Chamberlain – Page 12 – St. Joseph's Indian School

The Lakota children arrive at St. Joseph’s in less than a week!

Good afternoon!

Fr. Anthony, St. Joseph's Chaplain — Fr. Anthony, St. Joseph’s Chaplain

As All Staff Orientation begins to unfold at St. Joseph’s Indian School, you can almost hear the pitter patter of little (and big!) feet. The Lakota (Sioux) students will arrive for the upcoming school year in less than a week! All our staff are busy making sure everything is ready.

The orientation process gives veterans and new staff the chance to get to know one another, share insights and to ask and answer questions. All these preparations make the opening of the school year easier for everyone when the homes open Sunday and the students arrive.

Houseparents will put final touches on their home to welcome the students to their home-away-from-home. Teachers also are getting their classrooms in order and doing last minute decorating to welcome the children.

St. Joseph’s Family Service Counselors work with houseparents, teachers and support staff to help everyone understand how they can best prepare themselves to deal with the various experiences and needs the students will have.

Orientation will cap off Thursday with a picnic for all employees to share some good food and camaraderie for the opening of the 2014-2015 school year.

As part of the effort to make our program at St. Joseph’s Indian School interesting and challenging, our Principal, Kathleen, took part in a conference on education sponsored by the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJs) this summer. She and the principals of other SCJ schools from around the world met to share ideas and foster ways of promoting the spiritual values of Fr. Leo John Dehon, SCJ and Founder of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.

The Lakota children will return to St. Joseph’s on August 10, so homes and classrooms are being prepared. — St. Joseph’s houseparents are stocking cupboards and getting ready for the Lakota boys and girls to return for the start of the school year!

It has been a bit noisy around the Chamberlain community these last few days. Bikers are passing through on their way to the Black Hills and the annual Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In the past we have had the opportunity to bless a number of the riders and their motorcycles. We wish them safe travels and an enjoyable time!

The beautiful green of early summer is quickly fading to shades of tan and gold. Rain has been scarce lately. Hopefully, we will be blessed with rain between now and powwow so things will be nice and green for the event. We would love to have you join us for our annual powwow September 12-13. You can register to attend and find more information at stjo.org/powwow.

We hope you have a great week! Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare the arrival of our Native American students, and for safe travel of our students as they return for the upcoming school year! May God continue to bless and reward you for your generosity to for the care and education of the Lakota children attending St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Pride in St. Joseph’s Team

Good afternoon from deep in the heart of Texas!

With orientation for new staff and all staff just around the corner, I have taken a few days to make a quick visit to my mother in the San Antonio area and enjoy some vacation time. Seems hard to believe summer is going by so quickly!

Though I am away from campus, I wanted to take a moment to express some pride in the people who are part of St. Joseph’s Team.

Brock, one of St. Joseph’s fifth grade teachers, was honored for his dedication to community baseball.

Brock, one of our fifth grade teachers, was honored with the Distinguished Professional Achievement Award for his years of service to the Chamberlain baseball program!

He started as a volunteer in 2001 with the Chamberlain High School baseball program. He stepped down last year after spending the last six seasons as head coach. He also served as head coach of the Chamberlain Legion baseball team from 2002-2013.

In addition to coaching, Brock has been groundskeeper at the field trying to encourage others to enjoy this summer sport. He still is active in the baseball program in the area by serving on the Chamberlain Baseball Association Board.

We are proud to have Brock as part of our St. Joseph’s Indian School team!

Deacon Bud and Frances are active at St. Joseph’s and in the community. — Deacon Bud and Frances have dedicated their lives to serving the Native American people.

Deacon Alfred “Bud” Jetty and his wife, Frances, are also a vital part of St. Joseph’s Indian School, the local community and the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Deacon Bud serves at St. James Catholic Church in Chamberlain and frequently helps with our Sunday liturgy. He is a positive example to the Lakota students and is also on St. Joseph’s Board of Directors.

Bud and Frances were named Native American Liaisons by Bishop Paul Dudley in 1991. Bud and Frances were both featured in the July 2014 issue of The Bishop’s Bulletin.

