Catherine Howard, a staff member of Four Winds High School in Fort Totten, led the first ceremonial smudging of the school year. Smudging is a Native American indigenous ritual that uses burning sage. People participating in the ceremony waft the smoke toward themselves. It is believed doing so can help purify and ward off evil spirits. It is also used to protect the person from evil spirits. The students in K-12 at Four Winds Middle and High School all attended. She told the students to think of a loved one while participating in the ritual. After the smudging ritual, Howard also conducted school prayer in both English and Dakota.
