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Cherokee Nation employees who recently attend the Oklahoma Native Language Association (ONLA) meeting in Norman, Oklahoma were: front row, from left to right, Ella Christie, teacher; Hudy Jones, lead teacher; Dora Dunn, lead teacher; and Sandra Turner, culture and language specialist. Back row, from left to right, Phyllis Wilson, teacher; Nora Birdtail, teacher; JoAnn Fields, teacher; Peggy Tiger, teacher; Diane Woodard, program specialist; and Regina Grass, education specialist. Harry Oosahwee, director of immersion classrooms for Cherokee Nation attended, but is not pictured.

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - Eleven Cherokee Nation employees recently participated in a meeting to share ideas and methods for effectively teaching native languages to children. The Oklahoma Native Language Association (ONLA) meeting in Norman, Oklahoma brought together native language speakers from many different tribes.

"It is interesting to see the similarities among so many spoken Native languages in Oklahoma", said Sandra Turner, culture and language specialist with the Cherokee Nation.

The Cherokee Nation currently has two emersion classrooms for 3 and 4 year olds where Cherokee and English are both used in the classroom and three classrooms for 3, 4 and 5 year olds that are total immersion, where Cherokee is the only language used in the classroom.

"It’s our goal to promote and preserve the Cherokee language", said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "The best place to start doing that is with our children. They are the future of the Cherokee people and our best chance at carrying on the language for future generations."

Related contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org