Lakota – Page 27 – St. Joseph's Indian School

A Tablespoon of Hot Sauce

Due to a good weekend snowstorm, Chamberlain canceled school yesterday. The Native American grade school students at St. Joseph’s still had classes, since living here they only have to walk a block or two.

Our dedicated facilities crew started clearing snow at 3 a.m. and made it possible to navigate the roads and sidewalks safely. We did start 90 minutes hours late. The teachers and other staff who had to drive from their homes appreciated the extra time to dig themselves out and get to campus.

Our high school students had the whole day off. Knowing there were no ballgames or activities, I figured it was a good time to stop by Sheehy Home (high school boys) for supper. They’d spent the afternoon exercising at the Rec Center, and most were now parked on the couches watching movies. A few of the guys were using the time to catch up on homework and missing assignments, which I made sure to compliment.

Supper was a memorable culinary experience. Anita’s lasagna was some of the best I’ve ever had. But next to the salad was a plastic squeeze salad dressing bottle that was slightly orange colored. From the side I saw the beginning of a word – “FR.”

I assumed it was French dressing, so unbeknownst to others I poured it liberally on my salad greens. It turned out to be “Frank’s Hot Sauce,” and my first bite it was like eating a full tablespoon of Tabasco sauce! The Sheehy boys got a chuckle out of my miscalculation.

I stopped by Raphael Home (1^st – 3^rd grade boys) after school today and found the Lakota youngsters actively playing. You can have fancy computer games and electronic toys, but today the boys were intrigued with simple old-fashioned things. Kane was trying out a yo-yo. I was able to give him a few pointers of how to hold it and get the most spin out of the wrist, signs of my own playful youth. Rudy had a lightweight wooden airplane, like we used to get in the dime store, and he and Dorian were competing to see who could keep it aloft the longest.

Imagination is the most fertile field for a child’s play, and basketball is the big sport around campus. First graders Jacob and Devin stacked a trio of laundry detergent buckets against the wall, and on top built a foot wide square of large Legos. They each had a beanie baby bird (one a penguin and the other an eagle) and were using those to shoot hoops. Teris stood guard by the bucket, blocking shots and trying to keep them away but, with persistence, they would occasionally get one by and over his outstretched arms and into the goal. They cheered as though they’d hit a game winning shot!

Meet Luisa, new houseparent

It’s hard to believe we have been in Chamberlain, South Dakota, for almost six months. The memories of being welcomed by the bright green rolling plains are quite vivid—it truly feels like yesterday!

Of course, it doesn’t take much for me to snap back to rationality and know it was in fact, not yesterday. One look down at my boots (encrusted with snow) or the sound of my husband yelling out in frustration from the shower “Luisa our pipes are frozen!” and I think to myself: Nope. It is definitely not August anymore.

As newcomers to the state and new houseparents at St. Joseph’s Indian School, the people we come in contact with often ask us where we come from. When we say Florida people’s eyes get wide and the next question is “WHY are you here?”

Not only that, but when we called banks and other places in Florida to verify they had our new address, most of the strangers on the other line would outright chuckle and say something like “South Dakota? Wow, interesting…”

Ironically, what Jachin (my husband) and I both still wonder is why we never thought about coming here before.

We have both traveled to experience and study various cultures. We are both passionate about intercultural studies, helping the marginalized, and how God works through different people groups. Being a part of the work here at St. Joseph’s captures that and so much more.

In August we did more than just make an impulsive move across the country.

We committed to improving the lives and influencing the future of 12 Lakota boys and 12 Lakota girls.

Through these blog entries, I hope to share with you our adventures, their development, our laughter, our quest to help them reclaim their culture, and the lessons these incredible little ones have taught me.

Finally, I hope to give you a sneak peak of what life is really like at St. Joseph’s Indian School. Oh and I will definitely be sharing lots and lots of photos and videos! You may be far away but it will be nearly impossible for you not to feel the joy these kiddos bring to our life.

Let’s get started with some of my recent favorites.

The girls and me being silly.	Fun with Photoshop!
All my boys sledding.

