Sicangu Owayawa Oti (Rosebud Dormitory) is referred to by BIE as a peripheral dormitory, a facility intended to house students attending schools too far from their homes to return to school and back on a daily basis. As a housing facility, it has no requirement to support academic achievement in the same manner as the other facilities we inspected. Nevertheless, we found that the dormitory had instituted a number of educational programs to reinforce student academic achievement, as well as cultural programs to increase cultural awareness and student success.
To reinforce learning skills, the dormitory had a home school coordinator who facilitated between the dormitory and school, tracking each student's academic achievement and working with teachers to ensure completion of assignments. A study hall also had tutors to help students with basic subjects as well as someone to read with the younger students.
The dormitory also invited traditional Lakota leaders to speak on topics important to the students. The subject of historical trauma gave speakers the opportunity to introduce traditional ceremonies that students could apply to help them overcome their own individual traumas. For students who remained in school until graduation, the dormitory honored them with the traditional Name Giving ceremony. For some, this proved to be a more significant event than the graduation ceremony also honoring their accomplishment.