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TITLE Ikopesni Ihanbla Po: Dare To Dream. Lakota College: 25 Years. INSTITUTION Oglala Lakota Coll., Kyle, SD. PUB DATE 1996-00-00 NOTE 24p.; Colored photographs and illustrations may not reproduce well. PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *American Indian Education; American Indian Reservations; College Programs; *College Role; Higher Education; *Institutional Mission; *Oglala (Tribe); Small Colleges; Tribally Controlled Education IDENTIFIERS Institutional History; *Oglala Lakota College SD

ABSTRACT The mission of the Oglala Lakota College is to establish and operate certificate- and degree-granting postsecondary institutions on Pine Ridge Reservation. The purposes of the college include tribal, cultural, academic, and community concerns. This booklet presents the 25-year history of the college; the historical struggle of the Lakota (Sioux) people; and the dream to provide an independent, reservation-based college. The realization of the dream came in 1971 when 19 courses in 9 subjects were taught in local schools and peoples' basements. In 1978, 2-year degree programs were offered in seven areas of study. In 1996 the college offered a Master of Arts in Lakota Leadership/Management, a Bachelor of Science degree in five professions, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Lakota Studies and History, four Associate of Applied Science degrees, and 15 Associate of Arts degrees. Other programs included secondary education certification, special education endorsement, Child Development Associate, General Equivalency Diploma (GED), and graduate courses in education. Twenty-two quotations from college faculty and staff show the impact of the college on the Lakota community. The college has 10 dreams for the future: construction of a resource center, classrooms, and community learning centers; development of degree programs in environmental and computer sciences; creation of endowed chairs in Lakota studies; student assessment; certification in education and health; integration of resources; expansion of student resources; creation of a competency-based teacher education program; and development of research, consulting, and training services. Challenges include funding and transportation. By the year 2001, the college envisions increased enrollment, completed campus construction projects, expanded degree programs, and computerized status of campus activities. Includes four Lakota poems. (SAS)

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Letter from Our President 1 Our Mission 2 Our Struggle 3 Our Dream 6 Our. Dream Realized 8 Our Voices 10 Our People 12 Our Dreams for the Future 16 Our Challenge 18

Our Vision _19 Mitakuyepi,

I begin this letter with the word Mitakuyepi which means my relatives. end all prayers with the words Mitakuye Oyasin which mean we are all related. The 25 year history of Oglala Lakota College shows how much can happen when our Lakota people work with other relatives. Without the support of thousands of people around the coun- try, the College might not have made it to 25 years. The booklet shows what can happen when our people dream despite tremendous odds. This booklet is a history of the college, our struggle, our people's dream, our deep needs, our ongoing challenge and a vision of our future. The title Ikopesni Ihanbla Po is literally translated don't be afraid to dream or have vision. This phrase is familiar to Lakota children since grandparents are always saying it to them. It's appropriate for the people who started Oglala Lakota College 25 years ago. This is a tale of the growing despair with education that the Oglala Lakota felt in the late 60's and of the dream of a few to turn the dismal statistics around. They dared to dream and were doubted by many and actually laughed at by University of faculty at a meeting to plan the delivery of college courses on the reservation. A reservation based college? We'll tell how a varied group of people made the dream of a college come true. We'll try to give a flavor of who we are by quoting students, staff and board members and by sharing student writing. Our accomplish- ments will speak for themselves. We'll talk about our dreams and visions for the future and what a Board of Trustees challenge we have to make them come true. We'll need the help of all Tom Conroy, Jr. our relatives. Cordelia White Elk As President of the Oglala Sioux Dora Brave Community College in the develop- Pat Iron Cloud ing 70's and of Oglala Lakota College Lawrence Janis in the exciting 90's, I'm proud to BEST COPYAVAILABLE share the story of our past 25 years. Dennis Brewer I pledge to not be afraid and to dare Joe to dream despite the tremendous Peter Red Willow needs we have and the awesome challenges we face. Charles Conroy Newton Cummings Delores Dreamer Thomas Shortbull, President Oglala Lakota College Phoebe Bear Killer May 1. 1996 4 WS Our Mission