And the one that makes me laugh so hard it hurts, a video of the boys and I playing our animal game:

Psalm 127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Home Safely!

We just returned from Buellton California, in the scenic Santa Ynez Valley, where we hosted two donor appreciation luncheons in the area. While some of our friends had a short trip, others drove in from as far as Fresno, Lancaster and Anaheim to join us for an afternoon. Ashley and Martina were our two Native American high school students who spoke to our donors about their life and routine at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Native American students from St. Joseph’s saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time! — The girls walked in the Pacific Ocean and wrote their names in the sand at Refugio State Beach.

Travel was an adventure. For Ashley it was her very first flight. The attendants let her peak into the cockpit and the pilot made her feel welcome (and safe!). From Sioux Falls to Denver, she had a window seat and could see the Missouri River, Badlands and Nebraska Sand Hills as we flew high overhead. On the second leg, Martina stared out the window, marveling at the mountains, canyons and vast stretches of western desert, which gave way to the incredible sprawl of metro Los Angeles. Our last short leg was at night, and the city and coastline came alive with lights and we descended into Santa Barbara. Our return was not as smooth. Fog delayed our takeoff, and because of missed connections we could only get back as far as Denver, and had to stay overnight there and come back a day late. The girls didn’t mind missing another day of school, and had fun walking around the airports, window shopping and people watching.

Despite the long distances, I recognized a few donors who have made the pilgrimage to St. Joseph’s campus for a summer vacation stopover, or to take part in one of our powwow celebrations. When others hear of our activities in September, it piques their interest and I’m sure we’ll see a few more make the journey. One couple who love motorcycling hope to roll by and visit during the Sturgis rally in August.

Tina, our phone receptionist, traveled to help with the set up and hospitality. She told me that one of the most frequently asked questions by donors on the phone is about me – “Is Fr. Steve a real person?” Many said it was nice to meet the one behind letters and emails. But the same holds true for us.

It’s a joy to be able to thank groups of people in person who make the work of St. Joseph possible.

The Lakota students visited an ostrich farm on their trip to a donor appreciation event in California. — Martina feeds the ostriches at the farm they visited.

Saturday after the luncheon, we checked out a nearby ostrich farm – a unique experience for me, but a sheer delight for our Lakota girls! A bowl of feed cost just $1. We held it out on a dust pan and hungry birds flocked around us. It was amazing to see them up close and personal! In the distant fields we observed their surprisingly quick running, and even saw a male doing an elaborate mating dance to get attention.

We drove into Solvang for mass. Visiting Old Mission Santa Ines allowed me to tell some of the background of the California missions and the history of the area tribes. It was also the annual appeal Sunday for the diocese. In lieu of a homily, we heard a 22 year old Hispanic Woman speak about how the parish school she attended in South Central LA helped give her a chance to go to college and present her with opportunities that others in her neighborhood didn’t have. I looked at our Lakota (Sioux) students, hoping and praying the same for them.

We sampled some Danish foods and pastries, then walked around to enjoy the town’s atmosphere. We found a bookstore that had a large section dedicated to Hans Christian Anderson, and later we took a photo by the Little Mermaid fountain.

On Sunday after the luncheon, we finally spent some time at the ocean, walking along Refugio State Beach.

My favorite moment came when Martina and Ashley were intently tracing their names in the sand with their toes, and a wave came up from behind, about mid-calf height, and sent them squealing and laughing to safer ground.

After enjoying some of the open scenery, we continued to Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, where the shop with shell jewelry was the highlight. On these trips, I notice that our students may buy one of two things for themselves, but they are always thinking of family and friends, trying to find something that will give them joy.

The girls were amazed at the shops on Paseo Nuevo! — The shops at Paseo Nuevo were full of pink bling!

We headed downtown to the fashionable Paseo Nuevo shops. The girls’ eyes lit up when passing a store called “So Good,” filled with every kind of ring and necklace imaginable. It was the pinkest, blingiest place I have ever seen. I knew that, while it wasn’t my cup of tea, they would be there a long, long time. That gave me a chance to go out for a walk and check in on the Super Bowl. After they had their fill, we ended up at a pizza place where we watched the fourth quarter of the game.

