Rice Student Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Alternative
Spring Break
Eagle Butte, SD
March 1 - 9, 2008
Application Information and Registration Fee
There will be 9 spaces available for the trip.
The completed application is due no later
than Monday, November 5, 2007 at 5:00pm in
the Community Involvement Center. Participant selection
will occur on Monday, November 12 (with some trips conducting
group interviews on November 10 and 11),
and applicants will be notified of their
status by 5:00pm on Wednesday, November 14. Applications
are available on-line at
http://www.rice.edu/service (click
on the "Alternative Spring Break Participant
Applications" link). You
can also view photos and read personal testimonies
from past participants on-line. By 5:00pm on Monday, November 26, those selected to participate
will need to confirm their involvement by
submitting a non-refundable registration
fee ($250.00), liability release, emergency
contact and insurance information, a
signed copy of the Conditions of Acceptance, and 10 personal solicitations (details on all these components will be discussed at the All ASB Meeting discussed below).
For more information on the trip or application
process, please contact the student Site
Leaders, Michael Puente (michael.a.puente@rice.edu)
and Catherine Huang (yh5@rice.edu).
All selected
participants are required to attend a mandatory
team meeting 9:00-11:00pm
on Sunday, November 18 in Herring 100 (Auditorium).
Please hold this time on your schedule and
notify Christa Leimbach (leimbach@rice.edu)
at the time of your application if you have
a conflict with this meeting. Those that miss the meeting without prior consent will forfeit their place in the ASB program.
The registration fee includes
transportation, housing, meals, materials required
for service, some organized group activities,
and fees paid to the host agency. In most cases,
this registration fee does not even fully cover
the cost of transportation to the site. The
bulk of the trip expenses will be covered through
team and individual fundraising; all participants
are required to
assist with fundraising activities. Projects
may include bake sales, car washes, stadium
clean-ups, and other creative ideas. In addition,
participants will be required to assist with
personal solicitations to friends, family members,
co-workers, religious communities, civic organizations,
grant funds, and other sources.
A small amount of additional personal spending
money should be taken for souvenirs, meals
on the road, and optional activities.
While this is inexpensive for
a week-long service experience, we do not want
cost to be a prohibiting factor. If you are
concerned about funding your participation,
please indicated your desire to apply for a
partial scholarship by contacting Christa Leimbach (leimbach@rice.edu) before
the application deadline (5:00pm on Monday, November 5, 2007). Late requests will not be considered.
Eagle Butte, SD
At 1.4 million acres, the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation is the fourth-largest reservation in the United States and is home to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Ranging over the two counties of Ziebach and Dewey, it lies at the confluence of the Cheyenne and Missouri Rivers at Lake Oahe. The Sioux people cherish their connection with the lands; and their terrain is emblematic of the American West, consisting of expansive prairies over the low hills of the reservation.
The Cheyenne River Reservation is home to over 8,400 people, but their communities are in constant economic struggle. Ziebach is the fourth-poorest county in the United States, and Dewey is the eleventh. With few jobs available, many tribal members are unemployed, and two-thirds of the population survive on less than one-third the average American income.
The tribe's headquarters is located in the central community of Eagle Butte, as is the Cheyenne River Youth Project. Nearly 59% of the children of Eagle Butte live in poverty while over 18% of residents survive on an income of less than 50% of the national poverty threshold. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe suffers from additional problems with alcoholism and youth gang violence. The people of the reservation recognize that the future and hope for their way of life rest in the hands of their children. The Cheyenne River Youth Project serves as a community effort to preserve their culture and to offer their children the opportunity to overcome the obstacles of reservation life.
Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP)
CRYP, established in 1988, has become an essential youth and family services organization, integral to the Cheyenne River Reservation's support system. Poverty on the reservation has a profound effect on family structure and self-esteem, which contributes to a variety of social ills. The Cheyenne River Youth Project's mission is to serve the community's youth by providing the coping skills that will help them carry themselves beyond the poverty, beyond the dysfunction, beyond the pervading sense of hopelessness.
The organization provides innovative youth programming and family services that foster healthy choices and life practices, as well as a grassroots initiative to provide immediate relief and create opportunities for the future. With over 369 family memberships reservation-wide, CRYP represents local problem solving for critical community concerns.
CRYP is a well-rounded service organization comprised of four major components: the Main Youth Center, the Family Services Program, the 2 1/2 acre Winyan Toka Win ("Leading Lady") Garden and Ċokata Wiċoni Teen Center ("Center of Life") Teen Center. These four components create a synergy and represent the holistic approach of the Cheyenne River Youth Project toward assessing and meeting community needs.