TheMission of Oglala Lakota Cultural College is to establish and operate > To present the Lakota postsecondary institutions on the cultural perspective in reservation granting certificates teaching within the and degrees. This mission in- academic, occupational cludes a diverse range of educa- and community programs. tion from community service > To promote study of the offerings to graduate degrees. The Lakota culture as an area College will coordinate and of study in itself. regulate all higher education on > To research, study and the Pine Ridge Reservation. The disseminate Lakota ultimate goal is the establishment language, culture and of a Lakota University. philosophy. The purposes articulated from the Academic mission and approved by the > To maintain high aca- Board of Trustees are: In carrying demic standards for staff out the mission, the Oglala Lakota and students. College Board of Trustees/stresses > To maintain open enroll- the Lakota culture and Tribal self- ments. determination. The College > To be accessible to prepares students to understand potential students. the larger society as well as the > To teach students the customs and beliefs of the Lakota necessary skills and people. Working toward these human values which will ends, the College has defined as assist them in fulfilling its purposes: themselves and making a productive living. Tribal > To work with other institutions and agencies To provide the Oglala in furthering the interests Sioux Tribe, as a sovereign people, with educated and of the College. trained human resources Community and personnel. > To assist with the deter- To assist people in being mination of development active, productive mem- needs of the reservation bers of their families, districts and communities. communities and the > To assist the reservation Oglala Sioux Tribe. districts and communities To provide the Oglala in furthering their goals. Sioux Tribe with expertise > To provide continuing and and information needed community education. for its development. > To provide a sound, basic To actively seek to place education for high school graduates. equivalency students. Our Struggle

TheOglala are one of seven "They were a people tribes or bands of the Great beginning - with beliefs, Lakota (Sioux) Nation. Like other ointment, language, Lakotas (or Dakotas or Nakotas depending on the dialect of the fables, love of children language used by the group) we (you will find this spoken have kept our cultural values and of in all the books). And identity alive through the strength a scheme of life that of kinship, the importance of the worked" Tribe and the ties to the land. A History of the Indians of the "A century ago the Sioux Angie Debo Nation was a great nation. ,Jts In the early 1800's contact began realm reached from the Platte with traders and trappers. We River north to the -1-leant, from maintained our way of life al- the Missouri west to the Big though eastern bands began having conflicts over land and -Horn Mountains." were starting to be given alcohol The Sioux Hassrick (which we had no experience with) Our people arrived on this planet to help ease the turnover of land. in the of South Dakota "The known as the and according to our history have lived on the great plains since Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 time immemorial returning to the confined Red Cloud and his Black Hills as our sacred center. people to the western half of Our creation story says that we South Dakota in return for were originally members of the Pte promises of rations, annuities, Oyate (Buffalo Nation) and share kinship with all living and nonliv- agencies, schools, physicians, ing beings on Earth in an intricate blacksmiths, teachers, etc. for an and balanced web of life. All undetermined number of years. beings were respected for their To this date, the .Lakota believe appropriate place in this web. that no land was ceded under the 1868treaty." History of the Oglala Lakota Oyate Gay

