20 16State of the

NatioN

District 1Thomas Williston

District 2Tony Ward

District 3Kenny Bryant

District 4Delton Cox

District 5Ron Perry

District 6Joe Coley

District 7Jack Austin

District 8Perry Thompson

District 9Ted Dosh

District 10Anthony Dillard

District 11Bob Pate

District 12James Frazier

Choctaw Nation Tribal Council

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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 United States, 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 Oklahoma. 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, ChiefChoctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr.

Halito,

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Keeping our culture alive

Choctaw youth are learning from an early age about traditional clothing, crafts, stickball and social dances.

The culture and traditions of the Choctaw Nation are handed down through generations. The Choctaw language 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 Mississippi 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.

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The Choctaw people start-ed establishing churches and schools when they arrived in Indian Territory. Monthly and annual singings continue to be held at churches throughout the state. There are churches in the Choctaw Nation that have been holding singings for over 100 years.

A record number attended the annual Trail of Tears Walk on the Tvshka Homma Capitol Grounds to honor the ancestors who were lost on the journey and the men and women who built a new Nation.

The Choctaw Nation Bike Team completed the trek from Mississippi to Oklahoma for the fifth year in a row – in less time. The team stopped at his-torical sites, some along parts of the same Trail of Tears the Choctaws walked.

The 2016 Commemorative Trail of Tears Walk at Tvshka Homma.

Trail of Tears Bike Team rolls into Durant.

Group of singers at Rock Creek Church in Honobia.

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Where the moNey comeS from

TOTAL: $658,000,000

Business Operating Income $424 M

65%

1% Housing Authority $6MGeneral Governmental

Revenue $13M

2%

10%

22%

Medicare & Third Party Insurance $67M

Federal/State Funding $148M

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.

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Where the moNey goeS

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.

TOTAL: $658,000,000

Growth - Capital Projects$183M

49%

Tribal Member Services $319M

28%10%

13%Supportive Services$68M

Permanent Fund$88M

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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.

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

James Melton enjoying the Wild Onion Dinner at Wilburton.

Seniors on the go

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Seniors arrive at the annual Easter Celebration at Tvshka Homma.

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

Carla Noah, Donna Melton and Paul Carney cook for a large group.

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An agreement was signed between the Choctaw Nation and the Oklahoma State Department of Health to provide 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.

Improving quality of life

Chief Gary Batton and Oklahoma Commissioner of Health Terry Kline sign a Memorandum of Understanding to provide flu vaccinations.

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.

• Scheduled primary provider visits for 260,455 patients at the hospital.

• Choctaw Nation Victim Services received the Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services at the National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC.

A Choctaw Nation health officialadministers a flu vaccination.

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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 wellnessfacility at Smithville.

Ninety local farmers enrolled in the Farmers Market program to provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

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 create Success Through Empowering People (STEP)

curriculum that focuses on money management, debt management, workplace success and healthy lifestyles.

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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.

Participants of Youth Safety Camp 2016 gather for a photo.

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

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

Chahta youth

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The Youth Advisory Board members perform social dances at their annual banquet.

The Choctaw Nation’s Reading in Motion mobile library.

Stony Trusty shows Travion Locke how to correctly use a bow during Safety Camp.

Former Youth Advisory Board president Lorenzo Gonzalez stays busy. In addition to three jobs, Lorenzo has recently completed designing a website to aid others in finding the right employment oppor-tunity.

Donna Meeks tells a story with her puppet.

Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) officer Isaac James speaks with a group of students.

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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.

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.

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

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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.

Soaring higher

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.

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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.

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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 Carl Albert State College, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Eastern Oklahoma 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.

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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

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 CABbecause of all the opportunities

for success that CAB offers.

As a result of furthering his education,Parker Harless has been promoted to principal and

Athletic Director of Soper Public School.

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• 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 only Tribal Nation in the program.

Highlights

• 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.

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

Veteran Choc Charleston shares memorieswith Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr.

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• 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 Chickasaw Nations and the

State of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City. 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.

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.

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• Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Antlers• Bethel/Battiest Community Center• 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

Grand openings since October 2015

Smithville seniors have a new Wellness Center.

A Choctaw Travel Plaza and Casino Too opens in Antlers,the first in Pushmataha County.

The Choctaw Nation opens its first Choctaw Country Market in Clayton.

The growth of the Nation including new facilities opened this year provides more oppor-tunities for tribal members.

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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.

