Tag: Indian reservation

Travels near and far begin at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Good afternoon!

St. Joseph’s Indian School said a special prayer at Mass in honor of fathers everywhere.
Thanks and blessings to all the dads out there!

I hope all the dads out there had a wonderful Father’s Day! I pray our Heavenly Father will continue to bless, guide and strengthen you.  We kept you in prayer at our Mass on Sunday.

Our high school travelers are back from Germany and France. They had a wonderful time and were very grateful for the opportunity. Their host families and the people they interacted with were very polite, friendly and nice.  They had some difficulty communicating with locals due to the language barrier, but everyone managed.

The students agreed it was totally worth the commitment and effort they made to go; they have had many new experiences and great memories. They enjoyed the sights and learning about different cultures, but one student confessed she was not too excited about goat cheese… Good job giving it a try!

A formal presentation will be made to students and staff in October, when we have the opportunity to host the exchange students who will be coming over in the fall to visit St. Joseph’s Indian School and various sites in South Dakota.

 

St. Joseph’s Bookmobile visits numerous reservation communities each summer sharing books with those in need.
On their first day out, St. Joseph’s Bookmobile gave away over 700 books in five communities!

St. Joseph’s Bookmobile has hit the road! Over the next few weeks, they will deliver books to the Pine Ridge, Rosebud,

Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Indian Reservations. It is a way for St. Joseph’s to stay in touch with our students – past and present – and their families. The bookmobile stops at day cares, youth programs, playgrounds and parks to share books with anyone in the community.

Do you have books you’d like to donate? Print shipping labels here!

Day camp is still going strong! This week, our bus travels to Lower Brule to pick up participants. Back on campus, the children play kick ball and took hikes, did some swimming, toured the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center and took a water safety course.  As part of Native American Studies, they learned about the Lakota flag song, hand games and made small drums.

We thank you for your generosity! Your kindness allows us to offer Rising Eagle Day Camp to children in need of nutritious meals and safe summer fun. We continue to keep you in our prayers and ask that God continue to bless and reward you for your generosity to the Lakota (Sioux) boys and girls.

Have a great week.  May God’s blessings continue to be with you!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Feels like Summer at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Good afternoon from St. Joseph’s Indian School!

A tipi stands outside the entrance of the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center.
The Akta Lakota Museum’s tipi was erected last week for the summer.

Every summer, a tipi is set up outside the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center, and it made its debut last week.  It’s a wonderful interactive piece that allows visitors to take pictures and see how the tipi served as a home for early life on the Great Plains. We are always grateful when people take advantage of the opportunity to visit and learn more about Lakota (Sioux) culture and history.  Hopefully, you will have a chance to visit soon.

Our second session of Rising Eagle Day Camp began today, serving Native American students from the Lower Brule Indian Reservation.  The first two weeks of day camp, we brought children to campus from the Crow Creek Indian Reservation; that group finished Friday.

Over 520 students participated in the two-week program!  It has been interesting to see what the children have been making in their arts and crafts class and hear them talk about fun in the swimming pool.

Several of St. Joseph’s high school students are working as camp counselors and enjoying the interaction with the younger children. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to be good role models and earn some extra spending money.  All of this is possible because of your generosity – thank you!

Lakota children from the Lower Brule Indian Reservation will attend day camp at St. Joseph’s for the next two weeks.
Today, the Rising Eagle Day Camp bus picked up students from the Lower Brule Indian Reservation.

Mary Jane, our Alumni Coordinator, held a reunion on Saturday for past students and families. It was a great opportunity to catch up. Mary Jane also appreciated help in matching up faces and names from pictures taken over the years. Many found themselves in the collection of pictures, or their siblings or cousins.  Lots of stories were shared, reflecting on what St. Joseph’s was like in years past and how the priests, Brothers, Sisters and other staff touched students’ lives in a variety of ways. There were even old videos of graduations and talent shows to watch, which brought a few chuckles and fond memories.