We’re safely back now, with lots of memories, not just of sights, but of the warm and wonderful people we sat at table with and heard their story and their connection to St. Joseph’s.

How did you become connected to St. Joseph’s Indian School?

Basketball games, one-act plays, and cold weather

Dear Friends of St. Joseph’s,

I have the privilege of sharing some insights as to what has happened here at St. Joseph’s over the weekend since Fr. Steve and some students and staff have been at a donor luncheon in Florida.

The weekend began with the Chamberlain High School’s boys’ basketball teams taking on the Mt. Vernon/Plankinton Titans. The schedule offered the chance for the “C” team, junior varsity and varsity to play. The Cubs were able to win all three games with the help of the 11 St. Joseph’s students on the “C” and junior varsity teams, plus two more on the varsity. High school games highlight the impact the inter-city basketball program, sponsored by St. Joseph’s. You can see the interaction that took place in younger grades paying off as the St. Joseph’s and local Chamberlain students now play together.

This was also the opening weekend for the girls’ inter-city basketball program on St. Joseph’s campus. Again, a good mixture of St. Joseph’s students and players from the Chamberlain area played some good games before a good-sized crowd of spectators.

Chamberlain High School also presented its one act play, Mark Twain’s “Is He Dead?,” which will be their entry in the state competition this coming Wednesday. One of St. Joseph’s students, Christopher, had one of the lead roles and several other students were active behind the scenes. The performance lasted about an hour, but we were told at the start that the rules of state competition require that a one-act play must be completed within 45 minutes. They will have to do some further cuts, but they wanted the local public to see the ‘full’ performance, which brought laughter and enjoyment as we watched the play unfold and deal with trying to make an artist ‘famous’ and thus his paintings more expensive by faking his death.

This coming week, the Lakota children in grade school will continue to benefit from the continued presence of our Artist in Residence, Mr. Markus Tracy, who completes his two-week commitment to St. Joseph’s this Friday. He is working with our students to produce a mural in the school.

This past Saturday was the second week of our bowling season. The sixth, seventh and eighth graders sign up and then are assigned to teams headed by various staff members, several of whom are on bowling teams in Chamberlain. We bowl two games and try to help the students learn and improve their bowling skills. It is a popular event.

The weather let us down a bit in that it was forecast to be very cold (single digits and below zero!), which is one reason why I think Fr. Steve scheduled the donor luncheon for Florida (Ha!), but it has not been as bad as predicted, nor did we get any more snow.

What snow we had at Christmas is mostly gone now, which has been frustrating for our Native American students since many of them received snow boards from Santa and our benefactors, but have not been able to use them. During recess, many of the younger students have been sliding down the hill on their stomachs looking like a bunch of seals!

In closing, I would like to say pilamaya – thank you – for your generosity towards the Lakota boys and girls at Christmas. It was a joy to go from home to home to witness the students opening their gifts. There was lots of excitement and many ooh’s and aah’s.

May the Great Spirit continue to bless and reward you as the new year unfolds.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Connecting with the Speyer Home

Donors send Box Tops for Education to help St. Joseph’s purchase needed equipment for the Lakota children. — The Speyer home boys sort the box tops together in an effort to earn to earn items for their home.

After a long day of meetings, I wanted to spend time connecting to the Lakota students, so I joined Speyer Home (6th- 8th grade boys) for supper. They talked about their break activities, from playing tackle football in the snow to helping cook some of the holiday meals to babysitting younger siblings.

As a group, these boys hang around the table longer than most of the other homes, which I enjoy and appreciate. There’s a nice banter going back and forth. Jim, the houseparent, tried out a desert with the texture of ice cream but none of the sugar. These growing boys are hungry and can indeed put away the food, but they are trying to become more conscious of better nutrition. While it wasn’t as luscious as a rich bowl of ice cream, it was tasty and satisfying, and all the bowls were empty. They politely thanked the cook for his efforts.

After supper, the boys gathered around the dining room tables to help sort Box Tops for Education for a half hour. Many of St. Joseph’s donors send in Box Tops for Education, and we get 10 cents for each one we turn in to General Mills.

