Stories in Our Communities
For the last several years, the communities of Spearfish, Custer, and Oelrichs, South Dakota have linked the generations through a school-community program called Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song™. Elders from the communities share their lives with classes of elementary students, and the students write a narrative of the elder’s life and with the help of a regional songwriter, compose a song for the elder. In addition, in 2016, students from Custer and Rockyford visited the five National Park sites in Western South Dakota and wrote songs about “what is in the heart” of the parks, in celebration of the National Park Services 100th Anniversary.
Spearfish, South Dakota, 1999-2012
Spearfish, South Dakota, 2012-Present
Custer, South Dakota, 2005-2018
Custer, South Dakota, 2019-Present
Oelrichs, South Dakota, 2012-2014
South Dakota’s National Park Treasures, Through the Voices of Our Youth, 2016