Deacon Bud was selected to be State Deputy for the Knights of Columbus (KOC) in 1991 and thus far has been the only Native American to hold the top post in the state. One of his programs was the establishment of a KOC student exchange program giving both Native and other students the chance to experience other worlds. More than 50 such exchanges took place in the first three years and still continue today.

Bud and Frances both take great pride in the canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha – the first Native American Saint. Deacon Bud was a representative of the Diocese of Sioux Falls at her canonization ceremony in Rome. Frances and Bud are looking forward to attending the annual National Tekakwitha Conference in Fargo, North Dakota in August.

Congratulations to Bud and Frances! We are honored to have their support and involvement with St. Joseph’s Indian School. We pray their ongoing example of service and dedication is a reminder that each of us is gifted in a variety of ways and are indeed all related and called on to be present to one another as we fulfill Jesus’ command, “love one another, as I have loved you.”

I hope everyone continues to have a safe and enjoyable summer! I look forward to getting back to campus and welcoming new staff to St. Joseph’s Team.

Your prayers are appreciated that orientation go smoothly so staff will be ready to welcome the students as they return for the opening of school on August 11, 2014.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Hello from St. Joseph’s Personal Care Center!

Hello my name is Julie and I’m the Manager of our Personal Care Center. As a Personal Care Specialist I have the privilege of working with our awesome donors, answering any questions they might have about the school or our Native American students, and also just getting to know them a little more which is the best part!

We currently have six people working at the Personal Care Center and they are the best group of people to work with. I love hearing all the conversations everyone is having over the phone with our donors – you can tell we all love what we do!

We always laugh a little when we get into a “thank you war” – when we thank the donor and then the donor thanks us but then we thank the donor…well you get the point.

I guess you could say both the donor and we here at the Personal Care Center are very grateful for what we are able to do for the Lakota boys and girls!

I am actually pretty new to St. Joseph’s and to the Chamberlain area. I moved to South Dakota with my husband and two daughters in January of this year from San Diego, California and started at St. Joseph’s not long after our move.

My husband grew up in Chamberlain, so I had visited a couple times before we moved. However, I was shocked to see this amazing school in such a small town! Having lived here for 6 months now, I couldn’t imagine a better place for our students to be and receive a great education.

Although working as a Personal Care Specialist keeps me pretty busy, I love being able to participate in activities with our students and learn about Native American culture.

My favorite memories so far would be helping out at the gymnastics performance, attending eighth grade graduation, Senior Prayer service, attending the staff Inipi (a traditional Lakota (Sioux) purification/prayer ceremony), and visiting the seventh grade Native American Studies class.

In addition to her regular job, Julie participates in lots of activities with the Lakota boys and girls. — Julie, formerly a gymnast herself, helped with St. Joseph’s gymnastics camp!

I also had the opportunity to have dinner in one of the homes where the students live during the school year. It was so nice to see how well-mannered and polite they were when I visited with them. We had a nice healthy meal made by one of the houseparents and one of the students gave me a tour of their home. She was really excited to show me her Hello Kitty bedspread and decorations in her room!

Being in the home that night made me think of how important our houseparents are and just how loving they are to the students. A thought came to me later about what a great houseparent my mom would be.

And wouldn’t you know – my mom will be moving from San Diego to be a houseparent starting next month!

It’s funny sometimes how things work out.

I feel blessed to be at St. Joseph’s Indian School doing what I’m doing, surrounded by great people, great kids and all the great work we do here.

Thank you for your generosity!

Julie, Personal Care Center Manager

Independence Day, a Special Visitor and a Prayer Request

Greetings from the banks of the Missouri River – a busy spot over the 4^th of July weekend. We had boats of all descriptions sailing up and down the river. Even a sleek sail boat went gliding by.

The Chamberlain-Oacoma community kicked off Independence Day celebrations with a parade down Main Street followed by a rodeo, car show and a boat regatta, all before a fireworks show lit up the night sky.

South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson visited the Lakota students at St. Joseph’s Indian School. — The Lakota children had lots of questions for Senator Johnson.

Saturday morning saw the Race on the River – a 5 or 10k fun run – which began at St. Joseph’s Rec Center. Younger children also had the chance to take part in an obstacle course. The day ended with stock tank races in the marina with 4-person teams.

