Patricia Hammond was working as an intern in the math and science department at Oglala Lakota College when a blizzard blew Roots & Shoots into her life.

The Martin, South Dakota native was attending a Roots & Shoots gathering at Spearfish Canyon Lodge in South Dakota when the snow began to fall. Soon the fast-falling flakes had trapped Patricia and Dr. Jane and the rest of the attendees there at the lodge.

Held hostage by the storm, the group sat around the lodge talking—and Patricia talked with Dr. Jane about her big idea for her community on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation: a vegetable garden that could serve as an outdoor classroom.

As on many tribal lands in the United States, problems of poverty, alcoholism and drug abuse are common on Pine Ridge.

"Our people were once a strong nation, free from oppression," said Patricia, who is a recognized descendent of Crazy Horse and Luther Standing Bear, "but on the reservation today, our streets are filled with potholes, our homes with alcohol and drugs and our land with rubbish. Many of our young people grow up believing that this is the way of our people."

Patricia believed reaching out to these young people through Roots & Shoots could help bring hope back to the Lakota Nation. Soon, Jason Schoch arrived on the scene to serve as Roots & Shoots Native American Project Consultant on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

"From there, the dreams began to grow," Patricia said. "[We began to] try to do what many thought to be impossible."

The two established a community garden and, soon after, a Farmers' Market that is run by the reservation's youth. The young people learn math and customer service skills, and the community elders revel in the fresh-grown vegetables, which have grown ever scarcer since they were children.

Now, Patricia is the Roots & Shoots Pine Ridge Field Coordinator. With her mixed Oglala Lakota and Caucasian heritage, Patricia helps to build bridges of understanding between the two communities.

Even as she finishes up her final credits for her degree in secondary education and physical science, she's working hard to support the Roots & Shoots members on Pine Ridge.

"I believe in the work that we do," she said. "We need hope, compassion and love to bring back the culture that was once so strong. This begins with the children."

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