Living Here

South Dakota corps members teach on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations, which are between Pierre and Rapid City in the southwest part of the state. Most live in close proximity to the schools in which they teach, often on the reservations themselves, and become active members of their communities.

Our region is one of striking physical beauty, yet it is steeped in a complex history that has shaped the lives of its native Lakota people whose children our corps members serve. Todd and Shannon Counties are situated at the foot of the scenic Black Hills, or paha sapa, which hold tremendous spiritual significance for the Lakota people and are viewed as the heart and soul of their culture and history. Bordering our communities, the rugged beauty of the eroding formations of the Badlands hides fossils, deer, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, bison, and more.

Amidst this inspiring environment, our team is working shoulder-to-shoulder with the communities we serve, striving toward college-readiness, cultural awareness, and identity-rooted pride for all Native students living on reservations in South Dakota.