Touching Hearts

"Close your eyes. Imagine yourself: you are alone, sitting on top of a hillside on the west side of the town, overlooking the mountains. Think about your life. Concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in, breathe out. Now think for a moment. Think of the people who love you. Think of all they have done for you in your life. Think of the sacrifices they have made for you. Think of all that you have. Breathe again. In and out. Now think of God. Think of what he has done for you. He gave you his only son. The son of man, the Lord. He died for each and every one of you. He gave his life so you could live yours. He suffered for you. Breathe once more. You are back on the hillside. It is dark, and the sun is setting. It is dark. You are cold and alone. You have nothing but the clothes on your back and with whom to thank? The Lord, our God." 

Dylan helping students

These were the words spoken during the homily by Father Murray at the school mass we attended this morning. It was quiet in the church as he told this story. Everyone was still, sitting with their eyes closed. It was a time to think about what is important in life. It was a time to gather your own thoughts about all you have and how you should appreciate it. "You never know what you have, until it is gone" is what they say. It is not a hard saying to understand, but it is touching to experience. Coming out to Montana to help these students is more than a perfect example. Living in a very compact bunkhouse with 13 other people will certainly make you realize just how basic the good things in life really are.

The town is small and there is not much around. For example, think of the last time you were bored one Friday night and called up a friend to go see a movie. If you lived here, there is no such thing as going to the movies. If you wanted to, it's a long drive. It is astounding when you realize just how much you really do have and how you really should appreciate it. If this trip has taught me one thing, that is exactly it. This journey was a life changing experience and I wish everyone could experience something like this. The world would be by far an amazing place to live if anyone would realize what they don't have. Appreciation is key in life. Think of what you do have, even the small things. Disregard what you do not have because if you do not have it at this point, you probobly do not need it. Right now you are probobly in your nice, warm home sitting down reading this. Think of your home. Think of how fortunate you are to be living in it. I guarantee you have not thought of how fortunate you are to even have a place to live and how there are people that do not even have homes. This is one of millions of examples of  how greatful you really should be. "You never know what you have until it is gone" is what they say. Now close your eyes. Imagine yourself. Think of what you have in life. Think of where you would be without the people in your life. Think of God and where you would be without him. Think of the people you love. Have you touched their hearts? What have you done to let them know you love them? That was our goal of this trip, and I am more than greatful to be able to experince it. It has honestly been a life changing experience and I realize how fortunate I am to be here. Live how you want, but love how you should. God bless.

D. Junker '13

The Wolf Awakens

 

"Beware of Sleeping Wolf" with dancing stick

On Wednsday night we had a guest speaker named Marty, but his Blackfoot name is "Beware of Sleeping Wolf." When Marty arrived, I was already outside and therefore had the privilege of helping him move his vast collection of Native American artifacts into the bunkhouse. During dinner, Marty discussed his past experiences in Catholic schooling, his childhood in Seatle, and his time in the Army Airborne. 


Beaded gauntlets

 After dinner "Beware of Sleeping Wolf" started to show us his collection of artifacts with the warning that if we dropped an eagle feather, he would have to perform a ceremony to protect us against bad luck.  He had many interesting artifacts each with their own unique story. He had three war bonnets, the feathered hats that chieftains wore, as well as many beaded articles of clothing. He explained to us how an Indian earned feathers for their war bonnet and the difference between a blackfoot war bonnet, whose feathers stand straight up, and a Sioux war bonnet, whose feathers slope back. He even let us wear one of the war bonnets which was in the best condition. As time progressed he took out many artifacts including; yarn dolls, beaded gauntlets and belts, eagle wings, his dance outfit, rattlers, pipes, mocassins, and so much more.


Jacob wears the wolf headdress

 After discussing all of these artifacts he took out his most interseting piece, a wolf skin headdress. He let us wear it and then explained how ancient Native Americans would use the disguise to approach a buffalo herd without scaring the animals. Overall the presentation was very interesting and enlightening to both the hardships the Indians of past times experienced and their rich cultural heritage. I enjoyed it greatly and feel fortunate that we were able to hear his stories and narratives.

