Nineteen St. Labre middle and high school art students were invited to display their work at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings. The display ran from late October until early December. Apparently it was a major hit with all who saw it, according to Museum Art Educator, Carol Welch.

“We’ve been very proud to display the high caliber of workmanship and talent from St. Labre,” she reflected. “When people came through here they were amazed at the professional level of these students. They could hardly believe they were junior and senior high aged kids.”

Ms. Welch went on to say that the St. Labre show was the best ever in the Young Artists’ Gallery and that future shows will have a hard act to follow. She concluded, “The teachers should be commended for tapping into the full potential of the students.”

The art teachers were, of course, proud at the reception the show received. Philippe Franquelin, the beading instructor, said he was astounded by the talent the students displayed. Mindy Samman, the art teacher, agreed: “I’m very proud of their work.”

Last May, a former student (Class of 1990), Leroy Not Afraid, came to support his step-daughter, Ava, at her graduation. He took the time to answer a few questions about his life since he left St. Labre.

He has the distinction of being the only Native American in Montana to be a duly elected Justice of the Peace. A member of the Crow Nation, he works in Big Horn County and is in his second term.

To put this achievement in perspective, Leroy’s election paved the way for Native Americans in towns supporting the reservations to begin participating in state, county and local governments. In essence, he was in the forefront of the civil rights movement that was creating opportunities for minorities throughout America.

Leroy was an integral part of this changing landscape. When he was 24 years old in l996, he ran for the office of Lieutenant Governor for the State of Montana. He lost, but as he says, “I learned that I really liked to run for office.” After that, he was literally off and running. Since that time he has been in eleven political races at the state, county and tribal levels.

In 2001, he won his first campaign becoming a district representative of the Crow Nation, and in 2003 he was elected to the school board in Lodge Grass, MT.

He ventured into county politics in 2006, and won his first term as Justice of the Peace. But not by much: 23 votes separated him from the loser. It was then he determined that he would be as fair and impartial as he possibly could, thus proving to his non-Indian constituency that discrimination would not be a part of his court.

He was successful beyond measure. The second time he ran, he won the race by over 1,000 votes. According to Leroy, this was the first time in history that votes in Bighorn County significantly crossed racial lines.

Leroy attributes his success to the education he received at St. Labre. “St. Labre taught me integrity, values and hope for the future,” he observes. “I received help at St. Labre that has served me well in my professional career and in my family life. And I especially want to thank Nellie Speelman [St. Labre Home/School Coordinator] for being there for me in my darkest hours.”

We are proud of Leroy and celebrate his achievements. He is a fine example of a St. Labre graduate who is making a difference for his people.

In addition to the September tour, we are adding a spring tour, which will bring the group to campus on graduation day, 2012. You will have the opportunity to meet the graduates and talk to them about their hopes and dreams for the future.

This tour will begin in Rapid City, South Dakota, on Wednesday, May 23, 2012. This tour includes: the Little Big Horn Battlefield, Yellowstone National Park and other points of interest. Call Jeff Peterson or one of his associates today toll-free at 1-866-313-2577 for a complete itinerary and pricing. You must sign up by March 1, 2012.

The fall tour is the second possibility commencing on September 9, 2012, and ending on September 16. This tour begins in Billings, Montana, and will include the same itinerary as the spring tour. You will have ample opportunity to visit the schools and interact with students and staff.

One gentleman who was on last fall’s tour said, “I’ve traveled the world with tour guides and I must say this was the best I’ve experienced. I’m telling all my friends about it whether they are St. Labre supporters or not.”

Dear Friends,

Each year I look forward to the coming new year with a sense of anticipation of what the coming days, weeks and months will bring. This year I have a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

Anxiety because I’m a little worried, as I’m sure you are, about the economy. Report after report tells us that the economy is still fragile and I know that many of you are just as affected as we are here at St. Labre. Contributions were down during the Christmas and holiday seasons and I am concerned about how our friends are doing. I know that so many of you make truly sacrificial gifts in order to help provide for the nearly 700 children who count on us each and every day. I want you to know that you are in our prayers of gratitude and that we lift you up in our prayers of hope.

Even with my worries about the economy, I am strengthened by the knowledge that St. Labre was founded on faith and, as I have long said, has the best donors in the world. I am so grateful for all that you do for the Indian children.

Sincerely,

Curtis Yarlott

In a trip that spanned over 1,500 miles and two mountain passes, including the continental divide, 20 St. Labre seniors braved the November snow and cold to visit the University of Montana, located in Missoula, and Montana State University-Bozeman.

