Program aims to keep Indian students in school

The school district in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has started a mentorship program in hopes of keeping Indian students from dropping out.

The Native American Scholars program started in February. It pairs mentors from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sioux Empire with middle and high school students.

According to district statistics, 13.2 percent of Indian students don't finish high school. The district average is 4.9 percent.

In related education news, several Lakota high school students received college scholarships from the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation at the recent Native American Journalism Career Conference last week.

Get the Story:
Keeping students connected (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 4/23)
Lakota students honored at conference (The Rapid City Journal 4/23)

National Indian Education Study:
Overview | Executive Summary | Full Report

Relevant Links:
National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
Nation's Report Card - http://www.nationsreportcard.gov

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