The highlight of last week was United States Senator Tim Johnson’s visit to St. Joseph’s. He met with younger students in the summer home and they told him about all the fun activities they are doing this summer. High school students met Senator Johnson at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center, where they visited about St. Joseph’s high school program and their plans for the future.

Senator Johnson has given 36 years of service as a State Legislator, member of the United States House of Representatives and three terms as Senator. As he retires, he shared that he is looking forward to spending time with his children and grandchildren. We thank Senator Johnson for his years of service and concern for Native American issues. We are grateful he made St. Joseph’s Indian School a part of his farewell tour around the State of South Dakota.

The first spade of dirt has been turned on the playground project. The Lakota students use the playground during recess, after school and every other chance they get! The current slides, swings and basketball courts are showing their age and safety regulations make it necessary to replace them.

On the first day of school (August 11!) there will be new swings, basketball hoops and more for the kids who call St. Joseph’s their home-away-from-home! Their shouts of joy and smiling faces will be their thanks for your generosity.

I have a special prayer request. Members of the United States Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart will be gathering at our headquarters in Hales Corners, Wisconsin this week for a Province Assembly.

These are held every three years and this one is extra special. It will help us prepare for the General Assembly next year in Rome when all the Provinces of the Congregation send representatives to discuss the future direction we’ll take as well as elect a new Superior General. Will you keep us in your prayers? We ask that the Holy Spirit guide us in

the right direction.

Pilamaya – thank you – for your generous support for the education and care of the Lakota boys and girls at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I hope you will have the chance one day to stop in and visit. If you are planning a trip, visit www.stjo.org/visit for helpful information!

Have a blessed week.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

The Lakota children will have a new playground in time for the start of the new school year at St. Joseph’s. — St. Joseph’s playground equipment is being replaced to ensure the Lakota children have a safe place to play. Stay tuned for updates!

The Priests of the Sacred Heart – Founders of St. Joseph’s Indian School

Dear Benefactors,

What a wonderful weekend at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Friday, June 27, we celebrated the Feast of the Sacred Heart, which is very special to our religious community. SCJ is Latin for sacerdotes cordis jesu (priests of the heart of Jesus).

We were honored to have St. Joseph’s former President, Fr. Steve Huffstetter, SCJ, back among us for the day.

The members of the Priests of the Sacred Heart who minister here in South Dakota gathered for an adoration period in which we renewed our vows of commitment to the Congregation and the people of God. It is always a wonderful time to join with fellowSCJs and share somecamaraderie and dinner together.

The Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center now includes an Alumni & Historical Center and a Medicine Wheel Garden. — The Medicine Wheel Garden is nestled between the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center and the banks of the Missouri River.

Wonderful as it was, we were a little sad too. On Sunday, Fr. Guy Blair, SCJ, said good-bye to the parishes of St. Anthony in Pukwana and St. James in Chamberlain as he moves on to his new assignment.

The SCJ community has helped the Sioux Falls Diocese with local ministry over the last 25-30 years, but the Province was not able to replace Fr. Guy with another SCJ, so the communities gave the parishes back to the Diocese of Sioux Falls. Fr. Steve was here to extend the thanks of the Province for all the support and encouragement the parishes have given to the SCJ priests who have served over the years.

The Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center’s Medicine Wheel Garden was chosen to be on the annual P.E.O (Philanthropic Educational Organization) Yard and Garden Tour this past Thursday. We were honored to be chosen along with four other homes in the Chamberlain area.

Monday and Tuesday, I was in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, taking part in the Board meeting for Cheyenne River Indian Outreach. The SCJ’s operate a domestic violence shelter and youth residential program on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. In addition to a safe place, a thrift store also helps provide new or slightly used household items for victims needing to start over.

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to a visit South Dakota’s senior Senator, the Honorable Tim Johnson. The Senator is making a farewell tour of the state as he will not be running for re-election this year after serving three terms in the United States Senate.

The Lakota (Sioux) students participating in our summer program will welcome him and share about St. Joseph’s. The

Chamberlain residents visited the Medicine Wheel Garden as part of a recent community tour. — The Medicine Wheel Garden was featured in Chamberlain’s recent local garden tour.

