South Dakota's Kinder's Enter Project
The Past Shapes the Future in Great Plains
Wolsey-Wessington, South Dakota kindregarten students work with area elders to make pillows that were given to local chemotherapy patients as part of Tammy Luce's place-based project.
Tammy Luce of Wolsey-Wessington School in South Dakota received a $1,000 2018-19 Grants in Place award for her "Senior Center Kinder's Enter" project, which connected Wolsey-Wessington's older generation with its younger generation. The kindergarten students shared new technology with the elders, who in turn helped the youngsters with local craft-making.
This project was made possible by our 2018-19 Grants in Place partners, Dakota Resources, a regional economic development organization based out of Renner, South Dakota. In addition. RSC board member, Jim Beddow, and Dakota Resource staff person and RSC Advocate, Michael Knutson, made donations to our South Dakota Grants in Place program.
Check out this summary letter and photos from Tammy Luce:
"Thanks to our grant from the Rural Schools Collaborative with support from Dakota Resources, we had an amazing year of field trips to the local Senior Centers. One of our Kindergarten classes traveled to the Wolsey Center and one traveled to Wessington. We had fun doing
seasonal crafts, reading to the Seniors and they got the chance to read to us! We especially liked making the pillows for the area Chemo kits. The pillows, which were made by students and elders working together, were given to local people going through chemotherapy for cancer treatments.
Talking and learning from each other was the biggest take away from these local journeys. We have made long lasting relationships and really brightened each other’s days."
Tammy Luce and the Wolsey-Wessington Kindergarten 2018-19.
Please note that the Rural Schools Collaborative is now accepting applications for its new 2019-2020 Grants in Place Fellows program. The application deadline is October 15th. Learn more.
