December 28 2015

US Department of the InteriorBureau of Indian Affairs Office of Indian ServicesDivision of Workforce Development 2040 Creekview Court Red Wing MN 55066

Attention Kenneth A Le Mieux Program Coordinator

Enclosed is the 477 Year End Report 2015 for the Osage Nation of Oklahoma If you need any further information please contact me at 918-287-5657 or mwildcatosagenation-nsngov

Thank you

Mary Wi ldcat irector Osage Nation Department of Education

OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Dare XX XXXXXX

US Department of the Interior Public Lnw 102-477

Annual Financial Expenditure Report

I Tribefrribal Organization

OSAGE NATION

3 Mail ing ddrcss (Provide complete mailing address)

EDUCATION DEPARTivlENT 627 GRANDVIEW PAWHUSKA OK 74056

4 Submission (Mark One)

0 Revi sed( x) Original

2 Other Identifying Number ssigncd by DOI

GT-OSG930- I 5

5 Final Report ror Plan Periw

Q Yes X No

6 tnnual Report Period

from 100 1 14 To 093015 (MonthDayY car) (MonthDayYear)

7 Plan Period Covered by this Report

From 10012014 To 093011 5 (MonthDayYear) (MonthDayYcar)

8 Transactions

a Total Funds Available

b Cash Assiscance Expenditures

c Chi ld Care Services Expenditures

cl Education Employment Trai ning and Supportive Services Expenditures

i TANF P111poses 3 a11d 4 (non-add)

ii Other TA NF Assistance (11011 -add)

e Program Operations Expenditures

i Child Care Quality Improvement (non-add)

f Administration Indirect Cost Expenditures

g Total Federal Expend itures (Sum of lines b through ()

h Total Unexpended Funds

Column I Previously Reported

$ 3 1033000

$ shy

$

$ 4419959

$ shy

s

$ I 1992745

s shy

$ 6889669

$ 23302373

$ 7730627

Column II This Annual Report

Period

$ 3 1033000

$ 44 19959

$ 12885630

$ 6889669

$ 24 I 95258

$ 6837742

Column Ill Cumulativdfotal

$

$

62066000

-

$ -

$ 88399 18

$

$ -

$ 24878375

$

$ 13779338

$ 4749763 1

$ 14568369

9 Certification This is to certi fy that the information reported on all parts of this form is accurnte and true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that the tri be has complied with all directly applicable statutory requirements and with those directly applicable regulatory requirements which have not been waived

a71~bal om( J ~~ ~t rJ-shy

1 tl ~ ~~ _G ~ b Type Name and Title c Date Report Submitted

CALLIE CATCHER TREASURER

d Questions regarding this report - Contact (Type Name Title Phone and Email Address)

OSAGE NATION PL 102-477

FINANCIAL STATUS REPORT SECTION 12

FY-2015

12a None of these funds in the approved budget which originated in Section 401 in Title 11-B of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts Prohibition on the use of funds for economic development activities (Section 141 (q))

12b None of these funds in the approved budget which originated in Section 401 in Title 11 -B of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts Restrictions on assisting employer relation (Section 14copy)

12c There was no amount of program income earned

12d There was no amount of refunds or rebates received

12e The total amount of administrative funds expended during this period was $68897 Total funds expended totaled $241 953 This information is rounded to report the full dollar increments

12f There were no child care development funds used (not applicable)

12g There were no temporary assistance to needy family funds used (not applicable)

Pub L 102-477 Statistical Report Tribal Nation OSAGE NATION Report Period

From 10012013 To 09302014

I Participants Served Adults Youth Cash Assistance Recipients

A Total Participants 43 81

B Total Terminees 36 81 C Total Current Participants 7 0

II Terminee Outcomes Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Total with Employment Objective 10 73

1 Entered Unsubsidized Employment 8 I 2 Other Employment Outcomes 0 64 3 Employment Objective Not Achieved 2 8 4 Earnings Gain $754 $

B Total with EducationalTraining Objective 17 8 l DegreeCertificate Attempted Attained 17113 86 I 2 Other Education Outcome 0 0 3 Education Objective Not Achieved 4 2 4 Literacy Gain - of participants attemptedattained I 5 Numeracy Gain- of participants attemptedattained I

C Misc Objective Achieved D Other (Non-Positive)

III Terminee Characteristics Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Female 15 42 BMale 2 1 39 C Education Level 1 Dropout 2 2

2 Student 0 39 3 High School DiplomaGED 19 23 4 Post High School 15 17

D Veteran 3

IV Participant Activities Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Employment 17 73 B EducationTraining 36 8 C Misc ObjectiveSupportive Services 20 3 D OtherService Referral

V Child Care Development Activities Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Families Receiving Child Care B Children Receiving Child Care

1 Ages 0 to 3 years 2 Ages 4 to 5 years 3 Ages 6 and above

C Care Received - Type of Provider 1 Tribal Center Based 2 Other Center Based 3 Group Home 4 Other Care

VI Jobs CreationEconomic Development Jobs Created

Indians Alaska Natives Employed

Businesses Assisted

A Number

Report Prepared By Printed Name amp Signature Phone Number Date Mary Wildcat 918-287- 5657 12292015

OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Date XXXXXXXX

December 29477 Program Annual Report

Osage Nation The reporting period of this report is for 1012014 to 9302015 Education

Department

The mission of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide educational and

supportive services to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive

individuals and contributors to their communities and families The PL 102-477 programs of

the Osage Nation are adult work experience adult vocational training youth education

services higher educat ion and Johnson OMalley Along with funding from the 477 contract

additional program funding is secured through Osage Nation supplemental appropriations The

additiona l programs include classroom training summer youth co llege entrance assistance

higher education graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual

and group reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation

Public Schools Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

Providing an education center within the county for clients and surrounding

communities is a continua l goa l of the Osage Nation Education Department (ONED) The Osage

Nation Education Center opened in M arch of 2007 It houses the education staff a computer

lab multipurpose classroom library materials and the Osage Nation Head Start now known as

the Wah-Zha-Zhi Early Learning Academy This center includes a satellite campus which

provides a setting for on-site classes with live instructors on-line classes workshops training

and distance learn ing co llege classes Blended classes are also held that includes both on- line

and on-site curriculum The education center provides a place for clients to prepare for and

begin their co llege education It also allows for employment training on-line research and

computer training classes

The ONED received fu ll accreditation and approval from the Higher Learning

Commission to offer full degree programs and host graduations on site through Tu lsa

ll Pagc

Community Co llege (TCC) The classes are open to the community and high school students in

the area It is the only higher educat ion institution in the reservationcounty

Osage Nation partnered w ith TCC and local public high schools in order to offer col lege

classes and recruit students for enrollment As a result of this partnership enrol lment numbers

in the co llege classes exploded and approximately seventy-five students are now in attendance

The school districts that participate include Hominy Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook

Woodland Wynona and Cleveland All of these local education agencies (LEAs) fall within the

boundaries of the Osage Nation service area with the exception of Cleveland Public Schools

which borders it

The majority of students that attend the college classes are concurrent high school

students Concurrent students are enrolled in both co llege and high school classes

simultaneously Most schools allow students to replace the high school class equivalent with

the college class ie inst ead of enrolling in junior English the student would take Composition I

at the co llegiate level There are many classes offered that include but are not limited to

Composition I and II American Federal Government History since 1865 Spanish I and 11

Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Chemistry Introduction to Speech Computer

App lications Art Appreciation Music Appreciation Public Speaking and Introduction to Biology

(for non-majors)

The development of this partnership and concurrent program promotes student success

in many ways There are more students taking the ACT test at al l of the school districts It is

required to enroll in the program The classes are more demanding and take more effort from

21 Pagc

the pupils They are rising to the challenge and most students completed their classes with a

passing grade

The college class partnership continues to evolve develop and implement best practices

to ensure Native American Student success In her article The Failure of Tribal Schools Sarah

Butrymowicz states that many students face shortcomings before college even begins

including poor preparation in primary and secondary schools 1 Concurrent classes give

students a chance to earn college credits early and ease them towards the transition from high

school to college Multiple programs within the ONED such as the college entrance assistance

public school support Johnson OMalley summer youth and Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

collaborate with the LEAs at all grade levels to reinforce Native American Student Success

Pawnee Tribal College also continues to offer associate level classes at the Osage

Education Center for the past five years According to Butrymowicz many Native American

students choose tribal colleges because they re more convenient than other higher- education

institutions and they feel more comfortable staying on the reservation (2) This partnership is

focused on community and the Osage Nation employees that are under employed The

schedules are designed to accommodate working individuals

The program goals of the Osage Nation Education Department are designed to provide

as many educational and training opportunities to Osage and Native Americans living within the

boundaries of Osage County as well as Osages living outside of the county The overreaching

goal is to enable students to obtain all of the necessary skills and ed ucation to reduce

joblessness andor promote training to better their current employment status To ensure that

all of the surrounding communities and tribal members are aware of the services offered

