Support Lakota
Circles of Hope

If you would like more information, or are willing to help support this project, contact CSS at (605)348-6086

Lakota Perspective

"Our strength has been our Elders and our children. Our Elders for their steadfast fortitude, wisdom and generosity. Our children for the faith and hope they bring to us. We are fortunate, Mitakuyepi. We have so much to be proud of, we had great leaders who had foresight, we had great families who valued family life and who inspired their young to look to the future. Yes, we are fortunate, we have a great history. I treasure being Lakota."

Lydia Whirlwind Soldier

Sicangu Lakota, Rosebud Reservation

Member of the Curriculum Development Team

Project Overview

Lakota Circles of Hope is an innovative, culturally specific prevention curriculum tailored for second through fifth grade students on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota. The program teaches healthy decision-making based on the traditional Lakota values of respect, generosity, fortitude, wisdom and bravery. Through the school-based curriculum, summer camps, and other activities that include the school, families and the larger community, students will attain knowledge and resources for making safe choices and resisting peer pressure, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and interpersonal violence. From its inception, the Lakota Circles of Hope curriculum has been developed as a collaborative project of Lakota elders, educational professionals and experienced CSS Lakota Circles of Hope staff. The various collaborators bring to the program their knowledge and experience in Lakota culture, in curriculum development, in education, and in program evaluation.

Curriculum Development

The curriculum development committee used numerous best-practice models and adapted them to be both grade specific and culturally-based. Each lesson is structured around a particular Lakota value and includes both Lakota vocabulary words and activities that are related to Lakota tradition. The curriculum relies on Lakota legends, talking circles, and traditions. A student workbook, Lakol Wicoun (Lakota Way of Life), which parallels the curriculum, has been developed. The curriculum was piloted to second through fifth grade students at five schools on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations during the 2007-2008 academic years. Ten schools (seven on Rosebud and three on Pine Ridge) have participated in the program in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years. In the 2010-11 academic years eight schools were served. Approximately one-thousand students have been served by the Lakota Circles of Hope program. The curriculum development committee has continued to serve as the Lakota Circles of Hope Advisory Committee and now assists with program oversight. The members include Lydia Whirlwind Soldier, M.A., Sicangu, Barb Greg Jones, M.A., Sicangu and Paula Long Fox, M.A. Sicangu Albert White Hat Sr. Sicangu reviewed the curriculum and assisted with our pronunciation guide for the curriculum.

Community Partners

The Lakota Circles of Hope program staff has partnered with many school districts, with Lakota elders, and with community leaders and community organizations from Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations to implement classroom, family, and community activities.

Staffing

When fully staffed, Lakota Circles of Hope has three primary native prevention workers who travel to the reservation schools to teach in the classrooms with the cooperation and help of the schools’ teachers and administration. The staff members are native individuals who were selected for their knowledge of Lakota culture and for their experience in education and prevention. Joanne Beare-BSW Hunkpapa/Sicangu Lakota, the current project director, has over 25 years of experience working with youth, 18 years as program coordinator for Indian Education. T.J. McCauley-Kul Wicasa Oyate/Lower Brule is a Prevention Coordinator. Martina Moves Camp, BSW - Oglala, is also a Prevention Coordinator. All LCH staff are working towards obtaining their Certification as a Prevention Specialist in the State of South Dakota, and Catholic Social Services is accredited as a Prevention Agency in the State of South Dakota.

Program Evaluation

Dr. John Usera, Principal Evaluator/Researcher of the Institute for Educational Leadership and Evaluation, is directing the ongoing comprehensive evaluation of the program. The evaluation incorporates data obtained through pre- and post-questionnaires answered by students. The questionnaires measure outcomes that meet the standards for the Safe and Drug-Free School requirement. Additionally, educators who assist with program implementation are provided with the opportunity to complete a qualitative and qualitative assessment. Dr. Usera also meets in person with a sample of students who have participated in the project to get feedback about the effectiveness of the curriculum.

Funding/Sustainability

Lakota Circles of Hope was originally funded through CSS in a four year matching grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Local Funding Partnerships (RWJF-LFP). The John T. Vucurevich Foundation has provided a two-year grant. A local foundation has provided funding to underwrite the costs of our annual LCH fundraising events. This year’s event includes a Brulé concert on June 25th and an online auction where participants can either donate to the auction or bid on auction items. Lakota Circle of Hope does not charge students or schools for their participation in the program. If you would like more information, or are willing to help support this project, contact CSS at (605)348-6086.