Ben Reifel School is ready to receive its first class of students when the doors open this fall on the east side of Sioux Falls. Many people, myself included, are wondering whom the Sioux Empire's newest middle school is named after?

It's quite interesting and would make a fine movie.

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Ben Reifel was born in a log cabin on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in 1906. His Lakota name was 'Lone feather' born to a woman named Lucy Burning Breast. He spoke two languages as a child learning both English and Lakota. He worked hard on his family farm near Rosebud before enrolling in the School of Agriculture near Brookings in 1928. He graduated 4 years later as class president. After graduation, he worked as an advisor for boys in Mission, SD.

When the Indian Reorganization Act was signed by President Roosevelt in 1934, Reifel began working furiously for Indian land rights and helped tribes set up governments.

World War II got underway and he was commissioned in the Army where he was called upon to serve his country - which he willfully accomplished and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

After being discharged, he made his way to North Dakota and accepted the job as superintendent of Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. It was there that he accepted a scholarship to Harvard and earned his master's degree in 1949. He returned to Pine Ridge shortly thereafter and became superintendent of Pine Ridge Reservation.

With all of these accomplishments, politics was a natural transition for Reifel. He easily won the election for South Dakota's 1st congressional district and was the only American Indian in Congress in the 1960s. One of his big accomplishments was to get the Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) to set up shop in South Dakota. It's still in operation in the northeast part of Sioux Falls to this day.

When President Nixon called to ask Reifel to chair the National Capital Planning Commission, he put his retirement plans on hold. After a stint in Washington DC., he continued work for the National Park Service and the Boy Scouts of America.

After a very successful career, Reifel died of cancer two days into the year 1990.

You may have seen his name touring the Badlands of South Dakota. Ben Reifel Visitor Center in Badlands National Park is a popular stop while taking the scenic route.

Now, his name and legacy live on as the namesake for Sioux Falls' newest middle school located on the east side. This year, 2021, will be the first class to see inside the new school.

historical source: Wikipedia

 

Who Is Ben Reifel And Why Is A Sioux Falls School Named After Him?

Sioux Falls has a new middle school named Ben Reifel Middle School. It just opened for the 2021 fall school year.

If you've traveled the east side of Sioux Falls you've probably noticed the progress in the school's construction. It is located at Faith Ave. on the cites east side just northeast of Harmodon Park off 41st Street.

Sioux Falls' newest middle school bears the name of Benjamin Reifel, also known as Lone Feather. So who is Ben Reifel?

10 Really Strange Things That Are Still Illegal in South Dakota

Even though these laws are rarely ever enforced nowadays, they still are on the books in South Dakota. Here are the Ten Commandments of South Dakota Law:


Know Your South Dakota College and University Mascots

The college football experience is an ultimate high for football fans and it takes several other teams to make that happen week after week during the season.
Just think about what goes into gameday? First and foremost, the players and coaching staff who put in hours and hours of practice and training to play in front of their fans. Then there's field prep, game officials, live broadcasts, concessions, and on-the-field entertainment. Yep, entertainment.

Second to the game, who do you watch? The cheerleaders? The band at halftime? What about the mascot? That's a job not many people can do.
I asked Sioux Falls native and former Cagey mascot for the Sioux Falls Canaries and Little Red & Herbie for the Nebraska Huskers Nate Welch about being a mascot:

  • What does it take to be a mascot?
  • "Losing a bet or filling an opportunity!" Welch says, "An internal energized desire to love life. After meeting great performers who are introverts out of costume, they become the center of attention when they take the stage. And also feeding off the performance of others."
  • Why does the mascot never talk?
  • "Know your role and shut your mouth. You are there to entertain. Tell the story with your actions and not your voice."
  • Advice to someone putting on that costume for the first time?
  • "Remember you are now in a costume. Have fun. Otherwise, you're just a dork in tights. If the fur ain't flying you ain't trying."

Nate Welch has moved on from his days as a mascot to Executive Director of the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Company in Vermillion, South Dakota.

So, can you name the mascots at our South Dakota Colleges and Universities? Check out the gallery below:

Sioux Falls Cheapest Home:

Sioux Falls Cheapest Home

 

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