Fools Crow, the late Oglala holy man, bestows traditional mark of honor on a graduate. BEST COPY AVAILABLE A After gold was discovered and > Schools have failed to nurture more settlers moved west, the the intellectual development government divided the Great and academic performance of Sioux Reservation into seven many native children, evident separate smaller reservations. from the high dropout rates All that was left of over 40 million and negative attitudes toward acres was a 50 by 90 mile reserva- school. tion. The Lakota, a proud and self- Schools have discouraged the sufficient people, were reduced use of Native languages in the from the greatest horsemen and classroom, thereby contribut- hunters in the world to depen- ing to a weakening of the dence on government rations. The Natives' resolve to retain and U.S. Supreme Court has said of the continue the development of taking of the Black Hills, "A more their original languages and ripe and rank case of dishonorable cultures dealing will never in probability be found in our history." Indian lands and resources are It is tragically ironic that the constantly besieged by outside people who were promised forces interested in further education and medical services by reducing their original treaty from the U.S. government holdings are the most poorly educated and Political relationships between have the poorest health in the U.S. the tribes and the federal It is more tragically ironic that the government fluctuate with the proud people who were once self- will of the U.S. Congress and sufficient and had no prisons and decisions by the courts. had a society that took care of everyone, are now the poorest people in America. The 1980 and 1990 U.S. Census show that Shannon County, which makes up the majority of the Pine Ridge reservation, has the lowest per capita income in the country. Over the last 130 years we have endured broken treaties, physical and cultural genocide, imprison- ment on the reservation, the near extinction of the buffalo, the theft of the Black Hills, the homestead- ing and allotment acts, and the prohibition of our religious ceremonies. We fared no better in the area of education. A 1991 U.S. Depart- ment of Education Report, Indian Nations At Risk, documents the failures of the education system The wisdom of our elders gives us as follows: hope. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 41),!.4 II1 1 I 7 "Throughout all of this, the Oglala Sioux people maintained their identity, customs, beliefs and attachment to the Mother Garth.." "Tribal colleges are truly community institutions. After years of brutal physical hardship and disorienting cultural loss, Native Americans through the tribal college illovernentare building new communities based on shared traditions. They are challenging the conditions that plague their societies and continue to threaten their survival." Tribal Colleges: Shaping the on PYAVAILABLE Future of Native America Ernest csT Boyer, former Secretary of Education

3 Our Dream "Oglala Lakota College's origin One Feather, Gerald Clifford, is the convergence of two and others who were willing to streams which originidliecame try new ideas, work with the from the same spring. During communities, and challenge the the mid-60's several leaders of fight grip exercised by the the Oglala Sioux Tribe on_the Bureau Of Jnclian Affairs Pine Ridge Reservation in. (82,A) on the reservation. They South Dakota began speaking felt the need to break the cycle out on the need for higher of dependence the BjA had education. These leaders built. The problem reached into explored several options suck as the health, economic, and the educational component of the educational systems and stifled New Careers Program independent growth and tribal provided through a contract with self-determination. The young the University of Colorado in men saw higher education November, 1967." controlled on the community level as a necessary ingredient in "On the Pine Ridge reservation breaking this cycle." clueing this time there was a Tribal Community Colleges: group of young visionaries: Making Good Medicine Wayne Birgil Kills Straight, Gerald Stein

