PRYOR, Okla. — Cherokee Nation leaders gathered with Pryor community members July 31 to celebrate the grand opening of the tribe’s new $27.7 million state-of-the-art Head Start and Child Development Center at the MidAmerica Industrial Park.
The new 38,000-square-foot facility is designed to serve 150 children across 15 classrooms. Amenities in the facility include a FEMA-rated safe room, two kitchens, classrooms, a small gross motor skills room and a nature-themed playground. Cultural concepts have been incorporated throughout the facility, including interior and exterior designs representing Cherokee clans.
The new facility partially funded through the historic Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act, which was reauthorized by Chief Hoskin with support from the Council of the Cherokee Nation in 2024. The legislation earmarked $80 million to replace or rehabilitate all of the tribe's Head Start centers across the Cherokee Nation Reservation with new, state-of-the-art facilities.
“As Cherokees, we understand there is a collective benefit in providing early educational opportunities for every young person in our communities. Studies have shown that for every $1 invested into Head Start, we see as much as $9 in societal benefits,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Knowing this, we continue to invest historic amounts into early childhood education. The Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act has enabled us to design and build world class early childhood education facilities worthy of the Cherokee children who attend, worthy of our staff and worthy of the families who entrust their children to our care.”
The new facility is the first in the Cherokee Nation to feature both Head Start and the child development center programs.
“This new building is going to make such a positive impact on this community and those who walk through the doors every day,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “Early childhood education is so fundamentally life-changing for families, and that’s why we are so committed to these investments.”
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 issued a report on its findings in 2022. A number of major early childcare initiatives were created by Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner in response to the task force analyzing childcare needs within the reservation. This included a 35% pay increases for the tribe’s early childcare workforce and constructing a new childcare center in Rogers County to help fill one of the geographic gaps identified by the report.
“What a blessing we’ve received with this new facility,” said Director of the Early Childhood Unit Verna Thompson. “Thank you to the hardworking teams in this project. This (Pryor) head start was at a community building since 1992, now, the new facility will serve us well for generations. Cherokee Nation props up our children like no other.”
The tribe has previously celebrated the completion of other landmark projects under the Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act, including Head Start centers in Kenwood Nowata and Jay, with work continuing on facilities in Tahlequah, Salina, Catoosa and Cherry Tree.
“It’s an honor to celebrate this wonderful facility,” said Cherokee Nation Human Services Executive Director Jennifer Kirby. “Seeing Cherokee Nation’s commitment to children is inspiring, we are grateful to the program staff and administration for making this idea come true. We know that everyone involved took great pride in this project, there’s always excitement whenever we can prop up the next generation with new opportunities.”
The tribe established its Head Start program in 1978 and now serves over 900 children across the reservation. Cherokee Nation’s Head Start students range from as young as six weeks to preschool age. They are taught cognitive, language, motor and social skills as part of the tribe’s Head Start programs.
“I’m very proud to have this in my district, thank you to everyone who has had a part in this project,” said District 15 Councilor Danny Callison. “Nothing happens in the Cherokee Nation without it being a first-class effort from our administration. This facility brings peace of mind to working class parents and families.”
The land for the new Pryor facility was generously donated by MidAmerica Industrial Park. Maska Builders built the facility and Childers Architect designed the project.