In a way, it was kind of a compare and contrast exercise between the state’s rival universities to help students decide which college they will attend next fall. The students’ reactions were mixed.

Vonnda said she liked the feel of the Bozeman campus better while Jade had completely the opposite reaction. Hunter withheld judgment, but said, “Now I know what majors each school has that are in my areas of interest and can now compare campuses to make a better decision.”

However, not all of the 20 seniors participating in the trip will be attending one of these two colleges. Most of them have already completed admission applications to three colleges as part of their St. Labre application requirements, so they will have multiple options when selecting a college to attend.

More importantly, this trip exposed students to the expectations of college. This understanding will instill in them the confidence they need to succeed. It appeared to have worked. “Before this trip,” Joshua observed, “I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to college. I was scared. Now I’m looking forward to it.” Ivy added, “Going to college doesn’t seem as stressful now.”

The trip was organized in a collaborative effort between Jake Gion, St. Labre Career Counselor, and the St. Labre Alumni Support Office. The campus visit is just one component in a program we have developed in recent years to increase our college attendance and retention rates. Other elements of the program are the college application portfolio, parent night, orientation visits, alumni panel, and the college summer camp. These efforts are paying dividends as our attendance and retention rates continue to surpass national averages:

• 21 out of 25 of our most recent seniors attended college, an 84 percent attendance rate, well above the national average of 55 percent.

• Since 2009, 80 percent of our graduates have attended college the first fall after high school graduation.

• Of the last three graduating classes (2009 –2011), 73 percent are currently enrolled in college. Our retention rate is also much higher than the national average of 50 percent.

At Montana State University our first stop was the American Indian Student Center, where we were met by Jim Burns, American Indian Student Advisor at MSU-Bozeman and a St. Labre Alumnus, class of 1978.

Students also visited the Snow Science Lab, (where snow pack trends in local mountain ranges are examined), sat in on two different classes, and toured several of the dormitories. Perhaps the highlight of both visits was the college student panel. At the University of Montana, St. Labre students listened to six current UM students who were asked to share their thoughts about college.

At MSU-Bozeman, the student panel consisted entirely of St. Labre alumni. In preparation for her presentation, Alisha Rogers, class of 2009, wrote a list of things not to do that she delivered to the seniors. She began with simple messages of “Do not procrastinate” and “Do not pull all-night study sessions,” and she finished with “Do not play the blame game. It’s all up to you.”

She did an amazing job, and the room was completely attentive as she shared her list. The seniors carried away many valuable lessons. When students were asked what was most beneficial about the visits, they overwhelmingly answered the student panel. “It was helpful when St. Labre alumni talked to us,” said Ronnata.

Ronnata recalls, “We know them. They went to school at the same place we do. If they say we can make it in college, then I know it’s going to be OK.” Alexis summed up the message she heard from the student panel in three words, “Don’t get discouraged.”

On the walk to the bus to load up and head home after the tour was over, Chase observed, “I’m excited to go to college now. I want it to start soon.” That’s the kind of conviction and enthusiasm we were hoping for.

Notes:
• Currently 15 alumni are attending MSU-Bozeman and 5 are attending the University of Montana

• During fall semester 2011, 105 St. Labre alumni attending college participated in the St. Labre Mentoring Program.

In 1936 the Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg, Indiana, heeded the call to operate the Crow Mission Schools – St. Charles at Pryor and St. Xavier in St. Xavier. That relationship continued until 2001 when the last sister retired to the Mother House.

It was a sad day in Pryor because everyone assumed this was the end of the line for sisters staffing the mission. As in so many schools and parishes across the country, nuns were in short supply.

Fast forward to 2011 and meet Sister Sharon Smith, SCL, and Sister Mary Lou Mendel, SCL. As if by a miracle these two sisters answered the call to serve the parish and school. Both are Native Montanans, and served in-state in various capacities over several years. But both also served parishes in the Midwest, too. Sister Sharon graduated from Montana State University with a degree in physical education and then entered the convent with the Sisters of Charity in Leavenworth, Kansas. Sister Mary Lou entered formation right out of high school.

Both have been teachers, parish workers and community workers for their Order. And both decided some time ago that they wanted to return to their Montana roots. According to Sister Mary Lou, Sister Sharon was partial to living in western Montana where she grew up, but when she experienced the Pryor area for the first time, “she saw how good eastern Montana can be.”