J. Ploschnitznig '13



Gaining Perspective

Our after school speaker, Harry Barnes

Harry Barnes, a businessman on the Rez, met with us to discuss the importance of the De La Salle Blackfeet School (DLSBS). He explained to us how the children go on to help the community by bringing more money into the Browning economy. Although he taught us about many different parts of the Blackfeet community, the most important lesson I learned during the discussion dealt with how to approach the children's struggles during the school day. He illustrated to us some of the many difficulties the students have to face outside of DLSBS. Mr. Barnes explained to me that the students have many more serious things to worry about than doing well in school.

The children of DLSBS have to deal with many problems that I could not imagine dealing with at any point during my life. Some of the students come from broken homes, and others face a daily temptation of drugs and alcohol. I know that I have trouble being productive when someone is talking to me; how they can get any work done in some of the situations they are put in is a mystery to me. Many of the children have begun to open up to me. They have told me some of the struggles that they have to face everyday. It is unbelievable that in the face of adversity, these kids can still learn and excel. I admire them for the courage they show day in and day out.
 

A.J. at work

Harry Barnes has really opened my eyes to the difficulties the kids face. These unique distractions that the students have to deal with break my heart, yet with every school day comes a classroom full of smiles and laughs. These kids are some of the most special people I have ever met. Everyone should strive to face their problems in the way that the children do. If I faced challenges like they do, my life and the lives of my friends and family would be much happier. The De La Salle Blackfeet School students have definitely taught me more than I could ever teach them.

A.J. Nestler '13

Things We Share

I am sitting and staring at a piece of artwork that was given to me by one of the 5th grade students that I am working with at DLSBS this week. She was one of the students that opened up to me immediately. I was not expecting to become that close with any of the students on the first day. Why would this student want anything to do with a high school student from the other side of the country? Why would another student tell me personal stories about her life? The fact that the one story ended with this young girl saving the life of her two older sisters was truly inspiring. These stories made me feel the pain inside her.

I quickly realized why a young male student turned his back to me on the first day but by mid-day was asking me for help. We both realized that we are all in this world together. We share so many similarities. It is not hard to relate to these young students. Although I was initially anxious about how I would relate to the students, I now realize that all of the nerves were unnecessary. Relating to the kids just happens naturally. For example, I overheard a student singing a song that literally hit home with me. The student was singing the refrain of No Sleep by Wiz Khalifa. I mentioned that Wiz was from my hometown of Pittsburgh. He realized that the song Black and Yellow was about the city of Pittsburgh and we both started singing the refrain. About 7 of the 11 students joined in and we were all singing it through the hallway to our next class.
      
At another point, I notice a student is not paying attention during religion class and is doodling in her binder. She is drawing a picture of her future "dream house". The picture takes up a whole page. This picture is more than just lines and circles on a page; it is a picture of hope. It shows the dreams that these kids have. It shows that they want more for themselves. As they will sadly realize or have already realized, the only way for them to attain their "dream house" is to leave the reservation at some point to attain further education or a better job than would be available on the rez. It truly inspires me that despite the background that these kids come from, they have the desire to come to school every day and learn with energy and hope to thrive in this truly unique LaSallian community.

N. Bozzo '13

Living in God's Presence

Before this trip, I held the belief that Pittsburgh Central Catholic was the only "true" Lasallian school in the country, in that I thought our prayers and mission was exclusive to us. However, it did not take long to realize that this was not the case.

As I sat in the cafeteria on Monday, a few seventh graders introduced themselves. They were just ordinary schoolchildren. Then I heard a loud noise and turned to see an eighth grade girl banging a drum bigger than herself. The room went quiet, and the day was kicked off with the prayers - many of the same prayers we recite at Central. After praying, everyone said the Pledge of Allegiance and slightly turned when the Pledge was finished, now facing the light blue Blackfeet flag. One child pressed play on a CD player and there was a cacophany of sounds that were foreign to me: the Blackfeet chant. At this point, I realized that these are not ordinary schoolchildren. They possessed a heritage that was alive, even today.

Every class begins with the traditional Lasallian prayers as well as a prayer in the Blackfeet language. The students have a heritage that one simply will not see in any classroom at Central. They have personalities that reflect their Indian background, including Indian names for AJ, Paul, and me. However, the most evident example of their culture being summoned forth was in Social Studies on Tuesday when a tribal council member arrived to teach the class Blackfeet culture, including etiquette, history, and some language. It was in this class that the seventh graders all payed the most attention, evidence that each one takes great pride in his/her culture.

