September 19th was a day of grand celebration at the Lakota Waldorf School (LWS). With approximately 250 people attending from across the reservation, LWS hosted the first Pow Wow of  Teča Wačipi Okolakiciye and celebrated the 26th Anniversary of the Lakota Waldorf School. The event also commemorated  the 100th Anniversary of Waldorf Education – which started 1919 in Germany but now lives in 75 countries as the largest independent school movement in the world. 

With the pow wow taking place outside on school grounds, the celebration honored the Lakota culture and founders with a grand opening processional followed by dancing, drumming, a school royalty pageant, and more.  Also, the celebration brought the blending of the Lakota and Waldorf educational cultures in a presentation on the importance of providing bees and other pollinators with a livable habitat on our gardens.   “Without bees and pollination, life on earth is not possible.”

Last but not least, the Lakota community showed their reverence for the earth by making the evening meal a “plastic-free” event – where all attendees either brought their own bowls and cups or used a hundred percent biodegradable bowls and cups.

The Lakota Waldorf School community came together throughout September for the “first harvest” of the school’s garden, which became part of the “Lakota Language Program Expansion” this past spring.

Through this program, LWS students have been working in the hoop house and garden to cultivate the soil, plant seeds, pull weeds, and water plants. At the same time, students learned the Lakota names of ten new plants each month plus they painted signs in Lakota with the names of plants in the garden and hoop house. The program also included activities that allowed students to take field trips to the Black Hills and the surrounding area to learn about native plants, their healing purpose, and more. 

As a result, the “first harvest” of our garden not only rewarded our children's labor with healthy produce. But it showcased how well our students have grown in their ability to  speak and comprehend the Lakota language. It also demonstrated their knowledge about traditional Lakota plants, sustainable foods, and ecology. 

Without a doubt, the Lakota Language Program Expansion is a shining example of the threefold learning process – the integration of the head (thinking), heart (feeling), and hand (doing) – that is the heart of Waldorf Education. 

Phase 1B is in progress.

Our dream of a beautiful school campus is coming into reality – one phase at a time.

In February 2018, we completed Phase 1 – the construction of the first two classrooms. Now, Phase 1B is underway with two additional rooms – a large one for the kindergarten and another for Grades 7-8. Also, a utility room and another bathroom will be included.

Construction is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving. This urgently needed space will allow us to expand classroom activities as well as increase the number of students we serve. We can’t wait to move in!