Educational Renewal in Rural South Dakota

Abstract

"I have a better understanding of what my community has gone through, and now I have a greater appreciation of what it faces," - Nick Wolf, Class of 1998, Howard High School, after completing a nine-week unit on the importance of place. Introduction In our school and community, we are working together for our continued future, Our lofty goal, the heart of our North Central Accreditation plan, is to develop a sustainable community which meets the basic needs of its citizens, Our community is only as well off as its most destitute citizen, This is a community that must grow and develop within its ecological limits, and the people living here today must inhabit it in ways that sustain it for future generations. We realize that ours is a commitment that requires the combined eff011s of all of our citizens: not just the school, not just Main Street, not just the farmers, but all of us working together. History Howard County High School began to take a broad perspective on education when Jim Lentz became the principal in 1994. His philosophy of education allowed teachers to broaden their students' learning and extend the boundaries of our school beyond the four walls of the classroom. Teachers were asked to teach one community focused lesson each month, the only limits to the lessons were the limits of the teacher's imagination. Education was broadened from the "2-by-4" teaching of our traditional past (students learned everything between the two covers of the book and the four walls of the classroom) to a curriculum that encouraged student learning beyond the immediate classroom. In some cases, students might not touch a book throughout an entire unit. As a result of this change in the curriculum, students are finally being told that they don't have to leave town to be successful. They are finally being taught the skills to create a job, not just the skills to find a job. We as teachers are encouraged to localize our curriculum, rather than standardize it. Howard High School's success so far has been based on four ideals: 1. Students and teachers must understand their home, their community. This includes knowledge of the local history, economics, and government. According to Jim Lentz, named superintendent in 1997, "Only men can you decide to build on your history, or perhaps not to repeat certain aspects." 2. The community is committed to making certain the basic needs of all citizens are met. Miner County is a poor region with some people living in desperate situations. Fifty percent of the population earns less than $20,000 a year. Food, clothing, shelter, and education are basic needs of every person that we will continually work to provide. 3. The school promotes sustainability. Long-term goals include supporting agriculture and other land uses that don't harm the environment, and promoting economic activity that will keep businesses and the school district financially stable. 4. Revisiting democracy is essential for all of our citizens, the young and elderly. The school will help students and community members understand issues surrounding topics including corporate farming, antitrust concerns in agribusiness, government services, and others, as well as political solutions to those issues. Mini-grants In fall, 1994, the Program for Rural School and Community Renewal from South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, awarded Howard three mini-grants. Two of the mini-grants were directed to study the importance of place in the community and one was to do a community cash flow project. After the success of these small projects, Howard received several larger grants. In 1994 the local Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter, with advisor Randy Parry and members of the community, wrote a 30-question survey concerning local spending patterns. This survey was sent to 1,000 Miner County residents. A remarkable 64 percent of the surveys were returned. …