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YASC is excited to offer Yale alumni and friends a service and learning opportunity on the Pine Ridge Reservation, home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. One of the largest reservations in the United States, Pine Ridge Reservation was the historic home of leaders such as Black Elk, Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull and, despite many challenges, is a place where the Lakota traditions, language and culture are alive and flourishing.

YASC will be working with the Pine Ridge Girls’ School– Anpo Wicahpi in Lakota – an independent, tuition-free day school that provides girls on the Pine Ridge Reservation with an academically rigorous college-prep education that is immersed in Lakota culture, language and values. The school was founded to empower Lakota girls to find their voices and become community and national leaders. 

Participants on the trip will have the opportunity to learn about Lakota culture and the Lakota way of life, while providing vital support to the school and its students. Participants will be able to work on a range of potential projects (indoors and outdoors), such as

• Advising students on education and career opportunities and life skills

• Offering arts and education classes

• Leading athletics and wellness programs

• Organizing a library

• Improving the school campus (including painting a mural and developing areas for athletics and gardening)

• Assisting school leaders and students with harvesting and preparing traditional foods for the coming school year

We welcome volunteers with all skill levels!

Volunteers will be staying on the reservation, at the Lakota Prairie Ranch Resort.  Please be aware that alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the reservation.

Review program policies and terms and conditions. For questions or further information feel free to contact trip producer Perry Sayles '88 at perry.sayles@gmail.com or João Aleixo at the Yale Alumni Association at joao.aleixo@yale.edu.

Discover the power of service to transform lives - especially your own.

Join fellow Yale alumni and friends for a unique opportunity to serve with YASC and Global Volunteers in the beautiful Siedlce region of eastern Poland. You'll work directly with local leaders and youth—both Polish and Ukrainian—offering your time, energy, and talents to support language learning and build lasting connections.

Whether you're an experienced educator or simply someone who loves kids and wants to make a difference, this program invites you to step into a role of meaningful impact and intercultural exchange.

Why Poland? Why Now?

After the collapse of communism in Poland, the county government of Siedlce asked Global Volunteers for help teaching conversational English. Reading in the classroom was a focus, but they did not have any native English speakers to listen to and practice pronunciation, idioms, and fluency to communicate effectively in English - the language of the world's marketplace. Volunteers have played a vital role in Poland's progress through teaching in classrooms and planning summer camps that engage children in the historical Siedlce county area, an area that still does not have the same access to resources as the larger cities. This program aims to serve both Polish and Ukrainian youth in the summer camps. The war in Ukraine has brought an influx of displaced families into the region but given the evolving nature of the war in Ukraine, we recognize that the circumstances may change by 2026. We are committed to supporting the community as it exists at the time and will adapt our efforts accordingly.

Your presence will be a message of hope and solidarity.

You'll lead small-group activities designed to help students practice spoken English in fun, creative ways, including:

• Games and storytelling
• Art and music
• Sports and movement
• Science and hands-on projects
• Film and photography
• Dance and cultural exchange

Review program policies, trip itinerary, and terms and conditions (YASC and Global Volunteers). For questions or further information feel free to contact trip producer Julia Bailey '93 MPhil, ’96 PhD or João Aleixo at the YAA.