St. Joseph's Indian School

The words of Jesus came alive

Chamberlain High School put on the musical “Godspell” in the local community center. I’ve seen the production three times in the past, and it made the words of Jesus come alive for me in a unique way each time. I’ve also seen that student crews who worked on it came away with a deeper sense of faith. During the preparation, I overheard our students commenting at mass when a gospel passage connected with what they were rehearsing. What was different about this production, was the presence of the entire 7^th and 8^th grade Chamberlain choir, and many high school students as a chorus that ringed the stage and made the background vocals stand out loud. There are lots of laughs, but many poignant moments.

We had several students involved. Chris, a junior, had a solo and was prominent in many of the skits. Trinity and Michelle did all the makeup. Jatonne played guitar as part of the musical support. The entire lighting crew of four was staffed by our St. Joseph’s Indian School youth, and others helped build the stage. Lots of staff kids’ had lead roles, and it seemed like half the town crowded in to participate. At the end we opened our programs to find the music and lyrics to Handel’s Hallelujah chorus. As the audience sang along, it sure lifted everyone’s spirits.

To make opening night even more festive, on campus the date happened to coincide with a feast that Tia, one of our high school houseparents puts on. She is from Louisiana, and her hometown has a “coming home” festival at this time. She made two kinds of gumbo, jambalaya and dirty rice. Those who dipped their ladle into the gumbo pot and pulled up a hardboiled egg also won an envelope with prize money. It was also Mark’s (the other houseparent’s) birthday, so he had some of his favorite songs on the boom box and a huge cake with one candle for each one of his years of life.

After supper, I sat and talked with three of our four seniors about graduation. This crew has been at St. Joseph’s Indian School for a lot of combined years. Erin arrived in 5^th grade, Danisha in 3^rd, Nick in 2^nd and D’Kera in first (a lifer!) They’ve seen and experienced so much in their years at St. Joseph’s. And since the kids live here, you really do see them grow up.

We serve and teach; we receive and learn

Hello/ hau,

LaRayne imaciyapiyaye. My name is LaRayne.

Waunspe Lakota. I teach Lakota.

I also teach Native American Studies curriculum, which is a large part of my class.

The American Indian kids love hoop dancing! — The Lakota (Sioux) kids love hoop dancing!

Part of this teaching is being able to share the art of hoop dancing with the 3^rd grade class.

They are taught about the sacredness of our symbol of the circle. Then we create 5 different shapes/designs with our hoops.

We honor our circle by dancing in each hoop before we pick it up with our foot. We then shape out the bird, eagle, Mickey Mouse, a butterfly and a circle before we dance with all the hoops above our heads. The kids are encouraged to dance to the beat of the drum while they create these designs.

Yes, we are having a portion of it videoed, but I am not sure if and when that will be available for your eyes to see.

I love my path that has brought me to St. Joseph’s Indian School.

I truly enjoy living our motto: We serve and teach; we receive and learn.

Becoming role models

The work is progressing on our Akta Lakota Museum expansion. I spent a lengthy phone conversation reviewing some of the text panels for our displays that will tell the history of St. Joseph Indian School. I thought I knew a lot about our history from the books and journals I’ve read, but as alumni and workers fill in details, I’m learning more all the time.

In the classrooms during study hall, I noticed several 8^th graders in the rooms helping younger children. The school has started a mentoring program for those students doing well and caught up. It gives them a chance to give something back and be a role model. It also helps the younger kids feel a sense of connection and a goal to reach for when they see older friends and relatives mastering the material.

I stopped in for supper at the Carola Home (high school boys). Mike, the houseparent had made his famous Texas fried chicken, with spuds and white gravy and sweet tea to wash it down. It’s one of the boys’ favorites, and rather than just eat and run, they sat around the table a bit longer to talk of school, sports, and give a good-natured teasing to one another – a good atmosphere in the house.

So many memories

Though 8^th grade graduation is still a half a year away, we gathered the 25 students who will walk up the aisle in May and took our formal, graduation picture clad in blue and gold robes. This will be a special group for me because I began working at St. Joseph’s when these students were first graders, and have so many memories of them growing up over the years. They hadn’t given to much thought to graduation, but were very excited thinking that it time will pass quickly approaching that celebration.

During supper at the Hogebach Home (high school girls), a couple of the young women shared about their after school jobs. Latoya just began work at the Nursing Home as a dietary aid. She serves meals to the elderly and enjoys the chance to visit and interact with the elders. And she is getting some good training along the way, in case she does decide to go into a health care profession.

Erika is helping in the development office. She phones donors to thank them for special donations, or sometimes makes calls just to wish them a Happy Birthday. Her supervisor says she is doing a great job, and people are particularly pleased to hear from and talk to one of our students here at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

A good problem to have

We’re having a problem with our high school enrollment – but a good problem to have. Traditionally, lots of our 8^th grade graduates start our program and attend classes at Chamberlain Public High School. But most tend to transfer out to schools closer to home as time goes on. But, through our efforts at transitions and independent living, we have retained more of our high school youth.

If the trend continues, we won’t have nearly enough room for a strong crop of upcoming 8^th grade graduates. We particularly have a strong group of 8^th grade boys, with seven of them on the honor roll, and only four spaces projected to be open next year. Since we are finishing the major stage of our home renovations, we have the opportunity to open another home, and use it to have a place for those students. We had meetings today to discuss the logistics and possible staffing that would require.

Lakota (Sioux) youth basketball

Our mail room is a busy place as lots of holiday mail starts streaming in. I am so grateful that people think of us as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach. I realize this is a tough time for many people out there, which makes the generous sacrifices all the more meaningful.