One of the highlights of the day was a specialized campus tour to see all the changes that have taken place on campus in recent years. Alumni also had the opportunity to visit the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center, the Alumni & Historical Center and the Medicine Wheel Garden, dedicated to all St. Joseph’s students.

It was a good first event. We hope the word will spread and future reunions will bring more alumni back to visit St. Joseph’s!

Pilamaya – thank you – for your generosity to the Lakota boys and girls attending St. Joseph’s Indian School! You and your special intentions are remembered in our daily prayers.

Have a great week! Remember to drive carefully – more schools are out for the summer, which means more children outside, playing and crossing streets.

God bless,

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

Honoring the Past, Preparing for the Future at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Greetings once again from St. Joseph’s Indian School! We are keeping bust with a wide variety of activities as we approach the final weeks of the school year.

Fr. Anthony gives a Lakota child her First Holy Communion.
Fr. Anthony gives the candidates their First Holy Communion.

Last Wednesday we held an inipi (also known as a sweat or going into the sweat lodge) for our high school boys. John, a St. Joseph’s graduate and former principal of our school, led this traditional Lakota ceremony. He led the inipi ceremony to honor all the senior boys and those who have helped them reach this step in their life, including other male students and staff.

Friday was a very busy day!

Career day began after lunch. The Lakota boys and girls began each session by asking presenters a series of questions to determine their profession – what skills were involved, was it something you could do inside or out, any special gear needed, what sort of educational preparation was needed, etc. We learned about the growing, manufacturing and marketing work being done at the Lower Brule Popcorn Company, which is on a local Indian Reservation. Students also heard from artists who create beadwork and Native American flutes, a drug and alcohol counselor, a dental hygienist and a musician with the band Brule’.

Later that afternoon, we held our annual sobriety celebration kicked off with guest speaker Ms. D’Este Chytka, founder of ‘It’s all about Respect.’ She urged students to respect themselves, one another and Mother Earth – Unci Maka.

After her talk, our annual Sobriety Walk to downtown Chamberlain began at the rec center! It was a great day with beautiful weather and wonderful messages for the Lakota (Sioux) children.

With the support of their families, St. Joseph’s students prepared for and received the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation on Sunday, April 27.
Sixteen Lakota students participated in Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation last Sunday.

On Sunday, 16 students received Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.  We were honored to have many family and friends share in Sunday Mass when the candidates received the Sacraments.  I am also happy to report that a student who didn’t return to St. Joseph’s after spring break was able to complete his preparation for the Sacraments. With a letter of support from the members of our pastoral team, Clare and Joe, he was able to receive his Sacraments on Easter at his home parish in Nebraska.

It was a very special day for our students and families, and a positive witness for everyone who attended.

Please join us in praying for those who lost their lives in the recent tornadoes in Arkansas and Oklahoma, as well as their families. We continue to keep you and your intentions in our prayers asking God to bless and reward you for your generosity. Have a wonderful week!

Fr. J. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Good Times, Good Company at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Memo to Mother Nature — enough is enough, please make up your mind! This past Saturday was gorgeous but Palm Sunday was cold and windy, which kept our blessing of the palms indoors.  I hope spring has really sprung for you, wherever you may live.

Last week, we were honored to have Fr. Steve back on campus.  In his new role as Provincial of the United States Province he had two tasks to fulfill during his visit to St. Joseph’s Indian School.  First, he visited with all the SCJs in ministry here in South Dakota to check in on how we are doing in terms of health, ministry and spiritual lives.

St. Joseph’s eighth grade girls matched up against staff for a basketball game.
St. Joseph’s eighth grade girls vs. staff.

Second, he was part of the board meeting that reviews finances and ministry of the work the community is doing.  The meeting was held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so board members could visit St. Joseph’s Donor Care Center. The board was impressed by the ability of Donor Care Center staff to reach out to our benefactors, offering birthday greetings, answering questions and helping people learn more about St. Joseph’s Indian School and the programs we offer the Lakota (Sioux) people in Chamberlain and on South Dakota Indian Reservations.

