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Meet Some of Our 2018 Seniors!
March, 16 2018
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Graduation is just around the corner, and our seniors are getting ready to take on their college campuses this coming fall. Meet three members of Red Cloud’s class of 2018 as they contemplate their futures and their plans for creating positive change in their lives, in their communities, and in the world.
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Esperanza Hartman '18
What’s the best part of being a Red Cloud student? “Just the acceptance and feeling of belonging. Before I came to school here, I was not in a good mental place. I was coming from a school off the reservation that was predominantly white, and I was constantly made fun of.
In response, I just cut out all of my culture; I didn’t care to learn anything about it and didn’t care to be who I was. And then I came here. I was filled with so much self-hatred, but learning the Lakota culture and reconnecting helped me to be a better person, and to not so angry anymore.”
During your time here, what made you most proud? “Leaving home for six weeks for the INMED summer program my sophomore year. [INMED offers summer academic enrichment programs for American Indian students that prepare them for success in health science careers.] I actually ended up getting the most influential public speaker award, which was really cool because I had bad stage fright, and I still kind of do.”
What are your post-graduation plans? “I’ll be attending the University of New Mexico, and plan to double major in English and psychology. With the psychology degree, I want to take it all the way through medical school and be a licensed psychiatrist.”
And what are your dreams for the future? “No matter what profession I end up in, I just want to help people and give back to this community in particular, because it has done so much for me. Things aren’t okay here [on the reservation] and I want to help, especially in high-risk areas [like this]. I want to help as many people as I can.”
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Manual Yellow Horse ‘18
What’s the best part of being a Red Cloud student? “I have to say the best part is the guidance from Lakota culture, but also the Catholic culture. Both cultures have a lot to teach, and it’s cool that we get to experience both. Spiritually and culturally, I just have more of an interest in it, after being a student here.”
During your time here, what made you most proud? “A really big accomplishment for me is that our basketball team made it to State Tournament this year—we haven’t made it to state in about 9 years.”
What are your post-graduation plans? “My first year of college, I’m planning to go to Chadron State College, but after my first year, I’ll probably transfer to Fort Lewis College in Colorado. I want to get my Masters in Business Administration (MBA). I want to be a small business owner, and start multiple small businesses [that the reservation needs], like a clothing store and a laundromat.”
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Josh Little ‘18
What’s the best part of being a Red Cloud student? “I’d say the teachers. It’s really enjoyable to have teachers who I can talk to. Freshman year wasn’t the best time for me. I didn’t much care about learning Lakota [language], and in math I didn’t try very hard. Sophomore year, Lakota still wasn’t in my interests—I thought, I don’t really need this, this isn’t going to help me in my life.
I fought Lakota all the way up until junior year, and then I started paying attention. I went from being a kid who didn’t want to learn anything to wanting to learn everything, and wanting to read everything. Going here definitely helped me to open my mind.”
During your time here, what made you most proud? “Freshman year I went on a trip to Boston to visit Bridgewater State University, [a partner of Red Cloud]. I had the chance to meet Bridgewater’s president, and he’s the one who really started to plant that seed, where I wanted to learn a lot more.”
What are your post-graduation plans? “At first, I didn’t want to go to college right away, I wanted to take a little bit of a break. But I thought about it, and I felt like if I didn’t go right away, I’d put it off for a really long time. So now, I’m planning to finish all four years of college right away. I plan on going to the University of New Mexico to study computer science and computer engineering.”
And what are your dreams for the future? “I want to make enough money so I never have to work again! And I love everything about Japan, and I’d like to move there someday. And personal development—I never want to stop changing.”
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Photos © Red Cloud Indian School
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