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Young men from inner-city community team up to help reservation town
Five young men from inner-city Kansas City, known as the Urban Rangers, teamed up last week with Jesuits from Red Cloud Indian School and Lakota youth for a week of summer service, training young men on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in basic job skills while providing upkeep of community buildings along the way. The project was a collaboration with St. Agnes Catholic Church in Manderson, and its pastor, Fr. Phil Cooke SJ. “Our youth need jobs and spirituality, not just one or the other,” he says. “Sometimes the Church needs to reach out and make the first step.” Together with youth from the reservation, the young men worked together to paint buildings—including St. Agnes Church and the parish hall—and discussed goals and teamwork. And in the process, the Urban Rangers aided St. Agnes in starting its own chapter of the Kansas City group, which reservation youth have dubbed the “Rez Warriorz.” Fr. Cooke says he hopes to expand this pilot program in the months to come. Leslie Iron Hawk of Wounded Knee says the project was an important one for not only himself, but also the community. “It shows me a sense of workmanship and how to get along as a team,” he says. “It teaches me responsibility, and the importance of getting things done.” The Urban Rangers worked with Lakota youth through Saturday. With the Kansas City group gone, Lakota youth continue to work on their own with the help of Fr. Cooke and Pastoral Assistant Roberta Spencer. “It’s difficult to find jobs for our reservation youth,” says Spencer, a resident of Manderson. “They want to work. They are determined to work. It’s important—necessary—to start projects like this. It raises self-esteem, and acknowledges the contributions that they can and do make in our communities. They should be proud of what they’re doing.” Tweet, tweet! We're on Twitter. Follow us at www.twitter.com/redcloudschool. Join us in our mission of educating the mind and spirit of the Lakota people, now and for future generations. Please consider an online gift. |
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