3 1P agc

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

Pub L 102-477 Statistical Report Tribal Nation OSAGE NATION Report Period

From 10012013 To 09302014

I Participants Served Adults Youth Cash Assistance Recipients

A Total Participants 43 81

B Total Terminees 36 81 C Total Current Participants 7 0

II Terminee Outcomes Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Total with Employment Objective 10 73

1 Entered Unsubsidized Employment 8 I 2 Other Employment Outcomes 0 64 3 Employment Objective Not Achieved 2 8 4 Earnings Gain $754 $

B Total with EducationalTraining Objective 17 8 l DegreeCertificate Attempted Attained 17113 86 I 2 Other Education Outcome 0 0 3 Education Objective Not Achieved 4 2 4 Literacy Gain - of participants attemptedattained I 5 Numeracy Gain- of participants attemptedattained I

C Misc Objective Achieved D Other (Non-Positive)

III Terminee Characteristics Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Female 15 42 BMale 2 1 39 C Education Level 1 Dropout 2 2

2 Student 0 39 3 High School DiplomaGED 19 23 4 Post High School 15 17

D Veteran 3

IV Participant Activities Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Employment 17 73 B EducationTraining 36 8 C Misc ObjectiveSupportive Services 20 3 D OtherService Referral

V Child Care Development Activities Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Families Receiving Child Care B Children Receiving Child Care

1 Ages 0 to 3 years 2 Ages 4 to 5 years 3 Ages 6 and above

C Care Received - Type of Provider 1 Tribal Center Based 2 Other Center Based 3 Group Home 4 Other Care

VI Jobs CreationEconomic Development Jobs Created

Indians Alaska Natives Employed

Businesses Assisted

A Number

Report Prepared By Printed Name amp Signature Phone Number Date Mary Wildcat 918-287- 5657 12292015

OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Date XXXXXXXX

December 29477 Program Annual Report

Osage Nation The reporting period of this report is for 1012014 to 9302015 Education

Department

The mission of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide educational and

supportive services to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive

individuals and contributors to their communities and families The PL 102-477 programs of

the Osage Nation are adult work experience adult vocational training youth education

services higher educat ion and Johnson OMalley Along with funding from the 477 contract

additional program funding is secured through Osage Nation supplemental appropriations The

additiona l programs include classroom training summer youth co llege entrance assistance

higher education graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual

and group reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation

Public Schools Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

Providing an education center within the county for clients and surrounding

communities is a continua l goa l of the Osage Nation Education Department (ONED) The Osage

Nation Education Center opened in M arch of 2007 It houses the education staff a computer

lab multipurpose classroom library materials and the Osage Nation Head Start now known as

the Wah-Zha-Zhi Early Learning Academy This center includes a satellite campus which

provides a setting for on-site classes with live instructors on-line classes workshops training

and distance learn ing co llege classes Blended classes are also held that includes both on- line

and on-site curriculum The education center provides a place for clients to prepare for and

begin their co llege education It also allows for employment training on-line research and

computer training classes

The ONED received fu ll accreditation and approval from the Higher Learning

Commission to offer full degree programs and host graduations on site through Tu lsa

ll Pagc

Community Co llege (TCC) The classes are open to the community and high school students in

the area It is the only higher educat ion institution in the reservationcounty

Osage Nation partnered w ith TCC and local public high schools in order to offer col lege

classes and recruit students for enrollment As a result of this partnership enrol lment numbers

in the co llege classes exploded and approximately seventy-five students are now in attendance

The school districts that participate include Hominy Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook

Woodland Wynona and Cleveland All of these local education agencies (LEAs) fall within the

boundaries of the Osage Nation service area with the exception of Cleveland Public Schools

which borders it

The majority of students that attend the college classes are concurrent high school

students Concurrent students are enrolled in both co llege and high school classes

simultaneously Most schools allow students to replace the high school class equivalent with

the college class ie inst ead of enrolling in junior English the student would take Composition I

at the co llegiate level There are many classes offered that include but are not limited to

Composition I and II American Federal Government History since 1865 Spanish I and 11

Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Chemistry Introduction to Speech Computer

App lications Art Appreciation Music Appreciation Public Speaking and Introduction to Biology

(for non-majors)

The development of this partnership and concurrent program promotes student success

in many ways There are more students taking the ACT test at al l of the school districts It is

required to enroll in the program The classes are more demanding and take more effort from

21 Pagc

the pupils They are rising to the challenge and most students completed their classes with a

passing grade

The college class partnership continues to evolve develop and implement best practices

to ensure Native American Student success In her article The Failure of Tribal Schools Sarah

Butrymowicz states that many students face shortcomings before college even begins

including poor preparation in primary and secondary schools 1 Concurrent classes give

students a chance to earn college credits early and ease them towards the transition from high

school to college Multiple programs within the ONED such as the college entrance assistance

public school support Johnson OMalley summer youth and Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

collaborate with the LEAs at all grade levels to reinforce Native American Student Success

Pawnee Tribal College also continues to offer associate level classes at the Osage

Education Center for the past five years According to Butrymowicz many Native American

students choose tribal colleges because they re more convenient than other higher- education

institutions and they feel more comfortable staying on the reservation (2) This partnership is

focused on community and the Osage Nation employees that are under employed The

schedules are designed to accommodate working individuals

The program goals of the Osage Nation Education Department are designed to provide

as many educational and training opportunities to Osage and Native Americans living within the

boundaries of Osage County as well as Osages living outside of the county The overreaching

goal is to enable students to obtain all of the necessary skills and ed ucation to reduce

joblessness andor promote training to better their current employment status To ensure that

all of the surrounding communities and tribal members are aware of the services offered

3 1P agc

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

December 29477 Program Annual Report

Osage Nation The reporting period of this report is for 1012014 to 9302015 Education

Department

The mission of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide educational and

supportive services to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive

individuals and contributors to their communities and families The PL 102-477 programs of

the Osage Nation are adult work experience adult vocational training youth education

services higher educat ion and Johnson OMalley Along with funding from the 477 contract

additional program funding is secured through Osage Nation supplemental appropriations The

additiona l programs include classroom training summer youth co llege entrance assistance

higher education graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual

and group reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation

Public Schools Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

Providing an education center within the county for clients and surrounding

communities is a continua l goa l of the Osage Nation Education Department (ONED) The Osage

Nation Education Center opened in M arch of 2007 It houses the education staff a computer

lab multipurpose classroom library materials and the Osage Nation Head Start now known as

the Wah-Zha-Zhi Early Learning Academy This center includes a satellite campus which

provides a setting for on-site classes with live instructors on-line classes workshops training

and distance learn ing co llege classes Blended classes are also held that includes both on- line

and on-site curriculum The education center provides a place for clients to prepare for and

begin their co llege education It also allows for employment training on-line research and

computer training classes

The ONED received fu ll accreditation and approval from the Higher Learning

Commission to offer full degree programs and host graduations on site through Tu lsa

ll Pagc

Community Co llege (TCC) The classes are open to the community and high school students in

the area It is the only higher educat ion institution in the reservationcounty

Osage Nation partnered w ith TCC and local public high schools in order to offer col lege

classes and recruit students for enrollment As a result of this partnership enrol lment numbers

in the co llege classes exploded and approximately seventy-five students are now in attendance

The school districts that participate include Hominy Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook

Woodland Wynona and Cleveland All of these local education agencies (LEAs) fall within the

boundaries of the Osage Nation service area with the exception of Cleveland Public Schools

which borders it

The majority of students that attend the college classes are concurrent high school

students Concurrent students are enrolled in both co llege and high school classes

simultaneously Most schools allow students to replace the high school class equivalent with

the college class ie inst ead of enrolling in junior English the student would take Composition I

at the co llegiate level There are many classes offered that include but are not limited to

Composition I and II American Federal Government History since 1865 Spanish I and 11

Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Chemistry Introduction to Speech Computer

App lications Art Appreciation Music Appreciation Public Speaking and Introduction to Biology

(for non-majors)

The development of this partnership and concurrent program promotes student success

in many ways There are more students taking the ACT test at al l of the school districts It is

required to enroll in the program The classes are more demanding and take more effort from

21 Pagc

the pupils They are rising to the challenge and most students completed their classes with a

passing grade

The college class partnership continues to evolve develop and implement best practices

to ensure Native American Student success In her article The Failure of Tribal Schools Sarah

