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State of the Nation Nation Tribal Council

District 1 District 4 District 7 District 10 Thomas Williston Delton Cox Jack Austin Anthony Dillard

District 2 District 5 District 8 District 11 Tony Ward Ron Perry Perry Thompson Bob Pate

District 3 District 6 District 9 District 12 Kenny Bryant Joe Coley Ted Dosh James Frazier Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr. Halito, It is once again that time of year when I update you, our tribal members, on the status of the Choctaw Nation. This past year, the continued focus has been on the revitalization of our culture, growth and opportunities for our tribal members and financial stability of the Tribe as a whole.

Preserving and passing down our culture; such as our Chahta language, stickball and traditional dancing; are ways we display our values as Chahta people. All of our daycare and Head Start centers are practicing these traditions with the children and our language is being taught online and in high schools and universities throughout the , so we can assure our legacy as Chahta people continues.

This past year, we wanted to make sure to provide opportunities, so we invested in thirty-seven projects such as com- munity centers for our elders, child development centers and wellness centers along with economic development oppor- tunities to create jobs. We have been able to complete twelve of these projects, so far. We also expanded programs like the Storm Shelter Program, Indian Child Welfare (ICW) and the Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE) Program to help our children succeed. We also completed the implementation of the Job for the Day Program to help those in need of employment. All of this growth has resulted in more than a thousand new job opportunities.

In the last twelve months, we have grown our annual income by 15%, which helps us keep up with general inflation- ary costs while still expanding programs and opportunities and putting dollars back for our kids and grandkids. Due to the economic stability of the Nation, we are poised and ready to continue providing opportunities for the future and will remain focused on our Faith, Family and Culture.

In closing, I believe the Tribe is vibrant and strong in many ways because of you, our Chahta People, who are resilient, mighty and proud of our rich culture and the glorious past that makes us the Great Choctaw Nation of . I hope you share in my enthusiasm as we continue to look to the future on this great journey of the Choctaw people.

Yakoke and Chi Pisa La Chike,

Gary Batton, Chief Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

1 Choctaw youth are learning from an early age about traditional clothing, crafts, stickball and social dances. Keeping our culture alive The culture and traditions of the Choctaw Nation are handed down through generations. The is taught worldwide through Internet courses and community classes, and it is being taught in 43 schools this year. After years of meticulous research and consultation, the School of Choctaw Language is publishing a new Choctaw Dictionary. The Historic Preservation Department was recipient of the “Cultural Program of the Year” Award from National Tribal Geographic Information System. Over 9,000 people participated in cultural activities throughout the year – beading, basketry, Choctaw dance, stickball and dressmaking. Tvshka Homma stickball men, women and youth traveled to for the World Series of Stickball. Youth and women players participat- ed in games and exhibitions. Tvshka Homma men entered the 35+ Men’s Tournament for the first time, and the Tvshka Homma Men’s team advanced to the second round of their tournament play. The Youth Stickball League had 500 participants this year.

2 The 2016 Commemorative Trail of Tears Walk at Tvshka Homma. A record number attended The Choctaw Nation Bike Team completed the trek from the annual Mississippi to Oklahoma for Trail of Tears the fifth year in a row – in less Walk on time. The team stopped at his- torical sites, some along parts the Tvshka of the same Trail of Tears the Homma walked. Capitol Grounds to Trail of Tears Bike Team rolls into Durant. honor the ancestors The Choctaw people start- ed establishing churches and who were schools when they arrived in lost on the . Monthly and journey and annual singings continue to be held at churches throughout the the men and state. There are churches in the women who Choctaw Nation that have been built a new holding singings for over 100 years. Nation. Group of singers at Rock Creek Church in Honobia.

3 Where the money comes from

1% Housing Authority General Governmental $6M Revenue $13M

Medicare & Third Party Insurance 2% $67M 10% 65%

22%

Federal/State Funding $148M Business Operating Income $424 M

TOTAL: $658,000,000

Success in our tribal businesses is ensuring a sustainable future for the Choctaw Nation through economic development that sup- ports tribal services and employment opportunities.

4 Where the money goes

Tribal Member Services $319M

49%

Supportive Services 10% $68M 28% 13%

Permanent Fund $88M Growth - Capital Projects $183M

TOTAL: $658,000,000

The vision of “Achieving healthy, successful, and productive life- styles for a proud Nation of Choctaws” guides the Nation as it continues to develop programs and services for the best benefit of tribal members. Quarterly financials are being published in the Biskinik to keep you informed.

