Located on the Rosebud Reservation, Wakȟáŋyeža Ki Tokéyaḣči Oúŋspe (translated as “Children First Learning Center”) is preserving the Lakota language and culture by providing an immersive, student-centered education in South Dakota. Guided by the belief that “children come first,” the school pairs every classroom with fluent Lakota speakers, integrates elders into daily learning, and combines language immersion with land-based education to strengthen both academic success and cultural identity. By preparing the next generation of Lakota educators through its teacher apprenticeship program, the school is creating a sustainable model that helps Indigenous students and their communities thrive for generations to come.