In short, Central Catholic is not exclusive in our matters of faith whatsoever. The prayers and practices of the Lasallian tradition are present throughout the country, and that goes beyond simply words. The values are taught and lived just as they are at Cenral, which will allow these young children to live their lives with open minds and hearts. Because of their Lasallian education, they will be able to exemplify their faith as well as their heritage to every person that they may encounter throughout their lives.

K. Hackett '13

Breaking Through

Grant Helping Students

Here I am in my second day at the De La Salle Blackfeet School in Browning, Montana. Thus far my experiences have been very unique. I first met the 5th graders in the cafeteria, during the morning assembly where the whole school gathers together. Some of them were opening right up to me while others were very shy.

Our first class was math. The kids recently took a math test and they were split in two groups based on how well they did. I decided to join the group that did not do as well. This is when I first started to learn about the kids. Some of the more rambunctious students initially made fun of us by giving us nicknames and fooling around. However, other students were shy and did not say a single word for the duration of the day. When my classmates and I gave no reaction to their jokes they soon learned that they did not need to act this way for us to like them. I knew that the energetic students would eventual calm down so I decided to focus on the kids who were more shy. Despite my efforts, by the end of the day, I had no luck getting the shy kids to interact with me.

For example, during reading class I went to help a boy on his project. He read a book called Bears that he was doing a diorama on. One of his tasks was to write a paragraph. I kept on asking him what the book was about but he would not talk to me. In order to help him, I decided to quickly skim the book myself. I ended up suggesting ideas for him to write about which he agreed with by nodding his head. The day was now over and I knew that I really needed to keep working with him before the week was over.

I got to school on Tuesday and again sat down at the table in the cafeteria. He was sitting on the bench all by himself so I decided to go sit next to him and see if he would talk. Once I asked how he was, I got the first word out of him: "good". I took this as my opportunity to break him out of his shell. I asked him more questions such as, "How far away do you live from school?", "Where was your favorite place you have ever visited?", "Do you have any siblings?", and "What is your favorite class?" He responded with full sentences. Slowly but surly I was starting to bond with him. Later that day, Science Class came around. The students were given a worksheet to complete and once they finished it they could play boardgames. To my surprise, Zachary came up to me and challenged me to a game of "Connect Four".  I told him that no one has every beaten me in "Connect Four". He then said "Well you are going to lose because I am the king." Needless to say, I lost all of the games, but what I really won was his friendship.

By the end of the day, he ended up talking to me about school and his life. I knew that if I kept at it I would get him to open up. It was just the second day here at school and I already accomplished this task. I cannot wait to experience what the days ahead will bring.

G. Hettinger '13

Our First Day at School

The trip out here was long but the sights from the airplane and train were incredible. That alone was worth the trip. Today, we got down to business in the school. I was assigned to the 8th grade with Mike DuPlessis. The kids are nice and welcoming, along with the school staff and Christian Brothers. The kids were genuinely interested in our own stories and were very conversational.
 

We started with a school assembly then went to the class. Mike and I had Religion, Math, English, and Social Studies before lunch. After lunch, we had Science, Reading, and Gym. I was impressed by the connections that the kids made between the Mayan ruins and the ruins described in Lewis' Prince Caspian. Throughout the day, we also spent some time talking to Mr. Garces, the 8th grade teacher, about the education and life on the reservation. After our conversation, we helped pick up water jugs for the school, then participated in the different club activities at the end of the day.

Overall the day was successful. I'm looking forward to experiencing the rest of the week and getting to know these kids.  Hopefully, in the days to come, I'll be able to give them some perspective of my own life and goals.

W. Kondrich '12

First Day on the Rez: Work and Fun at the Same Time

Clearing rocks from the dirt

Bro. Ray putting us to work

 

  

Fixing barb wire fence around Brothers' Property

Bro. Paul shows us around the property

Skipping stones on the Two Medicine River

The great ascent to the top of the Buffalo Jump

View from top of the Buffalo Jump

Fall, 2011 Immersion Group atop the Buffalo Jump

Immersion Students, Fall 2011

Christian Motta '13

Kraig Hackett '13

Paul Brahan '13

A.J. Nestler '13

Dylan Junker '13

Aaron Reay '13

Grant Hettinger '13

Michael DuPlessis '12

Will Kondrich '12

Nick Zurawsky '13

Jacob Ploschnitznig '13

Nick Bozzo '13

­OKI-NI-SOO-KA-WA “Things to Bring”

DLSBS Browning, Montana
“Live simply so that others may simply live”
~ Elizabeth Ann Seton

NECESSITIES

___ Medical release form                        ___ Open and flexible attitude

___ Sleeping Bag                                   ___ Pillow                                          

___ Extra cash ($30, recommended)     ___ Journal and pens

___ Materials for prayer services          ___Towels

CLOTHING

1) Don’t pack anything that you treasure. Bring comfortable, durable clothing and EXTREME COLD WEATHER gear.