Butrymowicz states that many students face shortcomings before college even begins

including poor preparation in primary and secondary schools 1 Concurrent classes give

students a chance to earn college credits early and ease them towards the transition from high

school to college Multiple programs within the ONED such as the college entrance assistance

public school support Johnson OMalley summer youth and Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

collaborate with the LEAs at all grade levels to reinforce Native American Student Success

Pawnee Tribal College also continues to offer associate level classes at the Osage

Education Center for the past five years According to Butrymowicz many Native American

students choose tribal colleges because they re more convenient than other higher- education

institutions and they feel more comfortable staying on the reservation (2) This partnership is

focused on community and the Osage Nation employees that are under employed The

schedules are designed to accommodate working individuals

The program goals of the Osage Nation Education Department are designed to provide

as many educational and training opportunities to Osage and Native Americans living within the

boundaries of Osage County as well as Osages living outside of the county The overreaching

goal is to enable students to obtain all of the necessary skills and ed ucation to reduce

joblessness andor promote training to better their current employment status To ensure that

all of the surrounding communities and tribal members are aware of the services offered

3 1P agc

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

The mission of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide educational and

supportive services to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive

individuals and contributors to their communities and families The PL 102-477 programs of

the Osage Nation are adult work experience adult vocational training youth education

services higher educat ion and Johnson OMalley Along with funding from the 477 contract

additional program funding is secured through Osage Nation supplemental appropriations The

additiona l programs include classroom training summer youth co llege entrance assistance

higher education graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual

and group reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation

Public Schools Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

Providing an education center within the county for clients and surrounding

communities is a continua l goa l of the Osage Nation Education Department (ONED) The Osage

Nation Education Center opened in M arch of 2007 It houses the education staff a computer

lab multipurpose classroom library materials and the Osage Nation Head Start now known as

the Wah-Zha-Zhi Early Learning Academy This center includes a satellite campus which

provides a setting for on-site classes with live instructors on-line classes workshops training

and distance learn ing co llege classes Blended classes are also held that includes both on- line

and on-site curriculum The education center provides a place for clients to prepare for and

begin their co llege education It also allows for employment training on-line research and

computer training classes

The ONED received fu ll accreditation and approval from the Higher Learning

Commission to offer full degree programs and host graduations on site through Tu lsa

ll Pagc

Community Co llege (TCC) The classes are open to the community and high school students in

the area It is the only higher educat ion institution in the reservationcounty

Osage Nation partnered w ith TCC and local public high schools in order to offer col lege

classes and recruit students for enrollment As a result of this partnership enrol lment numbers

in the co llege classes exploded and approximately seventy-five students are now in attendance

The school districts that participate include Hominy Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook

Woodland Wynona and Cleveland All of these local education agencies (LEAs) fall within the

boundaries of the Osage Nation service area with the exception of Cleveland Public Schools

which borders it

The majority of students that attend the college classes are concurrent high school

students Concurrent students are enrolled in both co llege and high school classes

simultaneously Most schools allow students to replace the high school class equivalent with

the college class ie inst ead of enrolling in junior English the student would take Composition I

at the co llegiate level There are many classes offered that include but are not limited to

Composition I and II American Federal Government History since 1865 Spanish I and 11

Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Chemistry Introduction to Speech Computer

App lications Art Appreciation Music Appreciation Public Speaking and Introduction to Biology

(for non-majors)

The development of this partnership and concurrent program promotes student success

in many ways There are more students taking the ACT test at al l of the school districts It is

required to enroll in the program The classes are more demanding and take more effort from

21 Pagc

the pupils They are rising to the challenge and most students completed their classes with a

passing grade

The college class partnership continues to evolve develop and implement best practices

to ensure Native American Student success In her article The Failure of Tribal Schools Sarah

Butrymowicz states that many students face shortcomings before college even begins

including poor preparation in primary and secondary schools 1 Concurrent classes give

students a chance to earn college credits early and ease them towards the transition from high

school to college Multiple programs within the ONED such as the college entrance assistance

public school support Johnson OMalley summer youth and Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

collaborate with the LEAs at all grade levels to reinforce Native American Student Success

Pawnee Tribal College also continues to offer associate level classes at the Osage

Education Center for the past five years According to Butrymowicz many Native American

students choose tribal colleges because they re more convenient than other higher- education

institutions and they feel more comfortable staying on the reservation (2) This partnership is

focused on community and the Osage Nation employees that are under employed The

schedules are designed to accommodate working individuals

The program goals of the Osage Nation Education Department are designed to provide

as many educational and training opportunities to Osage and Native Americans living within the

boundaries of Osage County as well as Osages living outside of the county The overreaching

goal is to enable students to obtain all of the necessary skills and ed ucation to reduce

joblessness andor promote training to better their current employment status To ensure that

all of the surrounding communities and tribal members are aware of the services offered

3 1P agc

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

Community Co llege (TCC) The classes are open to the community and high school students in

the area It is the only higher educat ion institution in the reservationcounty

Osage Nation partnered w ith TCC and local public high schools in order to offer col lege

classes and recruit students for enrollment As a result of this partnership enrol lment numbers

in the co llege classes exploded and approximately seventy-five students are now in attendance

The school districts that participate include Hominy Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook

Woodland Wynona and Cleveland All of these local education agencies (LEAs) fall within the

boundaries of the Osage Nation service area with the exception of Cleveland Public Schools

which borders it

The majority of students that attend the college classes are concurrent high school

students Concurrent students are enrolled in both co llege and high school classes

simultaneously Most schools allow students to replace the high school class equivalent with

the college class ie inst ead of enrolling in junior English the student would take Composition I

at the co llegiate level There are many classes offered that include but are not limited to

Composition I and II American Federal Government History since 1865 Spanish I and 11

Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Chemistry Introduction to Speech Computer

App lications Art Appreciation Music Appreciation Public Speaking and Introduction to Biology

(for non-majors)

The development of this partnership and concurrent program promotes student success

in many ways There are more students taking the ACT test at al l of the school districts It is

required to enroll in the program The classes are more demanding and take more effort from

21 Pagc

the pupils They are rising to the challenge and most students completed their classes with a

passing grade

The college class partnership continues to evolve develop and implement best practices

to ensure Native American Student success In her article The Failure of Tribal Schools Sarah

Butrymowicz states that many students face shortcomings before college even begins

including poor preparation in primary and secondary schools 1 Concurrent classes give

students a chance to earn college credits early and ease them towards the transition from high

school to college Multiple programs within the ONED such as the college entrance assistance

public school support Johnson OMalley summer youth and Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

collaborate with the LEAs at all grade levels to reinforce Native American Student Success

Pawnee Tribal College also continues to offer associate level classes at the Osage

Education Center for the past five years According to Butrymowicz many Native American

students choose tribal colleges because they re more convenient than other higher- education

institutions and they feel more comfortable staying on the reservation (2) This partnership is

focused on community and the Osage Nation employees that are under employed The

schedules are designed to accommodate working individuals

The program goals of the Osage Nation Education Department are designed to provide

as many educational and training opportunities to Osage and Native Americans living within the

boundaries of Osage County as well as Osages living outside of the county The overreaching

goal is to enable students to obtain all of the necessary skills and ed ucation to reduce

joblessness andor promote training to better their current employment status To ensure that

all of the surrounding communities and tribal members are aware of the services offered

3 1P agc

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

the pupils They are rising to the challenge and most students completed their classes with a

passing grade

The college class partnership continues to evolve develop and implement best practices

to ensure Native American Student success In her article The Failure of Tribal Schools Sarah

Butrymowicz states that many students face shortcomings before college even begins

including poor preparation in primary and secondary schools 1 Concurrent classes give

students a chance to earn college credits early and ease them towards the transition from high

school to college Multiple programs within the ONED such as the college entrance assistance

public school support Johnson OMalley summer youth and Wah-Zha-Zhi Youth Academy

collaborate with the LEAs at all grade levels to reinforce Native American Student Success

Pawnee Tribal College also continues to offer associate level classes at the Osage

Education Center for the past five years According to Butrymowicz many Native American

students choose tribal colleges because they re more convenient than other higher- education

institutions and they feel more comfortable staying on the reservation (2) This partnership is

focused on community and the Osage Nation employees that are under employed The

schedules are designed to accommodate working individuals

The program goals of the Osage Nation Education Department are designed to provide

as many educational and training opportunities to Osage and Native Americans living within the

boundaries of Osage County as well as Osages living outside of the county The overreaching

goal is to enable students to obtain all of the necessary skills and ed ucation to reduce

joblessness andor promote training to better their current employment status To ensure that

all of the surrounding communities and tribal members are aware of the services offered

