NOWATA, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation on Tuesday celebrated the grand opening of the tribe’s new state-of-the-art Head Start Center in Nowata, a $7.3 million investment.
The Cherokee Nation Nowata Head Start Center is a 9,300-square-foot facility that will provide comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent-involvement services to low-income families with children ages 3 and under. The new facility features a storm shelter, commercial kitchen, new early Head Start classrooms, and a playground with shade structure and an eco-green roof.
“Our work with the federal Head Start program has improved the education, health and general welfare of thousands of Cherokee families across the reservation for decades,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Since we started the program in 1978, we have received the highest of ratings by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services evaluators. Earlier this year with support from the Council, we reauthorized the historic Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act to fund modern, state-of-the art learning environments at all our Head Start centers. This investment coupled with our ongoing work to provide more quality, affordable childcare across the reservation helps ensure our youngest of Cherokees who rely on us for early learning have all the tools they need to continue thriving.”
Funding for the Nowata Head Start Center was provided by the Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act, which was reauthorized by Chief Hoskin with support from the Council of the Cherokee Nation earlier this year. The legislation doubled the tribe’s investment in Head Start construction from $40 million to $80 million to replace or rehabilitate all of the tribe's Head Start centers with new, state-of-the-art facilities.
Nowata’s facility officially marks the completion of the first replacement project under Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner’s initiative.
“The Cherokee Nation Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act is rightfully named in honor of Head Start Director Verna Thompson, who has worked for the Cherokee Nation and in early childhood education for 40 years,” said Deputy Chief Warner. “Verna has been the cornerstone of these early childhood learning opportunities for decades and we’re excited to see how our Head Start centers take these efforts to the next level in the years to come.”
Cherokee Nation currently serves over 900 children through its Head Start programs.
“I am thrilled to be here for the grand opening of the Head Start Center in Nowata. This Head Start is a much-needed facility in Nowata and will benefit so many children and families in the surrounding area,” said District 12 Councilor Dora Patzkowski. “I want to thank Chief Hoskin, Deputy Chief Warner and my fellow Councilmembers for supporting the funding for this Head Start Center.”
Across the country, federal Head Start programs provide comprehensive services to more than 1 million children each year.
“I am proud to see the investment that Cherokee Nation continues to make in early childhood education,” said District 11 Councilor Kendra McGeady. “When we invest in early childhood education, we are not only investing in children’s future, but we are investing in their formative years to make sure they have a strong foundation to begin on.”
As set forth in the original Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act, Cherokee Nation will replace or rehabilitate all of its Head Start facilities, which serve the following communities:
- Tahlequah
- Jay
- Stilwell (combining two facilities in that area)
- Salina
- Pryor / MidAmerica Industrial Park (co-located with a new Child Development Center)
- Nowata
- Kenwood (located within the Woody Hair Community Center)
When first passed in 2021, the Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act also established a task force to study childcare needs across the tribe’s reservation. The task force identified gaps in various communities where childcare is limited, and the Cherokee Nation is helping fill one of those gaps by making additional investments in childcare centers, including in Catoosa to serve the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino work force. So far Cherokee Nation is investing an additional nearly $77 million to construct child development centers at sites across the reservation, separate from the $80 million investment into Head Start centers.