In1970 the Oglala Sioux Tribal certificates... and/or enter into Council authorized planning for a agreement with public or private reservation based college. Tribal agencies to offer higher education Chairman Gerald One Feather and ...and to generally coordinate and many others felt for the reserva- regulate all higher education on tion to truly make progress the the Pine Ridge Reservation." tribe had to take control of its A Board of Trustees was affairs in all areas. When the idea established that represented the of an independent, reservation various districts and communities based college was first proposed, of the reservation: Gerald One there were many skeptics both on Feather, White Clay/Wakpamni; and off the reservation. The Hattie Twiss, Pahin Sinte/ visionaries persevered. Wounded Knee; Norman Rogers, On March 4, 1971 the OST Council Medicine Root/Eagle Nest; Ray chartered the Lakota Higher Howe, Lacreek/Pass Creek, Alma Education Center "to establish and Jacobs, Pine Ridge Village. We operate institutions granting Oglala had begun taking control of postsecondary degrees and our own higher education. 6 1111 rinpv avAILAALE Despite establishing control, the "1-le ( Shortbull) managed to Lakota Higher Education Center bring to L+-IEC the benefits of (as the College was called then) had to negotiate agreements with that ability in the form of Black Hills State College and the replacement facilities, State University of South Dakota to Board of 'Regents cooperation offer accredited courses transfer- on new ventures in curriculum, able to state and other colleges. and federal dollars for the Our curriculum and degree offerings were very limited. college." Tribally Controlled Colleges "J taught English -Iin the Wayne Stein Spring of 1971 for the College. The Board of Trustees was restruc- J had eight students from the tured to provide representation ages of 21 to 50. J taught in a from all nine districts and the classroom at the local school Tribal Council in 1978. Being rooted in the community has been and had to carry class materials our greatest strength. That year around in a cardboard box. we began the process for accredi- had to beg supplies from the tation under the North Central school. Sometimes we were Association of Colleges and locked out of class because Schools and changed our name to Oglala Sioux Community College. someone forgot to leave the door The next year Elgin Bad Wound open. But there was a plus. The was chosen third OSCC President. enthusiasm of the students. All The College moved to the new Piya eight finished the class." \Viconi (New Life) administration Volunteer Instructor building located outside of Kyle in the center of the reservation. The 1973 Wounded Knee Takeover and political unrest split the reser- OSCC awarded our first Bachelor's vation and violence abounded. The degree in 1982 through an agree- College was actually padlocked by ment with Black Hills State the new Tribal Chairman. Classes College. continued. OSCC was accredited in 1983 by Ray Howe was chosen as first the North Central Association at President of LHEC and we had our the Associates level with allow- first graduation in 1974. The ance for a Bachelor's degree in politics had settled down a bit. Elementary Education. That same The first Board of Trustees was year we changed OSCC's name to elected. Up until then the Board Oglala Lakota College. had been appointed. North Central approved other The College's administration Bachelor's degrees in 1984 and the building burned in 1975 and Tom Masters in Lakota Leadership/ Shortbull was chosen as the Management in 1994. second President of LHEC.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1 0 Our Dream Realized

Inthe Springpf 1971 we offered Other progrgms include secondary courses in local schools and education certification, special people's basements. The courses education endorsement, Child were: anthropology (2), business Development Associate, General (3), economics (1), English (3), Equivalency Diploma and graduate sociology (6), Lakota language (1), courses in education, Lakota math (1), history (1), art (1). studies and human resources, a Lakota summer institute, the tribal By 1978 we offered courses in archives and the archives of the double wide trailers, a condemned American Indian Higher Education log cabin and assorted surplus Consortium. buildings. We had the following two year degree programs: agricul- OLC serves over 1,000 students a ture, business, education, general semester. Statistics for Fall, 1995 studies, human services, nursing show a total enrollment of 1,009 and Lakota studies. of whom 88% are Indian and 71% are female. Over 90% of OLC In 1996 we have two new centers students are first generation but students in the other eight college students. Besides Oglala, districts attend classes in/the there are 19 other tribes repre- same double wide trailers, con- sented in the student body. demned log cabin and surplus buildings. Degrees offered include: Of over 1,200 graduates, 93% are Master of Arts in Lakota employed or pursuing higher Leadership/Management degrees. At Little Wound Elemen- Bachelor of Science in Business tary School in Kyle, 21 of 26 Education, Elementary Educa- teachers are OLC graduates. At the tion, Human Services, Sociology, Pine Ridge Hospital, 50% of the Business Administration registered nurses are OLC gradu- ates. Three OLC faculty are OLC Bachelor of Arts in Lakota graduates. Studies and History Associate of Applied Science in "0 hc_Ave been ossocinted Organic Gardening, Office Auto- with the College since mation, Management Information Systems and Organic Agriculture 1968 &nd eyne.mbes. that Associate of Arts in Accounting, iniris 1968 people from the Agriculture, Alcohol and Drug of Soi-d-k Abuse Studies, Criminal Justice, Dokoto said a cc."11e.de Early Childhood, Elementary world neve.p- work on the Education, General Business, reservation.Novo OLC General Studies, Lakota Studies, Natural Resource Management, provides 120 jobs and Nursing, Social Services and ImAnv n.tedec.1 services. Counseling, PreHealth, Tribal Lowe' Amiotte, former Management and Transfer OLC President Degree