3 1P agc

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

through the ONED services are advertised through the Osage Nation Newspaper Osage Nation

Website and loca l newspapers

Six people participated in the adult work experience program this past year Three

clients attained full-time employment through their work experience The other three did not

receive job offers upon completion of the program

Corbin Malone is a veteran and a member of the Osage Nation He served in the Marine

Corps and was honorably discharged after an injury compromised his physical ability Malone

applied for the work experience program this past year and began working for Bobby Tallchief

at the Osage Nation Emergency Management program He got hired full-time by that

department in June 2015 and works on fire prevention

Another Osage tribal member Nathaniel DeRoin began his work experience assignment

at Bevard Enterprises in April of 2015 He got hired by the company in June of 2015 as the

office assistant His job duties included data entry processing work orders and customer

service

Due to the economy and Osage County being a rural area few participants are able to

obtain full time employment Some of the workers also faced others barriers to employment

such as a disability and a criminal record This program offers valuable assistance to those

individuals that otherwise may not get hired due to their circumstance or history

Approximately forty students attended classroom training programs and received

assistance from the ONED They enro lled in technical schools in the surrounding counties of

Tulsa Pawnee Payne and Washington Their classes included certified medication aide

certified long-term nurse aidehome health aide phlebotomy hazwoper truck driving and

4 1Pa gc

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

various computer courses

Blake Bohner Osage earned his certification in Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response otherwise known as HAZWOPER He began working for Blueknight

Energy Partners at the Port of Catoosa According to their website they provide services

focused on terminaling transportation storage gathering and processing of crude oil and

asphalt

Whitney Metcalf Osage tribal member completed a short term certified nurse aid

(CNA)home health aid program She got hired at the Pawhuska Nursing Home and works with

many patients Her job entails checking patient vitals gathering data and assisting with hygiene

needs Metcalf wanted to learn a skill that would help her in the workforce The CNA program

allowed her entry level access into the health care field

Most of the classroom training participants enrolled in short term programs Five of the

short-term classroom training participants obtained employment upon completion of their

program One student began a full time program and three clients received GED testing

assistance Seven clients continue to receive services until completion of their program

Another resource job-seeking individuals can use is the Oklahoma Career Information

System (OKCIS) It is an on line website of career development information that can be used by

students and adults in order to develop their career goals Clients of the ONED accessed this

web-based career guidance system that offers a wide variety of features from individual ca reer

planning resume writer classroom learning activities to a career planning portfolio

Individuals can take an assessment test that ass ists them in exploring their interest and helps

them choose a career path Students can also find information about career clusters

5I Page

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

occupations programs of study Oklahoma technology centers ACT test prep colleges and

financia l aid information concerning grants and scholarsh ips

The supportive service program provides assistance with clothes or essentia l equipment

to those individuals who obtain employment It is also used to assist clients in classroom

training programs with travel expenses and uniforms such as scrubs used in the health care

field Eleven clients received supportive service assistance after attaining permanent

employment or enrolling in a training program

Many of the students that complete school or a training program need to pass

certification or licensure tests in order to practice in their chosen field The certification and

licensure program provides assistance to Osage applicants with financial support for the

incurred costs for these tests andor fee Twenty-six clients received funding assistance

through this program

John Paul Long Ill is an Osage triba l member that received certification and licensure

assistance in December 2014 He is originally from Pawhuska Oklahoma and now attends

medical school at the University of Kansas Long took the required United States Medical

Licensing Examination

Most applicants received reimbursements from the certification and licensure program

with many different licenses and test fees An aspiring lawyer received help with the cost of his

bar exam in Oklahoma A medica l student received help with the cost of their medical license

exam This program ensures that the financial barrier from certification or licensure tests do

not inhibit clients from practicing in their chosen field

Before young people can enter the workforce they need knowledge and preparation to

61 P age

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

help them be successful The goal of the summer youth program is to provide an opportunity for

Native American youth to gain work experience and job readiness skills in order to help prepare

them for their future To accomplish this goal there were almost twenty different

worksites throughout Osage County providing for over seventy summer youth workers

Some of the worksites included Hominy Public Schools ONED Burbank Town Hall and the

senior centers of Skiatook and Hominy

The youth attended a two-day orientation before their job assignments began to help

them transition into their roles as employees They listened to guest speakers discuss different

career fields and college preparation attended a financial literacy training and completed

career field assessments The orientation event also allowed time for them to complete their

employment paperwork and learn about program policies

During the first day of orientation Sergeant Michael Fish spoke to the summer youth

about his work as a police officer with the Osage Nation Police Department They listened

closely as he discussed his job duties and how it felt to deal with criminals It is not easy to

serve and protect the people but law enforcers do it every day Its an important job and young

people should know about the police officers working hard in their communities

Cindy Helmer from the Tri-county Business Center discussed money management skills

and presented valuable information to the youth about making a budget for their income They

analyzed their needs and their wants to begin building a budget The participants need this

information in order to make wise decisions about the income they earn during the summer

program

71 Page

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

Figure l Summer ~outh orking at the Senior Cenler in Skiatook The~ are snapping green blan~ to prepare for lunch

During the course of the summer about thirty participants traveled to Northern

Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma for the fifth annual Native American Youth

Leadership Day Northern Oklahoma College NOC) and the participating tribes sponsored the

event ca lled Education Breaking Barri ers It focused on college preparation and leadership

for high school students The seven Oklahoma tribal nations that took part in th is event

included the Kaw Osage Pawnee Ponca Otoe-Missouria Iowa and Tonkawa Nations

The participants broke into two groups t o attend college- preparation workshops

The students in grades 7-91h attended a workshop that focused on college-bound curriculum

and preparation for the ACT and other co llege-entrance exams The students in grades 9-lih

attended a workshop that focused on applying for college financial aid and campus life

Xan Black the coordinator for t he Tulsa Alliance for Engineerin g presented Science

Technology Engineering and Mathemat ics (STEM act ivities for all the students t o complet e

The project s included construction of a catapault and a creating a fizzy timer using alkashy

81 P agc

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

seltzer tablets They used masking tape Dixie cups water alka-seltzer and cotton balls to

complete the different challenges After the students divided into groups the competition

began An Osage Nation team placed first in the catapau lt competition by achieving the

longest distance using their constructed catapault

The event also included an intertribal challenge quiz bowl that focused on the seven

participating tribes history and culture The youth from the Osage Nation studied ahead of

time for the challenge bowl and hoped to win the traveling trophy as the defending

champions Unfortunately they lost to students from the Ponca tribe However the

students did enjoy rising to the challenge of the quiz bowl

Over a hundred Native youth enjoyed a full day of activities and presentations from

invited guest speakers at the fifth annual Native American Youth and Leadership day held at

the NOC campus in Tonkawa Oklahoma The students represented seven different tribal

nations They competed in STEM and quiz bowl challenges that engaged their attention and

promoted education

Figure 2- Oage ~outh build a catapult at the OC Leaderhip da~

91 P agc

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

The Osage Nation Summer Youth work program provides an opportunity for Native

American youth in Osage County to gain work experience and job-readiness skill s Many of

these youth would not be able to find employment w ithout this program in place due to the

rural environment and lack of business diversity The participants earned income and

attended events planned to help them prepare future career goals and develop knowledge of

good work ethics

Figure 3- Osage summer )OU th compete for the quiJ bO I championship

The Osage Nat ion Higher Educat ion Scholarship Program provides scholarship

opportuniti es to Osage students attending co lleges universities and t echnical training schools

