The Trust for Public Land – or TPL - has announced a pilot program to bring green community schoolyards to tribal communities nationwide. Three of those communities are in South Dakota.
The program is a joint effort between the TPL and Bureau of Indian Education. It was announced at the recent White House Tribal Nations Summit.
Danielle Denk is TPL’s community schoolyards initiative director. She said these spaces are valuable for many reasons.
“It just really makes a three-dimensional learning environment for students, and a wonderful place for teachers and school staff to go outside and decompress a bit," Denk said. "And for the community these are open more than not to the community after hours, which means they provide all the benefits that a park would provide.”
Denk said TPL will take a backseat in the design process.
“Our role is to bring our process but not to be the lead locally," Denk said. "We really are looking to work with tribal and indigenous designers, organizers, folks who would be in line with this kind of process to be the local lead.”
One South Dakota school involved in the program is the Crazy Horse School in Wanblee. Superintendent Margo Heinert said experiential education is important.
“Educationally I really support anytime we can do some hands-on learning activities," Heinert said. "I think our kids learn a lot better that way. We are working on an elementary playground, but we wanted something more education-oriented for older kids. So, when that phone call was made, I got in on a conference call with them, it just fit our schedule perfectly.”
Other South Dakota Schools involved in the program are the Pine Ridge School and Rock Creek Grant School in Bullhead. Schools in Idaho, Arizona, Wisconsin, Montana, and New Mexico are also taking part.