Before heading to Sioux Falls for the meeting, Fr. Steve enjoyed watching the basketball games between staff teams and our eighth grade boys and girls’ teams.  Our young ladies were up first, and staff players gave us a glimpse of glory from their younger years.  The effort was there, but it took them awhile to hit their stride.

It was 12-11 in the staff’s favor at half.  The fans were into the game, pulling for their side in good fun. The staff team was in the lead as the final few minutes wound down. The eighth grade coach sent his whole team out to play in a sneak attack that resulted in the eighth graders getting the ball for one last shot! They made a long 3-point shot to tie it at the buzzer ending the game tied at 33 all!

Many laughs were had by all, setting us up for the boys vs. staff game.

When the game got ready to start, Fr. Steve came out to administer the opening toss up and then scrambled out of the way as everyone rushed to get the ball.  The staff team came at the eighth graders in waves – they had enough players to sub in and out. The eighth grade boys, however, had just five players!

St. Joseph’s eighth grade boys matched up against staff for a basketball game.
St. Joseph’s eighth grade boys vs. staff. Derek, a houseparent, is cleverly disguised in a St. Joseph’s Braves uniform.

The boys held their own, however, and lead at half 13-9. Once the second half got underway, it got a bit confusing – many staff were wearing St. Joseph’s team uniforms, so it was hard to make sure you were passing to your teammate and not the opposition.  The fans kept rooting for the students as the minutes ticked off the clock. There were lots of oohs and aahs as shots went up but not in. At the buzzer, the staff escaped with a 23-21 victory.

It was a great way to finish the week!

It was a busy weekend at St. Joseph’s, so stay tuned to hear more about Saturday’s many activities.

We hope that whatever activity you chose for Lent has proven beneficial and has you ready for Holy Week. May God continue to bless you all and reward you for your generosity.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Baseball, Spring Storms and College Visits for the Lakota (Sioux) Students

How does the old saying go? March comes in like a lion or lamb and goes out like the opposite?

 
This year is an exception. We had bad weather at the start of the month, and a blizzard with strong winds and snow raged yesterday! Several staff members headed home early and Chamberlain students (including St. Joseph’s high school students) were dismissed at 1:00 PM. Thankfully, the freezing rain passed us by and we only got 2-4 of snow. But it’s cold this morning – only 12 degrees!

 
It’s hard to believe, but Sunday we enjoyed a lovely spring day – temperatures in the high 60s. The Lakota (Sioux) students got into the spirit of the opening day of baseball by playing an afternoon ball game.

 
Last week, our high school students and staff took a few trips to college campuses. Several sophomores went to Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for a career day. We have a couple young men interested in law enforcement and public safety, engineering, transportation, photography and web design. Two of our young ladies are looking into possibilities in the health care field.

 

St. Joseph’s sophomores visited Dakota State University.
Danisha, class of 2012, shows St. Joseph’s current sophomore boys around Dakota State University, where she is attending college.

Another group went to Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota to look into music, digital design and gaming.Later this week, some will head out to the Black Hills to visit Western Dakota Tech where one of our seniors, Dean, has already been accepted to the law enforcement program.

 
Mary Jane, St. Joseph’s alumni coordinator, passed along some updates from former students:
• Ben, eighth grade class of ’77, lives on the Rosebud Indian Reservation where he works as an investigator for the tribal police department. His wife also works for the tribe. She was recently able to finish her college degree thanks to St. Joseph’s Scholarship Program.
• Kristin, eighth grade class of ’07, graduated from the Navy Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois on March 7, 2014.
• Raygina, who attended St. Joseph’s from 1992-1999, is involved in the nursing program up at United Tribes in Bismarck, North Dakota. She is looking forward to finishing her degree and moving into the next stage of her life.

