SMSC announces $250,000 in grants to Shakopee and Prior Lake-Savage Area school districts
Prior Lake, Minn. – The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has announced that it will provide $125,000 grants to both the Shakopee Public School District and Prior Lake-Savage Area School District.
“We appreciate local schools’ role in preparing our youth for the future, and we know that they will put these donations to good use,” said SMSC Chairman Charles R. Vig, who is also an alumnus of Shakopee High School.
For each school district, $25,000 of the donation will be allocated for the district’s Indian Education Program. The Indian Education Programs support opportunities that ensure all American Indian/Alaskan Native students have access to a high-quality, standards-based education that inspires learning, critical thinking, cultural awareness, and self-esteem. Both school districts will determine the best use for the remainder of the funding and share their plans with the SMSC.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for their ongoing support and generous gift,” said Shakopee Schools Superintendent Dr. Rod Thompson. “The school board and administration will work closely to determine where we can best utilize the funds to invest and meet the needs of all our students. We are grateful to Chairman Charlie Vig and the entire SMSC for their support of Shakopee Public Schools. They are tremendous partners in education and we are looking forward to continuing and building our relationship.”
“Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools is honored to be a beneficiary of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s generous contribution to the students of our shared community,” said Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Teri Staloch. “The SMSC’s gift will help hundreds of students reach their full potential as contributing and productive members of our ever-changing global community and will specifically provide funds to support and advance American Indian Education in our schools.”
The SMSC partners with local school districts in a variety of ways, including operating the Dakotah! Ice Center which serves as home ice for Prior Lake-Savage High School and the Prior Lake Youth Hockey Association. Food waste from local schools is composted at the SMSC’s Organics Recycling Facility, and the SMSC’s Wozupi garden also provides fresh vegetables to Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools.
About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Making its top priority to be a good neighbor, the SMSC is one of the top 10 philanthropists in Minnesota and donates more to charity than any other Indian tribe in America. It also focuses on being a strong community partner and a leader in protecting and restoring natural resources. The SMSC’s government, Gaming Enterprise, and various other enterprises are collectively the largest employer in Scott County.
Attached photo: School Board Chairman Reggie Bowerman (left) and Superintendent Dr. Rod Thompson (right) thank SMSC Chairman Charlie Vig for the SMSC’s $125,000 grant to the Shakopee Public School District.