The Main Youth Center is open six days per week, year-round, from 3:00-8:00pm during the school year. Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the Main offers daily after-school activities like arts and crafts, wellness programs, and activities in the garden for youth aged 4-12 years. In addition, CRYP hosts many seasonal programs, special events, and holiday parties throughout the year. With the recent construction of the Teen Center, the Cheyenne River Youth Project now incorporates more teen programs into their offerings for community youth.
In addition to youth programming, CRYP is also committed to providing quality, dignified Family Services. Each family purchases a membership for $20, indicating a willingness to invest in community improvement. In return, CRYP provides the entire family access to emergency hygiene products, household items such as cleaning materials and furniture, clothing, school supplies, and diapers.
CRYP has been recognized for its achievements locally, regionally, and nationally, indicating that participants and supporters agree on its efficacy and importance. The organization has received the Presidential Points of Light Award and the South Dakota Coalition for Children award.
(Description taken from CRYP's web site at http://www.lakotayouth.org.)
Service
Our days will be divided into two parts. During the school-day, we will go out in the community and participate in fundraisers supporting CRYP, help with building maintenance projects, spend time with the elders, volunteer at the food pantry, and more! After the children arrive at the youth center in the afternoon, we will feed them a snack and a meal, help them with their homework, play games, and serve as their mentors. We will be responsible for planning fun and educational activities and entertainment. During our week in South Dakota, our main focus will be working with and supporting the children in the after-school program. At the same time, another important aspect of the trip will be learning about the Sioux way of life while sharing aspects of our culture.
Accommodations
We will be flying from Houston to Rapid City, SD, and renting a van to drive to Eagle Butte (about three hours away). While working with the Project, we will most likely be staying at their newly renovated Teen Center, a facility built to serve the teenage members of the program during the day and to house groups participating in service trips at night. The Center consists of a main room where we will be sleeping, shower and toilet facilities, and a communal kitchen where we will be cooking most of our meals. We will purchase groceries at a local store. A sleeping bag will be necessary, though the Center will provide sleeping mats.
Activities
While the children are in school, we will have plenty of time to explore South Dakota. The group as a whole will decide what we do with this time. Some possible excursions include trips to Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Black Hills National Forest, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, and Wind Cave National Park. We can arrange to be led on tours of the reservation's lands. We will also be able to meet with leaders of the tribe to learn about the history and way of life of the Sioux.
Health
Upon acceptance, participants will be required
to complete a medical questionnaire and possibly
a medical interview as well. Examples of the kinds
of questions that may be asked are as follows:
- Have you had any chronic conditions requiring medical
care?
- Will you need any special medications or
medical care while on this trip?
- Are you allergic
to any foods or medicines?
- Do you have any other
dietary restrictions?
Conditions of Acceptance
Although we do not want to discourage anyone from
applying, we want to ensure that the conditions
of participation are clear. Please take a moment
to read the conditions below.
- Participants in the Alternative Spring Break
program are expected to
exhibit sensitivity to the host culture; observe
local rules and laws; and abide by the philosophy,
structure, and regulations of our host agencies.
- A primary goal of the program is learning. Participants
are expected to prepare for the trip by completing
the packet of readings provided by the Community
Involvement Center and attending pre-trip orientation
meetings. In addition, participants will be encouraged
to keep journals and participate in-group reflection
while on the trip.
- The Community Involvement Center will assist
in arranging reasonable accommodations on-site
and arranging service work to be done in conjunction
with the host agencies. Nevertheless, the exact
nature and conditions of these accommodations and
work cannot be guaranteed. Many of the conditions
we expect at home (i.e. hot water, daily showers,
washers/dryers, privacy, etc.) may not be available.
- The participants will be responsible for participating
in all fundraising activities, including personal
solicitations.
- It is the participant's responsibility to obtain
a passport and any necessary visas (if required
for the trip) before he/she goes and to bring his/her
own spending money for free-time activities, a
few meals, and other personal expenses.
- It is the participant's responsibility to insure
he/she is covered by a travel/health insurance
plan for the duration of the program, which includes
emergency medical evacuation.
- The participants are responsible for making all
decisions regarding appropriate health precautions.
- Participants will not consume/use alcohol or
illegal drugs, smoke, or engage in sexual activity
while on the trip.
- Participants must at all times be with another
member of the group. In general, activities outside
the scope of the program will not be accommodated
and participants should not make outside commitments.
- All participants are required to follow all
safety guidelines established by the Community
Involvement Center while on an Alternative Spring
Break trip, as well as during travel to and from
the site.
- In addition, following the trip, group members
will be responsible for presentations and information
sessions to be given to the Rice community in the
fall semester.
- Once accepted into the program and the registration
fee is paid, participants are financially obligated
to the full purchase price of their plane ticket
and/or agency fees if they drop out for any reason,
since these are non-refundable and will cost more
than the initial $250 registration fee.