2) No suitcases, pack light in a duffle bag.

3) Browning has very uncertain weather.  It could possibly snow each month of the year, so please do NOT JUST bring shorts or sandals.

4) The school has a dress code of collared shirts and no denim.  When you work with the students you should dress the same. Solid colored ‘khaki’ pants

___ 2 pairs, closed toe shoes                           ___ 4 long sleeve shirts, 1 short sleeve

___ Socks (long/wool socks, extra pairs)         ___ 2 pairs, long pants (some no denim)

___ Undergarments (possibly thermals)          ___ 2 sweatshirts/fleece

___ HEAVY winter coat                                 ___ Stocking cap/beanie and scarf

___ Gloves/mittens                                         ___ Sweats/pajamas

___ Gym Clothes (for when kids have PE)     
___ Tutoring clothes (i.e. polo shirts, khakis, blouses; NO jeans or T-shirts)     
         

Toiletries/Medicine

1)      Seriously reflect on the “need” for make-up and/or jewelry.

2)      Do not forget your personal medication!

___ Towel                                               ___ Toothbrush                       ___Washcloths                                        ___ Toothpaste

___ Soap                                                  ___ Deodorant 

___ Personal medicine                             ___ Shampoo/conditioner

___ Chapstick/sunscreen                          ___ Razors/shaving cream

___ Shower shoes

Optional

___ Camera     ___ Flashlight         ___ Sunscreen

___ Sunglasses­­  ___ Alarm Clock      

Phone Numbers (to be used by parents/guardians in case of emergencies)

De La Salle Blackfeet School:             (406)338-5290

De La Salle Blackfeet School, Fax:      (406)338-7900

Holy Family Mission (Brothers and Bunkhouse) (406-338-3775/5294)

Remember: Do NOT bring cell phones, pagers (no signal at the Mission Bunkhouse anyway)

What it's all About

Kyle Dresser's final thoughts on the immersion experience to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation:

When I first heard about an opportunity to go on a mission trip to an Indian Reservation, I immediately took an interest. I have always been interested in Native Americans, their culture, and how they live today. I was interested in how the children of a reservation would act, talk, and how they would compare to children who lived in a typical suburban setting.



Kyle Dresser helping a student

Before arriving at the school, I had the impression that the students would have behavioral or disciplinary problems, and that I would have no idea how to act around them. However, upon entering and just seeing how the kids acted with each other and with the teachers and staff of the school, my point of view turned around in a flash. I started talking to the students, and I was able to carry on good conversations with them about any topic that came up. The students were full of joy and just talking to them brightened my day. Most of the students were intelligent and already had plans for their futures. Granted, there were some examples of students talking back to or opposing the teacher, but most of them showed nothing but the utmost respect and adoration for the ones they were learning from. One of the students with whom I became close to over the past four days was one of the most genuine people I have ever met. He was honest and open and had no problem talking about things he had trouble with. I am so glad I was able to help him with his work, and I hope he appreciates my help as much I appreciate the opportunity to help him.

Overall, this has been a wonderful experience that will probably stick with me throughout my life. I am grateful that I've had the privilege of learning about a great and proud people, their culture, their past, present, and future ways of life. Hopefully I have left as much of an impact on these students as they have left on me.

K. Dresser '11

Beware of Sleeping Wolf!

