Born in Pine Ridge in 1992 and raised in the Lakeside community, DeAndra McLaughlin’s story is deeply intertwined with Maȟpíya Lúta. Her journey there began long before high school. At just four years old, her mother dropped her off at Drexel Hall for Montessori. Aside from a brief two-year period away during elementary school, she remained part of the Maȟpíya Lúta community all the way through graduation in 2011. “That’s like a wrinkle in time,” she says of the years spent elsewhere.
A Family Legacy
Education at Maȟpíya Lúta runs deep in DeAndra’s family. Her three siblings attended and graduated from Maȟpíya Lúta. Her grandfathers were boarding school students when the school was still known as Holy Rosary Mission. Multiple aunts and uncles followed, and today her nephew and niece walk the same halls. For her family, Maȟpíya Lúta is more than a school, it is a generational thread.
Shaped by Independence
During her sophomore and junior years, DeAndra lived mostly alone during the week. Her mother, who worked in law enforcement, was stationed in another part of South Dakota. Though grandparents and relatives checked in, much of the responsibility of daily life rested on her shoulders.
“I did learn independence and self-sufficiency during that time,” she reflects. “There were times when I struggled with the emotional weight of that aloneness but didn’t know it at the time.”
Friendships and Mentors That Last
Maȟpíya Lúta gave DeAndra friendships that have stood the test of time. She met her closest friend in sixth grade, someone she now works alongside in the same office, and holds other middle school friendships that have endured for over 20 years. “It’s the most comforting and loving blessing to have 20+ years of friendship with the same people,” she says.
Teachers also played a meaningful role. Sophomore English teacher Anne Grass stands out as someone who has championed DeAndra’s success since she was 15. “She’s been a champion for my success since I was 15,” DeAndra shares. “Even today, Ms. Grass continues to check in and cheer me on.” That steady encouragement, she notes, deeply impacted her well-being.
From Pine Ridge to Stanford
When DeAndra graduated in 2011, she carried strong academic habits and the knowledge that support from Maȟpíya Lúta would always be available. The Alumni Success Office became a lifeline during college. “Knowing that I could always reach out to someone if I needed help, and receive that help, was great, especially as a young adult in a completely different environment.”
DeAndra went on to attend Stanford University, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. The transition was intense. Moving from Pine Ridge to a diverse campus felt jarring. “I felt like a fish out of water,” she recalls. But just as she had done before, she persevered. Once she found community, she flourished.
Her academic journey did not stop there. She earned her Master of Public Health from South Dakota State University and is currently completing her dissertation for a Ph.D. in Indigenous Health at the University of North Dakota. Her educational path was made possible in part by the Gates Millennium Scholars Program scholarship, which funded both her undergraduate and graduate studies. “I’ve been in school forever,” she says with a laugh, “and utilized my scholarship to the fullest extent.”
Coming Home
In 2016, DeAndra returned to Maȟpíya Lúta full-time after interning during her college summers. “Maȟpíya Lúta was my home because I was so involved in the school outside of classes,” she explains. The seeds of who she could become were planted here, and over time, she grew into that vision. Maȟpíya Lúta did not just prepare her for success. It remained a partner in it.
What Matters Most
Today, while finishing her dissertation, DeAndra’s greatest passion lies within her family. She is raising her niece and nephew and embraces her role as an aunt with deep intention. “I am passionate about learning more about myself as a parental figure, and who I am now in this era of my life,” she shares. Completing her Ph.D. is the next milestone on her journey, one she looks forward to with “a huge sigh of relief.”
Alumni Wisdom
When asked what advice she would give her younger self or current students, DeAndra’s message speaks directly to the insecurities of adolescence:
“No one is paying attention to you as much as you. Being a teenager means you are growing every day, your brain is developing, you are maturing, but not as much as you’d like to think. Adults don’t feel like adults. I don’t feel like an adult. Adults in your life are learning every day along with you. The teen years into early twenties are full of insecurities, and when we’re that age, we think everyone is looking at us, judging us. But the thing is, everyone you think is paying attention to you is thinking the same thing about themselves. It is good to build coping mechanisms to help calm down the enormity of what we feel. One way is by affirming yourself every day and telling yourself that no one is paying attention to you as much as you. With practice, it can turn into a belief that relieves you of external stress.” — DeAndra McLaughlin
Her message: give yourself grace. Growth takes time. Even adults are still learning.
From Montessori student to Ph.D. candidate, from Lakeside child to Indigenous health scholar and devoted aunt, DeAndra McLaughlin’s journey reflects the enduring impact of Maȟpíya Lúta, a place that shaped her roots, nurtured her resilience, and remains her home.