5 Chief Gary Batton, 2015-16 Outstanding Elders Linda Watson and Walter Phelps, Councilman James Frazier, and Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr. Seniors on the go

The numbers in the Senior Nutrition program have been steadily increasing due to increased efforts of the staff. The cooks have prepared approximately 56,585 meals during 2015-16 and the drivers have transported the seniors to vari- ous activities. Choctaw seniors enjoy having the opportunity to travel. Since April of 2015, six new buses and a minivan were pur- chased for Senior Nutrition. The program’s drivers spent ap- proximately 17,232 hours transporting the seniors to various activities including grocery shopping, concerts and special events.

James Melton enjoying the Wild Onion Dinner at Wilburton.

6 Seniors arrive at the annual Easter Celebration at Carla Noah, Donna Melton and Paul Carney cook for Tvshka Homma. a large group.

Adeline Hudson at the village Seniors hunt for Easter eggs at Tvshka Homma. during the Labor Day Festival.

7 Improving quality of life Health initiatives and new wellness facilities are a top priority to improve our quality of life. This year, the Choctaw Nation: • Lowered the age for eyeglasses program; no age restriction for assistance with eyeglasses. • Added patient screens for cardiology, cancer and hepatitis-C. • Added Tribal Transit vehicles and personnel to assist tribal members to appointments. • Signed a contract with LogistiCare Solutions, LLC., which will provide rides to qualifying SoonerCare/Medicaid patients and tribal members. Chief Gary Batton and Oklahoma Commissioner of Health Terry Kline sign a • Scheduled primary provider Memorandum of Understanding to provide flu vaccinations. visits for 260,455 patients at the hospital. • Choctaw Nation Victim Services received the Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services at the National An agreement was signed between the Choctaw Nation Crime Victims’ Service Awards and the Oklahoma State Department of Health to provide Ceremony in Washington, DC. free flu vaccinations to all citizens within the 10.5 counties of the Choctaw Nation, helping to reduce the incidence rate of influenza during the flu season. As a result of the collaboration and proactive strategies of the Choctaw Nation and the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the OSDH was able to administer 23,987 doses of flu vaccines to community residents within the 11 counties between September 2015 to February 2016, compared to only 9,537 doses during the same time period in 2014-15.

A Choctaw Nation health official administers a flu vaccination.

8 The Choctaw Nation operates eleven wellness centers at locations in Atoka, Broken Bow, Coalgate, Crowder, Durant, Hugo, Idabel, McAlester, Poteau, Smithville and Wilburton. The centers average 25,000 participants. Construction is under way on two new wellness centers – one in Stigler and one in Antlers. The facilities help keep people healthy, out of the clinics, and provide jobs. Wellness leaders at the community centers have also been making exercise activities fun for the Seniors with the addition of chair volleyball and Tai Chi.

Seniors work out in the new wellness facility at Smithville.

Food Distribution Markets provide a wide choice of food items.

The Next Step Initiative, a supplemental food program, assisted a total of 1,099 people and helped Ninety local farmers enrolled in the Farmers Market program to create Success Through Empowering People (STEP) provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables. curriculum that focuses on money management, debt management, workplace success and healthy lifestyles.

9 Chahta youth There were 1,392 an- imals entered this year in the Choctaw Nation Livestock Shows in Wilburton and Durant. The responsibility of caring for the animals builds work ethics for a lifetime.

Jones Academy youth participate in the Choctaw Nation’s 2016 Livestock Show.

Learning the Choctaw game of Achahpi at this summer’s Youth Cultural Enrichment Camp. Total summer camp participation was 2,432.

Participants of Youth Safety Camp 2016 gather for a photo.

10 Former Youth Advisory Board president Lorenzo Gonzalez stays busy. In addition to three jobs, Lorenzo has recently completed The Youth Advisory Board members perform social dances designing a website to aid others in at their annual banquet. finding the right employment oppor- tunity.

Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) officer Isaac The Choctaw Nation’s Reading in Motion mobile library. James speaks with a group of students.

Stony Trusty shows Travion Locke how to Donna Meeks tells a story with her puppet. correctly use a bow during Safety Camp.

