Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Students from the Cherokee Nation Early Childhood Unit performing at the recent grand opening and dedication ceremony of the 30,000 square foot Cherokee Nation Childcare Development Center.

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - A crowd of adults and children gathered inside to celebrate the grand opening and dedication of the Cherokee Nation's new 30,000 square foot child care facility.

The Cherokee Nation Child Care Developmental Department and Early Childhood Unit (ECU) is located on the campus of Sequoyah High School, has been named U-Ni-Wi-Sa-Nv, which in Cherokee means "planting the seed" or garden.

"We believe that this center is a place where children can learn, grow, play and mature in a learning environment," said Dr. Shelly Butler-Allen, associate director of education for the Cherokee Nation.

U-Ni-Wi-Sa-Nv is designed to provide skills in a culturally sensitive environment that will encourage and promote the mental, physical and social growth of the children.

The crowd was also entertained by the 3 and 4 year-old preschool class who sang "I Love You" in Cherokee and the school-aged children who sang "Orphan Child" in Cherokee, at the direction of Sandra Turner, ECU language and cultural specialist.

Guest speakers at the grand opening included Ron Herndon, chairman of the board of the National Head Start Association and Judy Baggett, a program specialist for the Department of Health and Human Services.

"I would like to congratulate the Cherokee Nation for what they have done here with this facility," Herndon said. "I oversee over one million head start children, 250 head start teachers and close to 2000 head start programs and I found this facility to be a model program. This program goes beyond the usual and becomes unique by instilling their heritage and language into the children who attend this facility. This is definitely a model I will take back with me to Portland, Oregon and share with other head start programs."

"It is not only the facility that is outstanding, it is what is inside the facility that matters, these children and outstanding staff," said Chuck Hoskins, Cherokee Nation Tribal Council member and Education Committee co-chair.

The 30,000 square foot building houses various childcare services and programs. The Cherokee Nation Early Childhood Unit operates a nationally accredited program of childcare, Early Head Start and Head Start services.

"Though large in overall size, the scale of this facility is reduced through the use of 'leaf-like' canopy elements, whose inspiration was taken from the Cherokee alphabet or 'Talking Leaves', as well as the use of traditional colors and materials," said Brian Thomas, architect for the building. "Throughout the interior of the building are child care components clustered around naturally lit 'Neighborhood Commons' with the different age groups having individual, personalized entry elements. This gives each of the individual programs an architectural identity while remaining a consistent character for the facility as a whole."

The Cherokee Nation Child Care and Developmental Department provides a comprehensive system of services to increase the availability, affordability and quality of care for children.

For more information on the Cherokee Nation Child Care programs, please call (918) 458-7614.