Revitalizing Education

A Tribal Approach to Engaging Educators and Students Through a Native Summer Learning Program

By Suzanne Delap, Celia Stall-Meadows, Ashley Nunley, Cheyenne Burkett, & Cassie Mixon

Promoting educational success is a primary focus for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Choctaw Nation provides scholarships and programming that support student achievement, yet families with school-age students remain challenged by Oklahoma’s limited per capita education funding, ranking in the bottom 10% of U.S. states (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). Furthermore, the cultural needs of Native students are often insufficiently addressed in traditional education practices and curricula.