Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. speaks during the tribe’s annual Public School Appreciation Day at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa on Thursday. Courtesy
CATOOSA — Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. urged Oklahoma to put its money where its mouth is moments before his tribe donated over $6 million to 108 area school districts.
Superintendents from across northeastern Oklahoma gathered at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel & Casino Tulsa on Thursday for the Cherokee Nation’s annual Public School Appreciation Day.
That’s where Hoskin expressed frustration for a decade of devastating state funding cuts to education and reminded district leaders that his tribe has given $62.3 million to local districts since 2002.
Hoskin said Oklahoma has a long way to go to reach Gov. Kevin Stitt’s goal of becoming a top 10 state and remains at the bottom regionally in per-pupil spending despite recent efforts to boost education funding.
“Public school students in Oklahoma deserve access to the best instructors, the best technology, the best programs, the best of everything if our goal is to be a top 10 state in this country,” he said. “... I think the state of Oklahoma ought to follow the lead of the Cherokee Nation.”
This year’s $6 million donation is the largest since the Cherokee Nation began allocating 38% of its annual car tag revenue directly to education. The increase is possible due in part to gradual improvements to the economy.
Districts are given total discretion in how they apply the funding, which is distributed based on the number of Cherokee Nation citizens enrolled. In recent years, the money has been used to make up for gaps in district budgets for teachers’ salaries, operations, technology upgrades and school programs.
Tulsa Public Schools, which received the second largest donation of nearly $220,000, behind Broken Arrow, allocates 100% of the funds into its Indian Education program.
Superintendent Deborah Gist said this latest gift won’t prevent the controversial proposal to restructure the program due to reduced federal grant funding. District officials anticipate receiving the contribution each spring and have accounted for it during conversations about the reorganization.
However, Gist said the extra money does help lessen the severity of the impact to Indian Education.
“When we made the decision a number of years ago to use the tag money from Cherokee Nation for our Indian Education office, it was to help us avoid having to make reductions and to continue providing services most importantly,” she said. “And so having these funds come every year is an important part of our services to our Native American students.”
At Sand Springs Public Schools, which received nearly $75,000 this year, the annual donation benefit the district’s STEM program.
Sand Springs Superintendent Sherry Durkee said the funding has played a vital role in expanding STEM opportunities for numerous districts.
“This donation is important to our work in public schools,” Durkee said. “Additional funds public schools receive allow for innovation and enhancement to the general curriculum provided by each district. It is the innovative ideas that help to promote student engagement and broaden opportunities for students.”
The annual tag revenue contributions are in addition to the millions of dollars the Cherokee Nation and other tribes have paid to the state in exchange for exclusive rights to operate casinos in Oklahoma.
During Thursday’s event, Hoskin called out the governor’s ongoing dispute with tribes over gaming operations and pointed out that Oklahoma has received slightly more than $1.5 billion, most of which goes to education, from the tribal-state gaming compact since 2004.
He also opposed the idea of allowing out-of-state entities to open casinos in Oklahoma, questioning whether they would share the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to local education.
“We are a proud people that have overcome so much,” Hoskin said. “We are a proud people that call this place our home, not for a year and not because of some 10-year corporate outlook.
“This is our home forever, and we treat it that way. So I would put the Cherokee Nation and every tribe in this state against an outside corporation when it comes to a commitment to our kids any day of the week.”
Featured gallery: 13 things you will want to do for Spring Break
Head east on Route 66
This road trip is one you can begin in early afternoon by picking up some grub and whatever else you need at Mother Road Market for this Route 66-inspired travel, and then head east to the Blue Whale for fun photos and maybe a picnic. Then head back to the city when it’s time to arrive at the iconic Admiral Twin Drive-In to check out a double-feature, including the new Pixar movie, “Onward.” Advance forecasts call for highs in the low 60s that week, and if that holds, grab a few blankets for a start time a little after 7 p.m. motherroadmarket.com, admiraltwindrivein.com
Go west on Route 66
Make a stop at Route 66’s old Round Barn in Arcadia (the kids enjoy this more than you think), then head just down the road to drink up the recent history at Pops, where you will find hundreds of flavors of soda, from old favorites to weird ones the kids like to dare each other to try. A warning: This is annually the busiest week of the year for Pops, where tasty Americana meets up with a 66-foot-tall bottle out front. pops66.com
Silver Dollar City
You can celebrate spring break and an anniversary at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. The theme park’s 60th anniversary season begins March 17. Silver Dollar City, which welcomes 2.2 million visitors annually, will awaken from winter hibernation with 40 rides and attractions, including two world record-breaking roller coasters, Time Traveler and Outlaw Run.
Spring Ride Days at the park will mark the opening of Rivertown Smokehouse, the largest investment in a restaurant in Silver Dollar City history. The Rivertown Smokehouse numbers: 4,430-square-foot building, 6,915-square-foot patio and 450 seats. Spring Ride Days will continue through March 29, but the park is closed March 23.
A full schedule can be found at silverdollarcity.com.
Gathering Place has something for your kids all week
A five-day, themed event schedule beginning at 9 a.m. daily for the spring-break week of March 16-20 includes a diverse collection of free activities for the whole family at Gathering Place. Monday, March 16, is “Read-a-palooza,” followed by “Nature Day,” “STEAM Day,” “Sports & Wellness Day” and “I Love Tulsa Day” on March 20. gatheringplace.org
Art in Arkansas
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville will host "Ansel Adams in Our Time," an exhibit of Adams' photography.