Marty 'Beware of Sleeping Wolf' Martain was kind enough to show the Central Catholic Immersion students some Blackfeet artifacts and rare bald eagle feathers.:



Immersion group listening to guest speaker

 

The most interesting part of the day occurred when one of our visitors "Beware of Sleeping Wolf" came to tell us about some Blackfeet history. I learned that today's Americans owe indian culture much credit for the way we live as a society. They gave us fruits like pomegranate, zucchini, and many more. Something that surprised me was that he told us that the Irish potato was originally from the Americas. Another thing that surprised me was that we adopted democracy we use today from the Iroquois Confederacy. He also told us of times when the Blackfeet were pushed around. Times when treaties were broken, alliances were betrayed and indians were massacred for gold, land, and in some cases, just being indian. "Beware of Sleeping Wolf " had a shield made out of buffalo skin and medals that represented his father and brother. Also on the shield were medals he earned as a paratrooper. He showed us many other artifacts. The most significant to us and "Beware of Sleeping Wolf" were three Blackfeet war bonnets made out of real eagle feathers. I am truly thankful for his presentation. Before he left he told us that with kids like us in the world he's not worried about our countries future.   

S. Hall '12

Ritual Leg Wear

Joe Danko with bald eagle talon





Ryan Scott with traditional rattle







Rob Burns with wolf pelt headdress



A Message from DLSBS Principal, Mr. Wedum

The impact and significance of a De La Salle school on the Blackfeet Reservation:

Lost Luggage = Big Problems. . . Or does it?

Matt Doherty's account of his delayed bag and how it changed the way he thinks:


Matt Doherty listening to an evening
speaker

"Enter the immersion trip with an open and flexible attitude" were the words our chaperones, Mr. Saulle and Mr. Sudnik, chimed instructively to us before our departure. Dressed in my navy blue sweat suit and winter jacket, ready to brave the Montana cold,  I met my group at the airport, went through the laborious process of checking in, and took off en route to Denver. "Flexible, Matt, Flexible", is what I thought as we waited in the airport and got dinner after landing in Denver. Everything was going smoothly as we boarded our flight to

Spokane, Washington.

We touched down smoothly  although amidst inclement weather. Our group filed out of the plane, down the walkway, and towards the baggage claim area. We all patiently waited as bags came out on the conveyor belt, one by one. After ten minutes all of the bags had been brought out, but no one in our group had received their bags. "Could they have really lost all of our bags?", I thought. Then, in an irritatingly loud voice that had a slight twinge of an electric sound to it that was added through the use of a microphone-like apparatus, an airline representative that was around 50 meters away alerted us that we had gone to the wrong gate and our bags could be found at the United Airline gate where she was stationed. I sighed in relief because the reoccurring and subconscious fear of losing my luggage had been quelled as we walked toward the gate. We reached the gate and all of my comrades picked up their luggage. I stood in silent horror upon the realization that my luggage was missing. My fellow immersion student, James, was also missing the bag he had checked. We spoke to the airline representative and learned that our bags had been delayed, were left in Denver, and would be shipped to an address of our choosing in Montana, when possible. Not in the best of moods, but still flexible, I left the airport with the group. After a 10 minute taxi ride, we arrived at a rather seedy train station in Spokane, Washington. By the time we boarded the train, I was beginning to cope with the idea of not having baggage while assuring myself that all would go as planned, and I would receive it the next afternoon when we arrived in Montana.

Four days passed since I checked my bag at the airport, and I was in Browning, Montana wearing the same blue jumpsuit that I had arrived in. I had worn it to sleep, to meet the kids at the school, to gym class, to cook dinner, and to see the kids again. The group had made quite the spectacle of my repetitious wardrobe. Although I was having incredible experiences being exposed to Native American culture and the contemporary culture of economic desolation in Browning, my mood just wasn't at the level I wanted it to be. I had yet to have attached to the teaming Spirit that filled Browning. I could have attributed this declining attitude of mine to the fact that I had worn the same clothes for four days, but I began to think of my mood on a deeper level. I reminisced about the night my friend Rob and I had cooked dinner for the group.

That night we had a special guest over to speak to the group.The guest was Joe "Big Crow" Bremner, a Native American spiritualist. He told us of Native American traditions and songs that have carried on through oral tradition for thousands of years. He performed a ceremony that involved the placement of sweet grass, an herb that is commonly used by the Blackfeet, on a hot coal in order to induce smoke that one would smudge on themself for a type of aura-purifictation. His conversation with us spanned a world of fascinating history, tradition, and ceremony. Then he began to speak of a tribal initiation into manhood called "Sitting Holy," which he had done some years back. He told us how he had gone four days without water and food all while sitting in the same place. On the fifth day, the ceremony follows that the person who has undergone this fast is given the right to have a tiny piece of meat, a small drop of water, and to stand up once again. He recalled how this meat and water were the greatest things he had ever consumed and that due to the deprivation of these essentials and of standing, he had learned how precious they were. They were truly rights.