 

You may recall that last week I mentioned St. Joseph’s was taking part in the Acalympics (Academic Olympics) in White River, South Dakota. There were 12 schools with teams made up of sixth, seventh and eighth grade students; St. Joseph’s team came in ninth.

 
Kathleen, our principal, said the team did well, but scoring demands teams to be very precise in regards to spelling and complete answers. A neighboring school to the west of us, Lyman, was the winning team.

 
We hope each of you has a great week and that spring does indeed come as we move into April. May God bless and reward you for your generosity towards the Lakota boys and girls at St. Joseph’s Indian School. We keep you and your intentions in our prayers.

 
Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ
Chaplain

This is what I love about at St. Joseph’s Indian School – Lowan wicasa (drum group)

Greetings!
My name is Jeshua and I am the Lakota language teacher at St. Joseph’s Indian School. This was my first year on staff. In addition to teaching language, I also help with our drum group.

 
Our lowan wicasa (drum group) is called the Chalk Hills Singers. We get our name from all the stories of St. Joseph’s early days when the children would hike in the hills north of campus and find the chalky rocks alongside the Missouri River. We practice twice per week with all types of styles and genres like powwow, traditional, sundance and round dance songs.

 
I’m really proud of how far the boys have come. I believe every singer can now take a lead (starting a song so everyone joins in). These students aren’t just learning how to drum; we incorporate meaning, what the drum represents to our Lakota (Sioux) people and how important it is to be a drum keeper or singer.

 
So far we have 13 male singers in grades 6-12, and three wicaglata win (the women who accompany the men at the drum). Females sing in support of the drummers, standing around them. They are usually close to the singers and must know the songs as well.

St. Joseph’s drum group, the Chalk Hills Singers, sing with their instructor Jeshua.
Jeshua and the boys sing at the drum during St. Joseph’s 2013 powwow celebration.

 
In Lakota tradition, women do not sit at the drum. We explain the etiquette of how singers conduct themselves around the drum and that it is a great honor to make people dance, cry and laugh with their voice and the drum.

 
We sing at every St. Joseph’s powwow, which is an awesome sight with our Native American students in regalia, singing loud and proud. This fall, we also had the chance to participate in a veterans’ powwow on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, which is my home reservation.

 
The boys witnessed a tokala (warrior) ceremony and had the chance to dance as well and pay respect to all veterans, which was a very memorable experience. All the other drums came up to shake our boys’ hands and give them props for being such a young and strong group of singers.

 
Recently, the sixth grade boys had the chance to participate in Inipi – purification lodge – and put their singing voices to use in what is also called the prayer lodge. For most of them, it was their first time participating in this ceremony.

 
It was awesome. They knew the songs to sing and showed great respect and attitude all the way to the end. We are going to have boys and girls inipi ceremony every month for different grades.

 
I believe their identity as Native Americans is very important. We try showing them this way of life at St. Joseph’s because some of them never get the opportunity.
That is what I love about St. Joseph Indian School: We can incorporate all types and diverse aspects to culture, religion and history for the students and staff.
Pilamaya – thank you – for your generosity!

Spring Break at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Greetings from St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Things are kind of quiet right now as our elementary school students (grades 1-8) are on spring break. St. Joseph’s high school students attend Chamberlain

Fr. Anthony and the Lakota children.
Fr. Anthony spends time with St. Joseph’s students.

High School, and they are still in session.

When classes let out on Friday and spring break officially kicked off, I rode along to the Pine Ridge area in southwestern South Dakota to take some of the Lakota students home.  We try to send two staff members in each van or mini bus, and it was very helpful to have an extra staff person this time!  One of the student’s relatives was late getting to the pick-up spot in Martin, South Dakota. I was able to wait with her while the others continued on to Pine Ridge.  As we drove back through the Rosebud Indian Reservation, it was nice to see some of the towns our students come from.