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

Broken Bow Food Distribution Center.

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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 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 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.

A new Community Center and Pre-School open in the Bethel-Battiest area.

The Choctaw Nation holds its grand opening ceremony for Chili’s in Atoka.

A ribbon cutting celebration is held at Early Head Start in Durant.

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Choctaw Nation tribal members residing in Oklahoma will no longer have to pay for Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing licenses starting Jan. 1, 2017.

After working on a compact since the summer of 2015, the Choctaw Nation, the State of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife came to a mutually beneficial agreement last month.

Choctaw tribal members living in the State of Oklahoma are eligible for the Compact License. Online applications will be available Oct. 1, 2016 at choctawnation.com for those 16 years old and over. For those age 15 and under, the online application will be available Jan. 1, 2017.

Oklahoma Tribal CompactHunting and Fishing License

License #: CH1688001192078Confi rmation #: R16350015118

Tvshka ChahtaPO Box 87378Anytown OK 74857

SS #: XXX-XX-XXX State: OKBirth Date: 08/31/16 Tribal ID#: 555555

Date/Time Sold 08/31/16

License Type License Date* Qty

Choctaw Nation 01/01/17 to 01Combination Hunt/Fish 12/31/18

DEER 06 TURKEY see regulations 04

SPORTSMAN SIGNATURE (REQUIRED)

Issuing Agent: ODWC/Choctaw Nation

*Licenses are non refundable. Please consult the current Oklahoma Fishing, Hunting or Waterfowl Guide for season dates and regulations. License shall not be altered, changed, transferred or reproduced.

1. Immediately after harvest and before moving the game, information must be printed below in ink.

2. Method G-(Gun)

3. Record ECheck confi rmation # on your fi eld tag.

TIME DATE TYPE GAME METHOD

To report a violation of Fish & Game Lawcall Operation GAME THIEF.

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.1-800-522-8039 - not an information number.

Rewards up to $500

Thank you for supporting the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

SAMPLE

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.

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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.

Paving the wayAn Atoka County road is being resurfaced.

Getting back to nature

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• Antlers Wellness Center• Casino Too & Parking Expansion, Atoka• Atoka Head Start• Choctaw Country Market, Boswell• Choctaw Travel Plaza, Coalgate• Cultural Center, Durant• Data Center, Durant• Durant Maintenance & Facilities Building• Choctaw National Regional Health Clinic, Durant• Public Safety Facility, Durant• Durant Wellness Center• Choctaw Resort & Casino Expansion, Grant• Headquarters Campus, Durant• Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Heavener

• Hugo Community Center• Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Hugo• Lehigh Greenhouse (joint USDA/CNO)• Head Start, Poteau• Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too Expansion,

Poteau• Independent Living Community, Smithville• Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Stigler• Stigler Wellness Center• Talihina Community Center• Talihina Day Care• Choctaw Travel Plaza, Talihina• Wright City Head Start

Growth 26 NEW SITES

Choctaw Nation Regional Health Clinic, Durant

Choctaw Nation Head Start, AtokaEASTERN OKLAHOMA TRIBAL SCHOOLS

NEW HEAD START FACILITYCHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMAAtoka, Oklahoma

Architectural renderings on pages 22 and 23 picture a few of the 26 new facilities currently under construction or in planning stages.

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Choctaw Nation Headquarters, Durant

Choctaw Cultural Center, Durant

Choctaw Nation Community Center, Hugo

Choctaw Travel Plaza & Casino Too, Heavener

Fast Facts

The Choctaw Nationis involved

in 21 industriesin 65 locations.

The tribe employsmore than 9,000

people.

Over 1,000 employees have been added for the second

year in a row.

Upon completion, new facilities opening in 2017

will add approximately 270 more jobs.

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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.

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Stay connected

Follow us!@ChoctawNationofOklahoma

@ChoctawNationOK

@ChoctawNationOK

@ChoctawNationOKChoctaw Nation Headquarters 529 N. 16th Ave.

Durant, OK 74701 580-924-8280 • 800-522-6170

ChoctawNation.com features access to information about tribal history, culture, news, services, government, businesses, applications and contacts.

The Choctaw Nation’s official publication, the BISKINIK, is available to tribal members by mail and archived editions are on ChoctawNation.com.

Candace Perkins conducts an interview for BISKINIK TV.

Joe Jefferson captures a story on video.

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 September 5, 2016 State of the Nation from Tvshka Homma