Things have been heating up in Personal Living Skills (PLS) class this last month! St. Joseph’s sixth, seventh and eighth grade Lakota students have been busy in the kitchen, planning menus, and preparing foods.
We put lots of emphasis on how to plan nutritious meals, making wise food choices when shopping, and how to store foods properly.
Our Native American students also learn how to follow recipes, which includes reading food preparation directions and measuring ingredients. Then, of course, we give it a try! Some of their favorite labs have been pizza Stromboli, fry bread, donuts, pumpkin French toast, Butterfinger cake, and fruit smoothies.
A great meal also includes proper table etiquette. Setting the table is an important part of meal preparation, especially in a formal setting. When our students are faced with the dilemma of three forks, they will know which one to use!
Learning to read a recipe and measure ingredients are important first steps.The flour can get away from you if you’re not careful!
St. Joseph’s REC Center is always a busy place during the school year and especially during the winter months. Andy, Mark, Bev, Shelly and I have our hands full during that time. It is, however, a different look during spring break.
St. Joseph’s boys’ basketball teams play in January and February.
Spring break for the Lakota boys and girls gives us time to catch up on many things that we don’t have time for in January and February. A lot of “little things” take place such as deep cleaning and organizing equipment. This spring break was no exception. With the addition of a handicap bathroom stall, we had extensive cleaning in both the REC Center office area and bathroom area. The additional bathroom is a great addition to the building and will be greatly utilized by St. Joseph’s staff, students, families visitors.
We did have one spring break home on campus, so there was still some normal activity. Each day, they scheduled time in the gym, pool, weight room or game room. They also borrowed DVD’s and games to enjoy during break.
Another nice part of break is planning upcoming activities for the Lakota students. The REC Center provides lots of programs and activities for the children from now through the end of the school year. The time it all gets put together is during spring break!
Now that the Native American students have returned to St. Joseph’s, we will start track for the sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, T-Ball for the first through third graders, and softball for all the homes in grades 4-8! All these activities will wrap up in the middle of May.
In addition to activities for everyone, we have several staff and students we will be working with individually for wellness/health workouts.
All in all, spring break is nice and welcomed by everyone. It is bitter sweet, however – we get a little break from the daily grind, but we also know it means the end of the school year is near.
Thanks for your support and have a happy Spring!
The REC Center offers activities like wrestling and tumbling for the younger Lakota students.Each spring, the REC Center plans field day for all the Lakota children.
Greetings once again from the banks of the Missouri River!
We hope that you and yours had a very blessed, peaceful and happy Easter.
Things were a bit quiet this past weekend since the Lakota (Sioux) students were away for the Spring/Easter break. They’ll be returning today and we’ll have an Easter egg hunt later this afternoon.
Fr. Steve is on his way back from Florida, so I have the chance to bring you up-to-date on what’s been going on.
I was able to help with Holy Thursday services at St. Michael’s in Kennebec, South Dakota, which is about 30 miles west of us here in Chamberlain. It is one of the mission parishes covered by our pastoral team at the Lower Brule Indian Reservation. I enjoyed having the chance to celebrate with the community there.
I concelebrated Easter Vigil at St. James in Chamberlain, helping Fr. Guy Blair, SCJ. One of our houseparents had been part of their RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program this past year and joined the church at the Vigil.
It was an honor to take part in the service and helped get me excited since our RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children) will have its celebration this coming Sunday, when 18 of our Native American students receive the Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.
Easter Day was quiet and relaxing. I had Mass for St. Joseph’s students staying in the break Home (those who stayed on campus instead of going home for the Spring/Easter break) prior to their outing to Mitchell, South Dakota.
It was also quiet since it appears the snow geese, which are on their migration back to the Arctic, have finally headed north. Their normal route home was feeling the effect of mid-Western snow storms and frozen waters, thus their path was pushed further to the west, which brought them into our area. They were all over the place – the local paper estimated that there were about 50,000 in Brule County!
Again, best wishes for a very happy Easter Season. Be assured of our prayers for you and your intentions, as we are truly grateful for your support of St. Joseph’s Indian School. May the Great Spirit continue to bless and reward you.
Hi, my name is Jennifer and I am the Web Producer at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I work in the business office, updating our website and sending out emails. I help keep benefactors informed of the happenings around St. Joseph’s campus.
