You are making a difference at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Good day from St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Mary Jane, our Director of Alumni, recently sent a notice about how your generosity is helping former St. Joseph’s students and other Native Americans continue to further their education, aided with St. Joseph’s Scholarships.
As you read a little about each of these students, take pride in knowing you helped make their higher education goals possible!

• LaSheena: Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from United Tribes in Bismarck, North Dakota
• D’kera: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) from Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Whitney: CDC Human Services from Sinte Gleska in Mission, South Dakota
• Pteska: Masters in Administration from Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, South Dakota
• Stormy: Associate of Arts in Human Services from Sinte Gleska’s Lower Brule Campus in Lower Brule, South Dakota
• Keenan: Bachelors of Arts in Social Work from Haskell Indian Nations in Lawrence, Kansas
• Andrea: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in December of 2015 from Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• JaTonne: Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences degree, Gilbert, Arizona
• Christopher: Bachelor of Arts in Administration from the University of Minnesota-Morris in Morris, Minnesota
• Ashley: Academy of Cosmetology in Bozeman, Montana
• Terrell: Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Northern State in Aberdeen, South Dakota
• Caressa: Bachelor of Arts Business Management from United Tribes in Bismarck, North Dakota
• Frankie: Bachelor of Arts in Education and Human Resources from South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota
• Matilyn: Bachelor of Arts in Science and Entrepreneurial Studies from South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.
Again, a BIG pilamaya – thank you – for helping provide some of the resources needed to enable these students to continue pursuing their dreams.

On Monday, St. Joseph’s took part in the annual Battle of the Books. This event takes place with the schools who are part of the SCJ Schools in Collaboration. The schools involved agree on certain books for each grade level to read and then match up over the phone to answer questions on the books.
This year, we squared off against Sacred Heart School in Southaven, Mississippi. They were tough competitors, sweeping the event while not missing a single question! We’ll be like the old Brooklyn Dodgers and ‘get’em next year.’
There was also time for the students to ask questions back and forth. Sacred Heart School was a bit jealous when they heard St. Joseph’s has an indoor pool, enabling our students to swim year-round.
St. Joseph’s was honored to have Elizabeth as our recent Artist in Residence. She worked with our 8th graders to fashion ‘path lights’ lanterns out of earthen ware clay, colorants and clear glaze.
She urged them to write a poem ahead of time describing what brought them joy and/or expressed their interests and hopes. It was a learning experience for her as she came to realize that some of our students have had dark experiences, making joy more difficult for them to appreciate.
You can see from the photo that the ‘path lights’ lanterns turned out great!
Along with Dave, our art teacher, she also worked with younger students to flesh out a vision she had of butterflies riding eagles. She and Dave asked the children to create butterflies for the backs of sconces which were then colored and fired.

Our Director of Pastoral Care, Clare, shared with Elizabeth the significance of the butterfly in the Lakota Culture—they represent ancestral spirits.
We hope you have the chance to appreciate the beauty of nature around you and discern what special gifts you have been blessed with to share with others. Have a wonderful week.
Also allow me to extend the best wishes of St. Joseph’s students and staff to all those who will be celebrating Mother’s Day this upcoming weekend.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ
Chaplain

Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future. View all posts by St. Joseph's Indian School