11 A head start! The Choctaw Nation Head Start Centers, Pre-School and Administration were certified EXCELLENT by Oklahoma Healthy Early Childhood Centers. Of the Head Start children served during the 2015-16 school year – 96% met or exceeded the School Readiness Goals in five areas of development – Language, Social Emotional, Cognition, Learning, and Motor Development. In Head Start’s 4-Year-Old Program – 92% accom- plished School Readiness Goals in preparation for Kindergarten. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is one of six tribal organizations to receive Tribal Early Learning Initiative (TELI) funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF). They also received a grant from ACF’s Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (TMIECHV) program.

Chief Batton having fun with Head Start children in Broken Bow.

Partnership for Summer School Education (POSSE) has expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10.5 counties, offering a “hands on” in- structional approach to improve student read- ing and math performance in 51 schools. Next summer, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school districts within its boundary.

Emerson Elementary students from Coalgate get to know Otto, the interactive welcoming robot for the Science Museum Oklahoma.

12 Soaring higher During the 2015-16 school year the High School Student Services program served over 3,488 Choctaw students in grades 9-12 living inside the 10.5 counties and 788 students living outside the Nation’s service area. The students received information on academic and edu- cational opportunities. There were 193 Choctaw students in grades 9-12 (statewide) recog- nized as members of the Oklahoma Indian Student Honor Society. One of the requirements to apply was having a GPA of 3.9 or higher. The Choctaw Nation awarded 9,440 scholarships from August 2015 through June 2016 and provided 400 college students with a technol- ogy allowance. The concurrent applications show an increase in stu- dents attempting college credits while still in high school. An Adult Education graduate is looking to the future.

Choctaw Nation partnered with Best Buy to bring the Geek Squad Academy to Durant in June. There were 154 Choctaw students who attended the two-day academy. It was the only Geek Squad Academy to be hosted in Oklahoma out of 23 scheduled throughout the United States.

13 Expanding the future

Job for the Day, a temporary work program, opened its doors and placed its first participant November 23rd, 2015. Since, then, the program has had 93 complete Job for the Day placement with 36 finding employment with Choctaw Nation. Seventy-six were assisted with finding employment outside the Choctaw Nation. uuu

The Choctaw Nation’s Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) adult services provided 226 employment and train- ing opportunities. WIOA’s Supplemental/Tribal youth programs employed 1,298 participants, 16-21 years of age, for 200 hours for five weeks during the summer. Eldonna Carney was a participant in Job for the Day and now has a position with Circulation.

College & Career Resources (CCR) completed its first year as a new program on the campus- es of State College, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and State College. Success coaches pro- vided students with the resources necessary to successfully graduate, transfer, or persist from one semes- ter to the next. Choctaw students came together for weekly dinners, service projects, cultural activi- ties, and fitness challenges, just to name a few, which prompted a strengthening of the CASC, SE, and EOSC Choctaw communities embarking on their college journeys together.

14 Career Development is currently serving ap- proximately 2,944 tribal members that are either in a training program; or completing a training pro- gram and waiting on employment. The top three requested fields of study are: Health Occupations, Construction/Manufacturing and Transportation. • Health occupations are yielding an average salary increase after training of approximately $16,000. • Construction/Manufacturing is yielding an average salary increase after training of approximately $14,500. • Transportation is yielding an average salary increase after training of approximately $10,000.*

Almost 7,000 tribal members have completed a training program and obtained employment at an average salary increase of approximately $14,000 after training.

*results based on an on-line follow up survey report

As a result of furthering his education, Parker Harless has been promoted to principal and Athletic Director of Soper Public School.

Choctaw Asset Building Program (CAB) has been providing a matched savings program as well as financial education for tribal members saving for either post-secondary education, business start-up or expansion or first time homeownership. These services are available to qualified tribal members in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. We are now offering the educational matched savings plan to qualified tribal members across the U.S. To date, the CAB program has assisted 556 tribal members in meeting their savings goals.

Lindsey Hancock joined CAB because of all the opportunities for success that CAB offers.

15 Chief Gary Batton, Veterans Advocacy Director Brent Oakes, Veterans Advocacy Deputy Director Roger Hamill and Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr. place the first Veteran Parking sign at the Headquarters in Durant.

Highlights • Veteran Parking signs have been placed at multiple Choctaw Nation sites. The signs are one of the newest ways to say Yakoke to the Choctaw veterans. • The Choctaw Nation is the second leading Connect Home Program implementation in the United States out of 26 major cities. According to DC and HUD, the Choctaw Nation is the Veteran Choc Charleston shares memories only Tribal Nation in the program. with Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr.

