"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Sequoyah Senior Receives Appointment

***"Shayne Boyd, Sequoyah Schools’ Senior."***

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma - Sequoyah Senior Shayne Boyd has received official notification that he has been appointed to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“Shayne is a great kid and a shining example of what leadership really is,” said Gina Stanley, Sequoyah Schools’ superintendent. “We are very proud of him.”

Boyd, a Cherokee Nation citizen, received a recommendation for appointment from United States Senator Tom Coburn. He attended a summer seminar at the Air Force Academy last summer which solidified his decision to want to attend the academy.

“I want to fly,” Boyd said. “I thought that if I was going to have to work one day, I might as well work at a job that I can get a thrill out of.”

The Air Force Academy will provide him with four years of college education in return for five years of active duty military service. Boyd plans to attend flight school which requires an addition five years of active service, for a total commitment of 10 years.

Boyd, 17, of Hulbert, comes from a family with a strong military background. His father, Gerald Boyd served four years in the army and his grandfather, Joe Boyd served 20 years in the Air Force.

“Shayne is the type of kid that you can always count on,” Stanley said. “He can do anything that he puts his mind to.”

While at Sequoyah, Boyd has been active in student council, dormitory council and has been the captain of the academic team. Sequoyah Schools will host a letter signing reception and celebration for him at a later date.

Sequoyah Schools, a boarding school for Native American students, originated in 1871 as an orphan asylum to care for children who were orphaned by the Civil War. Now known as Sequoyah Schools, it is named for Sequoyah, the scholar who developed the Cherokee syllabary. The school is regionally and state accredited for grades 7-12 and has become the school of choice for more than 400 Native American students every year. Sequoyah Schools is located five miles southwest of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. For more information call 918-453-5400 or visit the Sequoyah Schools’ web site.