8 1111 RFST COPY AVAILABLE e*: 0; . :

In 1971 the people who dreamed instruction. We are working with of and started the College prob- the Kellogg Foundation to explore ably never dreamed of what the further graduate options under College would be in 1996. They the Masters in Lakota Leadership were laughed at but forged ahead including school principal en- knowing the need was there and dorsement and the possibility of they had to do something about it. offering the degree to all tribal The following list of accomplish- colleges. ments is a proud testimony to their vision. Our enrollments keep growing. Our young people are thirsting for We conferred our first four education. Our degrees keep Masters in Lakota Leadership/ expanding to supply the varied Management in 1994. We are needs of the tribe. We are working scheduled to complete construc- hard and making Oglala Lakota tion of the Woksape Tipi Learning College respected and successful. Resource Center in October, 1996. In the midst of the successes, We are working with the National every day we deal with burst pipes Science Foundation and NASA to at broken down facilities, students be a Model Institution for Excel- who drop out because of no day lence to develop degrees in care or transportation, and faculty Environmental Science, Computer who are the lowest paid in the Science and Preengineering to be region. offered through distance learning to five tribal colleges. '1011the other hand, it is ofsome We attained full Accreditation for note that fewer than five percent the AA in Nursing from the South of the Reservation's school Dakota Board of Nursing. We were teachers were tribal members the only nursing school in South Dakota to have 100% of graduates when the College began and pass their Nursing Boards in 1995. now over 25% of the teachers We achieved re-accreditation for are Lakota. Similarly, when the the Bachelor of Science in Elemen- College began a four year tary Education from the South degree in i-kirnan Services in Dakota Board of Education. 1985, there were no dative We obtained a five year grant from American case workers in the the Department of Education State Social Services offices in Strengthening Institutions pro- gram to upgrade the college's Pine 'Ridge or Martin. On 1992 computer systems for research, almost all case workers were finance, student support and Native Americans and almost all of them came through the College." Wealth, Poverty and Education Dr. Dowell Smith, 1994 COPY AVAILABLE 12 1111 9 MyBacksp.otAvAcl StArroLinding me are full -moon shadows on the tree covered hillside Above me glittering stars twinkle with silentsecrets s, against the prairie sky Slowly traveling flleotAshot4t thecanyons stAmmer winds whisper with pine and cedar branches where, lot,,d in the powerFAI silence of theprairie nights, owl calls owl and coyotescry like women or frightened children and in the distance/the silhouette of the Heart of Everything That Js large and breathtaking looms Ondian Country Debra White Plume Before*Mere Was a 50119 At, The tall prairie grasses lay, in silence Before there was a song, They swayed in golden rays of setting sun, in silence Before there was a sorts, The new moon, i+ bathed the blades in blueish white, in silence Before there was a song, The tips glistened from drops of morning dew, in silence Before there was a song, The song, i+ echoed through the winds, ,/ The song, it 'greeted the new moon The song, it to/Ached the morning sun The meadow lark, it sung. Sean Caudle

BEST COPY AVAILABLE Our People

"And J saw the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother andone father. And J saw that it was holy." "Oglala Lakota College has Black Elk, Oglala holy man played a major role inmy family life and education.OLC "OLC means a lot to the provided direction in my life community." after returning home to the Pine Duane Locke, Pahin Sinte Center Director Ridge Reservation with my two J girls. OLC made it possible for "To go where no one has dared me to graduate with a to go. We do things people said Bachelors and the couldn't be done. OLC is willing encouragement of staff and and able to change andmove instructors motivated me to forward. Every year we try new complete a Masters in things." Counseling." Emory New Holy, former Devona Lone Wolf, OLC White Clay Center Director Human Services Instructor