It is a bit of work cutting and sorting the small squares of paper. The high school kids refer to the labels that are already trimmed as “gravy,” because they can go fast with those.

The Speyer boys and I sorted the box tops into piles by expiration dates. Some run into 2016, so we don’t have to rush to turn those in, but some have already expired. I found the oldest one in the pile, which expired in 2005.

It seems like a small thing, but all those dimes add up and help us to purchase good equipment for the school and homes. The boys decided to save the Campbell’s soup labels for another time, and headed out for recreation before reading time.

The Speyer home boys sort the box tops together in an effort to earn to earn items for their home.

Starting a New Semester

All our homes opened at noon yesterday and we welcomed our younger Lakota students back to campus yesterday. When I started the rounds to the homes right after lunch I only saw a few kids in each home, which gave them a good chance to visit with houseparents about their Christmas break.

As students arrived, houseparents checked bags and helped younger students mark their names on new clothes or toys they brought back. Some received a fair amount at Christmas; others came back with very little. Next weekend, we’ll try to make it nice for everyone when we pass out the presents people have so generously sent us for the children.

After the initial check in, it was off to the health center to see about any bumps or scrapes or medical needs. The houseparents were especially pleased if the nurses sent a blue pass back with the child meaning all clear. By suppertime, our homes were mostly full. We’re glad to have the kids back, excited about what the new semester will hold!

Today I made the rounds at school. I met three of our new students and started working to engrave their names and faces in my memory. We do admissions throughout the year and expect a few more to join us in the next few days.

The sixth graders were practicing for the upcoming spelling bee. I took the list and asked them to spell words that even I didn’t know the meaning of! I sat in with the third graders as they learned about Neptune’s larger than earth moon, “Triton,” with its ice spewing volcanoes. It’s good for us adults to get refresher courses on all we’ve forgotten over the years, and learn a few new things as well.

At the end of the school day we held an all school prayer service to start the third quarter. Several students were recognized for their efforts and attitude over the past quarter and came forward to receive a certificate. As always, we asked God’s help and blessing on the New Year and new semester.

Christmas is still coming!

I heard tell of a Lakota tribal official visiting the Apache Tribe in Arizona. They teased him “in the mountains we’re much closer to the Great Spirit.”

He replied, “Yes, I understand, but on the vast South Dakota prairie we can see God coming for three days, and have time to get ready!”

Renovation of the William home is moving along. — Sheetrock is up in the William Home! The facilities crew is now working on outlets and ventilation.

While other folks are taking down their Christmas decorations, we’re still getting ready to celebrate when all our students return. Last weekend two school groups, one from Barrington, Illinois and one from Watertown, South Dakota brought out some wonderful clothes and toys they’ve been collecting. As the houseparents return, we’ll check sizes and wish lists to find good matches for our students’ needs.

While many of our child services staff have had vacation time, staff in the development office have been faithfully answering mail and phone requests. The facilities crew has used this quieter time for projects like touch-up paint jobs and preventative spraying for bed bugs, which are jobs best done when the homes are empty.

They’ve been moving full speed ahead on several projects. The Summerlee Home renovation is almost complete, and those fourth and fifth grade girls should be moving back in a couple of weeks. The William Home will take a few more months, but the dry wall is up and the crew is working on the behind the scenes (and walls) items like electrical outlets and ventilation.

Fewer students means fewer vehicle trips over break. The school bus was in the garage getting a check up to make sure it’s fit for ball games and school trips once the semester gets going next week.

St. Joseph’s bus is in the shop for a tune up. — St. Joseph’s bus gets a tune up before second semester begins.

We have had a half dozen high school students on campus this past week taking part in basketball practices. Today, the rest of the crew of 42 filtered in. Cars pulled up to one of our five high school homes and kids carried suitcases or slung plastic bags full of clothes over their shoulder and started getting ready for second semester.

I spent a little time at each of the homes, welcoming students back. I always hope for happy news. Many of the students had good memories of their time with family, but a few had family struggles and drama over the break. Our houseparents and counselors will help them talk it out and process the disappointments and hurts, and hopefully get them off to a good start here.

