Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Cankdeska Cikana Community College was named in honor of Paul Yankton Sr. whose Dakota name was Cankdeska Cikana. Paul Yankton Sr. was a recipient of two Purple Hearts and died on November 29, 1944, while serving as a rifleman with the United States Army's 11th Infantry at Lorraine, France.
Cankdeska Cikana was a proud warrior who believed in self-responsibility and the need for educational opportunities for Indian people. In May 1995 the Board of Regents officially changed the name of the institution to Cankdeska Cikana Community College. Mr. Yankton's son, Paul Jr., has a lifetime appointment as Chairman of the Board of Regents.
Candeska Cikana translates into English as Little Hoop and is pronounced "Chauñ-GDEH-sh'kah CHEE-kah-nah".
