Support Native American Students

Annual School Supply Drive

This annual school supply drive is one of our community projects created to honor Leonard Peltier's vision of empowering the Oglala People to have an active role in defining the future of their tribe. Both Leonard and the committee believe that all have the potential to rise above their given circumstances and to effectively contribute to the preservation of traditional language and spirituality through education in spite of the historical circumstances which sought to deprive the Oglala of their destiny. Given the right tools, support and resource, many Oglala children are able to transcend the dire economic and social situation of the challenged reservation community. The failure to adequately provide for these children raises the need for individuals to become involved and to help the balance in these children's favor. "It's time to listen to our Youth, to hear how we can help them -- physically, mentally and emotionally"

There is much need , with dropout rates over 70% and Lakota teen suicide rates at 150 % above the norm for the US. The BIA reports that Pine Ridge Schools are in the bottom 10% of school funding by the US Dept. of Education. High Unemployment, illiteracy, alcoholism and drug addiction, farther fuels the vast sense of hopelessness that many of these children experience daily.

It is our vision of empowerment and our belief in the destiny of our youth. Promoting good and healthy life style choices.

It's that time of year. We will be collecting school supplies once again for the annual Oglala Commemoration Backpack give away. This year I doubled the number of Backpacks and we ended up running short.. So it was a great turnout of kids.

Few ways to donate:

1) Drop off Supplies at our local Pow-wow booths,

A) Lake Shawnee Pow-wow - Sept 2 & 3

Labor Day Weekend - Lake Shawnee, Topeka, Ks

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Pow-wow

Sept. 23 & 24

Peoples Park, Mayetta, Ks

2) Mail them to

Oglala Commemoration

1939 Wentz. Pkwy #191

Wentzville, MO. 63385

3) Send a Donation to the same address

and I will pick up items to save on postage.

For more info email : Oglala_commemoration@yahoo.com