Call 866-753-5496 for more information on naming opportunities
at the new St. Labre Indian School Dorm.
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The 2011 Summer Newsletter
A Message from Curtis
Dear Friend,
Sometimes it’s the little things that remind you just how special the Indian children that you support
are.
For the second year in a row, every single one of our high school graduates has been accepted to a college, university or technical school. Any school, anywhere, would be proud of that, but it is remarkable out here on the two Indian reservations that we serve. And it is only because you cared enough to make sacrifices to support the hundreds of children who depend on St. Labre for a brighter future filled with the hope that has too long been denied them.
I don’t want to mislead you into thinking that we are done. There is still much to do and many other
students who are counting on us. I could not do it without you. As you read through this newsletter, you will see the happy, smiling faces of just a few of the hundreds of Indian children whose lives you make better each and every day and who are just waiting for their chance.
A friend of mine, a St. Labre graduate, once told me, “St. Labre is very important because it shows what is possible, even out here on the reservations.” If you are ever in the area, please stop by and visit. We would love to show you the “miracle” that you make possible.
Sincerely,
Curtis Yarlott
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Valedictorian Sets Lofty Goals For the Future
Maggie, the St. Labre valedictorian, began her education at St. Labre as a junior last year. She
moved from the Navajo Indian Reservation and now lives on the Crow Indian Reservation. Interestingly,
she is a fluent speaker of Navajo and is working at becoming fluent in Crow.
Science and math are her favorite subjects. This past semester she tackled trigonometry and did very well. She is also an avid reader and really appreciated the personal interest Mr. Dan Burke, the
librarian took in her. “He convinced me to read The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. It’s kind of sad,” she observes, “but I learned some things from it.”
To enhance her education, Maggie has been involved in summer enrichment programs, such
as MAP (Montana Apprenticeship Program) at Montana State University and last summer
INMED (Indians into Medicine) at the University of South Dakota.
Her MAP project was the study of avalanches, an ever present threat during Montana’s snowy
winters. Her strong interest in science and the fact she completed these summer programs have
led to her decision to major in pre-med at Montana State University in Bozeman next year.
“I am very involved in my culture,” she says. “Both my grandmas (Navajo and Crow) have had a big part in my life, not only in helping me stay involved in my culture, but keeping me on the right track in life.”
We look forward to observing Maggie’s progress through college and medical school and wish her
the very best.
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Salutatorian Lauds St. Labre
Johnee Jo began her St. Labre sojourn her sophomore year. After having attended other schools,
she says that St. Labre is the best. The staff here taught me to grow as a person,” she says.
The growth is self-evident considering her current honor and the fact that she was enrolled in honors
classes this past year. Her favorite was honors English taught by Dr. Russ Alexander, whom she describes as “a very good teacher.”
One of Johnee’s pastimes is writing poetry. It seems that she has to be in the right mood to write poems
which, in her estimation, are “very sad” or “very happy.” Her extra-curricular activities have included
volleyball, basketball and cultural activities – dancing at area powwows and beading her own dancing outfits.
Johnee’s plans for the future include a two-year stint at Chief Dull Knife College to complete her general
courses. After that she plans to enroll at the University of Washington in Seattle and major in business
management with a minor in English. Her words of wisdom for her classmates pretty much
sum up how she has approached her education at St. Labre: “Never give up. In the end it will benefit you
as a person.”
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Appeal for Musical Instruments a Great Success!
“I am very appreciative of the donors who have blessed our kids and our band program with these beautiful instruments,” said Pat Maloney, as the students opened box upon box of high quality saxophones, trombones, trumpets, guitars, flutes and clarinets, punctuated by their shouts of delight.
Pat described the majority of instruments the students use as old and mostly unrepairable. “Anything new we get is simply fantastic,” he observed.
Asked about current needs, Pat did not hesitate,“what would really help is a new piano. There are only two on the entire campus that can be classified as in good working condition. If we can’t get a piano, maybe someone might have a professional level keyboard they would donate.” At that moment, one of the students mentioned drums. “Oh yes,” Pat replied. “A complete drum set would be wonderful.”