Through this program the Osage Nation wants to strengthen support to reci pients for their

continued success academic progress and achievement The students must be triba l members

of the Osage Nat ion and their school of choice must be an accredited instit ution of higher

learning in order to qualify for this program

The scholarship award is based on t he t ype of school the student is attending and the

number of hours enrolled for the parti cular term The different types of schools includ e career

lOI Pagc

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

technology associate college baccalaureate university research university and graduat e

school Students are awarded hours based on whether their school is semester based (three

eligible awards per year) or quarter based (four eligible awards per year) For semester based

schools undergraduates will be awarded up to fifteen hours for the fall and spring semesters

and up to six hours for the summer semester Graduate students will be awarded up to twelve

hours each semester For quarter based schools undergraduates and graduate students will be

awarded up to nine hours fo r each quarter The funding levels are listed below

bull Career technology $21100 per cred it hour

bull Associate college $15650 per credit hour

bull Baccalaureate university $25450 per credit hour

bull Research university $27791 per credit hour

bull Graduate school $30000 per credit hour

When a student applies for a scholarship they have the option of applying for tuition

and fees room and board supplies and equipment and books The student may apply for any

or all of the scholarsh ip categories Tuition and fees are awarded first Any remaining amount

can go towards room and board andor supplies and eq uipment The book scholarship is

separate and is awarded based on the number of enro lled hours up to the established full time

enro llment of each t erm at $3333 fo r each credit hour

Students are also eligible for incentive awards for classification grades and graduate

level The classification incentive is based on the number of earned credit hours and only

awarded in the fa ll semester and the fa ll qua rter The grade incentive reward is for students

ll l P ag c

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

that demonstrate excellence in their classwork The graduate incentive is awarded to students

pursuing a masters degree andor a doctoral degree

A student can receive the classification incentive only once per classification The

incentive award increases as the student makes progress through their college education The

amounts are listed below

bull Sophomore (31-60 earned hours) - $10000

bull Junior (61-90 earned hours) - $20000

bull Senior (91-121 earned hours) - $30000

bull Masters (last year of course work) - $50000

bull Doctorate (last year of course work) - $75000

The grade incentive is awarded based on the students previous term grade point

average (GPA) The incentive increases as the GPA increases to encourage students to set goals

for good grades The amounts are listed below

bull 30-349 GPA- $10000

bull 35-399 GPA - $15000

bull 40 GPA- $25000

The graduate level incentive is awarded each term for students attending a semestershy

based college It is awarded in the fall winter and spring terms for students that attend a

college or university that follow a quarter-based system The amounts are listed below

bull Masters - $100000

bull Doctorate - $150000

121 Pa ge

Due to the many determining factors in the scholarship award process it is helpful to

use examples to explain the system A student classified as a sophomore that attends a

semester-based baccalaureate university might have earned thirty-five credit hours They are

en rolled in twelve hours for the fall with a previous semester GPA of 325 Their scholarship

would begin at $305400 with an additional $40000 for books $10000 for the cla ssification

incentive and $10000 for the GPA incentive The students total award would be $365400

Another student class ified at a doctorate level attends a quarter-based graduate school with a

previous quarter GPA of 40 They are enrol led in nine hours for the fall Their scholarship

would begin at $270000 with an additional $30000 for books $150000 for the graduate

incentive and $25000 for the GPA incentive This students total award wou ld be $4 75000

Thirty graduates received the scholarship and earned degrees seven associate degrees

sixteen bachelors degrees five masters degrees one doctorate degree one juris doctorate

degree and one certificate The students that rece ived a masters degree studied science

energy legal studies accountancy applied educational psychology and project management

The graduate that earned a doctorate degree studied chiropractic medicine The scholarship

recipients specialized in many different fields and earned undergraduate degrees that are listed

below

bull American Indian Studies

bull Business Administration

bull Communicative Disorders

bull Education

bull Engineering

13I Page

bull Environmental Engineering

bull Fine Arts

bull Geographic Information Science

bull Landscape Architecture

bull Liberal Arts

bull Mass Communication

bull Music

bull Nursing

bull Science

bull Social work

The scholarship program also offers an internship and externship opportunity for Osage

col lege students that attend higher educational institutions During the 2015 fiscal year thirtyshy

two students completed an internship or externship sponsored by the Osage Nation All of

these students received the Osage Nation Higher Education scholarship and classified as a

junior senior or graduate student

The interns worked at various places throughout the Osage Reservation The internship

sites included

bull Blue Star Studio- Pawhuska OK

bull Osage Ballet (three interns)- Pawhuska OK

bull Osage Casino- Ponca City OK

bull Osage Casino- Skiatook OK

bull Osage Casino- Tu lsa OK

14 jPage

bull Osage Nation Counseling Center- Pawhuska OK

bull ON Education amp Early Learning Division- Pawhuska OK

bull ON Human Resources Department- Pawhuska OK

bull ON Police Department- Pawhuska OK

Positions out of the reservationcounty are considered externships The externship

locations included

bull AMC Urgent Care- Ponca City OK

bull Child Study CenterABC ClinicUniversity of Oklahoma- Norman OK

bull Healing Feathers- Portland OR

bull IHM Academy of EMS- Independence MO

bull Iowa Tribe Education Department- Perkins OK

bull Jacobson House Native Art Center- Norman OK

bull Kelly Law Office- Edmond OK

bull Laura Dester Childrens Center- Tulsa OK

bull Lewis amp Clark Problem Gambling Services- Portland OR

bull New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum- Canada

bull Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition- Oklahoma City OK

bull Pipestem Law- Tulsa OK

bull Salvation Army Corps- Colorado Springs CO

bull Scott Family Museum- Bentonville AR

bull Southern Oregon Magazine- Central Point OR

bull Stil lwater Radio- Stillwater OK

15J P age

bull Study Abroad Office at University of Missouri- Colombia MO

bull YWCA- Topeka KS

The Osage Nation Higher Education Scholarship program provides scholarships for tribal

members that attend an accredited institution of higher learning The scholarship program

awarded 1182 scholarships between October 1 2014 and September 30 2015 The top major

fields of study are business medical education science and nursing There is also an

opportun ity for these students to complete a paid intern or externship in their field of study

Improvements made to the program policy are designed to adjust funding levels for each

student based on their unique enrollment situation Incentive awards for classifications

grades graduate enrollment and assistance with the cost of books are also included

The fourth goal of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide support to

Pre- kindergarten -12 students in Osage County through education and training projects

school supplies and tutoring efforts with youth education services For the 201415 school

year almost two thousand students received school supplies distributed at the twelve school

systems in Osage County The schools include Anderson Barnsdall Bowring Hominy

McCord Osage Hills Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook Woodland and Wynona

The volunteer parent committees at the larger sites also provide other educational and

cultura l act ivities for the students The Hominy and Skiatook JOM parent committees hosted

an intertribal contest powwow to promote cultu ral awareness and pride The Woodland JOM

parent committee organized two cu ltural days for the students at Woodland Public schools to

161 Pa g e

enjoy Pawhuska JOM parents also held a cultural event at their school for the student s to

celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Osage Nation JOM students attended the Battle of the Plains youth powwow and won

second place in the overall competition This event features southern and northern powwow

dance styles and singing JOM students from all over Oklahoma and even out of state travel to

this event to participate in the competition and enjoy the cultural atmosphere

Another important event for JOM is to recognize the high school graduates and reward

them with a gift at the end of each school year The committees of Barnsdall Hominy

Pawhuska Skiatook and Woodland celebrated this occasion with their JOM senior cla ss in order

to honor this major accomplishment Each committee commemorated the students

accomplishment in a unique way that fit their community

Pawhuska JOM parents host ed a senior dinner for the students and their families The

dinner f eatured guest speakers Electa Redcorn and Joe Keene Redcorn played basketball

during her undergraduate college years at Cameron University and then attended graduate

school at Washington University in St Louis MO She earned a Masters degree in Socia l Work

LMSW Keene is an alumnus of Pawhuska High school and just finished law school at Arizona

State University They each gave a motivational speech to encourage the students to continue

their education and set future career goals The graduates also received an Android tablet with

keyboard and cover as reward for their graduation The parent committee hopes they will

continue their education after high school

The Skiatook JOM budget is the largest out of the twelve school districts The frozen

student count number for their school is 370 however the actual student cou nt is closer to five

17 [Page

hundred For the past few years they spend over their budget amount to deal with the student

demand for services and support The parent committee changed their policy and lowered the

funding limit for each student in order to continue providing services fairly

Figure -1 Parents lined up at the Sldatool JOI School supply distribution eHnt on July JI 2015

Another challenge the JOM program struggles with is the retention of parent volunteers

to serve on the parent committees During the past year the parents of JOM students enrolled

at Shidler public schools did not form a committee or volunteer to act as a representative As a

result the eligible JOM students at their school did not receive adequate services to help them

prepare for school This area is located about an hour northwest of the ONED in Hominy It is

difficult to maintain the communication needed for their program to thrive

The Osage Nation JOM coordinator plans to host an award luncheon for the elected

parent committees to receive training and awards for the school year The Hominy JOM parent

committee earned the Exemplary JOM Program award for their excellent work as a parent

committee The Skiatook JOM parent committee earned the award for Outstanding JOM

18I P agc

Event to recognize their intertribal contest powwow It is important to acknowledge and

honor the work these parents do with their JOM programs

Figure 5 Students t11 o-step at the Pa11 huska JOI athmiddote merica Da~ dance Figure 6 Student dancing at the llomin) JOI po1111011- oiembcr 201~

The volunteer parent committees develop their programs to fit their community and

identify the most important needs of their students Most of the cultural events these students

attend are sponsored by the JOM program It is important to expose them to Native American

culture so they dont feel alienated within the student population It gives them an opportunity

to see examples of positive Native American role models The JOM program also provides

school supplies and assistance with school expenses so the students are prepared for learning