Senator has been helpful when our students visited Washington DC and has also taken an active interest in Native American issues during his years of service. I’ll share with you how the visit went in next week’s blog!

We hope you all have a safe and memorable Independence Day! As you enjoy time with family and friends, remember the values our country stands for and continue to find ways to pass them along to future generations.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Welcome back, St. Joseph’s Alum!

Earlier in June, St. Joseph’s held its first annual Alumni & Staff Reunion!

Mary Jane works with St. Joseph's Alumni. — Mary Jane, St. Joseph’s Alumni Liaison

Both former students and staff enjoyed the day as we visited and renewed friendships. We talked about our time at St. Joseph’s Indian School and shared what we are doing today. It was wonderful to catch up!

Other activities included lunch, campus tours and going through hundreds of old pictures! We had a total of 19 alumni along with some members of their families and 15 staff members, past and present. The day went by fast.

We had students scattered throughout six different decades:

Jerry came from Elk River, Minnesota. He remembered weeding the gardens and gathering the crops! He graduated from St. Joseph’s in 1959.
Ron came from Eagle Butte, South Dakota and attended St. Joseph’s in 1963-64. He is currently a maintenance mechanic. Ron’s three sons also attended St. Joseph’s in the 1990’s.

The 1970’s:

o Crystal graduated from St. Joseph’s in 1979. She works in customer service in Mitchell, South Dakota. Crystal visits campus frequently.

o Madeline works with students in the recreation department at Crow Creek Tribal School north of Chamberlain. She returns to campus at least twice a year.

o Rose is from Pierre and works at Walmart. Rose visits campus on a regular basis.

o LeeAnn is from Rapid City. She is self-employed, running her own house cleaning service. She returns every year for St. Joseph’s annual powwow.

o Terri is from Mission, South Dakota and is a self-employed domestic engineer. Terri came with her husband and their son. Terri has been back to St. Joseph’s, but not for over 10 years.

o Stanley attended with his two sisters, Madeline and Janice.

The 1980’s:

Muffy lives in Stephan, South Dakota, north of Chamberlain. She works in the recreation program at Crow Creek Tribal School. She returns to campus several times during the school year. Muffy graduated from Chamberlain High School through St. Joseph’s High School program.

Nancy lives in Chamberlain, South Dakota and is the manager at Subway. She comes back to campus for various events and has taken part in our career day program.

Janice lives in Rapid City, South Dakota and is a full time student. She has received awards through St. Joseph’s scholarship program. She plans to obtain her two year degree this spring and go on to law school.

Claudia lives in Reliance, South Dakota. She is a youth counselor and also takes online classes. She also receives scholarships through St. Joseph’s program.

Terry lives in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He works in a warehouse and is a delivery driver. This was his first visit back to St. Joseph’s Indian School after graduating in 1988.

The 1990’s:

o Glenn lives in Chamberlain, South Dakota and is a custodian at St. Joseph’s. His two daughters currently attend St. Joseph’s.

o Destiny is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She is a homemaker. She has returned to campus on several occasions to visit with our junior high and high school students. She was part of our high school program.

o L’Jay is from Ridgeview, South Dakota. He works in Eagle Butte as a supply technician.

o Chad is from Dupree, South Dakota. He works as a construction foreman in the Eagle Butte area.

Students from the 2000’s:

o Tyler lives in Chamberlain, South Dakota and works at McDonald’s.

o Katrina lives in Chamberlain, South Dakota and is a full time mother.

At the end of the day, everyone expressed how glad they were to have come, vowing to bring other friends and alumni back to campus for the next reunion!

Mary Jane, Alumni Liaison

Alumni and staff members gathered for St. Joseph’s first reunion. — St. Joseph’s first annual Alumni & Staff reunion was a great success!

Never a dull moment at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Greetings from a weather-beaten state,

We have had tornadoes, hail and very heavy rain in South Dakota. Wessington Springs, which is about 60 miles northeast of us, was recently hit by a tornado that destroyed

The Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center on St. Joseph’s campus is free and open to the public. — The Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center features historical displays and contemporary artwork by Lakota (Sioux) artists.

several houses and businesses. Areas just to our north had some weather activity that knocked down storage silos.