Contact Marge Rath at 1-406-784-4593 if you are interested in helping with these needs.
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Krystal: Making a Difference at the University of Montana
Story and photo by Dave Charpentier, St. Labre Mentoring Coordinator
Krystal, a 2003 St. Labre graduate, exemplifies the spirit of serving others. A current member of
a reserve unit in the United States Armed Forces, two years ago she took leave from her studies at
the University of Montana to serve on active duty in Kuwait. Upon returning, Krystal utilized
her newly learned organizational skills to assist her classmates and faculty on the UM campus.
This spring, Krystal sponsored and organized a one-day conference on the University of Montana
campus entitled Spirit of Diversity: Making Connections in the Classroom. The purpose of the conference was to begin a conversation that raises awareness about Native students and the unique
ideologies of their tribal communities.
The conference was directed toward both the students and faculty. It was such a successful
and productive day that Krystal has been invited to organize another campus event next
fall. She will also present this topic at a conference sponsored by Ft. Berthold Community College in
New Town, North Dakota, early last spring.
Krystal’s outstanding work on the University of Montana campus was recognized this spring when she was nominated for the University of Montana 2010/2011 Outstanding Student Leader Award.
Krystal earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in May from the University of Montana and plans to begin graduate work this summer; her goal is to earn her Master’s Degree in Social Work.
Krystal has been a continuing recipient of the Father Emmett Hoffmann Scholarship.
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Scholarship Need Increases Again
In last summer’s Morning Star, we talked about the 24 members of the Class of 2010 all being
accepted to colleges and universities before they had graduated. It was a singular milestone
for St. Labre, but an expensive one.
As this Academic Year 2010-11 ended, St. Labre was providing scholarship assistance to 88
students enrolled in post-high school programs. The majority of these funds came from the
general budget because the Father Emmett Hoffmann Scholarship alone could not provide
enough funding to meet all the needs.
Here we are again facing the 2011-12 academic year in a similar situation. We graduated 25
students in May, and all had enrolled in fall programs at various institutions. Once again 80 to 90
students will be looking to St. Labre for scholarship assistance when school begins in just over
a month. What a far cry from 1999 when only sixteen former graduates were enrolled in
colleges or universities!
Because the need is so great and so imminent, we are asking your help to raise about $3,000
per student for immediate scholarships. You probably would agree that this need is positive. After
all, our entire existence is predicated on the fact that quality education is the remedy for
poverty, hopelessness and defeat.
Now that we’re experiencing these incredible results, we must continue forward. If we don’t help these young people as they begin their professional educational studies, many of them will simply return to their homes and wonder about what might have been as they face the prospects of a forty to fifty percent unemployment rate on their respective reservations.
If you can help, place your check in the return envelope on page 7 of this newsletter and return
it to us as quickly as possible. In order to insure that your donation goes toward scholarship
funding, please write the words scholarship fund on the memo area of your check. August will be
here before we know it. And we don’t want our kids late for class. Thank you for helping to
address this need.
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Changes to be Aware of Concerning Charitable Gift Annuities:
Perhaps, like many St. Labre supporters, your income doesn’t stretch quite as far as
it once did. Yet, you still want to help the children attain a quality education.
A St. Labre charitable gift annuity might be the answer. The chart below gives the new rate structure
set by the American Council on Gift Annuities. These rates became effective
July 1, 2011. These rates return about 50% of the original amount of the annuity to the annuitant, leaving a similar amount for the charity to help fund its mission.
Specific changes have also taken place with the St. Labre charitable gift annuity
program. The minimum amount for a gift annuity is now $10,000. The reason for this is the costs associated with issuing annuities in the various states and the growing amount of administration
associated with maintaining a viable gift annuity program. Please be assured that if you are a current St. Labre annuitant, you may continue to purchase annuities at half the current amount ($5000).
The minimum age you can purchase a St. Labre charitable gift annuity is now
65. However, if you are below that age, you may purchase a deferred gift annuity
with a built-in compounding factor. This will provide you with a higher rate
than if you waited until you turned 65.
For a no-obligation projection, give the planned giving department a toll free
call at 1-866-652-0959. We will be happy to help you.
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