I am an enrolled member of the Lower Brule Sioux tribe and was fortunate to be a St. Joseph’s Indian School scholarship recipient. Looking for employment after college, I decided St. Joseph’s was the right move for me.
My father is a Commander in the U. S. Public Health Service and has worked for Indian Health Service for almost 30 years. His job took my family and me from state to state, and from one Indian Reservation to the next, throughout my childhood.
He was once given an eagle feather – the greatest honor a Native American can receive – by a Lakota medicine man from the Black Hills for his work with the elderly. His passion for helping Native Americans and giving back has been my inspiration to do the same.
Working for St. Joseph’s Indian School is my way of giving back to my people. I am fortunate to help our people; even though I do not work directly with the students, this is my way of giving something better for the next generation.
Jennifer, St. Joseph’s Web Producer and her father, a Commander in the U. S. Public Health Service.
Greetings, friends of St. Joseph’s Indian School! I hope you are doing well. It is hard to believe, but spring is here! The official start of spring was March 20, and with that comes St. Joseph’s Indian School’s spring and Easter Breaks. The students departed for break on March 22 and will return April 1.
Most of our students will be headed home. At this most holy time of year, it is wonderful to see our students being able to spend the time with their families. Our students have worked hard over the last months, since returning from Christmas break, and are excited to have a few days away from school to be with family. A few of our students will be remaining on campus for the break, with houseparents in one of St. Joseph’s homes.
Our high school students do get a few days off for Easter Break, but lament the fact they no longer get the long Spring Break our younger Lakota students get J.
Upon returning to St. Joseph’s campus on April 1, students in grades 1-5 will get to take part in an Easter egg hunt. This is always great fun for the younger students. Grades 6-8 will be having a potluck on that day, which is open to all of the 6-8 grade students and their families. This is the first year the 6-8 grade community will be holding the potluck and we hope for great success.
Over Spring Break, three of our eighth grade students headed to Washington, D.C., for a few days to tour our nation’s capital.
For a couple of the students, it will be their first experience with flying, and although nervous, they are very excited to be on a plane! The students are also looking forward to being away from South Dakota and experiencing a big city and all that Washington, D.C. has to offer. We wish them safe travels and an excellent adventure!
At this most holy time of year, we here at St. Joseph’s Indian School wish to take a minute to THANK YOU for all of the support you offer us throughout the year.
Without your prayers and generous financial support, we would not be able to do the work we do here. St. Joseph’s Indian School is an amazing place and we are so very lucky to be able to work with some amazing children.
Last week was the birthday of Fr. Leo Dehon, the founder of the SCJ’s (Priests of the Sacred Heart). This led to some discussions on campus about what it meant to be Dehonian. I remember quizzing our St. Joseph’s kids about Fr. Dehon once. What did they know?
Born in France!
Died in Belgium!
Had three doctorates!
Wore glasses!
While interesting, these bits of information weren’t terribly enlightening. I had some time between picking up my runner from track practice and dropping off my baseball players at the field, so I thought I would do some research.
One really obvious fact: Fr. Dehon did not have 10 teenage boys to contend with when he wanted a few minutes of quiet time.
I bet he never had to throw a wet sock off his desk as some giggling kid hit the floor behind the office door and whispered, “Don’t tell him I’m in here!” All while some other kid is screaming down the hall, “Where’s Annnnndrew??” and swinging the other wet sock with a vengeance.
My Dehonian moment was going to have to wait until after the kids had gone to bed.
In the meantime — there was dinner to eat and dishes to do. This one had to go the tutor and that one had to find his Geography book. The guys with privileges tried to run off all their excess energy at the Rec center and the ones who stayed back to do homework got hopped up on snacks and algebraic aggravation. Home meeting became a debate over sharing time on the X Box and whether or not people should leave the room when they fart.
Prayer time was calmer, with intentions offered for family, friends, baseball, track, Sandy Hook and the new Pope. And a special intention for the guy who was going to end up on the bottom of the…3..2..1…Dogpile.
I admit, I was not feeling very Dehonian at the end of the day. I was tired, cranky, and I had a pile of unfinished tasks. I was not in a more saintly state of mind the next morning either. When I finally plowed into Maija late in the afternoon, the only thing I had on my mind was making it to my day off and taking a long nap. In her infinite wisdom, she said to me, “Get out of my office and don’t come back until you have your heart in your work again.” Well, duh.