Thankfully, Chamberlain has been spared the very dangerous storms. Our prayers are with those who have not been so fortunate.

Already this summer, we have had lots of visitors at the Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center browsing the museum, historical center a gift shop. It’s a pleasure to visit with them – some have been contributing to St. Joseph’s for many years and for some it is their first visit.

Those who have been here before are amazed at the changes that have taken place on campus, including now complete home renovations and the addition of the Tokéya uŋkí nájiŋpi (We Stood Here in the Beginning) Historical & Alumni Center.

All these projects, as well as the programs and necessities we provide for the Lakota children, are accomplished through your generosity. We’re so grateful!

If you are coming through South Dakota this summer, please stop in! If you are traveling later in the summer, be sure to attend our annual powwow on September 13.

St. Joseph’s Alumni & Historical Center features historical displays and special features for alumni. — The Alumni & Historical Center was recently added to the Akta Lakota Museum.

Other than visitors, the campus has gone a bit silent as Rising Eagle Day Camp has come to an end. All together, 984 Native American children took part in the four-week program, all from the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Indian Reservations.

Pilamaya – thank you – for your support! You helped provide the resources needed to meet the needs of the summer day camp program and made these smiles possible!

With fewer children on campus, St. Joseph’s maintenance crews are making needed repairs in homes and classrooms. New windows are being installed in the Benedictine Homes where our youngest students (grades 1-3) reside.

There is never a dull moment!

We hope you and yours will have a wonderful week and that God’s blessings may continue to be with you always.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Visitors and day camp: June begins at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Dear Friends of St. Joseph’s,

Twenty-three big RV Campers pulled into St. Joseph’s campus on Friday. The visitors stopped to tour the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center. They were part of an

Water safety is one of the many activities for Lakota children at day camp. — Everyone had fun learning about water safety.

Adventure Caravan group coming from places in Texas to California. All together, 55 guests enjoyed a guided tour of the museum and viewed a film on the American Indians from the Great Plains. They also visited our Alumni & Historical center, Tokéya uŋkí nájiŋpi (We Stood Here in the Beginning) that details the history of St. Joseph’s Indian School.

The school year has ended, but I would like to share with you the winners of the Fr. Leo John Dehon Award. Fr. Dehon founded the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJs). The award is given to the student who exemplifies generosity, compassion, initiative and mastery of skill in dealing with their fellow students.

Staff members can nominate a student each quarter. The student who receives the most nominations over the course of the year is declared the overall winner. This year there was a tie between Shawnna, Alyssa and Mariah!

Their prize was to have lunch with our school principal at a local restaurant and then have the opportunity to shadow at a local business next school year. Alyssa has won previously and shadowed at the veterinary clinic, which is what Shawnna and Mariah have chosen for next year. Alyssa is thinking of spending her time at the police station.

The Lakota children learned to make birdfeeders with pinecones and peanut butter. — Day campers made birdfeeders with pinecones and peanut butter.

Our summer program, Rising Eagle Day Camp, is up and running. The first two weeks, we serve Native American children from the Crow Creek Indian Reservation, north of Chamberlain on the east side of the Missouri River. The first day saw the excited youngsters ready to come down for activities, swimming and nutritious meals. The following two weeks will see children coming from the Lower Brule Indian Reservation on the west side of the river. We can accommodate 60 participants each day – our bus is often full to capacity!

As we see so much activity going on at St. Joseph’s, it reminds us we do could not help in so many ways without your generosity. Pilamaya – thank you – for your care and concern, which enable us to offer something positive to so many local children.

The Lakota children have breakfast, lunch and a snack every day before St. Joseph’s bus takes them back home. — We have breakfast, lunch and a yummy snack every day!

Have a great week!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Representing St. Joseph’s Indian School in France

On May 25, Erica, Andrew, and I left on the trip of a lifetime! We have the honor of representing St. Joseph’s Indian School at the Lycee Ste Solange School, in Chateauroux,

Maija works with St. Joseph's high school students — Maija

France, on a trip to our sister school!

Similar to the exchange program with our sister school in Handrup, Germany, we hope this experience will broaden our students’ horizons. In turn, we will share the Lakota (Sioux) culture and St. Joseph’s mission.