• The Home Finance Services has leveraged over $9 million with various lenders to help our tribal members with their home loan needs this year. They assisted 182 families which consisted of 106 direct loans, 68 leveraged loans and 8 flood victims.

16 The storm shelter program serves Choctaw homeowners that reside in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. The age limit for a full grant amount of $2,500 was lowered from 55 to 45 in April 2016. Added to the guidelines were Choctaw homeowners ages 18-44 are eligible for a grant amount of $1,250. The storm shelter program has issued 3,837 vouchers with 3,080 units installed as of June 30, 2016.

Connie Palmer, daughter Jessica, and son Cole are thankful for thier newly installed storm shelter.

• Homeowners Rehabilitation Services experienced staff growth and expansion of services in 2015. They were able to provide substantial rehabilitation, emergency and high priority repairs to 1,240 tribal members. • The Ten Commandments in both the English and Choctaw languages have been placed in facilities. • A pending water agreement has been reached between the Choctaw and Nations and the State of Oklahoma and . The agreement will help protect Southeastern Oklahoma’s water resources and our inherent tribal sovereignty. There are several steps that must be taken before the agreement is finalized. The next step is approval by the U.S. Congress. More information can be found on choctawnation.com and waterunityok.com. • Between January 2015 and June 2016, rebates totaling $2,629,650 were received from the State of Oklahoma and passed directly onto tribal members for the Choctaw Car Tags. • Choctaw Nation Recycling reached 2 million pounds this year. They recycled over 50,000 tires and by the end of September will have emptied over 2,000 recycling containers. • Raising Black Angus cattle on our rural lands has optimized tens of thousands of acres, generating a healthy, renewable revenue stream for the tribe. Today, we manage a herd of 2,100 Black Angus cattle and have begun producing calves. • At our seven Choctaw Ranches, all of our 30 ranch employees have received beef quality assurance certification, which means they know how to properly feed, vaccinate and manage the herd based on national standards and best practices.

17 The Choctaw Nation opens its first Choctaw Country Market in Clayton. Grand openings since October 2015 The growth of the Nation including new facilities opened this year provides more oppor- tunities for tribal members.

• Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Antlers A Choctaw Travel Plaza and Casino Too opens in Antlers, • Bethel/Battiest Community Center the first in Pushmataha County. • Bethel/Battiest Pre-School • Broken Bow Food Distribution • Chili’s, Atoka • Choctaw Country Market, Clayton • Early Head Start, Durant • McAlester Community Center • McAlester Food Distribution • McAlester Head Start • McAlester Wellness Center • Smithville Wellness Center

Smithville seniors have a new Wellness Center.

18 The McAlester campus includes a new Community Center, Head Start, Food Distrubution and Wellness Center.

Broken Bow Food Distribution Center. The Food Distribution Center in Broken Bow opened in February 2016 and ended tailgate runs to Broken Bow, Idabel, Smithville and Bethel. Participants can now shop for themselves at all locations. United States Department of Agriculture Division Director Eddie Longoria was on hand to present a certificate of appreciation to the Choctaw Nation for their efforts in making nutritious food choices available in order to improve the over- all health and quality of life in Native American households.

19 The new Bethel-Battiest Community Center is an almost 8,000-sq.-ft. facility that will hold a variety of events for the Nation. This community center features a full-scale A new Community Center and Pre-School open in the Bethel-Battiest area. commercial kitchen and an exercise room. The Chahta Pre-School is located next to the new Bethel-Battiest Community Center. The pre-school, a Head Start in McAlester and an Early Head A ribbon cutting celebration is held at Early Head Start in Durant. Start in Durant were all opened this year. Each facility contains state- of-the-art technology and the children are taught by state-certified teachers. The Choctaw Nation holds its grand opening ceremony for Chili’s in Atoka.

20 An Atoka County road is being resurfaced. Paving the way The Choctaw Nation has completed $20.6 million in road construction this year to help communities. There are projects under way in Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Coal, Latimer, Haskell, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, McCurtain and LeFlore counties estimating over $40 million. uuu

Bryan County has been selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to receive $62 million to improve safety and efficiency of high volume freight traffic along the U.S. 69/75 corridor, which runs through Durant. The funding comes from one of the first grants under the new Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects program, referred to as the FASTLANE program. The project will help reduce safety concerns, save lives and enhance economic development for not only Durant but our gateway into Oklahoma. This achieve- ment is a prime example of a cooperative partnership between the state, Choctaw Nation and federal levels.