The purpose of the JOM program is to provide supplementary financial assistance to

meet the unique and speciali zed education needs of American Indian students enrolled in one

of the public schools served by the Osage Nation There are approximately fifty different tribes

represented in the twelve school districts that receive Osage JOM services This shows a

19 1Pagc

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

bull Osage Nation Counseling Center- Pawhuska OK

bull ON Education amp Early Learning Division- Pawhuska OK

bull ON Human Resources Department- Pawhuska OK

bull ON Police Department- Pawhuska OK

Positions out of the reservationcounty are considered externships The externship

locations included

bull AMC Urgent Care- Ponca City OK

bull Child Study CenterABC ClinicUniversity of Oklahoma- Norman OK

bull Healing Feathers- Portland OR

bull IHM Academy of EMS- Independence MO

bull Iowa Tribe Education Department- Perkins OK

bull Jacobson House Native Art Center- Norman OK

bull Kelly Law Office- Edmond OK

bull Laura Dester Childrens Center- Tulsa OK

bull Lewis amp Clark Problem Gambling Services- Portland OR

bull New Brunswick Internment Camp Museum- Canada

bull Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition- Oklahoma City OK

bull Pipestem Law- Tulsa OK

bull Salvation Army Corps- Colorado Springs CO

bull Scott Family Museum- Bentonville AR

bull Southern Oregon Magazine- Central Point OR

bull Stil lwater Radio- Stillwater OK

15J P age

bull Study Abroad Office at University of Missouri- Colombia MO

bull YWCA- Topeka KS

The Osage Nation Higher Education Scholarship program provides scholarships for tribal

members that attend an accredited institution of higher learning The scholarship program

awarded 1182 scholarships between October 1 2014 and September 30 2015 The top major

fields of study are business medical education science and nursing There is also an

opportun ity for these students to complete a paid intern or externship in their field of study

Improvements made to the program policy are designed to adjust funding levels for each

student based on their unique enrollment situation Incentive awards for classifications

grades graduate enrollment and assistance with the cost of books are also included

The fourth goal of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide support to

Pre- kindergarten -12 students in Osage County through education and training projects

school supplies and tutoring efforts with youth education services For the 201415 school

year almost two thousand students received school supplies distributed at the twelve school

systems in Osage County The schools include Anderson Barnsdall Bowring Hominy

McCord Osage Hills Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook Woodland and Wynona

The volunteer parent committees at the larger sites also provide other educational and

cultura l act ivities for the students The Hominy and Skiatook JOM parent committees hosted

an intertribal contest powwow to promote cultu ral awareness and pride The Woodland JOM

parent committee organized two cu ltural days for the students at Woodland Public schools to

161 Pa g e

enjoy Pawhuska JOM parents also held a cultural event at their school for the student s to

celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Osage Nation JOM students attended the Battle of the Plains youth powwow and won

second place in the overall competition This event features southern and northern powwow

dance styles and singing JOM students from all over Oklahoma and even out of state travel to

this event to participate in the competition and enjoy the cultural atmosphere

Another important event for JOM is to recognize the high school graduates and reward

them with a gift at the end of each school year The committees of Barnsdall Hominy

Pawhuska Skiatook and Woodland celebrated this occasion with their JOM senior cla ss in order

to honor this major accomplishment Each committee commemorated the students

accomplishment in a unique way that fit their community

Pawhuska JOM parents host ed a senior dinner for the students and their families The

dinner f eatured guest speakers Electa Redcorn and Joe Keene Redcorn played basketball

during her undergraduate college years at Cameron University and then attended graduate

school at Washington University in St Louis MO She earned a Masters degree in Socia l Work

LMSW Keene is an alumnus of Pawhuska High school and just finished law school at Arizona

State University They each gave a motivational speech to encourage the students to continue

their education and set future career goals The graduates also received an Android tablet with

keyboard and cover as reward for their graduation The parent committee hopes they will

continue their education after high school

The Skiatook JOM budget is the largest out of the twelve school districts The frozen

student count number for their school is 370 however the actual student cou nt is closer to five

17 [Page

hundred For the past few years they spend over their budget amount to deal with the student

demand for services and support The parent committee changed their policy and lowered the

funding limit for each student in order to continue providing services fairly

Figure -1 Parents lined up at the Sldatool JOI School supply distribution eHnt on July JI 2015

Another challenge the JOM program struggles with is the retention of parent volunteers

to serve on the parent committees During the past year the parents of JOM students enrolled

at Shidler public schools did not form a committee or volunteer to act as a representative As a

result the eligible JOM students at their school did not receive adequate services to help them

prepare for school This area is located about an hour northwest of the ONED in Hominy It is

difficult to maintain the communication needed for their program to thrive

The Osage Nation JOM coordinator plans to host an award luncheon for the elected

parent committees to receive training and awards for the school year The Hominy JOM parent

committee earned the Exemplary JOM Program award for their excellent work as a parent

committee The Skiatook JOM parent committee earned the award for Outstanding JOM

18I P agc

Event to recognize their intertribal contest powwow It is important to acknowledge and

honor the work these parents do with their JOM programs

Figure 5 Students t11 o-step at the Pa11 huska JOI athmiddote merica Da~ dance Figure 6 Student dancing at the llomin) JOI po1111011- oiembcr 201~

The volunteer parent committees develop their programs to fit their community and

identify the most important needs of their students Most of the cultural events these students

attend are sponsored by the JOM program It is important to expose them to Native American

culture so they dont feel alienated within the student population It gives them an opportunity

to see examples of positive Native American role models The JOM program also provides

school supplies and assistance with school expenses so the students are prepared for learning

The purpose of the JOM program is to provide supplementary financial assistance to

meet the unique and speciali zed education needs of American Indian students enrolled in one

of the public schools served by the Osage Nation There are approximately fifty different tribes

represented in the twelve school districts that receive Osage JOM services This shows a

19 1Pagc

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

bull Study Abroad Office at University of Missouri- Colombia MO

bull YWCA- Topeka KS

The Osage Nation Higher Education Scholarship program provides scholarships for tribal

members that attend an accredited institution of higher learning The scholarship program

awarded 1182 scholarships between October 1 2014 and September 30 2015 The top major

fields of study are business medical education science and nursing There is also an

opportun ity for these students to complete a paid intern or externship in their field of study

Improvements made to the program policy are designed to adjust funding levels for each

student based on their unique enrollment situation Incentive awards for classifications

grades graduate enrollment and assistance with the cost of books are also included

The fourth goal of the Osage Nation Education Department is to provide support to

Pre- kindergarten -12 students in Osage County through education and training projects

school supplies and tutoring efforts with youth education services For the 201415 school

year almost two thousand students received school supplies distributed at the twelve school

systems in Osage County The schools include Anderson Barnsdall Bowring Hominy

McCord Osage Hills Pawhuska Prue Shidler Skiatook Woodland and Wynona

The volunteer parent committees at the larger sites also provide other educational and

cultura l act ivities for the students The Hominy and Skiatook JOM parent committees hosted

an intertribal contest powwow to promote cultu ral awareness and pride The Woodland JOM

parent committee organized two cu ltural days for the students at Woodland Public schools to

161 Pa g e

enjoy Pawhuska JOM parents also held a cultural event at their school for the student s to

celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Osage Nation JOM students attended the Battle of the Plains youth powwow and won

second place in the overall competition This event features southern and northern powwow

dance styles and singing JOM students from all over Oklahoma and even out of state travel to

this event to participate in the competition and enjoy the cultural atmosphere

Another important event for JOM is to recognize the high school graduates and reward

them with a gift at the end of each school year The committees of Barnsdall Hominy

Pawhuska Skiatook and Woodland celebrated this occasion with their JOM senior cla ss in order

to honor this major accomplishment Each committee commemorated the students

accomplishment in a unique way that fit their community

Pawhuska JOM parents host ed a senior dinner for the students and their families The

dinner f eatured guest speakers Electa Redcorn and Joe Keene Redcorn played basketball

during her undergraduate college years at Cameron University and then attended graduate

school at Washington University in St Louis MO She earned a Masters degree in Socia l Work

LMSW Keene is an alumnus of Pawhuska High school and just finished law school at Arizona

State University They each gave a motivational speech to encourage the students to continue

their education and set future career goals The graduates also received an Android tablet with

keyboard and cover as reward for their graduation The parent committee hopes they will

continue their education after high school

The Skiatook JOM budget is the largest out of the twelve school districts The frozen

student count number for their school is 370 however the actual student cou nt is closer to five

