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Education committee hears Job Corps award, scholarship deadlines and Head Start accreditation

Cherokee Nation Education Committee · February 10, 2026

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Summary

Department leaders reported that the Talking Leaf Job Corps center will accept a national community-service award, College Resource Center scholarship applications open March 1, Trail of Tears Awards deadline is March 2, and all Head Start sites have achieved NAC accreditation; Sequoia High School also reported extracurricular and facility updates.

Leaders from Cherokee Nation education programs presented departmental updates to the Education Committee, highlighting program achievements and upcoming deadlines.

Diane Kelly, executive director for vocational programs, said staff from Talking Leaf's Job Corps center will attend the National Job Corps Association meeting and that the center will be accepting an award for first-place community service efforts. Kelly described an ongoing rollout of Salesforce for program data and said the Cherokee Nation career-services pages will be integrated into the Cherokee Nation website so the public can view program offerings. Kelly noted that some Job Corps centers nationally are in poor condition and may face closure, but stated that their local center is in good condition and performing well.

Mark Vance (CEO/chief) outlined dates and opportunities: College Resource Center scholarship applications open March 1 for school year 2026–27; Trail of Tears Awards applications are due March 2 for eighth- and 12th-grade students; a virtual consultation for public schools is set for Feb. 25, and a public schools consultation is scheduled March 2 with additional consultation activity March 4.

Verna Thompson, who leads Head Start, reported that all new Head Start sites have achieved National Accreditation Commission recognition and that a previously open federal audit issue is now closed and in full compliance.

Superintendent Terry Eustace of Sequoia High School updated the committee on school activities, including an eighth-grade day planned for March 4 tied to a local airplane celebration, completion of turf installation, athletics schedules and extracurricular accomplishments, and a paraeducator who moved from practicum into hiring quickly.

Committee members thanked staff for the reports and offered brief remarks of appreciation. The committee recorded no substantive votes on these reports and moved to new business following the updates.