Mary Bowman

Indigenous leaders’ attempts to establish state-funded charter schools in Rapid City were shot down. Now, the Oceti Sakowin Community Academy is giving families hope…

The Oceti Sakowin Community Academy first opened its doors September 2022, marking itself as Rapid City’s first Indigenous-led school. In addition to lessons in math, social studies, and reading, students learn Lakota stories, many of which were almost forgotten after the boarding school era…

The Oceti Sakowin Community Academy is relatively new to Rapid City. The school hopes to give students a sense of belonging, being taught in the thought and philosophy of the Oceti Sakowin. The school started with a kindergarten class in 2022, this year the school has about 40 students covering kindergarten and first grade. The school will add a new grade each year, ultimately becoming a K-12 school…

The Oceti academy taught only kindergartners in a local church in its first year. But it has big plans to expand grade offerings each year and eventually move onto a 40-acre campus in north Rapid City with multiple buildings, a cultural center and affordable housing units.