We work for the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Not the Sacred Rule Book of Jesus. Or the Sacred Schedule of Jesus.
We are called to be heart-centered. To paraphrase the Tin Woodsman, “Hearts will never be practical, until they can be made unbreakable.” There is something reckless and un-practical about being heart-centered. This is different from being careless or thoughtless — Fr. Dehon was a learned man and he was neither impulsive nor fickle. Rather, he was doggedly persistent, even in the face of heartbreak. Kind of like someone else we know — and whose steps we are following this Holy Week.
A Sacred Heart space is expansive and inclusive and yes, somewhat foolish — letting in the lost, the weak, the so-called outsiders.
There is room for a kid who lost his mom and a kid who feels like he has to be the man of the house. There’s room for honor-rollers and homework procrastinators. There’s room for wall punchers and cookie bakers, emo-kids and hip-hoppers.
As a matter of fact, there’s room in there for everyone, including a somewhat exasperated houseparent and her laundry list of seemingly “important” things to do. If we all squish together, there’s space for you too. Just leave the room if you fart. ‘Cause that’s one rule we are going to keep.
Greetings to you all as we enter into Holy Week leading up to the joy, beauty and majesty of Easter!
Fr. Steve is away attending some meetings in Chicago and giving a retreat to our retired priests and Brothers in Pinellas Park, Florida. That’s what he said anyway, but I think there might be an effort to get in a spring training baseball game or two as well! As he will not be back until after Easter, he asked me to pass along what’s been happening here at St. Joseph’s over this past weekend.
The Lakota children took in the Star Lab Thursday before spring break.
The students and staff are on Spring/Easter break at the moment. They’ll return on Easter Monday. Our high school students are on a different schedule (since they attend Chamberlain High School) so they are still in session. Don’t feel sorry for them though – it seems like they are off for something or other every week! They’ll have Good Friday through Easter Monday off.
Just before the students left, we were able to host two special programs that shared insight into the scientific realm as the Lakota Star Lab came on Thursday and on Friday, we learned about tornadoes.
The Star Lab was an effort to get our students looking to and dreaming about the stars and the heavens. The Weather Enrichment Program dealt with storm chasers. There was an initial presentation of the impact tornadoes have and how they are formed. Then a 20-minute 3-D film called Tornado Alley showed how the storms are chased and studied.
That was followed by a Q & A session and then a tour of the Doppler on Wheels vehicle used in the pursuit of the storms. It weighs 26,000 pounds, stands 14 feet high, 8.5 feet wide and 27 feet long and is able to obtain speeds around 80 miles per hour. I asked where they did most of their chasing and they stated Kansas and Oklahoma because they are so flat.
It is good they shared info on tornadoes since South Dakota does get some during the summer months. We have had one or two storm chasers in the area around St. Joseph’s over the years.
The break also gave three of our Lakota students the chance to take part in a trip to Washington, DC to visit our nation’s capital and see the sights. They flew on Saturday and will visit various museums such as the Holocaust Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian. They will have a tour of the capital building on Monday before heading back on Tuesday. This has been a wonderful opportunity for our Native American students to explore our seat of national government and get to know the places they hear about on the evening news!
The week ahead should be quiet and peaceful here on campus aside from the squawking of all the Canadian geese that are in the area. It is amazing how many did not go south for the winter but found the Chamberlain area a nice place to stop and visit.
Hope you all have a rewarding and grace-filled Holy Week and a beautiful Easter!
Friday, after the Tornado Alley movie, St. Joseph’s students headed outside to take a look at portable weather stations and the Doppler on Wheels.
We held our Employee Service Awards and recognition banquet last week. I find it such an affirming evening of celebration. Mary Jane, our Alumni Director, reached 40 years of service! Another five staff members reached the 35-year plateau and eight more celebrated 25 years of being part of St. Joseph’s tiyospaye – extended family.
Mary Jane, our Alumni Director, reached 40 years of service!
Andy, now part of our rec center staff, started when we still had dormitories – pre-1980! He has seen dramatic transformations in the campus over the years.