Oklahoma Tribal Compact Immediately after harvest and before moving the etting back to nature Hunting and Fishing License 1. game, information must be printed below in ink. G License #: CH1688001192078 Method G-(Gun) Choctaw Nation tribal members residing in Confi rmation #: R16350015118 2. 3. Record ECheck confi rmation # on your fi eld tag. Oklahoma will no longer have to pay for Oklahoma Tvshka Chahta TIME DATE TYPE GAME METHOD PO Box 87378 Hunting and Fishing licenses starting Jan. 1, 2017. Anytown OK 74857

SS #: XXX-XX-XXX State: OK After working on a compact since the summer Birth Date: 08/31/16 Tribal ID#: 555555 of 2015, the Choctaw Nation, the State of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife came to a Date/Time Sold 08/31/16 License Type License Date* Qty mutually beneficial agreement last month. Choctaw Nation 01/01/17 to 01 Combination Hunt/Fish 12/31/18 To report a violation of Fish & Game Law call Operation GAME THIEF. DEER 06 Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Choctaw tribal members living in the State of TURKEY see regulations 04 1-800-522-8039 - not an information number. Rewards up to $500 Oklahoma are eligible for the Compact License.

Online applications will be available Oct. 1, 2016 at SPORTSMAN SIGNATURE (REQUIRED) choctawnation.com for those 16 years old and over. Issuing Agent: ODWC/Choctaw Nation *Licenses are non refundable. Please consult the current Oklahoma Fishing, Hunting or Waterfowl Guide for For those age 15 and under, the online application season dates and regulations. License shall not be altered, changed, transferred or reproduced. Thank you for supporting the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will be available Jan. 1, 2017. SAMPLE

21 Choctaw Nation Regional Health Clinic, Durant Growth

26 NEW SITES

Architectural renderings on pages 22 and 23 NEW HEAD START FACILITY picture a few of the 26 new facilities currently CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMAChoctaw Nation Head Start, Atoka Atoka, Oklahoma EASTERN OKLAHOMA TRIBAL SCHOOLS under construction or in planning stages.

• Antlers Wellness Center • Hugo Community Center • Casino Too & Parking Expansion, Atoka • Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Hugo • Atoka Head Start • Lehigh Greenhouse (joint USDA/CNO) • Choctaw Country Market, Boswell • Head Start, Poteau • Choctaw Travel Plaza, Coalgate • Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too Expansion, • Cultural Center, Durant Poteau • Data Center, Durant • Independent Living Community, Smithville • Durant Maintenance & Facilities Building • Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Stigler • Choctaw National Regional Health Clinic, Durant • Stigler Wellness Center • Public Safety Facility, Durant • Talihina Community Center • Durant Wellness Center • Talihina Day Care • Choctaw Resort & Casino Expansion, Grant • Choctaw Travel Plaza, Talihina • Headquarters Campus, Durant • Wright City Head Start • Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Heavener

22 Choctaw Nation Headquarters, Durant

Fast Facts The Choctaw Nation is involved in 21 industries Choctaw Cultural Center, Durant in 65 locations. The tribe employs more than 9,000 people. Over 1,000 employees have Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Heavener been added for the second year in a row. Upon completion, new facilities opening in 2017 will add approximately 270 more jobs.

Choctaw Nation Community Center, Hugo

23 The site being prepared for the new Choctaw Travel Plaza in Hugo.

Shovels turn to begin construction on new Wellness Center in Antlers.

Ground breaking ceremony starts construction of new expansion of the Grant casino.

24 Stay connected

ChoctawNation.com features access to information about tribal history, culture, news, services, government, businesses, applications and contacts. Candace Perkins conducts an interview for BISKINIK TV. The Choctaw Nation’s official publication, the BISKINIK, is available to tribal members by mail and archived editions are on ChoctawNation.com.

To hear Chief Batton’s comments regarding the State of the Choctaw Nation, please tune in to http://bit.ly/2bVVnnk#ChoctawFest and view the Joe Jefferson captures a story on video. September 5, 2016 State of the Nation from Tvshka Homma

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Choctaw Nation Headquarters @ChoctawNationOK 529 N. 16th Ave. Durant, OK 74701 580-924-8280 • 800-522-6170

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