On Tuesday my baggage arrived in the middle of the school day. I left the classroom and jubilantly put on a fresh pair of clothes in the changing room of the school. This was the best pair of clothes I had ever put on. From the socks to the shirt, everything was smooth and fresh. I used to waste clothes, in fact I over-packed for this trip. My parents would reprimand me weekly for the the mass amounts of laundry that emanated from my room. I now will cherish every item of apparel that sits on my body. In my own little way I had a "Sitting Holy" experience. It wasn't nearly as intense as the tribal initiation experience, but for a private school kid from the suburbs it really changed my perspective.


Matt Doherty helping a student with an essay

 

The more I think about it the more this idea of having the "right to wear clothing", the more the idea expands. It expands to food, to water, to shelter, until it envelops a much broader idea spanning all of earth's resources. So much is wasted in the modern world. Joe "Big Crow" Bremner referred to how conservation and balance with Nature is so important to Native American culture and how some scientists were even looking towards old ways of Native American living to find solutions to environmental problems that are  induced by depletion of resources. This made me recall learning in my sophomore history class that a population of Native Americans could use a fraction of the amount of land that a population of white settlers would need to survive.



While mulling around in my thoughts and a fresh pair of pants these last days, my view of the use of resources, weather clothing, and food has completely changed. I respect that while I have a right to everything on earth, it is a privilege that should not be abused. This trip has reinvigorated my belief in conservation and has given me a new appreciation for life. It's funny how a simple delay of luggage that would usually be viewed as an annoyance by most could lead to a change in one's perspective.

Matt Doherty '12

Making Big Impressions: The Spirit of The Blackfeet is Alive and Well



John Bruno

John Bruno looks beyond the surface in search of hope and inspiration:

Throw away any preconceived thoughts about the school, and the Blackfeet culture. Close your eyes and imagine a classroom. Imagine only about ten students, but imagine children that are so full of life, imagination, and laughter, that they make any child you know of that age look dull. Biased and arrogant students who embark on this journey into a new world would reflect by saying the kids aren't as bright, intelligent, or have any chance in the real world. Having spent time with these children I can honestly say they posses more character than any average sixth grader whom I've known. I am obsessed with their joy and up beat spirit they maintain even after all of the trials and tribulations their people and community have been through. When thinking about how awesome they are despite everything, it makes me wonder what kind of world I thought I was living in before the last few days. All of these things make if difficult to leave DLSBS at the end of the school day.

It makes me upset to think about how blind and ignorant some people are. As unfortunate as this is, I know some people that would probably take one look around DLSBS and criticize a kid's intelligence or certain lack of skills and never even take the time to get to know them. For me, I want to try so hard to make a lasting impression on these kids, even though I know it will be nearly impossible since they are influenced by different immersion groups on a weekly basis. Even sitting here as I type this I feel like I missing out on something that they're doing. I'd prefer to be around them constantly and make the most of every second I spend with them. As shallow as that sounds, I also don't want them to forget about me. I truly feel this way. If I fail to make a lasting impression, I'd feel like I did something wrong or didn't spend my time wisely enough.

In my attempts to interact, discuss, and teach them, one student in particular has made a great impact on me as well. As I observe and work with him in a few classes, I have easily picked up on the fact that he is naturally smart, clever, athletic, and most of all funny, as most of these kids are. Yes, they are behind and lack certain skills that most children have obtained at this particular age, but when you consider the lack of resources, services, and the proper learning environment that some have experienced for so long it is easy to see why. That being said, I firmly believe that they more than make up for it with their knowledge of their own history, culture, and overall high spirits. For all these reasons I can undoubtedly see myself loving to teach these kids everyday.

J. Bruno '12

What Makes DLSBS so Different Yet so Significant to the Blackfeet

Stephen Joyce

A day in the life of Stephen Joyce, the firth grade guru:

Yesterday I woke up just in time to take a shower and eat breakfast before we left for DLSBS.  On the van ride over I sat next to Mr. Saulle, and we talked about the differences between Central and DLSBS.  For me I see the classes at DLSBS as less structured than Central and even my grade school.  I first noticed this when the students switched classes without a bell.  I still question the effectiveness of this approach. Although some proponents of a "no-bell" school argue that it prepares students for the real world, I think that may cause some confusion for the younger, more struggling students.