17 [Page

hundred For the past few years they spend over their budget amount to deal with the student

demand for services and support The parent committee changed their policy and lowered the

funding limit for each student in order to continue providing services fairly

Figure -1 Parents lined up at the Sldatool JOI School supply distribution eHnt on July JI 2015

Another challenge the JOM program struggles with is the retention of parent volunteers

to serve on the parent committees During the past year the parents of JOM students enrolled

at Shidler public schools did not form a committee or volunteer to act as a representative As a

result the eligible JOM students at their school did not receive adequate services to help them

prepare for school This area is located about an hour northwest of the ONED in Hominy It is

difficult to maintain the communication needed for their program to thrive

The Osage Nation JOM coordinator plans to host an award luncheon for the elected

parent committees to receive training and awards for the school year The Hominy JOM parent

committee earned the Exemplary JOM Program award for their excellent work as a parent

committee The Skiatook JOM parent committee earned the award for Outstanding JOM

18I P agc

Event to recognize their intertribal contest powwow It is important to acknowledge and

honor the work these parents do with their JOM programs

Figure 5 Students t11 o-step at the Pa11 huska JOI athmiddote merica Da~ dance Figure 6 Student dancing at the llomin) JOI po1111011- oiembcr 201~

The volunteer parent committees develop their programs to fit their community and

identify the most important needs of their students Most of the cultural events these students

attend are sponsored by the JOM program It is important to expose them to Native American

culture so they dont feel alienated within the student population It gives them an opportunity

to see examples of positive Native American role models The JOM program also provides

school supplies and assistance with school expenses so the students are prepared for learning

The purpose of the JOM program is to provide supplementary financial assistance to

meet the unique and speciali zed education needs of American Indian students enrolled in one

of the public schools served by the Osage Nation There are approximately fifty different tribes

represented in the twelve school districts that receive Osage JOM services This shows a

19 1Pagc

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

enjoy Pawhuska JOM parents also held a cultural event at their school for the student s to

celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Osage Nation JOM students attended the Battle of the Plains youth powwow and won

second place in the overall competition This event features southern and northern powwow

dance styles and singing JOM students from all over Oklahoma and even out of state travel to

this event to participate in the competition and enjoy the cultural atmosphere

Another important event for JOM is to recognize the high school graduates and reward

them with a gift at the end of each school year The committees of Barnsdall Hominy

Pawhuska Skiatook and Woodland celebrated this occasion with their JOM senior cla ss in order

to honor this major accomplishment Each committee commemorated the students

accomplishment in a unique way that fit their community

Pawhuska JOM parents host ed a senior dinner for the students and their families The

dinner f eatured guest speakers Electa Redcorn and Joe Keene Redcorn played basketball

during her undergraduate college years at Cameron University and then attended graduate

school at Washington University in St Louis MO She earned a Masters degree in Socia l Work

LMSW Keene is an alumnus of Pawhuska High school and just finished law school at Arizona

State University They each gave a motivational speech to encourage the students to continue

their education and set future career goals The graduates also received an Android tablet with

keyboard and cover as reward for their graduation The parent committee hopes they will

continue their education after high school

The Skiatook JOM budget is the largest out of the twelve school districts The frozen

student count number for their school is 370 however the actual student cou nt is closer to five

17 [Page

hundred For the past few years they spend over their budget amount to deal with the student

demand for services and support The parent committee changed their policy and lowered the

funding limit for each student in order to continue providing services fairly

Figure -1 Parents lined up at the Sldatool JOI School supply distribution eHnt on July JI 2015

Another challenge the JOM program struggles with is the retention of parent volunteers

to serve on the parent committees During the past year the parents of JOM students enrolled

at Shidler public schools did not form a committee or volunteer to act as a representative As a

result the eligible JOM students at their school did not receive adequate services to help them

prepare for school This area is located about an hour northwest of the ONED in Hominy It is

difficult to maintain the communication needed for their program to thrive

The Osage Nation JOM coordinator plans to host an award luncheon for the elected

parent committees to receive training and awards for the school year The Hominy JOM parent

committee earned the Exemplary JOM Program award for their excellent work as a parent

committee The Skiatook JOM parent committee earned the award for Outstanding JOM

18I P agc

Event to recognize their intertribal contest powwow It is important to acknowledge and

honor the work these parents do with their JOM programs

Figure 5 Students t11 o-step at the Pa11 huska JOI athmiddote merica Da~ dance Figure 6 Student dancing at the llomin) JOI po1111011- oiembcr 201~

The volunteer parent committees develop their programs to fit their community and

identify the most important needs of their students Most of the cultural events these students

attend are sponsored by the JOM program It is important to expose them to Native American

culture so they dont feel alienated within the student population It gives them an opportunity

to see examples of positive Native American role models The JOM program also provides

school supplies and assistance with school expenses so the students are prepared for learning

The purpose of the JOM program is to provide supplementary financial assistance to

meet the unique and speciali zed education needs of American Indian students enrolled in one

of the public schools served by the Osage Nation There are approximately fifty different tribes

represented in the twelve school districts that receive Osage JOM services This shows a

19 1Pagc

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

hundred For the past few years they spend over their budget amount to deal with the student

demand for services and support The parent committee changed their policy and lowered the

funding limit for each student in order to continue providing services fairly

Figure -1 Parents lined up at the Sldatool JOI School supply distribution eHnt on July JI 2015

Another challenge the JOM program struggles with is the retention of parent volunteers

to serve on the parent committees During the past year the parents of JOM students enrolled

at Shidler public schools did not form a committee or volunteer to act as a representative As a

result the eligible JOM students at their school did not receive adequate services to help them

prepare for school This area is located about an hour northwest of the ONED in Hominy It is

difficult to maintain the communication needed for their program to thrive

The Osage Nation JOM coordinator plans to host an award luncheon for the elected

parent committees to receive training and awards for the school year The Hominy JOM parent

committee earned the Exemplary JOM Program award for their excellent work as a parent

committee The Skiatook JOM parent committee earned the award for Outstanding JOM

18I P agc

Event to recognize their intertribal contest powwow It is important to acknowledge and

honor the work these parents do with their JOM programs

Figure 5 Students t11 o-step at the Pa11 huska JOI athmiddote merica Da~ dance Figure 6 Student dancing at the llomin) JOI po1111011- oiembcr 201~

The volunteer parent committees develop their programs to fit their community and

identify the most important needs of their students Most of the cultural events these students

attend are sponsored by the JOM program It is important to expose them to Native American

culture so they dont feel alienated within the student population It gives them an opportunity

to see examples of positive Native American role models The JOM program also provides

school supplies and assistance with school expenses so the students are prepared for learning

The purpose of the JOM program is to provide supplementary financial assistance to

meet the unique and speciali zed education needs of American Indian students enrolled in one

of the public schools served by the Osage Nation There are approximately fifty different tribes

represented in the twelve school districts that receive Osage JOM services This shows a

19 1Pagc

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

Event to recognize their intertribal contest powwow It is important to acknowledge and

honor the work these parents do with their JOM programs

Figure 5 Students t11 o-step at the Pa11 huska JOI athmiddote merica Da~ dance Figure 6 Student dancing at the llomin) JOI po1111011- oiembcr 201~

The volunteer parent committees develop their programs to fit their community and

identify the most important needs of their students Most of the cultural events these students

attend are sponsored by the JOM program It is important to expose them to Native American

culture so they dont feel alienated within the student population It gives them an opportunity

to see examples of positive Native American role models The JOM program also provides

school supplies and assistance with school expenses so the students are prepared for learning

The purpose of the JOM program is to provide supplementary financial assistance to

meet the unique and speciali zed education needs of American Indian students enrolled in one

of the public schools served by the Osage Nation There are approximately fifty different tribes

represented in the twelve school districts that receive Osage JOM services This shows a

19 1Pagc

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

remarkable amount of diversity for such a predominantly rural area The different tribes are

listed below

bull Alaska Native

bull Aleut

bull All eutiq

bull Apache

Arapaho

bull Caddo

bull Chemehuevi

bull Cherokee

bull Cherokee (Adopted Delaware)

bull Cherokee (Adopted Shawnee)

bull Cheyenne amp Arapaho

bull Chickasaw

bull Choctaw

Citizen Potawatomi

Comanch e

bull Creek

bull Delaware

bull Diegueno

bull Eastern Shawnee

Eskimo

bull Hualapai

bull Inuit

Iowa

bull Kaw

bull Kiowa

bull Miss iss ippi Choctaw

bull Mohave

20 IP age

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

bull Navajo

bull Northern Cheyenne

bull Oneida

bull Osage

bull Otoe-Missouria

bull Prairie Band Potawatomi

bull Pawnee

bull Peoria

bull Pokagon Potawatomi

bull Ponca

bull Quapaw

Quechan

bull Sac amp Fox

bull Sem inole

Seneca- Cayuga

bull Shawnee

bull Sioux (Rosebud)

bull Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate

Standing Rock Sioux

Tonkawa

bull Wichita

bull W inn ebago

21 I Pa ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

bull 1-0sage 750Tribes 1 bull 2-Cherokee 625 1 [ 1

bull 3-Creek 100

bull 4-Seneca-Cayuga 70

bull 5-Choctaw 60

bull 6-Citizen Potawatomi 40

7-Ponca 25

8-Kaw 20

9- Iowa 17

10- Otoe 15

Al l other tribes 125

1 7

The chart above shows the top ten tribes represented within the JOM program

The goal of the Osage Nation Education Department Tutoring Programs that include

reservation based and nationwide Sylvan is to provide support for Osage students to succeed

in their academic endeavors The reservation based program is designed for students in grades

