Thousands of students are spending Friday immersed in Native American cultures. The Rapid City Area School System is bussing kids to the Civic Center for the Black Hills Pow Wow Youth Day.
The Black Hills Pow Wow Youth Day is just one way the Rapid City Area School System is incorporating Native American cultures into K-12 curriculum.
Whitnee Pearce is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Outreach. She says four thousand kids are scheduled to go to the Black Hills Pow Wow.
“And the pow wow will talk about pow wow educate. Some of the different dances. Some of the different cultural and historical perspectives on the dances so students can understand and learn more about it.”
Guest performers are expected to join--including the Bear Project, a youth suicide prevention group out based on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Pearce says this is a great educational experience.
“It is one of the only times that students both non-Native and Native are able to come together in a learning environment and really be immersed in traditional culture. And so I think that that can be a really amazing time for all of our students and also, too, for our staff that get to go and get to experience the beauty and the tradition and the heritage for all of our students that really is showcased thought pow wow dancing.”
Students who wear their own regalia get a free day pass to the pow wow. Pearce says the school system was able to raise nearly six thousand dollars to donate to the event.
“It’s a really beautiful time to bring everyone together and really move forward in an inclusive environment and to give our students new perspectives that they may not have had before.”
Pearce says the school system has also planned activities to learn about the cultures throughout Native American Heritage Month in November. The Black Hills Pow Wow runs Today through Sunday.