Copyright © 2004 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Children love to learn. It is a natural instinct. Kids learn to walk and talk, to read and write. These days, they learn how to run computers and video games, too. Cherokee children have always been intelligent and creative. Many of us are parents, and we get to watch our children learn and grow and teach them the things that are important to us.

Education has always been important to Cherokees. Before statehood, our school system was the envy of local states. In fact, many non-Indian families that lived on the border of the Cherokee Nation would send their children to our day schools because of the high level of education they would receive there.

Today, the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to education is just as strong. That is why we are the only Indian nation in Oklahoma that specifically sets aside car tag revenue to give to our public schools.

In February, we distributed more than $1.85 million to schools in northeastern Oklahoma. That money is in addition to the more than $1 million we spend each year on Johnson-O’Malley programs and the more than $20 million in federal education money that comes into Oklahoma each year because of Indian tribes.

The money is distributed based on the number of Cherokee students enrolled at each school. This year that meant every school received nearly $100 per Cherokee student. Schools can use that money however they see fit to better educate all the students in their district.

This is one more thing we can teach our children. We can teach them that Cherokee car tags help pay for their education. And every time we see a Cherokee car tag on the road, we can take pride that we are continuing our legacy of excellence in education.