victory. Unfortunately for them, they lost their grip — and their dream of winning — as the girls pulled them right across the line.

But even that didn’t dull the boys’ smiles.

Immediately, chants of “COLEMAN! COLEMAN! COLEMAN!” erupted from the mouths of the boys. Not being able to ignore the shouts, Coleman, St. Joseph’s Admissions Coordinator, stepped in to help the boys’ team. Amazingly, even with a grown man joining their side, the girls still managed to win!

The fun only escalated from there.

The boys quickly began chanting, “EVAN! EVAN! EVAN!” and before long, Evan, Rec Center Coordinator, joined the battle too. Even though the girls still had the numbers advantage, the boys now had two grown men helping them pull.

Evan gave the countdown.

“3 … 2 …”

And just like that, everyone started tugging on two.

The match was on.

You could tell by everyone’s scrunched-up faces that they were giving it absolutely everything they had. The rope barely moved as both sides battled back and forth. Slowly, the boys gained ground with every pull, inching closer and closer to victory.

The girls dug in with all their might. Some eventually fell to the ground laughing in defeat, but they were still smiling the entire time.

Now that was a tug-of-war match!

That’s the kind of joy and excitement that makes Field Day such a special tradition at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

As the afternoon wrapped up and the final bell of the school year approached, a few students shared some sweet and heartfelt thoughts.

“I am going to miss all my friends and teachers,” said Deandra, a second grader. “I am going to miss everybody here.”

Ring, Ring!

And just like that, the 2025–2026 school year came to a close.

What an incredible year it was. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back this fall for even more memories, laughter and fun at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Watch Field Day fun in action by checking out this exciting video reel on St. Joseph’s Indian School’s YouTube page!

Finals week can feel like a marathon made entirely of late‑night study sessions, too much coffee and the occasional bundle of nerves that come and go throughout college. But for more than 30 St. Joseph’s Indian School alumni currently in college, this spring brought a bright, unexpected boost: a cheerful care package from St. Joseph’s Indian School. Continue reading “Small Packages, Big Impact: St. Joseph’s Sends Heartfelt Finals Week Care Packages”

Learning took on a whole new form for our fifth-grade students during a special week with the STARBASE Program at St. Joseph’s Indian School. STARBASE — short for Science and Technology, Academics, Reinforcing, Basic Aviation and Space Exploration — certainly has a long name, which is why the acronym is so helpful! Through hands-on STEM activities focused on science, technology, engineering and math, Lakota (Sioux) students spent the week discovering just how fun learning can be. Continue reading “Fifth Graders Blast Off with STARBASE STEM Adventures”

Ten seniors supported by St. Joseph’s Indian School crossed the stage at Chamberlain High School on May 16, celebrating a graduation shaped by culture, community and years of hard work. Continue reading “Ten St. Joseph’s Indian School Seniors Graduate”

At St. Joseph’s Indian School, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Day was honored in an educational way this year, helping our Lakota (Sioux) students better understand the importance of safety, awareness and speaking up. Continue reading “Staying Safe on the World Wide Web: MMIR Day at St. Joseph’s Indian School”

Smiles, laughter and a few happy tears filled the air on April 29 as the St. Joseph’s Indian School community came together for a joyful senior prayer service in Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel. It was a special evening dedicated to celebrating our 10 graduating seniors and all they have accomplished. Continue reading “Lifted in Prayer: Celebrating St. Joseph’s Indian School Seniors”

On April 30, National Therapy Animal Day, we honor the therapy horses at St. Joseph’s Indian School who stand quietly beside our students as they learn to breathe, trust and grow. But even more, we celebrate the children who show up with courage — sometimes nervous, sometimes excited, but always learning.

In partnership with our Family Service Counseling team and equine specialists, equine therapy at St. Joseph’s gives our Lakota (Sioux) students a safe, structured space to work through big feelings, practice new skills and experience calm in the presence of these powerful animals. Continue reading “Healing Beside the Herd: Celebrating National Therapy Animal Day at St. Joseph’s Indian School”

Each summer, about 20 high school students choose to stay on campus at St. Joseph’s Indian School. With that choice comes a big responsibility: getting a real job.

And that part of “adulting” can be hard … but we can at least help our Lakota (Sioux) students practice before the real world hits. To help them prepare, St. Joseph’s hosts a campus job fair each spring, giving students the chance to explore campus roles, meet supervisors and practice the skills they’ll need in the working world. Continue reading “From Mock Interviews to Real Paychecks: Inside St. Joseph’s Indian School Student Job Fair”

For a while, the only animal sounds coming from the Equine Therapy Center at St. Joseph’s Indian School came from our therapy horses. It was common to hear Pony Boy let out a neigh when he commanded a snack, or a whinny from Gramma when she was keeping the rest of the herd in line.

But there are more sounds coming from the center now, so much so that we’ve turned the chorus into a little rhyme: Continue reading “From Hee-Haws to Cheep-Cheeps: New Voices of St. Joseph’s Equine Therapy Center”

There’s a new, very small and very fluffy member joining the herd at St. Joseph’s Indian School’s Equine Therapy Center … just in time for Easter!

Meet Mr. Buck, a light brown Holland Lop rabbit with soft ears and an even softer personality. While he may be much smaller than the horses that call our barn home, he’s already making a big impression on everyone who meets him. Continue reading “Meet Mr. Buck: A New Furry Friend at the Equine Therapy Center”