On the edge of the Pine Ridge Reservation in Martin, South Dakota, sixth grader Robert Jensen started the school year with excitement and confidence — and a new backpack filled with notebooks, folders, pencils, and other essentials from the American Indian Education Fund® (AIEF), a program of Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA).

Robert, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, lives with his parents and four siblings. His mom, Stephanie, is a special education teacher at his school. She knows firsthand how much these supplies matter. “It makes me very happy to be able to get school supplies to provide my kids with the best education they can get because they have the right supplies,” she said. “It definitely helps my financial burden. You don’t have to go out and spend that money on school supplies. You can buy a new pair of shoes or whatever else they need.”

Finding affordable school supplies in Martin isn’t easy. “Especially more local, it’s much more expensive than traveling to Chadron or Rapid City,” Stephanie explained. “Here, it’s more difficult to find school supplies. You can get crayons and pencils, and that’s about it.” Families like Robert’s are feeling the impact of rising costs, too. The average price of school supplies in 2025 has risen 7.3 percent over 2024, putting extra strain on family budgets.

Robert was especially excited about the notebooks in his backpack, which were perfect for drawing, and his new student council treasurer role. “A scientist is the biggest thing that I want to be,” he said. “I like how everything just works in science.” Recently, he’s been learning about Earth and space.

Stephanie is grateful for the support from donors who make these moments possible. “As teachers, we definitely appreciate the support and the school supplies to allow our kids to be able to do that without putting that financial strain on their families,” she said.

Your donation can help close the gap for underserved students. Every gift to AIEF gives students the supplies and confidence to learn, dream, and grow.

Donate to AIEF today and help Native students start the school year ready to succeed.