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.
Rachel, St. Joseph’s art teacher (right), demonstrates to a student how objects found in nature can be used as tools to create art.
Before the start of the 2020-21 school year, St. Joseph’s Indian School’s art teacher, Rachel, said she was worried what her classroom might look like.
After a health screening, students were greeted by their houseparents upon arrival to campus.
After a summer of going over the what-ifs, maybes, worries and worst case scenarios, St. Joseph’s Indian School had a big decision to make on whether or not to reopen for the 2020-21 school year …
St. Joseph’s Indian School dining hall staff help load hundreds of boxes on to a school bus at the start of one of the food box deliveries to reservation communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic created many uncertainties. But one thing was clear — unless St. Joseph’s Indian School jumped into action, some children and families in reservation communities could go hungry.Continue reading “Tackling Hunger during a Pandemic”
St. Joseph’s Indian School donated 1,000 books to the Wagner Indian Health Services for them to distribute during their health fair. It was one of several stops the Bookmobile made this summer.
The Bookmobile, an outreach of St. Joseph’s Indian School, looked a little different this year.
Normally, the truck and trailer becomes a mini library on wheels that tallies close to 3,000 miles on the road as it moves from place to place. Books are placed on shelves, separated by age and genre, to offer a shopping experience to reservation community members. Hundreds of people stop to visit and take home one, two or an armful of books for themselves and their children.
Fr. J. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ, gives a blessings to the staff and students at St. Joseph’s Indian School during a prayer service in 2019.
It’s been a long six months hasn’t it? The year 2020, with its COVID-19, shutdowns, civil unrest and the stress and uncertainty of the future might be weighing on you.
It’s the simple fact of the matter. Not everyone can afford college, as well as the living expenses that go along with it. And the idea of paying back a large amount of student loans upon graduation is daunting for many.
Thankfully, donor support has lessened that burden for many graduating seniors and alumni at St. Joseph’s Indian School. For example, there are two programs benefitting graduating seniors and Native American students seeking higher education: The Senior Suitcase program and our Scholarship program. Continue reading “Two St. Joseph’s Programs Make Double the Difference for Students”
More masks, such as the one seen here worn by a St. Joseph’s Indian School staff member here, are needed in preparation for the 2020-21 school year.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the hands of our staff members and donors have been busily at work creating masks for people in need.
In the last several months, we have had 1,453 masks either donated to our school or created by staff members. Because of this, we’ve been able to share with groups who have needed them the most during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading “Masks Needed at St. Joseph’s Indian School”