From there, we went to Language Arts and the students started a review worksheet on punctuation in quotations.  After the students corrected their papers, we moved on to Life Science.  Yesterday's lesson was on seeds in fruit, and each student had two pieces of fruit which they cut in half to examine the seeds. Last week the fifth grade did an experiment with beans in dry and moist environments.  Each table got one of the four containers, two were set in a dry environment and the other two were in a moist one.  They recorded the changes in the beans and drew what the beans looked like now.  After Life Science we went to lunch, and after lunch we went to Native Studies.  This was by far my favorite class that I have sat in on for the past two days.  The teacher who comes in once a week to teach this class started the class with an introduction by every student.   "OKI NII TA NIK KO Stephen Joyce" translates from the Blackfeet language to "Hello, my name is Stephen Joyce."  She told us of the seven Indian reservations in Montana and that there is an eighth trying to gain the same rights as the other seven.  She told us that the Blackfeet people consists of the North Peigan, the South Piegan, the Blood Nation, and the Siksika Nation.  She gave us papers that showed the stars at any given moment.

Stephen Joyce closely examines an authentic war bonnett from the nineteenth century

After Native Studies the fifth grade went to P.E.  The P.E. teacher had the girls practice volleyball because they had a game that night against the Browning Middle School.  It turns out that the girls upset the Browning Indians and won the game. We went from P.E. to religion class. Because the school had mass today, the students practiced their readings.  I think that it is interesting to note that mass is supposed to be on Thursday, but it is taking place on Wednesday this week because there is a funeral on Thursday.  We were told that this parish has more funerals per year than every other parish in Montana.  The abuse of alcohol is in my opinion an epidemic on the rez.  We were told that Friday and Saturday nights are extremely dangerous to be on the streets because of the drunken drivers.  Although some of the residents may be used to having so many funerals, it is still extremely unsettling and unnerving for me to think of all the lives that have been cut short because of alcohol.  While practicing for mass I noticed that some kids are behind the level of reading that they should be. One student in particular would substitute words into the reading that were not even there, which would change the message of the passage.  This is very sad for me but it is understandable because before attending DLSBS students did not receive the same personalized education in K-3 at the local public school.

Native selections in the DLSBS Library

Before DLSBS, the students were forced to take part in a broken system which neglects their varying wants and needs.  As a result of the public school's lack of preparation, the 4th and 5th grade teachers have the extremely hard job of raising everyone's level of understanding to an equal one.  I would love to see DLSBS expand into a K-12 school, but that is much easier said than done.  I am sure that there are many different reasons why DLSBS cannot expand.  Even without any prior education before 4th grade, DLSBS graduates have done extremely well.  19 of 29 or 65% of DLSBS students have gone on to some form of education after high school whether it be college, junior college, or trade schools.  Fourteen of the fifteen high school seniors who graduated from DLSBS have received their high school diploma or GED.  This is compared to only 56% of American Indians in Montana who graduate from high school.  Some graduates have gone on to University of Montana, Montana State University, Gonzaga, Blackfeet Community College, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Stanford University among others.  These statistics speak volumes on how effective and positive a DLSBS education is on the students and the community.  This combined with the dedicated and patient teachers makes for a beneficial and non-judgmental learning environment.

 

After religion class we had a snack, and after the snack we went to reading.  The students took a practice spelling test on words that they have been practicing for the past week.  In the middle of checking answers, the P.E. teacher came into our class and took all of the girls for the volleyball game last night.  So only five students stayed behind.  After they finished checking the words, the students did their class jobs and cleaned up their room, together.  After the clean-up, the students who did not go the volleyball game went to the clubs.  This interesting 45 minute long "class" allows the students to relax at the end of the school day.  The clubs range from practicing volleyball, playing in the gym, playing board games, or even doing one's homework.  Overall, I think an extended school day and by extension an extended school year makes for a more learned and engaged student body.  Although I was tired and exhausted at the start of the clubs, it was really fulfilling to be in a more relaxed and less tense setting with the students.  I had the opportunity to play board games with a few students and a teacher, and it was really enjoyable.  I was able to get some of the students to open up to me more than they did in the school day.  Overall, my experience so far at DLSBS has been very fulfilling and enlightening.  I am excited to spend more time with the kids and learn from them about subjects that range from Blackfeet language and culture to the bond of friendship.

S. Joyce '11