Tag: South Dakota

Meet the 2017 St. Joseph’s Royalty

St. Joseph’s 2017 Royalty includes Miss St. Joseph’s Danielle, Jr. Miss St. Joseph’s Mersayis and Eagle Staff Bearer Treshawn.

After competitions in dance and a Q&A with judges, St. Joseph’s Indian School has crowned three students as the 2017 royalty for the 41st Annual Powwow. Learn more about Danielle, Mersayis and Treshawn!

In order to be chosen as Miss St. Joseph’s, Jr. Miss St. Joseph’s and Eagle Staff Bearer, our Lakota students must attend and represent St. Joseph’s with pride and respect at powwows and other events. They must also be good role models and demonstrate a good attitude toward all students and adults.

Continue reading “Meet the 2017 St. Joseph’s Royalty”

Martina – Army Achievement Medal

Martina, an alumna of St. Joseph’s Indian Schools graduating class of 2016, was recently awarded the Army Achievement Medal.

Martina attended St. Joseph’s for eleven years and was very involved in the St. Joseph’s and Chamberlain High School communities.

We are so very proud of her!

PFC Martina Hawk was recently award the AAM , The Army Achievement Medal.  Private First Class Martina H. Hawk, currently stationed in Hawaii, received this medal “For exceptionally meritorious achievement while assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 65th Brigade Engineer Battalion During PTA Range Density. PFC Hawk’s commitment to excellence, dedication to duty and technical expertise made her a valuable asset to the unit and contributor to mission success. PFC Hawk’s actions reflect credit upon herself, the “Renegade” Company, The “Bayonet” Battalion, The “Warrior” Brigade, and the United States Army.” 
Continue reading “Martina – Army Achievement Medal”

Focusing on the future…

Though some things ended with graduation mid-May, others have kept moving along… helping us focus on the future and what comes next!

STEP-UP DAY

Before the end of the school year, our students got the chance to visit the classrooms they will be in next year on what we call ‘Step Up Day!’

FIELD DAY

During the last week of school, our 1st-8th grade students participated in Field Day. Field Day is an annual St. Joseph’s event that helps our students burn off a bit of energy and make a few extra fun memories before the school year culminates. After the Field Day activities, our students were able to watch a movie at the local movie theatre. Continue reading “Focusing on the future…”

A recap of the last few weeks at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Good day from St. Joseph’s Indian School!

As the school year wound down throughout the month of May, our students kept active!  Many of the Homes took their year-end trips to Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Pierre or Minnesota.  The various classes also took day trips to visit local points of interest.

Though the students always get excited about going off campus to visit various sites, they also like to be involved in what is happening in the local Chamberlain-Oacoma area.

CIRCUS

In mid-April, the Chamberlain Big Bend Shrine Club Circus came to town.  The students were excited about having the chance to ride an elephant, camel or pony.  They also were excited about seeing clowns and the acts of the circus performers—especially those working with lions and tigers. Continue reading “A recap of the last few weeks at St. Joseph’s Indian School!”

A trip they will never forget!

Hello, I’m Frank. I currently serve as the 7-8 Grade Residential Coordinator at St. Joseph’s.

In April, St. Joseph’s traveled to New Orleans for a donor luncheon. Each time St. Joseph’s host a donor luncheon, two students are chosen to travel along. This gives our students a unique opportunity to see the country and meet many people who so generously support them!

Let me tell you a little about the preparations on our end… Continue reading “A trip they will never forget!”

Odds and Ends at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Good day from St. Joseph’s Indian School.

I thought I’d write about a few odds-and-ends of what has been happening here on campus and in the local community.

FISHING

Last Friday, I was driving back to campus and came across one of our local motels that had their sign up saying “No Vacancy.” Continue reading “Odds and Ends at St. Joseph’s Indian School!”

Cyr Home- Spotlight

Every Tuesday for the next few months, we will be highlighting one of our 20 homes on St. Joseph’s campus.

Here at St. Joseph’s, we provide nationally-accredited home-away-from-homes for Native American children in grades one through twelve.

There are no dorms at St. Joseph’s. Children live in one of our campus homes with two specially-trained houseparents. They live and play together as any family would. The boys and girls learn life skills and enjoy spending time with their ‘St. Joseph’s family’.

St. Joseph’s Cyr Home is one of our 4-6 grade boys’ homes on campus.

Theresa and Odis 6-day houseparents. Theresa has an interesting story and has been at St. Joseph’s since the fall of 1986. Here is what she shared:

 “I have been here since the fall of 1986. When I came in ’86, I re-started the yearbook program and was the editor for a number of years. Through this process, I got to know everyone on campus!

 Throughout my time at St. Joseph’s, I have been a houseparent, houseparent trainer, director of religious education, religion teacher and then back to being a houseparent. I enjoyed all my positions, but with houseparenting you get to know a smaller group of kids better than when I was a teacher and had all of the children in my classes. 

I found out about St. Joseph’s when I was in Canada working as a houseparent for a high school program in British Columbia.  A couple I knew from there had come to work at St. Joseph’s after leaving Canada.

I like to garden, and in August when the boys come back to school I usually have cantaloupe growing – they help me water it and really enjoy helping me eat it. J

Why I enjoy the work I do?  I wouldn’t enjoy it if I didn’t have great partners.  It really does take two of us to do the work and still have time to enjoy doing things with the kids. Of course I also enjoy the kids – it is fun to watch them mature and working with them keeps me young.” Continue reading “Cyr Home- Spotlight”

Although it’s spring break, there’s still much to do!

Good day from St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Things are a bit quiet here on campus since the elementary students are on their Spring Break this week.  Our high school students are still in session, but they are enjoying a day off today since the Chamberlain High School team has qualified for the State A Basketball Tournament.

BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

The Chamberlain Cubs are the #2 seed in the tournament this year and played in their first game last night. Two players on the team, two cheerleaders and the mascot are St. Joseph’s students! Please keep them in prayer- that they’ll play their best and that no one is injured. Continue reading “Although it’s spring break, there’s still much to do!”

Speyer Home- Spotlight

Every Tuesday for the next few months, we will be highlighting one of our 20 homes on St. Joseph’s campus.

Here at St. Joseph’s, we provide nationally-accredited home-away-from-homes for Native American children in grades one through twelve.

There are no dorms at St. Joseph’s. Children live in one of our campus homes with two specially-trained houseparents. They live and play together as any family would. The boys and girls learn life skills and enjoy spending time with their ‘St. Joseph’s family’.

St. Joseph’s Speyer Home is one of our 7-8 grade boys’ homes on campus.

Sue and Andrew are the Speyer Home 6-day houseparents. As houseparents, Sue and Andrew look forward to the future of the home and are enjoying watching the boys learn and develop into young men.

The boys of the Speyer Home all get along well with each other. They are also learning that cleaning well during the week makes it easier come the weekend when they have to deep-clean the house. 🙂

Here are a few fun facts about the boys of the Speyer Home: Continue reading “Speyer Home- Spotlight”

Welcoming in February at St. Joseph’s!

Greetings from St. Joseph’s Indian School. I hope this blog finds you all well!

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

Last week, we joined Catholic schools from all around the country to celebrate Catholic Schools Week.

Since 1974, National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2017 is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Services.”

Throughout the week, Continue reading “Welcoming in February at St. Joseph’s!”