Three of our high school girls recently made a trip to the University of Minnesota in Morris (UM-M).  Ashley is already accepted to the college and will take pre-veterinary classes; Amber and Michelle went along to support Ashley and check out the campus. The nice thing about UM-M is that, once a Native American student is accepted, tuition is paid in full.  Of course, some expenses still remain, like books, room and board and incidentals, but tuition is a huge help.

Pam, who chaperoned the trip, works with the juniors and seniors to help them find college programs they might consider entering.  She makes several of these trips with our students at this time of year.

We are disappointed to report the Chamberlain Cubs’ basketball season is over.

The Lady Cubs went up against the team from Winner last week … the team lived up to their town’s name and defeated the Lady Cubs to knock them out of further contention.

On Monday night, the boys took on Cheyenne-Eagle Butte to see who would be punching their ticket to the Boys’ State Basketball Championship.  Chamberlain held its own until the third quarter and then ran into trouble with turnovers, fouls and poor shooting.  The Cheyenne-Eagle Butte Braves were able to win the game at the free throw line and will move on to Sioux Falls for the State A tournament.

Though we’ll be losing some good senior players, we are excited about next year. Those lost will be replaced by Junior Varsity players, and the Cubs’ JV squad has not lost a game in two years!

On Monday, I attended the Board Meeting at Cheyenne River Indian Outreach (CRIO) in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. St. Joseph’s and CRIO are both operated by the Priests of the Sacred Heart and work together in a variety of ways. CRIO operates a shelter on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation for those suffering from domestic violence (the only one of its kind for 100 miles in any direction), a thrift store and a residence for at-risk youth ages 10-17.

Just a few days ago, St. Joseph’s received a call for help from CRIO – their thrift store shelves were nearly bare. They would soon be unable to help meet the needs of the community in terms of clothing and household items.

Thanks to you, St. Joseph’s was able to send a load of clothing and other needed items to help re-stock the shelves.

Your faithful support makes a real difference to so many people in need. Pilamaya – thank you!

May God continue to bless and help you have a reflective and beneficial Lent.  You are remembered in our prayers.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Celebrating Sobriety, Shooting Hoops at St. Joseph’s Indian School

Good Day! I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and the week is going great so far.

St. Joseph’s Native American students play basketball and say NO to drugs!
The Lakota students choose basketball and other sports instead of doing drugs!

On Friday, St. Joseph’s students participated in one of our many annual sobriety celebrations. This is a real celebration for the Lakota (Sioux) children, as most have been faced with these adult choices at a very young age in their communities on South Dakota’s Indian Reservations.

The evening began with the children sharing how they have or will turn away from the temptation to use alcohol.  Many mentioned sports, hanging out with friends and playing video games as their safe choice.  The fun was complete with dinner, games, a movie and prizes.

Saturday, St. Joseph’s Indian School hosted Lower Brule, Miller and Pierre Indian Learning Center (PILC) in an eighth grade boys’ basketball tournament. The St. Joseph’s Braves squared off against the Lower Brule Sioux, coming out on top. The Miller Rustlers and PILC Warriors matched up in the second game with Rustlers claiming the win.  The SJIS Braves came up short in the championship game against the Rustlers and the Chieftains secured a third place finish over the Warriors.

The fourth, fifth and sixth grade teams will take part in the Chamberlain tournament this Saturday.  It was great to cheer on the older boys – they are great role models for the up-and-coming players!

You’ll recall that the Chamberlain High School’s one-act play, The Afghan Women, qualified for state competition. They performed this weekend with more than 30 other South Dakota schools this past weekend. Chamberlain High School was one of the four schools to earn a SUPERIOR rating. It is a wonderful compliment to the actors, crew and school staff to achieve this rank again this year.  It reflects a real commitment to the arts and great opportunities for our high school students.

Sunday, four of our students traveled to Highmore, South Dakota to compete in the advancing level of the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest, along with the son of two of our houseparents, Ian.

