Over the last three years, a partnership between The Lippman School and the Northern Cheyenne Nation in southeast Montana has taken students’ cultural awareness, appreciation, and understanding to a much higher level. Shared learning experiences, both in and around the Lippman campus and on the Cheyenne reservation, have given students some new perspectives—about each other, about themselves, and about the history of our country.

In Ohio, a celebration of Cheyenne drumming, singing, and traditional dress has been paired with making challah bread, project displays, a Havdalah ceremony, and a Shabbat family dinner. Each grade level at Lippman has enjoyed a demonstration of Cheyenne cultural practices, and Cheyenne students have been offered similar insights as they stay with host families during part of their visit. In May, Lippman students will return to the reservation to participate in a wide range of activities and traditions, including conversations related to a new storytelling project. Elders in both communities have been sharing past and personal experiences to help students better understand their history, culture, and personal identity. Students will continue to build on their friendships with each other, likely finding something new at every turn.