NEWS :: Red Cloud Indian School

World-renowned photographer from The New York Times visits Red Cloud Indian School classroom
posted on February 11, 2010

World-renowned photographer Aaron Huey returned to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation last week to speak with students at Red Cloud Indian School. This was his fifth visit to Red Cloud, but the first time he had spoken to a classroom.

Huey’s work has been featured in publications around the world, including The New York Times, National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, The Smithsonian and The New Yorker. He recently has taken a strong interest in the Pine Ridge Reservation, and is committed to bringing attention to the poverty many residents face each day.

Anne Grass, an English teacher and volunteer at the school, invited Huey to Red Cloud. Grass’ class wrote letters to Huey after viewing his photography of the Pine Ridge Reservation online at www.aaronhuey.com. During the special visit with the high school English class, Huey answered questions about his work and career, and reflected on his time both at Red Cloud and on the reservation.

“The students were curious about why I take photos that are so difficult to look at,” he said after his visit. “As a photojournalist, I feel that it is my job to let people see the realities of life. And sometimes, that includes difficult things to look at. Many people don’t know of the hardships that people experience in our very country.”

In a recent blog on The New York Times website, Huey said, “Red Cloud Indian School is a leader among these positive forces [on the Pine Ridge Reservation], with 13 Gates scholarship recipients graduating from its school in only two years. As one of the most successful schools in the nation, they have completely flipped the paradigm on its head.”

Huey says he looks forward to returning to Red Cloud, and congratulates all the students and teachers for the incredible, inspired work they are achieving each day.

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