Native American Ministry
Organizational Infrastructure and Student Engagement
Since March 2026, St. Peter Indian Mission School has maintained a dual focus on strengthening organizational infrastructure and expanding student engagement opportunities. The Mission is successfully transitioning to a new invoice tracking system to streamline account management. In April, school meetings prioritized vital community outreach as well as long-term financial and organizational strategy.
Through recent student programming initiatives, St. Peter has served over 20 students, providing them with direct, hands-on engagement and educational support. In March, students participated in a specialized job readiness training program through the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) designed to prepare indigenous high school students for future employment. In April, students engaged in youth-led community service projects, including preparing lunch for the Gila River Tribal Educations Committee and attending statewide athletic competitions for St. Peter’s Wildcats baseball team.
A significant highlight was the Drones in the Desert Competition on May 2, which provided students with hands-on STEM experience in navigation and aerial photography. Beyond basic piloting, the competition provided students with a robust set of multidisciplinary skills. Students developed STEM and technical skills such as the practical application of flight aerodynamics, spatial awareness, troubleshooting hardware, and understanding drone technology mechanics. Students were required to problem solve and think critically while navigating real-time flight challenges, adapting to environmental variables in the desert landscape, and engaging in tactical course planning. The event also encouraged teamwork and collaboration. Students worked in coordinated groups to manage flight logs, spot obstacles, and strategize under competition time constraints, and older students mentored their younger peers.
Financial Allocations and Impact
To support these initiatives, a primary portion of the current grant was dedicated to transportation. Specifically, the funding helped cover fuel costs to ensure that students received reliable transportation to and from the Mission for EVIT training sessions, extracurricular activities, and competitions. This investment in transportation was essential for maintaining high participation rates and ensuring the success of the spring program cycle.
Black Catholic Ministry
Gospel Music
The Office of Black Catholic Ministry has supported and promoted the development of Gospel music to evangelize in the African American community. Since March 2026, our youth and adults have received professional voice lessons and instruction in the techniques and history of the genre of Gospel music. This was made possible through the generosity of the Black and Indian Mission Office grant. The choirs that benefited from this evangelizing effort were the Umoja Gospel Youth Choir, the Freedom Singers Adult Choir, and the Good Shepherd African Gospel Choir. In total, 50 individuals were served across all the Gospel choirs. Gospel music has always been a powerful source of evangelization in the Black community, and we are actively working to keep this tradition alive.