Lakota students celebrating the Rite of Acceptance

We had a large group of Native American students, nineteen in all, take part in our RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation of Children) today in church. We celebrated the Rite of Acceptance. They’ve been studying for a couple of months now, and are starting to intensify their sacramental preparations. One of the rituals involves a seven fold signing of the senses, blessing the students for example on the ears, eyes, hearts and hands. A few giggled, but most were very prayerful, as it is a moving gesture.

Two of last year’s high school graduates, Danisha and Erin, returned to campus after successfully navigating their first semester of college. After church they went to their former Hogebach Home (HS girls) cooked their friends brunch, and told them of their adjustment and transition to college life.

Boys’ intercity basketball finished up their season today. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys from St. Joseph’s and from town play together to have fun, exercise and give them a chance to know one another in new ways. The Bulls had only one loss on their record, and they avenged that defeat by beating the Heat in the championship game. The day also featured 3-point shot and free throw competition. Two awards per team were passed out, not for the highest scorers, but for the boys who hustled and participated and had the best attitude and sportsmanship.

Because of last week’s snowstorm, several of the Dancing Dolls and their families didn’t get a chance to take in the performance. The group used our Rec Center for a reprise, and campus swarmed with visitors in the evening.

Tickled and appreciative

Lots of activity on St. Joseph’s Indian School’s campus today. Despite freezing rain and treacherous icy roads, Chamberlain’s Chamber of Commerce hosted fourth, fifth and sixth grade girls basketball tournaments at the three gyms throughout town. St. Joseph’s hosted the sixth grade action. All of our teams got in three games to end the season. None of them won the championship, but all hustled and played hard.

Fr. Steve and Trenton chat at St. Joseph's Indian School's Christmas store. — Trenton and Fr. Steve talking about what he wrapped up for his family.

Today’s big event was the Christmas Store. All the children had a handful of tickets which they could use to “purchase” different items that donors have sent in. They picked up sweaters for grandpa and clothes for a baby sister, necklaces for mom or a stuffed animal for a younger brother. Once they loaded up their plastic garbage bags with a dozen items or so, they came to the skate room, where Santa Claus waited to greet them, and generous volunteers helped them wrap all the presents to take home and share with their loved ones. Staff also baked lots of Christmas goodies for snacks throughout the day. Each of the nineteen homes had about 20 minutes to do their shopping before the next group came in. The kids are excited and look forward to it, and staff enter into the spirit of the season. Several high school students also helped decorate the room and wrap presents, teaching them to give back to their younger relatives.

Tonight the Chamberlain Area Churches Choir performed a lovely Christmas Cantata in our Chapel. I sat next to the Rooney Home boys (6^th-8^thgrades) but didn’t see any other Lakota students in the church. I was feeling bad that more of the kids couldn’t enjoy the lively harmonies and inspiring message. The Cantata was close to our primary students’ bedtime, so I understood. But then, I heard clapping coming from the choir loft. There was a lively group upstairs, wearing pajamas and bath robes, so they could go right from church to bedtime when all was finished!

There are advantages to having lots of connecting walk ways on our campus. And the choir seemed tickled and appreciative that our students were able to participate.

Guest Blogger: Julie L

National Family Week is an annual event recognized each Thanksgiving week that celebrates the family and its value to society. The theme for National Family Week is Connections Count, recognizing that strong families are at the center of strong communities. Children live better lives when their families are strong!

At our celebration this year, we tried things a little differently. Instead of dividing the student families up into the homes, we had all of the students gather at the Dining Hall here on campus. Students sat at their family table. They made a poster, writing down all the things they were thankful for and then colored it as a family. Students also received a Christmas ornament on which they each wrote their names.

There was much laughter and talking throughout the early evening. After their poster was complete, they enjoyed dinner together. They enjoyed spending time with their family. After dinner, everyone played Bingo.

All in all, the night was a great success! The students left with gifts to take home for their families and food gift cards to use for their Thanksgiving celebration.