The graduation pow wow is the high point ofevery year. 12 1111 BEST COPY AVAILABLE-4e "We are decentralized but we "The College is a way of being are a family." Ondian.0 have invented a new John Yellow Bird Steele, form of nepotism. Over the past President, Og lala Sioux Tribe and years J have had 15 immediate former Board of Trustees member family members get degrees and "" OLCprovides a close 36 get GED' s." connection between the Pearl Collier, Lacreek Center academic world and reality." Director Paul Robertson, Faculty "We learn the techniques we member need to exist in 1987 and also "The College gives our people the tools to allow us to exist as a more opportunities to make group of people." choices." George Mackey, Student Pat Lee, former Lakota Studies Department Chair, now Oglala "We need to be concerned about Sioux Chief Judge students who drop out. Students have many problems - finances, "The Board has a lot of guts to babysitting - but we need to give hold a retreat with staff and them encouragement to stay in." students. We have heated/ Stephen Starr, former Board discussions at Board meetings, member but we leave as friends. J am "Commitment. The Board and proud to be part of the Board." Lloyd Eagle Bull, former Board College administration were member for 15 years committed for over three years to keep the Nursing Program "Wefocus on students. We going. Now 01-C has one of sometimes don't realize how only two RN programs on special it is to bring students, reservation in the United board members and States." administrators together." Joan Nelson, Nursing Faculty Jeanne Smith, General Studies Instructor and early staff member "We want our students to be in 1971 proud of being Indian. Our role "We need more space and more is to see what is good for our support. Our staff does so muck students and bring them out Of with so little." their shells." Rev. Simon Looking Elk, Emma Waters, former Board former Vice-President, current member Chaplain at Ft. Meade Veterans Hospital "We provide education for "When you look at what work is people who otherwise would available on the reservation the have no opportunity." college offers degrees in every CordeliaWhite.Elk, former area jobs are available. at's Community Services Coordinator, convenient to get a degree here. new Board member 0went to Huron and Black Hills "OLChas-qllowed me to pf..sue State before0went toOLC. a dream J have which is to get didn'tseeany difference in a lawdegree. Jreceived my quality. Thereare good Associate's and Bachelor's instructorshere. Jlearned a lot. degrees. from OLC while being Ot really helps having a college ableto stay withmy family." here. J didn't have to leave my William Lone Hill, Oglala Sioux land. And it helped with my Tribal Court Worker family, 0 have two kids." Lawrence Janis, BS in Human Services, Counselor, Drug Elimination Program, Board member wouldn't have gone tocollege if 0 had to leavethe reservation. 0 had sixchildren, four are living.0 took care of my grandson while 0 was some to school after my son died.0'm 55, 61.41-here0wasn't the oldest student in my class." Wanda White Bull, BS in Human Services, Job Training Partnership Act Coordinator "Going to OLC was good becauseJ didn't havetoleave myhome and kids,and J could work.7111halfway through my Masters. 0 haven't finished because Jim so busy working and taking care of kids. OLC really helped me. 0 thank them." Alice Lone Elk, BS in Education, teacher at Rockyford v. We want better classrooms and more School, Rockyford support for future students. :14. 1 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLO ' -;

"My degree in social services is "Cl had four children of my own helpful although 3 work 'QS a and raised eight nieces and journalist., J wanted to work to nephews whileClwas going to help Onclians out and working school. at was an advantage to here accomplishes that. Cl got be among people Cl knew: J had on-the-job training. Social relatives in classes and knew services helped a lot with most of the people. J was interviewing skillsand with comfortable with the people. All public relations. 3ndian studies my children who are old enough helped a lot, too. A lot of my have gone to college or gotten family, my mom, both sisters and training after high school." brothers all went to 01_C. My Joy Bush, BS in Education, sister went from her AA to her teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes, Porcupine Masters. J would never have been able to go to college anywhere else. 3 had a family." Amanda War Bonnet, AA in Social Services, former Editor, Indian Country Today, pres ,ently media Director, Little Wound School, Kyle

