Tȟawóksape Wóuŋspe

The Tȟawóksape Wóuŋspe Scholarship Program (Path of Wisdom Scholarship Program) was created to honor Oglala Sioux students who have shown resilience, strength, and determination while navigating challenges related to Child Protective Services (CPS) or the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). These students carry lived experiences that require courage, adaptability, and perseverance-qualities that deserve recognition and support.

This scholarship is grounded in the belief that involvement with child welfare systems should not define a young person’s future. Instead, it should strengthen our responsibility as a community to ensure that youth have access to opportunity, education, and pathways forward. Tȟawóksape-wisdom gained through experience-acknowledges that these students have learned lessons beyond the classroom and are stepping into their futures with purpose.

The program supports graduating high school seniors pursuing higher education, vocational training, or other post-secondary pathways. By reducing financial barriers, the scholarship helps students focus on their goals while remaining connected to their culture, community, and identity.

Rooted in Lakota values of compassion (Wóohola), bravery (Wóohitika), and generosity (Wówačhaŋtognaka), the Tȟawóksape Wóuŋspe Scholarship reflects our commitment to walking alongside our youth-not just through systems of protection, but toward lives of stability, success, and self-determination.