While the campus has changed, Andy reflected, the students are much the same, with the same needs to be cared for and loved. We continually strive to find new ways to give the Native American children we serve the structure and direction that will guide them to happiness and success.
Some staff didn’t wait 5 or 10 years to be acknowledged! We also celebrated eight people who were nominated by peers or supervisors for doing those little extras that make everyone’s workday better. I’m constantly impressed by the passion and commitment that so many people bring to St. Joseph’s Indian School each day.
Andy started working at St. Joseph’s Indian School when the Lakota children lived in dorms instead of homes.
Last week, we put the wraps on a couple of different basketball programs for the year. Sunday afternoon, the girls’ intercity basketball season culminated in the championship game. The chance to have children of staff and children from the Chamberlain community playing alongside our St. Joseph’s students really helps build relationships for the day when our students go off campus to Chamberlain High School.
So many people give a lot of their weekend time to help our youth. Awards to players on each team were handed out, and the adult volunteers were acknowledged and thanked.
After school today, our coaches announced and presented trophies to our St. Joseph’s Indian School basketball teams. Some of the best athletes were disappointed that they didn’t earn an award. However, the trophies are based mostly on spirit, improvement and hustle, which is hardest to coach or teach.
Some players who weren’t high scorers and came in as subs earned recognition for their attitude and team play. The pep club and cheerleaders were also acknowledged for the fun and spirit they add to our home games. Our first, second and third graders are especially fun to watch and hear when they get going on the cheers they’ve learned.
Tuesday
March 19 – The Feast of St. Joseph! I’ve given up desserts for Lent, but when Clare brought an Italian dessert (Zeppole) she and the students made for our Child Services meeting, I indulged just a little to celebrate our patronal feast.
Split Rock Studios arrived back on campus to bring to life the next phase of our renovation at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center. Three walls of the museum now have a large mural of the vast and beautiful South Dakota prairie grasslands, and exhibit installation isn’t far behind.
They are also installing more of the audio visuals in our historical displays. With warmer weather, our visitor count increases dramatically. When the project is completed by May and we extend our hours, the folks who pass through our doors are in for a treat as they learn about Lakota (Sioux) history and culture.
Wednesday
I spoke to a good friend from college who now works as a physical therapist. Paula was filling in for a co-worker and met an elderly woman having difficulty getting motivated to do her rehab exercises.
Seeing a St. Joseph Indian School note pad on the desk, Paula asked the patient about it, which led to a spirited conversation about St. Joseph’s. Their connection with me put the woman totally at ease, and she gave it a great effort that day. Her story made me smile, and I promised to lift her up in prayers in a special way.
Our students reenacted the Stations of the Cross in the chapel at the end of the school day. Hopefully the colorful costumes, large cross and other visuals helped the gospel come alive just a bit more deeply as we close in on Holy Week. Spring break begins Friday, and many of our students will be going home. The high school students and one break home will still be open, but our grade school classes will take pause to let students spend time with family, and prepare for the wonderful celebration of Easter.
I’ll be gone on retreat for a good part of the break, and will pick up the blog after Holy Week. You’re all in my prayers – Happy Easter and God Bless!
In big cities, people face the challenge of being stuck in traffic jams. A 15-mile trip home may turn into a two-hour ordeal. We don’t have that kind of problem in South Dakota, but do have to go long distances between towns. Last week, I had a 4 ½ hour round trip to see my spiritual director.
When the weather is good, the driving itself – with open roads and big sky – is a stress free time for prayer and reflection. Looking back and reviewing the past month, I remembered the people, places and events through which I’ve encountered God. The act of giving thanks regularly like that helps me keep focused and remember what life is about.
Today was a transition from lofty spiritual goals to mundane tasks like laundry, homily preparation and answering mail.
On Saturdays, I usually sort the mail myself. I give thanks for the people who generously support us; I pause a moment to look at the names and lift up a prayer. Today, I also noticed several colleges reaching out to our Native American high school students.
When I was in high school, mailboxes were filled with thick and colorful catalogues to attract attention to a particular school. Times have changed, however, and now I see more postcards that direct our Lakota students to an interactive web site. We at St. Joseph’s are also making efforts to print fewer materials and have more information available online.
However they may receive the information, our students are excited that universities think them potential candidates. Our high school support staff will guide them through the application process as they begin to dream where the future might take them.
