Mothers Association Events and Volunteer Opportunities

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Extracurricular Activities

Community service experience, or experience serving communities affected by poverty

STUDENT ESSAY - PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

You are required to compose two essays with this application. For the first essay, you will explain your reasons for applying to the Pine Ridge Reservation Cultural Immersion and Service Trip 2025.

In this essay, you must clearly address ALL the following items, or your application will not be considered complete.

1) Describe your personality, addressing both strengths and weaknesses.

2) Is this your first trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation or are you returning?

3) Briefly describe your reason for applying to this trip. What do you know about (or, in the case of returnees, what have you learned about) the Native American tribes of north America? Briefly explain why an exchange trip to a Native American reservation is of interest to you.

4) You will be required to learn communal living skills, agree to be scheduled for daily chores and other individual responsibilities, learn semi-primitive camping skills and outdoor ethics and protection of the environment, and have limited showers for the first half of the trip. Do you think you will be able to function within these parameters?

5) You will be required to adapt your typical practices to what is viewed as culturally appropriate in the environment and culture that you will be participating in. Different cultures have different standards of behavior and appropriateness. Do you think that you will be able to respectfully make those adaptations whenever needed.

6) What assumptions do you have about North American indigenous cultures? How do you think this trip will alter, change, or reaffirm those assumptions?

7) In what ways do you think that this experience might challenge you or change you? How do you see your participation as a benefit to this group; what do YOU bring to the table?

8) How do you view your role in helping to create intercultural bridges and friendships?

9) How will your participation in this immersion experience move you to be more (a) open to growth; (b) intellectually competent; (c) religious; (d) loving; (e) committed to promoting justice?

Upload student essay - Personal Reflections - here.*

STUDENT ESSAY - RESEARCH

For this second essay, you are required to engage in a bit of research. This is nothing extensive, but just an initiative on your part to learn more about the Lakota people, their history, and culture. You may complete this essay in a bullet-point format.

The Oglala Lakota are one of the subgroups of the Lakota. The Oglala people inhabit the Pine Ridge Reservation. Which are the other subgroups, and which subgroup of Lakota live on the Rosebud reservation adjacent to the Pine Ridge Reservation?
When was the Pine Ridge Reservation established?
Read about why the Lakota call themselves the Buffalo People. What is one thing that you found interesting after reading this account?
Read about the importance of the horse to the Lakota. Name three things you learned. What other indigenous tribes are considered horsemen of the Great Western Plains?
Our first week will be spent camping in the Black Hills. Read about why the Black Hills are considered sacred territory to the Lakota, and why do the Lakota want the land returned to them?
Read about some of the major effects of extreme poverty on the health and living conditions of the Lakota people living on the reservation. Please briefly explain two of these cause-and-effect relationships.
What is Red Cloud School and what is its connection to Brebeuf?
Volumes have been written about the following three Lakota! Choose one of them, read something interesting about this person and share what stood out to you about this person?
- Crazy Horse
- Sitting Bull
- Red Cloud
Read about one of the following cultural ceremonies and share two things you found interesting.
- Sweat Lodge (Inipi)
- Sun Dance (Wiwáŋyaŋg Wačípi)
- Pow Wow (Wačípi)
Many herbs are extremely important to the Lakota for health and ceremonial reasons. Why is sage considered so sacred, and how is it used?
What is the importance of the circle to the Lakota? Why is everything done in a circular fashion?
Why are the numbers 4 and 7 so culturally and spiritually relevant to the Lakota?
What does the Lakota expression Mitakuye oyasin mean and how do you interpret its meaning?

FINALLY, CHOOSE ONE OF THE NEXT TWO ITEMS TO COMPLETE YOUR ESSAY:

Read about the Battle of Little Bighorn (The Lakota refer to it as the Battle of the Greasy Grass). What was the final outcome? Who were the great Lakota warriors that survived, and what major U.S. Amy General lost his life in this battle? Name two things that stood out to you about this battle.

OR

Read about the Massacre of Wounded Knee. How did this event change the tide of the future of the Lakota people?

Upload Student Essay - Research - here.

PARENT RECOMMENDATION

Parent(s)/guardian(s): Please write a short essay including your name and your student's name. Please upload a separate document.

In your essay, please comment on the following:

Why have you agreed to allow your student to apply to participate in this cultural immersion and service program?
What do you hope s/he will learn from this experience?
What strengths will s/he add to the group?
Are there any concerns of which you feel the chaperones should be aware?

Upload parent recommendation here.*

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