Weeklong activities at Will Rogers museum, ranch
Children 17 and younger will be admitted free to spring break activities from 1-3 p.m. March 16-20 at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore and Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah. No registration is needed. Just show up.
Events at the museum Monday, Wednesday and Friday include 19th-century hands-on activities, museum tours, American Turf Flyers plane displays, air evac helicopter, paper airplane making, Tulsa Wind Riders kite flying, movie making, poster making, stop-motion filmmaking and how to do a story board. Activities at the ranch Tuesday and Thursday will include kid tractor pulling, tour of the birthplace home, polo on foot and stick pony races. willrogers.com
Make clay bookmarks at Whitty Books
Bring the whole family for a drop-in polymer clay workshop to make miniature clay bookmarks from 1-4 p.m. March 18 at Whitty Books, 2407 E. Admiral Blvd. This is an open-ended workshop, so participants can make anything they want. It is perfect for anyone 5 and older (possibly younger with parental help). The cost is $8 per item or three for $20. Crafting takes 15 to 40 minutes, depending on age and interest. The oven-baked creations are ready to go 15 minutes after they are completed. Some may want to plan lunch or an early dinner in the Kendall Whittier District.
IAN MAULE/Tulsa World file
Tree fort story time at Tulsa Botanic Garden
All ages are invited to hear nature-themed stories in the Carter/Sherry Families Tree Fort at Tulsa Botanic Garden, 3900 Tulsa Botanic Drive. Activities begin at 10:30 a.m. March 17-20. Bring a picnic lunch and explore the Children’s Discovery Garden or nature trail. Activities are free with garden admission, which is free for Tulsa Botanic Garden members, $8 for ages 13 and older, $4 for ages 3-12 and free for ages 2 and younger. For more information, call 918-289-0330. tulsabotanic.org
COURTESY/Tulsa Botanic Garden
Cherokee Nation Museums
Families looking for educational adventures for children during spring break should consider visiting Cherokee Nation museums Thursday, March 19. The museums are offering free admission and are hosting interactive activities, such as make-and-take cultural art projects.
Activities vary by location and are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as follows:
• Basket weaving at Cherokee National History Museum, 101 S. Muskogee Ave., in Tahlequah.
• Pipe cleaner and bead craft at Cherokee National Prison Museum, 124 E. Choctaw St., in Tahlequah.
• Weaving with paper at Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum, 122 E. Keetoowah St., in Tahlequah.
• Clay beaded necklaces at the John Ross Museum, 22366 S. 530 Road, in Park Hill.
• Clay medallions at Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum, 470288 Highway 101, in Sallisaw.
For information on Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism, including museum operations, go to visitcherokeenation.com.
Sam Noble Museum ‘Spring Break Escape’
Oklahoma’s major museum of natural history, at 2401 Chautauqua Ave., just south of the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, will be offering its “Spring Break Escape,” with activities for youngsters of all ages taking place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 18-22.
Among the activities planned include art stations, where kids can express their inner artist with make-and-take projects; face painting; demonstrations of such skills as stone toolmaking; performances by musicians, storytellers and the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers, a professional Native American dance troupe; and informative talks on subjects from museum scientists to help make topics such as paleobotology, ichthyology and entomology easily understandable.
During the lunch hour, a different local food truck will set up shop outside the museum, from Philly cheesesteaks to snow cones.
Most of the activities are geared around the Sam Noble Museum’s permanent exhibits, which include the Hall of Ancient Life, filled with exhibits dealing with Oklahoma’s prehistoric past, complete with dinosaur skeletons; the Hall of Natural Wonders, about the diversity of life on this continent; and the Hall of the People of Oklahoma, about the state’s rich and deep Native American history. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
Cost is $8 for adults, $5 children. 405-325-4712, samnoblemuseum.ou.edu
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd St., Oklahoma City, will have its new 2.5-acre family-centric expansion, called Liichokoshkomo’ ready for a special sneak peek March 14-20.
Liichokoshkomo’ (pronounced Lee-cho-kosh-ko-MO) is a Chickasaw phrase for “Let’s play,” and the new area is designed to engage minds and hands of visitors, with activities geared around the STEAM concept of science, technology, engineering, art and math, while celebrating the many cultural influences that came together to build the American West. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $9-$13.
Each day during the week will have a special theme.
March 14 will be “Taste of the West,” a day of food demonstrations with traditional cuisines from throughout the American West. Sample foods like hardtack, cornbread, fry bread and grape dumplings.
March 16 will offer “Crafts at The Cowboy,” where children can try their hands at such things as pottery, basket weaving, beading, silversmith arts and leatherwork.
Plan for a “Perked-Up Playdate” on March 17, with lattés for parents and hot cocoa for children courtesy of EÔTÉ Coffee Co.
“Rhythm and Rhyme” is the theme for March 18, with a wide variety of music-related activities, including performances by the Blackbird Dance Troupe, Jim Garling, Eterna Primavera Guatemalan dance group and Estrella Chapina marimba.
Celebrate the outdoors March 18 during “Picnic and Planting Day,” with seasonally-themed activities that include planting wildflowers seeds along Liichokoshkomo’.
March 20 is “World Storytelling Day,” where families can explore the art and methods of storytelling and the passing on of oral traditions from one generation to the next.
405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org
Pawhuska
This Osage County hub has so much history, and seeing bison at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is unforgettable, but let’s face it: The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in downtown is what has been drawing people from Tulsa and all over the country to Pawhuska recently. It’s a store, it’s a restaurant, it’s a bakery, and people are crazy about it.
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Kyle Hinchey
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kyle.hinchey
@tulsaworld.com
Twitter: @kylehinche
