Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future.

First Time Donor Tackles Big Project to Make Big Difference: ‘We chose to learn how to quilt to do this’

Michele and Jim (adults, centered) made a trip from Iowa in order to bless children at St. Joseph’s Indian School with a gift that had a personal touch.

Michele and Jim thought they were coming to Chamberlain, SD, in the summer of 2021 purely as a way to enjoy a road trip away from their Iowa home. They were in search of relaxation and connection with nature, which they found, but they also found something else — something else with which they would soon form a connection …

St. Joseph’s Indian School.

They were staying in a quaint Airbnb hosted by Maija, a St. Joseph’s employee who enjoys hosting visitors in her free time apart from her work at St. Joseph’s. A fluid conversationalist, Maija likes talking to her guests and making them feel at home. Because Maija displays some items from St. Joseph’s within her cabin, more often than not, the topic of St. Joseph’s comes up. She tells visitors about our students, programs, services and all the reasons why our campus is such a special place.

Hearing Maija talk about St. Joseph’s resonated with Michele and Jim. So much so, that it prompted Michele with an idea. An idea she couldn’t wait to share with her mother, Flo. Continue reading “First Time Donor Tackles Big Project to Make Big Difference: ‘We chose to learn how to quilt to do this’”

Tackling Hungry Tummies this Summer All Over South Dakota

St. Joseph’s Indian School buses and vehicles hit the road this summer delivering much-needed food to help Native American families all over South Dakota.

What happens to St. Joseph’s students during the summer? Where do they go? Do they have what they need? Will they eat every day?

We receive those questions quite often at St. Joseph’s. They are important questions, and questions we have designed outreach services around to address. Continue reading “Tackling Hungry Tummies this Summer All Over South Dakota”

The Return of Rising Eagle Day Camp was Amazing!

Rising Eagle Day Camp was back for Summer 2022 and oh, what a blessing it was!

The highly anticipated return of Rising Eagle Day Camp felt like a trip back in time to 2019 when things seemed so much simpler — like a breath of fresh air, as they say.

The first two weeks of camp served 372 children, ages six to 14 from the Crow Creek Reservation. The second two weeks of camp served 358 children from the Lower Brule Reservation. Calculate those together, and the total attendance this year was 730 children. If we do more math, that includes over 3,100 miles traveled and over 2,100 meals and snacks provided to reservation children in four weeks.

What did children do while they were here? A lot of cool stuff! Continue reading “The Return of Rising Eagle Day Camp was Amazing!”

St. Joseph’s Indian School Students Spread Kindness to Hospitalized Children

Creating art is essential for St. Joseph’s Indian School students, but it also was used to serve another purpose recently: blessing others in need!

For a hospitalized child, receiving a message from children their age can be extra special. It brightens their day. It lets them know someone is thinking about them. For a moment, it lifts their spirits as they undergo their unique battles.

Surely, messages with words are wonderful. However, the thing about art is it is a universal language. There are no words to comprehend — only a feeling to be shared. Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Indian School Students Spread Kindness to Hospitalized Children”

St. Joseph’s Wins Communicator Award, Receives National Recognition

St. Joseph’s Indian School celebrates special recognition of its public service announcement (PSA), “More Than a School.”

The PSA is the winner of a Communicator Award of Excellence in the category Integrated Campaign Winner – Campaign-Non-Profit. Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Wins Communicator Award, Receives National Recognition”

Cultural Trip Forms St. Joseph’s Students for Future with 15th Anniversary Trip

St. Joseph’s Indian School seventh grade girls posing for a photo with the Crazy Horse Monument in the background. It was one of many stops during the annual Cultural Trip.

On a fair-weather Tuesday in May, the 18 seventh-grade students of St. Joseph’s Indian School prayed and smudged before embarking on the trip that has become a spiritual and cultural rite of passage. The journey prepares them to become leaders at school and in life. Continue reading “Cultural Trip Forms St. Joseph’s Students for Future with 15th Anniversary Trip”

Fr. Greg’s Hoší — News — for May 2022

The high school Class of 2022 in their cap and gowns.

Greetings everyone,

As we prepare ourselves for the summer months this gives cause for pause as I reflect on my very first year at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

I feel like it was just yesterday that I drove my vehicle from the hot and humid climate of Mississippi to South Dakota. Continue reading “Fr. Greg’s Hoší — News — for May 2022”

St. Joseph’s Indian School Names Distinguished Alumnus

Kory Annis has been named St. Joseph’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2022.

At the eighth-grade graduation ceremony on May 27, Kory Annis, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, was named the school’s 2022 Distinguished Alumnus. Annis attended St. Joseph’s Indian School from 1986 to 1992, graduating from the eighth grade in 1989. Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Indian School Names Distinguished Alumnus”

Our Favorite 2021-22 Memories at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Kids say and do the darndest things, we know that’s true. So what happens when you place approximately 200 students within 20 homes at St. Joseph’s Indian School?

The answer: A whole lot of silliness. A whole lot of love. A whole lot of saying, “What in the world?!”

We polled some of the houseparents at St. Joseph’s in the hopes they would share some of their favorite memories that took place over the past school year. Share they did! Their answers will warm your heart, tickle your ribs and make you smile! Continue reading “Our Favorite 2021-22 Memories at St. Joseph’s Indian School”

St. Joseph’s Students Remember the Missing and Murdered and Fight for Change

St. Joseph’s Indian School held a Missing and Murder Indigenous Women event for students on campus.

There was a heaviness in the air as St. Joseph’s Indian School students dipped their hands in red paint and placed them precisely on their faces — the mark that symbolizes the Indigenous women and relatives who are missing or murdered. Continue reading “St. Joseph’s Students Remember the Missing and Murdered and Fight for Change”