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The main school on the Santee reservation in Niobrara has had a 100% graduation rate for the last two years -- a bit of a shocking result, considering it's historically one of the state's most underperforming schools. Why? School leaders say attendance has increased, as has student enthusiasm, engagement and graduation, after the school, for the first time, started teaching Santee culture -- the tribe's language, customs and history -- during the school day. Every day.

Contributing Writer 88-year old Elna Greenfield of rural Birmingham in Van Buren County had heard that the country-school teacher she had at Mt. Zion was still alive and living in Keosauqua. Elna remembered the teacher’s name, it was Veneta Pierce, and she was 10 years older than Elna. So she would be 98. “Lord have mercy!” Elna said to herself. Elna searched and searched in the Keosauqua phone book, which was hard on her eyes because she has both glaucoma and macular degeneration. Then she remembered–the pretty young school teacher had gotten married. The man would drive by w...

Empty Nest: 88-year-old woman finds her 98-year-old country school teacher Curt Swarm Elna Greenfield, 88, of rural Birmingham in Van Buren County had heard the country-school teacher she had at Mount Zion was still alive and living in Keosauqua. Elna remembered the teacher's name; it was Veneta Pierce, and she was 10 years older than Elna. So she would be 98. “Lord have mercy!” Elna said to herself. Elna searched and searched in the Keosauqua phone book, which was hard on her eyes because she has glaucoma and macular degeneration. Then she remembered — the pretty young school teacher h...