For Immediate Release:  November 2, 2026
Contact: Dani Henkel, dani.henkel@state.sd.us

23rd Annual Indian Education Summit to be held in Pierre

PIERRE, S.D. – The 2026 South Dakota Indian Education Summit will take place on November 12 at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center in Pierre.

The theme of the 23rd annual Summit is Okiciyapi- All the People united in helping each other! The summit brings administrators, educators, and college students together to strengthen awareness of Oceti Sakowin history, values, and culture and to develop strategies that improve educational success for Native American students.

The featured keynote speaker for this year’s summit is Russell Eagle Bear. Russell Eagle Bear is a prominent cultural liaison, historic preservation officer, and tribal figure for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. His work has centered on teaching Lakota history, tradition, and culture and protecting places of cultural and spiritual importance. He has served as historic preservation officer and presidential cultural liaison for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, advocating for sacred sites, tribal lands, and water resources. His work has also included efforts to bring ancestral remains home, including the return of children’s remains from the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

The Summit will feature sessions on a wide range of topics, including "Human-Shaped Learning and Indigenous Wisdom,” which will encourage learning through observation and example, story and meaning, identity and belonging, and kinship, responsibility, and community.

"The summit will showcase a strong lineup of culturally impactful speakers, and we are honored to welcome keynote speaker Russell Eagle Bear, whose work deeply supports cultural preservation and education," stated Office of Indian Education Director Fred Osborn. "The knowledge and resources shared at the summit will support and reinforce the importance of teaching and understanding Oceti Sakowin values, culture, and history in our classrooms.”

For more information, click here or email Fred.Osborn@state.sd.us.