The sisseton-wahpeton oyate, a dakotah treaty tribe, located in the northeast corner of south dakota on the lake traverse indian reservation is proposing a community immersion project

The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs awarded a $900,000 Project Grant under the Indian Economic Development program (CFDA 15.032) to the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, a federally recognized Native American tribe in South Dakota. The grant will fund a 3-year community immersion project with the following key objectives:

1. Provide 600 in-person, virtual, and pre-recorded immersion opportunities using the dual language model for community learning through Dakota language classes, active lessons, and hands-on workshops to facilitate systemic change.

2. Produce 240 immersion language learning units and project-based activities to establish a curriculum for future Dakota language sessions and workshops.

3. By the end of the grant period, establish in-home family language plans, Dakota curriculum, and professional development trainings focused on a "seven families model" to sustain long-term language speaking growth in the community.

The grant aims to help the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate revitalize and restore their Dakota language through comprehensive community-driven initiatives over the 3-year award period ending August 2027.

The target audience include early childhood, public school students, adults and community. The project has three objectives: (1) to provide 600 immersion opportunities using the dual language model for community learning through dakota language classes, active lessons and hands-on workshops offered in-person, virtual and or by pre-recordings to facilitate community systemic change. (2) to provide 240 immersion language learning units and or project base immersion activities will be produced that will establish a curriculum to be utilized in dakota language sessions and workshops, for future resources. (3) by the end of the three-year grant period, in-home family plans, dakotah language curriculum and professional development trainings will be established and in operations focused on a seven families model that will sustain language speaking growth. By the end of the community immersion project the community will have established language revitalization and restoration patterns that will sustain the project beyond the grant period.