Each year, John Carroll hosts the Morning Star Pow Wow, which is a day of gathering and celebration for Native Americans.

This event is run by Social Studies teacher Gary Scholl and is open to the public. Mr. Scholl’s anthropology class works to set up and run this event. The anthropology students also have the opportunity to meet with Southern Cheyenne guests before the Pow Wow.

A lot of planning goes into this event. Some of the steps that Mr. Scholl takes include setting the date and getting it approved by the school for the school calendar, getting commitments from four drum groups, reaching out to food and craft vendors and getting them to return signed contracts, assigning head staff including MC, arena director, and head dancers, coordinating with school for security and custodial services, securing sound system services, and organizing the anthropology students for setup, running the event, and taking it down.

The Pow Wow first started in 2001 and has taken place every year since with the exception of the two COVID years.

Mr. Scholl said, “The event quickly grew into one of the largest Pow Wows in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Native American community has embraced this event because of its adherence to traditional ways and because it raises funds for Saint Labre Indian School in Ashland, Montana.”

Mr. Scholl has run this event every year since it started. “Running this Pow Wow has enabled me to create and maintain close relationships with local Indian people. It has also enabled me to bring to Maryland many Cheyenne friends from both Montana and Oklahoma, who stay with my family for the weekend.”