Denise Landon’s eighth-grade history class at St. James School in Falls Church was studying the Wounded Knee Massacre last fall.

In December 1890, more than 350 men from the U.S. 7th Cavalry surrounded a camp of Lakota Sioux near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. The intention was to escort the Sioux out of their camp to a waiting railroad train for resettlement. They were to be the last Sioux to leave the area.

There was a scuffle between a few armed Sioux warriors and the soldiers. The scuffle escalated with troops firing into the camp.

All told, more than 140 men, women and children were killed, along with 25 soldiers. The events at Wounded Knee have been chronicled for years, and still remains a contentious issue for Native Americans.

The students in Landon’s class were upset by the actions against the mostly defenseless Lakota Sioux encampment and were motivated to help the Sioux, many of whom still feel the pain of the massacre and who live in poverty on reservations.

Landon was familiar with the terrible conditions on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and taught them about the reservation and about Chief Red Cloud, a leader of the Lakota Sioux and the namesake of the Red Cloud Indian School.

The students did some research on their own and told Landon they wanted to help the children there.

The school is located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota and is run by Jesuits, assisted by Franciscan sisters. The school works to promote Catholic and Lakota values.

“The thing that they liked about this particular school,” Landon said, “was that it didn’t force the Native Americans to give up their beliefs, language, etc.”

Landon told the students that whatever they raise, she would match it.

They took the challenge, held a pot-luck luncheon for students and raised $210. Landon matched the amount and a check for $420 was sent to the school last week.

They plan to do additional fund-raising events for other community causes, including help for the people of Haiti recovering from the devastating earthquake earlier this month.

Landon was proud of her students and their efforts for the school.

“The students were directly moved to organize and ‘throw’ this luncheon because of what they had learned in American history about the Plains Indians, specifically the Wounded Knee Massacre at Pine Ridge,” said Landon.

Sister Nancy Kindelan, I.H.M., principal, is happy with the students and the results they’ve achieved.

“I’m tremendously proud of them,” she said. “It comes entirely from the kids.”