As a non-profit school, Lakota Waldorf School does not receive any regular state or federal funding. We rely 100% on the generosity of individual donors and grant support to keep our programs thriving and our students connected to both Waldorf education and Lakota culture.

Your support helps us continue to grow strong, rooted in tradition and guided by love for our children and our land.

In this fundraiser, you’ll see just how much it costs to keep our student transportation program going, meet the dedicated drivers who make it all possible, and learn why this program is essential to our students and our school community.

For our students at Lakota Waldorf School, the day starts before sunrise. It begins with the hum of a bus engine, the warm greeting of a trusted driver, and the promise of a school day filled with learning and community.

This summer, we’re setting out on an important mission: raising $20,000 to ensure our Student Transportation Program can continue to serve every child who depends on us next school year.

This amount $20,000 is to help cover the costs of our bus operations for the 2025-26 school year. Our bus gas and maintenance program costs us $30,500 per year, an essential investment to make sure every student can come to school safely.

For many of our students at Lakota Waldorf School, the bus isn’t just transportation, it’s their only way to school.

Here’s how your generosity will fuel our journey:

Gas and Fuel: Our two bus routes cover over 240 miles each, every weekday. We also drive our students to Teca Wacapi (Pow wow), and end of the year field trips. Fuel costs add up quickly, and we budget $15,000 to keep our buses rolling.

Maintenance and Registrations: The wear and tear on these buses is significant. They travel over dirt and gravel roads riddled with potholes, which can be tough on both the tires and the frame. We set aside another $15,000 to keep them safe, road-ready, and well-maintained. They often go to the shop for tire fixes or other issues, and during the summer they get a full overhaul to make sure they’re in the best shape for the year ahead.

A Liveable Wage: Our drivers begin their days at 5 a.m., making sure every child gets picked up from home and arrives at school by 8 a.m. In the afternoon, they do it all over again, making sure everyone gets home safely. They’re reliable, patient, and truly care about the children they serve, often communicating with parents and guardians to keep everyone connected and supported.

Every dollar brings us closer to another year of safe rides, warm greetings, and endless possibilities for our children.

Join us in keeping our buses rolling and our kids to continue their quailty education.

Meet our Bus Drivers!

Robin Janis (pictured above) drives the Northeast route, covering Kyle, Pejuta Haka (Medicine Root), No Flesh, North Route, and American Horse Creek. His bus run is 35 miles and this 2 x per day, a total of 70 Miles a day. Robin has been our bus driver for 13 years, this coming school year will be his 14th year. His father was a proud busdriver.

James Two Crow covers the communities that are further away of our school. He drives 2 times a day a route of 85 miles, in the morning and again in the afternoon, 170 miles per day, covering the Southwest communities of Sharps Corner, Porcupine, Evergreen, KILI Radio, Goose Neck, Manderson, and Wounded Knee.

Why Our Bus Operations Matter

At Lakota Waldorf School, we believe every child deserves a chance to learn, dream, and grow. But for many families on the Pine Ridge Reservation, getting to school isn’t always easy.

Our reservation spans over 2 million acres, larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Many families live miles away from our school, and reliable transportation is their only link to the Lakota Waldorf School.

That’s why our bus operations are a lifeline. We have two incredible bus drivers who make it all possible. They’re the first friendly faces our children see every morning and the last to wave them home in the afternoon. One of our drivers begins his day at 6 a.m. to ensure that students who live furthest away still arrive at school on time, ready to learn.

We often have to get the bus to the shop to either fix a tire or any other issue. In the summer the busses go into the shop to make sure they are safe and in good shape.

Our school bus drivers are doing important work, their responsibility is to transport the children from their home to the school and arrive at the school at 8 am. And in the afternoon they pick up the children up at 3 pm at the school and make sure they all arrive at home safe. They are reliable, responsible and love their job. They have to be patient with the children on the bus, helpful and often communicate with the parents and guardians.

Their dedication is a testament to the community spirit that Lakota Waldorf is built on. They know every student’s name, every family’s story, and they drive with a mission: to ensure no child is left behind simply because of distance.

Your support of our bus operations directly impacts these children’s futures. It’s not just about getting from point A to B, it’s about opening doors to opportunity, belonging, and hope.