Last year Wakpala Public School was the lowest ranked school district in the state. Alcohol and substance abuse is rampant among old and young alike, and Native Americans have the highest dropout rate and teen suicide rate of any racial group in the United States. Despite all the obstacles this community faces, Wakpala is striving to find ways to change the present trends that are happening to its population. Programs like Page 1 are just one of the many steps needed to positively impact the school children and community as a whole.
Literacy is essential to their success.