"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - CN Tribal Youth Council Sworn In

Back row, left to right—Cherokee Nation Tribal Council representative Chuck Hoskin, Jr., Courtney Teehee, Elizabeth Blackbear, Dylan Chuckluck, Reuel Shaver, Corey Still, Cherokee Nation Tribal Council representative Bill John Baker. Front row, left to right: Jackie Eagle, Jade Hansen, Mary Rowland, Christina Hanvey, Jason Lowe, Danielle Culp, Kinsey Shade and Cherokee Nation Tribal Council representative Julia Coates.

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma - With friends and family in attendance, twelve young Cherokee citizens were sworn in recently to represent their Nation on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council (CNTYC). Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice Troy Wayne Poteete performed the ceremony, as each representative took an oath to uphold the by-laws of the CNTYC and the laws of the Cherokee Nation and the United States.

Representatives sworn in for District 1 (Cherokee County) are Kinsey Shade of Tahlequah and Corey Still of Cookson.

Christina Hanvey of Westville will represent District 2 (Adair County). A second seat remains vacant at this time.

For District 3 (Sequoyah County), Reuel Shaver of Muldrow and Jackie Eagle of Gore were sworn in as representatives.

Jason C. Lowe of Warner will serve as the representative for District 4 (Muskogee, Wagoner and McIntosh Counties).

Representatives sworn in for District 5 (Delaware and Ottawa Counties) are Jade Hanson and Courtney Teehee, both of Jay.

Elizabeth Blackbear of Rose and Mary Ashley Rowland of Locust Grove will represent District 6 (Mayes County).

For District 7 (Rogers County) Danielle Culp of Claremore will serve as the representative and Dylan Chuckluck of Vinita was sworn in to represent District 9 (Nowata and Craig Counties).

Two seats representing District 8 (Tulsa and Washington Counties) remain vacant.

Reba Bruner, CNYTC coordinator, welcomed the new and returning representatives to office. “We have a wonderful group of young people representing the Cherokee Nation and the Youth Council this year. We are very proud of each and every one of them, the service contributions they have made and their time and hard work.”

The CNYTC is a fifteen member youth council formed in 1989 and patterned after the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. Youth council representatives are chosen from each district in the Cherokee Nation tribal service jurisdiction area and serve a two-year term. During their term, the representatives perform civic and community services, and participate in leadership activities. The CNTYC was created to provide experience for future tribal leaders, develop role models for young Cherokees and provide a voice for Cherokee youth. To be eligible to run for an office, the candidate must be a tribal citizen age 16 to 22, reside in the district he or she is running in, must be an enrolled student and once in office must attend monthly meetings. For more information on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council, contact Reba Bruner, phone: 918-453-5397.