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Graduates stand proud for a Lakota honoring song.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 18 Our Dreams for the Future We will complete construction ) We are developing degrees in and furnishing of the Woksape environmental science, Tipi Learning Resource Center computer science and in the Fall of 1996. This is a preengineering so our dream that has taken over ten students can fill the technical years to accomplish. Once it is positions required to protect completed it will give us the the environment and to space to upgrade the general appropriately develop the library collection and Oglala reservation's natural Sioux Tribal Archives. resources. We need to provide adequate We dream of creating en- classroom space and commu- dowed chairs in Lakota nity learning resources by Leadership/Management and building Learning Centers in Lakota Studies. These disci- Pine Ridge, Pahin Suite, plines are at the core of our Wounded Knee, White Clay, existence as a college and a Eagle Nest, Lacreek, Pass people and we need to treat Creek and Rapid City. Our them with the respect they students attend classes in deserve. We are the only hope everything from a condemned for the preservation and log cabin to twenty year old enhancement of the Lakota dilapidated double wide language. trailers with inadequate heating, cooling and space. We will create computerized outcome, teaching and assessment program for basic skills to assure that every student who comes to us underprepared-for college can be prepared for success in the most efficient and effective manner.

19 We are exploring the expan- We dream of meeting the sion of the Master's Degree in often expressed basic needs of Lakota Leadership/Manage- our students including ment to provide certification adequate scholarships, better in education, health, etc. scheduling, career counseling, There is a tremendous short- day care, transportation, age of school principals, tutoring and placement. especially Lakota. We need to We need to create a compe- provide local people with a tency based teacher education basis in Lakota language and program to provide effective culture to run our schools, teachers for reservation hospital, clinics and other schools. Our current teacher educational and health education program delivery programs. system is not providing We are integrating our enough teachers to meet the institutional research system great demand. to link academic, counseling, financial aid, fiscal and other We are more than a college. We are the basis of develop- data to support planning, ment for the Lakota Nation. decision-making and fundraising. We need to be We need to offer research, consulting and training more efficient than other services to tribal programs, colleges since we have less resources and more of a need. elders and communities.

Our staff and students plan for the future.

20 8111 17 Our Challenge

OglalaLakota College has no an acceptable level. We'll put a student union. We have no dorms. portion of our budget aside each We have no football teams. Our year to purchase materials, but we instructors are among the lowest need to raise funds from outside paid college instructors around. sources. They have to travel up to 100 miles to class over pothole We estimate it will cost about studded roads often in dangerous $500,000 a center, or $4 million, weather. Our students live in the to build all eight District Learning poorest county in the country and Centers. Construction funds are often hitchhike to class. Our the hardest to raise. We're doing a funding continues to lag far capital campaign, Rebuilding Our behind most other colleges in this Nation 2001. We are enlisting as much foundation and corporate country. support as possible. We will build We do have dedicated students, the centers with the help of our faculty and staff. We do have a friends. strong culture of fortitude and generosity. We do have teachers Our students need help with who concentrate on teaching. We scholarships and day care and do have students who appreciate transportation. We need to the value of a college education. develop sustainable programs to We do have a strong presence in provide assistance. our community and a strong link Lack of funding has limited our to our Tribe. We do have our ability to provide all we wish to dreams that we will fulfill. for our students but it has not stopped us. And it will not stop us It took us ten years to raise the 1.3 in the future. million dollars to con- struct the Woksape Tipi Learning Resource Center. The funds came from the Pew Charitable Trust, the Hearst Founda- tion, the Bush Foundation and the generosity of more than 3,000 friends from across the country who contributed over half of the cost.