K -12 in need of tutoring servi ces and struggling in required subject s These participants

attending thirteen different public school districts are eligible for different types of tutoring

assistance that include small group one-on-one and foundationa l ski ll services The Sylvan

22 IP age

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

tutoring program offers financial assistance for students to attend one of the centers that are

located throughout the United States

There are many ways a student may obtain information and be referred to the

education department tutoring programs Parents teachers administrators and the

department tribal education advocates can refer and assist them to obtain services through the

tutoring programs for one or more subject areas Eligible students are approved and given a

tutoring ass ignment for one-on-one sessions in the area(s) they are struggling

The Osage Nation tutor program coordinator met monthly with each certified

teachertutor and communicated with students and parents to track the progress of a tutoring

assignment Many times the teacher acts as a mentor and support system in addition to

discussing academic content Subject comprehension is not the only struggle for students In

some cases a student may show difficulty in attendance completing ass ignments or turning in

homework The tutor program coordinator and tribal education advocates work together in

these cases to provide additional support to the student

This year the reservation based program hired thirty-five contracted tutors to provide

services for Osage students attending public school within the reservationcounty area They

also assist with teaching organizational skills and provide positive encouragement to the

students Throughout this academic year the tutoring program assisted fifty-five students

ranging from K- 12thgrades

The Osage Nation Sylvan Tutor Program provides academic support to K-12 students

across the United States through Sylvan Learning Centers Th is service is offered to Osage

students across the nation that may be at risk for academic fa ilure Eligible students receive

23 IP age

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

funding assistance to attend a Sylvan Learning Center of their choice in order to obtain subject

comprehension needed to be successful in school They are required to take academic

diagnostic tests in order to determine their individual educational plan This year the program

assisted approximately thirty students across the country at various Sylvan Learning Centers in

Ca lifornia Oklahoma and Washington

The most common subjects request ed for tutoring assistance are academic reading and

math programs Students attend sessions on topics that address vocabu lary comprehens ion

and decoding skills which are important to their academic success Through both of the

academic tutor programs the ONED made gains at addressing the needs of Osage students in

the local community as well as across the nation

The Osage Nation Co llege Entrance Assistance Program provides support to Osage high

school students across the nation seeking entrance into a higher ed ucation institution This

program promotes college preparation as well as providing financial assistance for any

necessary exams This helps t o remove barriers students face for college entrance

Students are provided a pre-payment or reimbursement for ~CT or SAT exams along

with funding for test preparation workshops or materials Over one hundred applicants

received servi ces through this program Seventy students received help for ACT f ees and six

received assistance with SAT fees Over fifty students received help for t est preparation

expenses

In November of 2014 students attended the Osage Nation ACT prep and character

building workshop hosted by Chad Cargi ll Students at all the schools within Osage

24 IP age

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

CountyReservation came for this event The instructor discussed how the test was organized

and what to expect from each section

As a student gets closer to high school graduation it is important to begin the co llege

se lection process In July 2014 students traveled with education staff to eight different college

campuses in Oklahoma They met with advisors at the financial aid office and also walked

around campus This visit allowed them a chance to get familiar with the col lege and decide if

that is the place for them

The goal of the ONED Public School Support Program (ONPSSP) is to identify and address

the academic and behavioral needs of Osage students by utilizing resources available through

the Osage Nation The established memorandum of agreement allows a tribal education

advocate an on-site office at each school and the ability to work closely with the students

enrolled in the program Students attending the public schools of Anderson Pawhuska

Hominy Skiatook and Woodland are eligible to participate

Through the ONPSSP assistance is avai lab le to students parents teachers and

administrators on a daily basis This ensures that students are informed about academic

opportunities including co llege scholarships ACT test dates and col lege visits On-site support

is also needed if an administrator or teacher identifies a student enrolled in the program as

being at risk It takes time for students to build trust and develop the connection needed for

this program to succeed

Tribal education advocates provide many services throughout the year to help students

reach thei r academic potential When issues arise at school they are there to address the

problems and represent the Osage students They meet with al l parties involved and strategize

25 IP age

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

to remedy a problem Classroom observations of Osage students are conducted in order to

help a teacher find ways to motivate and encourage those students Sometimes parents need

their help to effectively communicate with teachers and administrators

Students may experience academic failure for many different reasons including truancy

behavioral issues lack of family involvement inability to grasp subject material and conflict

w ith teachers School attendance and grades are tracked and documented Potential problems

with attendance tardiness and homework are identified A meeting with the student is held

immediately to address the issue and solve the problem Home visits are planned at the

parents request to meet the clients family and discuss ways to ensure academic success for

their chi ldren through parental involvement The school faculty may be unaware or unable to

assist with the students dilemma The tribal education advocate can help them identify a

resolution so the student is able to focus on their school work They use a holistic approach to

so lve problems along with rapport-build ing and consistent fo llow up

Another positive aspect of the tribal education advocat e position is the encouragement

of program co llaboration within the Osage Nation Students and fam ilies are referred t o other

programs w hen necessary If a student needs school supplies or assistance with athletic fees a

referral is made to the JOM program that offers assistance with those expenses They

communicate upcoming events and act as liaison for other Osage Nation programs

Students from Anderson Hominy Pawhuska and Woodland public schools enrolled in

the ONPSSP There are eighty-three students at Hominy Schools that include forty-four at

Horace Mann Elementary seventeen at Hominy Middle School and twenty-two at Hominy High

School There are one hundred and ninety-nine students at Pawhuska Schools that include

26 IP age

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

eighty-nine at Pawhuska Elementary thirty-six at Pawhuska Indian Camp School and seventyshy

four at the high school There are eighty-four students at Woodland Schools that include

twenty-five at Woodland Elementary thirty-five at Woodland Middle School and twenty-four

at Woodland High School

The tribal education advocates are able to work with Osage students at various schools

throughout the Osage Nation ReservationCounty Their ability to maintain an office at their

assigned school is inva luable to the ONED This allows direct contact with students and the

capabil ity to advocate for any needs that arise Their job duties include distributing scholarship

information arranging college visits hosting college prep and FAFSA nights among many other

things

The Osage Nation Education Department provides educational and supportive services

to Osage People so they can obtain skills needed to become productive individuals and

contributors to thei r communities and families The services are offered through programs that

include classroom training summer youth college entrance assistance higher educat ion

graduation stole program internexternship Johnson OMalley individual and group

reservation based tutoring nationwide Sylvan tutor programs the Osage Nation Public Schools

Support Program and the Wah-Zha-Zhi Education Youth Academy

The Principal Chief of the Osage Nation Geoffrey Standing Bear directed a

reorganization of the Osage Nation Education Department programs and services that took

effect on October 1 2015 The 477 grant is now administered in the Osage Nation Financial

Assistance Department Josephine Revard is the director

271 Pa g c

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

Osage Nation Education Staff

Mary Wildcat Director

Jennifer Holding STEM Coordinator

Louise Cheshewalla Sylvan Coordinator

Avis Ballard JOM Coordinator

Trevor Piearcy Education Advisor

Shaina Perrier OfficeWeb Manager

Cheryl Herard Tribal education advocate

Amy Seago Tribal education advocate

Coley Streater Tribal education advocate

Electa Redcorn Academic Counselor

Contact Information

Osage Nation Education Depa rtment

102 Buffalo Avenue Hominy OK 74035

Phone (918) 287-5300 Toll Free 1-800-390-6724

Fax (918) 287-5567 Website wwwosagenation-nsngov

28 IP a ge

Works Cited

Blueknight Energy Partners Blueknight Energy Partners 2015 Web 29 Dec 2015

Butrymowicz Sarah The Failure of Tribal Schools The Atlantic The Atlantic Monthly Group

26 Nov 2014 Web 8 Dec 2014

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