Education | Health | National

Native Sun News: Pine Ridge school hosts meth awareness day

Monday, May 23, 2016

Back row, from left: Silas Blaine, Elroy Cross, Santana Youngman, David Moves Camp, Julie Richards, Jerene Richards. Front from, from left: Bonnie Ledeaux, Lola Blaine, Brianna Bettelyoun, Jerica Dreamer. Photo by Richie Richards

MAMA speaks at Crazy Horse School
Meth problems take up agenda at the school
By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Staff Writer
www.nsweekly.com

WANBLEE –– With the residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation faced with deadly concerns about the meth problems rampant on the reservation, Crazy Horse School (CHS) in Wanblee hosted a 'Meth Awareness Day' with special guest speakers Santana Youngman – Miss Oglala Lakota Nation and Julie Richards – Founder of Mothers Against Meth Awareness (MAMA).

The event was a collaborative effort organized by David Moves Camp, Bonnie Ledeaux, Lola Blaine and CHS Junior Brianna Bettelyoun with CHS Superintendent Silas Blaine giving his blessing for such an informative and necessary event in the community of Wanblee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

More and more each day for Native Americans, each tragedy and each headline has a common thread in its story. That commonality is methamphetamine and the devastating effects this “evil spirit” has on tribal members and families living on and off the reservations in South Dakota.

According to MAMA Founder, Julie Richards, “We are going to lose a whole generation if we don’t do anything about it now.” Native Sun News interviewed organizers and speakers of the Meth Awareness Day which was part of a two-day event, which included a Meth Awareness Walk on Thursday, May 12.

Miss Oglala Lakota Nation, Santana Youngman, 23, won her crown at the 2015 Oglala Nation Fair and Wacipi in Pine Ridge this past summer. Since then, Youngman has been using her role as a leader to advocate for children, telling the students of CHS, “I dedicate my crown to all of you.”