, We've built and should be 4,0 able to furnish the Woksape Tipi but we still need to upgrade our collection of OLC was the only school in South books and audio visual materials Dakota to have 100% of graduates pass to support our degree programs at their Nursing Boards in 1995. AVAILAtiLL,... 18 1111111 2 / BEST COPY Our Vision "By lifting our vision, the petty The visitors travel to Manderson qutae,els of our daily existence to visit one of the eight newly built District Learning Centers. will be overcome 6y a view of They're amazed by the spacious our future, and our communities and attractive building with full will emerge as sacred places." parking lots and natural landscap- Vine Deloria, Jr., Dakota ing. They' re further amazed by philosopher and author the number of computers in each classroom, the well equipped day care room, the well stocked library Ourvision for Oglala Lakota and the van that says Wounded College in 2001 is that we are a Knee College Center Student thriving institution meeting the Transportation Co-op. needs of the Oglala Sioux Tribe for educated and trained human The visitors return to attend resources. graduation. The first Masters graduates in Lakota Educational A group of visitors to the June 25, Leadership receive their Masters 2001 graduation walk into the degrees from the President of OLC Woksape Tipi Learning Resqurce and their certification as superin- Center and marvel at the 50,000 tendents and principals from the volumes/audiovisual materials Governor of South Dakota. The and the Internet connection to first Masters graduates in Lakota access any library in the world. Health Leadership receive their They move on into the Oglala degrees. Then a roar goes up as Sioux Tribal Archives and see the the first nine graduates of the exhibit on the Tribal Presidents. Lakota Linguist/Teacher program receive their degrees and give one They stroll over to the remodeled minute speeches in perfect Lakota. Piya Wiconi Administration building to view the Lakota art The President of South Dakota show - the finest collection of School of Mines and Technology is Oglala art yet assembled. They on hand for a special presentation hear lectures on Lakota art from of engineering degrees to the ten the person who holds the Black students who completed the OLC Elk Endowed Chair in Lakota pre-engineering degree and went Studies. on to earn Bachelor's degreesfrom SDSM&T. The 140 graduates include Mas- ters, Bachelors and Associates. The number has gone up because of the new computerized student status, counseling and scheduling system that's been in place for two years. The roar continues as the Presi- The visitors are asked to lead the dent of OLC announces that the grand entry of the evening pow endowment of Oglala Lakota wow. They are being honored as College has reached $10,000,000. part of the 30th anniversary of the The roar intensifies as the Presi- College. Gerald One Feather, Birgil dent announces that OLC will be Kills Straight, Jim Hamm, Dowell pursuing accreditation for a and Jeanne Smith, Tony Fresquez, Doctor of Lakota Studies degree. Sissy Eagle Bull, Ray Howe, Calvin An even louder roar goes up as Jumping Bull, and many others. As the OLC Research Director an- they reflect on the events of the nounces the 2000 U.S. Census day, some have tears in their eyes. shows that for the first time in 30 years the Pine Ridge reservation Others yell out to the background does not have the lowest/per of the drums: "Hoka He, Takoja, capita income in the country. ikopesni ihanbla po! Woihanble ogna unipi." "Go for it, Grand- The visitors eat a healthy dinner children. Do not be afraid to of vegetables from the OLC dream. We are living our dream." organic garden enterprise and buffalo that has been raised by the students of the Holistic Environ- mental Management program.

Our Vision for the Woksape Tipi Library came true in 1996. We believe our visions for 2001 will also come true. 2 3 20 Bill BEST COPYAVAILABLE Tillti1j- 01'12.11'd

The-thde,.biecl is at the neck of the mountains His feathers have made the sky grey and blue His screeching is thtAndei. That echoes in the hidden valleys below His claws are the lightning That touch the eavth His eves shed tears That lead to thousands of raindrops his wings and body stretch for miles He flies with freedom On hope, to find a peak To rest his tired body But the search Js forever endless Doneiie Lome Hilt

in can 6v,andmother holds, bs the ail,. to East and West oeth and South on and st.m. clmothee's.weinklecl soft hands nee. waem against my face. She smiles cwd gives me sage ashes cold 3 hold her liffle hand rIlive. Debra White Plume 24

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Sign Printed Name /Position/Title: here-, please Thomas Shortbull, President Organization/Address: Tefephone: FAX: Oglala Lakota College 605-455-2321 Ext.211 605-455-2787 Piya Wiconi E-Mail Address: Date: .0. Box 490 12-3-97 Kyle, SD 57752 tCO2082 I (over) III. DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY INFORMATION (FROM NON-ERIC SOURCE):

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