‘Best Nonprofit’ and ‘Great Place’ Awards Received

St. Joseph’s Indian School and the Aktá Lakota Museum both recently received awards from local and state entities for a job well done!

In 2020, St. Joseph’s Indian School demonstrated what it means to be St. Joe Strong to its employees, community and state. When it would have been easy to take a “sit tight and see what happens” approach to the pandemic, St. Joseph’s exercised foresight in every measure. For that, the school was recognized as “Best Nonprofit” by the Chamberlain-Oacoma Area Chamber of Commerce in February 2021.

The winning nomination cited these efforts and more:

• Child Services employees found innovative ways to meet the needs of Native American families. For example, they sent educational packets to students and delivered spirit gifts (hygiene articles, sage, prayers, etc.) to buoy the elderly and health care workers in our communities. Employees made food box deliveries to every student family on five occasions.
• No one knew how donors’ generosity might fare during the pandemic, but Development forged ahead, reconfiguring work environments for safety and keeping the lines of donor communication open.
• From March onward, with all of the uncertainty that came with the pandemic, planning continued full-force to re-open school doors in August. When the day arrived, families trusted their children’s care to St. Joseph’s.
• St. Joseph’s Indian School is a powerful asset to the community and an organization that met uncertainty with certain vision that matches its mission and looks to the future with resiliency.

Aktá Lakota Museum Presented with Two State Awards

The Aktá Lakota Museum recently received recognition from the South Dakota Department of Tourism with the 2020 “South Dakota Great Place” award. Selected businesses in South Dakota demonstrating the highest service and hospitality levels secure the award.

The museum has received recognition every year since 2002 for the “South Dakota Great Place Program.” If chosen as a recipient, the business competes for the George S. Mickelson Award given annually at the South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism. This year, the museum was one of four chosen as finalists for this prestigious award. In addition, two museum employees received a letter from the Governor of South Dakota and “Great Faces” certificates.

Dixie, the Museum Director, said she is thrilled with the awards and thankful for such a dedicated team.

“The award was a pleasant surprise. I couldn’t be prouder of the staff. Without our frontline staff and the good job they do, we wouldn’t receive these awards,” she said.

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. View all posts by St. Joseph's Indian School