In 2019, the Lakota Waldorf School received a First Nations grant through the Native Language Immersion Initiative, which supports Native American language-immersion and culture-retention programs. 

Through the program, students at the Lakota Waldorf School will learn to speak and understand the Lakota language and learn a strong cultural identity and reverence for the heritage through gardening, food preparation, and other Lakota traditions. 

In the article, Language, Culture and Food Come Together at Lakota Waldorf School,  published in the newsletter of First Nations Development Institute, author, Jennifer Churchill, says, "If you’re a Lakota child born in South Dakota, you can now find a place to belong, where your culture and language are fostered, creating a Lakota identity that will help you thrive. This is possible thanks to the Lakota Waldorf School, formed over 26 years ago..." 

According to Isabel Stadnick, development director and one of the founders of the school: “Culture and language are major components of self-esteem and self-advocacy. Research has proven that children who grow up with a strong identity are more successful — in school, life and higher education.”

Read More at the First Nations Development Institute
Photo Credit: Lakota Waldorf School