"When I drove out here to see the place,” she recalls, “it just hit me right. I’ve always been partial to rural areas since I grew up on a farm.”

Sister Sharon, who served as a parish administrator, not only wanted to return to Montana, she wanted to be in direct service to people. “Serving the Crow people,” she observes, “it is a perfect fit for me. Not only am I doing the work I love, I am learning about a new culture. People have been so warm and friendly here and appreciative of having sisters back in the community. This has truly raised my awareness of the blessing of my vocation.”

When she was serving nearby parishes in Joliet, Fromberg, and Bridger, Sister Mary Lou met Reverend Randolph Graczyk, pastor at St. Charles who was assisting in the same parishes. They began to talk about the possibility of sisters returning to St. Charles. “Father Randolph was very encouraging,” she says.

Both sisters wholeheartedly believe that the Franciscans of Oldenburg paved the way for their current presence, and both are enjoying the work God has ordained for them at St. Charles Mission and School.

To some degree, most of us are procrastinators, especially when it comes to taking action in unpleasant circumstances or when the issue seems far off in the future. The one event that hardly ever appears on our radar is our own deaths. If we enjoy good health, even at an advanced age, this issue is often out of sight out of mind. But what kind of situations can result in our negligence to this issue?

Consider the following story. There was an elderly man I visited a few times over a period of years who was having a difficult time deciding where he would like his sizable estate to go after his passing. He was very fond of St. Labre Indian School because he felt that Native people had not been treated fairly.

He had a project that meant a great deal to him. He called it “Students of the Quarter.” Each quarter we gave him names of the top students in the middle schools on our three campuses and in the high school at St. Labre. Once these students were identified, he sent them each a check for $50.00. His reasoning, and rightly so, was that they would then understand that doing well in their educational endeavors could lead to future, long-term success. In addition to this program, he indicated that he plans to leave a bequest to St. Labre for college scholarships after his passing because he knew that our students would have more opportunities to succeed if they had college degrees.

Unfortunately, he never got around to arranging for this bequest in his final plans. A short time after his death, St. Labre was informed that he had neglected to make a legal will. When that happens the entire estate goes into probate and the state of residence makes decisions about disbursement of assets. Such decisions by the state cannot include charities.

Latest statistics show that at least 60% of Americans die without a viable will or trust. To me, and I hope to you, that is troubling. Even though our estates may be modest at best, we want those assets to accomplish the goals we hold dear, namely taking care of our families and leaving something for the causes we love.

It’s a new year, a time for resolutions and important decisions. What better way to begin than to make certain your final plans will do exactly what you want them to do? Whether you need to revise them or get a will or trust drawn up, make that phone call today to a reputable attorney and get started.

And remember, we can help. We can send you a comprehensive will kit that gives pointers on getting started and following through. It’s free. Call the St. Labre Planned Giving Department today toll-free at 1-866-652-0959 and ask for yours. It’s a decision you won’t regret.

At their November 7, 2011, meeting, the American Council on Gift Annuities lowered their gift annuity rate recommendations. The following statement by the ACGA explains why:

“As part of a continual monitoring process, the Board reviewed the current assumptions that underlie the rate schedules. Given the significant changes in the economic environment, the Board approved a new schedule of suggested maximum gift annuity rates, which will become effective January 1, 2012.”

St. Labre will comply with the new rate recommendations beginning February 1, 2012, since this change was published before this edition of the Morning Star. Call the St. Labre Planned Giving Department toll-free at 1-866-652-0959 for additional information.

In talking to our benefactors from all parts of the country particularly during the winter, we are often asked what kind of weather we are getting.

Montana gets some unique winter weather such as February 2, 2011, in Chinook, Montana, in the northern part of the state. That morning residents woke up to a temperature of 43 degrees below zero. By 2:30 p.m. that day, the temperature had risen to 44 degrees above zero. What had occurred was a “chinook,” an Indian word meaning “snow eater.”

It’s a sudden warm wind that comes in from the southwest and drives the cold air east into North Dakota. As you can imagine, such extreme winter weather presents many challenges to our schools because we cannot count on chinooks.

Buses must be winterized to the max to account for the sub-zero temperatures that we often experience. Keeping sidewalks and roadways clear of snow and ice is paramount to prevent falls and accidents.

Our heating system must be in tip-top shape so the school and dorm rooms are comfortable. And the list goes on. To put it all in perspective, we could not endure the winters without the funds you send to help us through this, our most expensive time of year. Thank you.

In case you are wondering, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Montana was 70 below zero without wind chill.