Hidden America: Children of the Plains

-- an all American kid quarterback of his middle school football team. President of the student council when one of the strongest students in this class. A twelve year old with a face harking back to... See More

-- an all American kid quarterback of his middle school football team. President of the student council when one of the strongest students in this class. A twelve year old with a face harking back to those warriors of the Lakota -- past. Like Sitting Bull Crazy Horse. James loan out. A boy who has their face and is trying to find their strength. His name is Robert looks twice his long hair and Indian symbol of honor. That the tribal dance team has mastered the -- decisions every beat of the drum. The hunters -- from the movement of this spring. -- -- afternoon. I meet him in an isolated corner of the reservation that He takes me inside the trailer where He lives with his grandmother his uncle. And eight cousins. That's my cousin season is likely gates. -- -- Statin. The little ones I don't. It's so cool off from the turn on the propane stove from more witnesses. Are florists. Who got us and it's messed up -- the states. Get to keep him. And I -- you can -- it's very. But that it keeps -- It's messy. Nice god openers have real life. Some money doesn't its own bond then of course that it can exit. As many as five kids live in this room in our country flows in the cause an awesome weapon leaks. From state. But somehow Robert -- -- he's distant horizon outage. His name comes from his great great great great grandfather who looked twice looked -- the right -- And -- tells me how He tries to find a quiet corner in this room so He can study them. He plans to -- the first in his family to go to college and after that what is your goal for yourself. All going to be -- the end of next president. That's all I'm not laughing because it's impossible I just left -- -- -- during. Stand here. To understand how extraordinary. Robert and his aspiration our. You have to look around the world EC east on the dry windswept hills and plains -- point two million acres. It's not a single -- -- movie theater a big business a bank. Big house. All around him -- public housing broken by the -- 70%. Of his high school friends will drop out of school seventy to 80% of the adults. Are. Unemployed. And the people who want -- -- the mountains the wildness and the blizzard. I happen to you -- -- something else. There's an estimate that 80% of the adults on the reservation are. -- -- There's a kind of contagious epidemic. Of suicide. Back at the trailer Roberts grandmother blossom. -- was taken in the casualties of parental addiction and neglect. I really is not only my grandkids that I raise. So my cousins kids. Things happen and it's -- That's that's my cousin DJ says the scars on his hands happen with his -- was time abroad. -- -- -- -- -- -- What about Robert. Came here that's his mother struggles with alcohol to what's the first thing -- notice -- she's been drinking. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- I was there when she jinx she picked up -- she says things. I think in my -- greater. -- try and we wanted to know more about the mother of this extraordinary -- away. We met up there two hours away in Rapid City where she works at a bar does gardening. She had been drinking. -- do anything. She's also been drinking which He comes -- surprise visit with Robert and we're there and as the day goes on. -- -- -- -- -- -- lower Walden. It. -- For our money and -- colonial went to games. My mother son bond on his son visual -- -- -- wounded him. On an ancient hillsides. Near the -- apparently his family. -- was broken as the sun rises and defeated. The dances. Robert -- the highest honor given by the tribal elders -- -- -- feathers. -- -- they reach toward the sky. The competition. Millions prize money she -- the -- -- come home -- I'm just happy to be loosening. In -- and when He gets -- White House He promises. -- make sure his grandmother blossom. That's one of her favorite foods you cooked in oil but -- Indian fry bread. -- that she wants we'll put yourself. -- electric. This time. If you want to TP in the -- -- A child of warriors. In the tiny room. Fighting with what He has knowing other kids wake up tips -- much more. -- -- little jealous of how easy they have run news police. My uncle Tony they gonna be the money you know. Easy. -- -- takes the easy. And the chlorine kit takes the mighty rough crowd. And they're building up strength the whole time. -- becoming -- warrior. He won't warrior now. --