Four St. Joseph’s students advanced to the regional round of the free throw contest.
St. Joseph’s students advanced to the regional round of the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest. Back: Rudy and Richie. Front: Keshaume and Pearl. Not pictured: Ian, son of St. Joseph’s houseparents.

Keshaume and Ian won first place in their age group. Rudy and Pearl came in second in their groups. Richie tied for first, hitting 16 out of 25 but came up short in the shoot-off by just one free throw.  We are proud of our students and their efforts! Keshaume and Ian will progress to the State Finals in the next few weeks.

May God’s blessings be with you this week.  We keep you and your intentions in our prayers.  Thanks again for your generosity.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Lakota boys hit the basketball court

At St. Joseph’s Indian School, we work to give our Lakota (Sioux) students the same opportunities enjoyed by children in any

St. Joseph’s boys basketball season is in full swing.
St. Joseph’s Braves took on Crow Creek, a school on a nearby Indian reservation.

school. Basketball, volleyball, football and track are a few of the sports teams they can join during the school year.

Our girls’ basketball season wrapped up just before Christmas break. Now, the boys are in full swing and St. Joseph’s Braves have had a busy schedule!

Basketball News from Joe:  The seventh and eighth grade boys traveled to Lower Brule, South Dakota, on Tuesday and played two hard fought games. The boys had fun and split the pair.

The seventh grade displayed toughness on defense and won by a score of 43-26.  Joe, Wankiya, Ben and Cameron all played hard on the defensive end.  On offense, Louie, Alan, Jered, Pat and Ben all contributed to our scoring. It should be noted that Louie scored 29 points! A hard effort overall was displayed by Nathaniel and Duran.   

The eighth grade Braves played a hard fought contest but came out on the losing end with a score of 41-30.  Jay and Trenton led our scoring with 7 points each.  Keayton also scored three baskets. 

Opposing teams jump for the ball at St. Joseph’s Indian School.
Team sports teach the Lakota children important leadership and teamwork skills.

Defensively is where these eighth grade Braves excelled.  Ethan and Caden led the defensive attack, which kept us in the game for three quarters. 

We look forward to Thursday and our game against Pierre Indian Learning Center!

Basketball News from Bryan – The fourth and fifth grade basketball teams tipped off their 2014 season this past week.  On January 20, both teams were in action against Chamberlain. 

The fourth grade boys came out in their first game very excited and that showed on the floor. They jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.  The defensive effort was great and the boys showed great presence on the offensive side as well as they won 36-4.  All of the boys contributed in the win and they were proud of their first victory. 

The fifth grade boys also took on the Cubs that day.  They played hard against a good Cubs team, but came up on the short end losing 31-20.  The boys all played well and it was a good learning experience for their first game of the year. 

The fifth grade team was back in action Monday night against Lower Brule and got things rolling early.  The boys jumped up by 4 points right away and held that lead all through the game, winning 20-14. 

St. Joseph’s Braves had several nice assists to contribute to their win.
Looking to pass.

On Tuesday, the fourth and fifth grade teams hosted Crow Creek.  It was the second time the fourth grade took the floor. Once again, they came out pumped up and took care of business, taking control from the tip. The Braves showed great teamwork as several nice assists lead to most of our points. They stayed strong to win 29-6. 

The fifth grade boys were up next and came out a little flat.  Some of the shots weren’t falling that normally do, but the boys hung in there and kept shooting. They came to life in the second half, playing much harder and with great confidence.  Crow Creek was just a little too much, however, and the Braves were on the short end of the score, 38-20.

Overall, the boys have showed steady improvement throughout the season.  They all show up to practice excited and ready to learn.  Great attitudes and cooperation have made the season a success so far!

Thanks to you, Native American youth are learning valuable lessons about leadership, teamwork and healthy lifestyles. Wopila tanka – many thanks – for your support!