[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17034-17035]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING THE RED CLOUD INDIAN SCHOOL

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, the Red Cloud Indian School is 
worthy of much acclaim. Founded by Franciscan Sisters and Jesuits in 
1888 as the Holy Rosary Mission, they strove to teach and maintain 
Oglala and western knowledge for the youth of Pine Ridge Indian 
Reservation and its surrounding areas. In 1969 the school changed its 
name to Red Cloud Indian School out of respect and appreciation for the 
great Chief Red Cloud who petitioned the government to allow the 
establishment of the school. Today nearly 600 students are enrolled in 
classes spanning every grade from kindergarten

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through twelfth. The school is private and 97 percent of its funds come 
from private donors, as students are required to pay only a minimal fee 
to attend. Classes include a wide range of subjects, such as math, 
science, history, ethics, and Lakota culture. Combining this wide range 
of education helps retain the Lakota heritage while preparing students 
to enter the larger society.
  Red Cloud Indian School has made postsecondary education a priority 
and has done an exceptional job educating and preparing its students 
for the world. Seeking 100 percent college matriculation, the high 
school proudly touts that, in 2004, 94 percent of its graduating class 
pursued post-secondary education, the highest rate of any Indian school 
in the country.
  Since 1999, 32 Red Cloud students have received the Gates Millennium 
Scholarship. The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program was originally 
funded through a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates 
Foundation in 1999. The program has two main goals: to encourage 
academic success and to provide absolute financial support to excellent 
minority students who have financial constraints that could otherwise 
inhibit their ability to attend college. To date, over 12,000 people 
have been awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship.
  The recent Gates Scholarship recipients of Red Cloud Indian School 
are as follows:

       1999--Candace Brings Plenty;
       2001--Sarah Yellow Boy and Lawrence Vigil;
       2003--Donnel Ecoffey;
       2004--Carmen Fourd, John Cross Dog, and Marie Zephier;
       2005--Jason Clifford, Blue Dawn Little, Shayna Richards, 
     and Sarah White;
       2006--Rianna Albers, Jordan Herman, Larissa Little Moon, 
     Dallas Nelson, Marissa O'Bryan, and Brandi Shortman;
       2007--Monique Claymore, Sammi Herman, Samantha Janis, 
     Tanner O'Daniel, Matthew Shoulders, Kaylynn Two Bulls, and 
     Allison Weston; and
       2008--David Anaya, Dylan Fills Pipe, Season Frank, Danielle 
     Hudspeth, Chante Knight, Stevie Tobacco, Vern White Butterfly 
     Jr., and Audrey White.

  Congratulations to the Red Cloud Indian School staff, students, and 
families. Their sustained success is very admirable and is worthy of 
the highest praise! 

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