For more than 135 years, Maȟpíya Lúta Owáyawa (formerly Red Cloud Indian School) has been educating the Lakota leaders of tomorrow… men and women who have left our doors and gone out into the world poised to “set the world on fire.” We are proud of the thousands of alumni who have walked across the graduation stage and have gone on to do remarkable things.
Graduate Success
Red Cloud High School graduates’ matriculation rates into college have increased exponentially since 2001 (from 19 percent in 2001 to 91 percent in 2009). At Red Cloud, we are confident these improvements in college attendance are a result of improvements that have occurred in part thanks to outstanding guidance counseling and college preparation programs, as well as the addition of our Graduate Success support program.
The program offers college readiness services to our current high school students, and continues the relationship with our graduates as they begin their first years of college. Each year, we travel around the country to meet with as many of our graduates as possible, hearing firsthand the challenges they face in adapting to college life and witnessing the success they are realizing.
College Visit Program
The Graduate Success office, in coordination with our guidance counselors, organizes trips for Red Cloud High School juniors and seniors each year to visit colleges and universities around the country they are considering applying to. The College Visit Program is just one aspect of a comprehensive post-secondary education program that Red Cloud High School attempts to provide to its students. With over 90 percent of our graduating seniors moving onto post-secondary education, it is important for our students to get a feel for college campuses as well as the immediate surroundings.
Keeping in Touch & Supporting Our Future
January Tobacco
January Tobacco is the Director of Graduate Success. January is a Red Cloud alum that graduated from Stanford University and has returned to Red Cloud to assist other Red Cloud alums in their college journey.
January’s main responsibility is to help prepare Red Cloud graduates for their chosen post-secondary options, whether it be a college, university, trade school or enrollment in the armed forces. After graduation and throughout their careers, the Director of Graduate Success is there to connect graduates with the support they need, from contacts and networking to encouragement to get that exam done on time.
January Tobacco can be reached at [email protected] or
(605) 867-1289 ext. 2535