Rocky Boy Schools, Stone Child receive grants

Educational facilities on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation are receiving nearly $100,000 in grants to help enhance learning and support poorer students.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded Stone Child College — on behalf of the Chippewa Cree Tribe —  $7,000 to support existing library operations and maintain core library services, a press release from RJS and Associates, which wrote the grant applications, says.

“This funding will allow the College to continue subscriptions for community use and provide professional development for the librarian,” the release says.

Stone Child College was awarded an additional $77,535 under the Institute of Museum and Library Services Library Enhancement grant program.

The one-year program is supposed to create changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors of community members. It will also focus on community awareness, computer competencies and increased library visits. The program will also support library community event nights throughout the year, sponsor a summer reading program for youth and provide funding for one staff member.  

“These two grants will help our library immensely to continue to improve our services as a library for the entire Rocky Boy Community,” Interim SCC President Cory Sangrey-Billy said.

Rocky Boy Schools received a $15,000 grant from the First Nations Development Institute of Longmont in Colorado. This award will support the efforts of the Rocky Boy Schools Helping Hands Backpack Program.  

The program provides backpacks and necessities like food and hygiene supplies to the neediest students on a weekly basis, a press release says. The program will increase the numbers of students who are already served under the backpack program.

“This was truly a team effort between Rocky Boy Schools’ staff and the grant writer, RJS and Associates Inc. Rocky Boy Schools has a history of maximizing funds provided and we will leverage this grant with community efforts and donations to make a major impact on our neediest students,” Rocky Boy Schools Superintendent Voyd St. Pierre said in a release about the grant.