I finished off a day of meetings by relaxing with girls basketball at the gym after school. Our 6^th grade girls came alive in the 4^th quarter, scoring 10 of their 16 points then, and coming from behind to defeat Pierre Indian Learning Center. I took in the action on the court part of the time, but sitting in the bleachers surrounded by 1^st and 2^nd graders, I had a whole group crowded around wanting to talk and tell me things. Tayron in particular had question upon question that reminded me of my baby brother Dan.

Every answer I gave, was always followed up with another, “How come?”

Listening to our kids

Today’s gospel reading was from Matthew 25, about the wise and foolish virgins preparing for the wedding procession. I often ask our students what are some of the issues they and their peers face. Teen pregnancy is high on that list. I used the occasion to talk about preparing for the future, and the value in waiting until marriage to have children of their own. A lot of our students come from single parent families, or are being raised by grandparents or another relative. I hope they will be the generation that waits and prepares for that special someone who they can commit their entire life to, and are able to be there for their children.

Clare, who teaches one of our high school religion classes after church, said that it led to some lively discussion with her group. They remarked that they don’t often get to talk about premarital sex and its consequences, and had lots of thoughtful things to say, as they think about and prepare for their future.

I ate lunch with Raphael Home (1^st-3^rd grade boys). Around the table there was never a lull in the conversation, as each child had something “urgent” they had to share. It’s important to take time to listen when kids are young and full of questions and stories. If we don’t when they are young, they won’t open up as they get older.

The priests in my our local SCJ community gathered for our monthly meeting. Fr. Vincent works on the Indian reservation in Lower Brule and told me how much the parishioners there enjoyed having William Home (4^th-5^th grade girls) join them for mass. For the William Home service project, the girls baked muffins and invited the parishioners to stay after mass for breakfast. Who can turn down such an invitation from a smiling 10-year-old with a muffin?

Get your Christmas cards from St. Joseph’s Indian School today

On my way to the office to work on the weekend homily, I spied the Fisher Home (6^th-8^thgrade) boys hiking towards the Chalk Hills, and I decided to tag along. Their houseparent Nate, decided to take advantage of a gorgeous fall day, 57 degrees and sunny, for some outdoor activity. Their game was called “camouflage” a variation of hide and seek. While Nate turned his back, the students hid themselves in gullies, behind trees and in draws, then tried to work their way back to base. If he could see them, they were out of the game until the next round. While he spotted, I was given the job of “finder.” I couldn’t say anything to Nate about those I saw, but had to walk in the area he directed me to go to. I got my exercise hopping over fallen trees and climbing over hill and dale, but all in good fun. We don’t know when the cold wintry weather will begin, so homes take advantage of these days when we are gifted with them.

Speaking of winter, in the evening our local hospital held their annual fundraiser. Their Christmas extravaganza featured Christmas gift packages and beautifully decorated trees and other items for people to bid on for the holidays. A pianist played lovely Christmas music while we ate. It really won’t be that long before Christmas is here, and we are making our lists and preparing for the holy season ourselves. Christmas cards are available through our website, and we have started a list of needed gift items as well.

Who’s your favorite Saint?

All Saints Day.

Fr. Anthony had morning mass for our school crowd. Since our high school students go to Chamberlain High School, coordinating schedules is difficult at times. To have morning mass for them we’d have to start somewhere around 6:30 am. If you know HS students, that’s not their most alert or best time of the day. Instead, I celebrated mass for them after school when they participated quite well. I try to get them involved in reading and helping serve. They’re more open to do that in a smaller crowd of peers than for the whole school. At times, I also appreciate the opportunity to preach geared more exclusively to their age group’s reality and issues.

There are over 10,000 people who have been canonized as saints. One church in Chicago has an empty alcove amid a pantheon of saints. The point is that some day, if we live our faith to the full, we could be one of those remembered as a great example to others.

Do you have a favorite Saint?

Welcome to the Carola Home

Hey everyone, this is April. I am a 6 day houseparent for high school boys here at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I work with my husband Mike. This is my fourth year at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I have been a houseparent previously for 10 years in Tennessee, Texas and Oklahoma.

Birthday parties are fun within the Carola Home!

I’m a first time blogger! We have 8 sophomores and 2 freshmen, as well as two of our own children staying with us in the Carola Home.

The year began with the football season where two of our boys, Shawn and Wyatt played for the Chamberlain Cubs. Our home went to many games to support their fellow classmates.

A typical day for the boys is waking up at 6:30 am, getting ready for school, having breakfast and completing their household contributions. Then their off for a full day at Chamberlain High School. Following school some are involved in various school activities while others have free time. After dinner is homework time. Some go to the learning center where they get help with their assignments. Most nights they go to the rec center to play basketball or work out in the weight room.

On the weekends, they do various activities such as going to the LifeLight Christan Music Festival and camping in Sioux Falls, traveling to Mitchell for dinner and the movies, walking along the beach and going hiking. On Sundays we attend Mass here on campus at the Lady of the Sioux Chapel.

One of my duties as a houseparent, is to check the school website to check the boys’ grades and missing assignments. When the boys come home from school, I talk with them about where they may need to improve or how they have progressed. I truly enjoy watching the boys’ faces as they learn that they can make good grades, or even make the honor roll. Some of the sophomores really struggled their freshman year, but this year it is so exciting to see how much they have matured and improved. The boys have worked very hard this year on their grades with 5 boys making the honor roll and the others 5 closely behind.

I am so proud to say our home GPA for the first quarter is 3.0!

Much more is in store with our boys. We have 3 learning to drive, some seeking out a job and basketball season is around the corner. We are planning a home trip in February to go skiing at Terry Peak.