We spent several months putting together a presentation for the school to share information about:

The state of South Dakota
Powwows and traditional regalia
The Seven Sacred Lakota Rites
St. Joseph’s programs
Chamberlain High School

With the older students in France, we will make dreamcatchers and beaded bracelets using the colors of the Four Directions. The little ones will learn about the Lakota tipi, star quilt and drum. Erica will also demonstrate fancy dancing in her regalia.

Erica, a St. Joseph’s high school student, traveled to our sister school in France. — Erica

The past several months have also been spent getting to know our hosts. I have been in touch with Blandine, who is the school secretary and the headmaster’s wife.

Before Easter, Stellie (from St. Joseph’s office in Paris), went to Chateauroux and gave a presentation about St. Joseph’s mission and the Lakota children who attend our school. After learning why children come to St. Joseph’s, Blandine and the students organized the “Bowl of Rice” operation.

This activity came in conjunction with the Easter season of Lent. After a talk about what sacrifice means, students at their school were given a choice about their regular lunch.

They proposed having the students pay the regular price of a school lunch and, instead of receiving what they would normally have (starter, main course, cheese and dessert), it would be substituted with a bowl of rice, apple, and piece of bread. The difference in cost would be donated to St. Joseph’s.

Andrew, a St. Joseph’s high school student, traveled to our sister school in France. — Andrew

Two weeks ago, I received a very ecstatic email from Blandine – they had great success in Operation Bowl of Rice and raised 2,000 Euros (over $2,700)!

They never had so many participants, she added. She said everyone was so proud to be allowed to participate for Maija, Erica and Andrew’s school!

In thanks for their generosity, we’re showing our appreciation for the school children and staff at Chateauroux by offering a gift of an ironwood buffalo – a symbol of sacrifice.

The buffalo – tatanka – is considered a symbol of abundance. It is especially significant in the Lakota culture because it provided the people with everything they needed.

Thank you for helping St. Joseph’s provide amazing learning opportunities for the Native American children we serve and stay tuned for more details about our trip!

Maija

Coincidence or part of the bigger plan?

So…the other day I was walking into our Student Coordinator office and noticed a stack of boxes sitting by the door. I hadn’t really noticed the boxes for awhile and wondered

Six Lakota students helped Frank deliver St. Joseph’s donation of food to the local domestic violence shelter. — Helena helped Frank and other students deliver boxes of food to the local domestic violence shelter.

what they where and how long they had been in that spot…

Then it hit me!

The boxes contained the food from the annual food drive St. Joseph’s holds in November. *forehead smack*

In the hustle and bustle of the school year, we never delivered them to the domestic violence shelter here in Chamberlain. Color me embarrassed – I was in charge of delivering!

I immediately began working with Jennie, the Student Coordinator, to come up with a plan to deliver the food. We picked four students to help load and unload the boxes. I called the shelter and set up a time to make the delivery. The day arrived came and I ended up with two extra students to help. And help they did!

The six students unloaded the boxes quickly.

The person on duty at the shelter worker was very grateful for the donation – they had several clients in the shelter at the time and supplies were running low.

My embarrassment of forgetting the food boxes abated. I realized maybe us (actually just me) forgetting the food for all that time in the office was part of the bigger plan…

Maybe, just maybe, things happen for a reason. Maybe sometimes we just need to flow with our surroundings and trust what’s happening.

Or, maybe it was just coincidence that our twelve boxes of food came at the right time…

Whatever the case, it was the right time to role model and teach the students about generosity firsthand by giving back to our community, even if it didn’t work out exactly like I first planned.

Chances for small lessons of generosity, independence, belonging and mastery are given to us every day at St. Joseph’s Indian School. As staff and helpers, we need to remember to watch for these times and take full advantage of opportunity to teach our Native American students in the best way we can.

And today, I believe my “mistake” was part of the bigger plan to share this lesson of generosity with the six students who helped deliver those boxes.

As our school year winds down and the students get ready for summer break, I would like to thank our extended family for making these teachable moments possible for our students. Everyone shows support to our students to make this possible – we can’t do this work without you! We are truly thankful and blessed by your generosity.

Happy summer!

Frank W.

Residential Coordinator