Catholic Schools Week is a time to celebrate the enduring gift of Catholic education and its role in forming young people in faith, knowledge, and service. At St. Augustine Indian Mission School in Winnebago, Nebraska, the week offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how Catholic education continues to shape the lives of Native American children and families more than a century after the Mission’s founding. St. Augustine Indian Mission School serves Kindergarten through 8th-grade students from the Winnebago and Omaha Tribes. Founded in 1909 by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the Mission remains faithful to its original purpose: to educate and evangelize while honoring the dignity, culture, and identity of the Native people it serves. Today, it is the only private Catholic school in Nebraska dedicated specifically to Native American students.

During Catholic Schools Week, students participated in a variety of activities designed to celebrate community, culture, and joy in learning. Theme days encouraged creativity and expression, including opportunities to wear traditional clothing that honored the students’ Native heritage. Our school’s classrooms were filled with games, art projects, scavenger hunts, and shared experiences that strengthened the bonds between students and staff. Prayer and sacramental life remained at the heart of the week. Students gathered for School Mass, participated in First Reconciliation, and prayed a school-wide Rosary together. These moments reminded the school community that Catholic education is not simply academic instruction, but a journey of faith that invites children into a deeper relationship with Christ.

The success of Catholic Schools Week reflected the dedication of St. Augustine’s teachers and staff, whose commitment extends well beyond the classroom. Their care, creativity, and faith provide students with stability and encouragement, often amid economic hardship and uncertainty. Catholic Schools Week at St. Augustine Indian Mission School was a celebration of faith in action — a witness to the lasting impact of Catholic education where learning, hope, culture, and faith come together beautifully.