A man holds a stickball stick while a group of kids look at it with wonder in their eyes at a CNO Summer Camp.

Photo Provided

Choctaw Nation Youth Activities and Events hosted several summer camps for Choctaw children ranging from cultural camp to STEAM. Campers were able to get hands on instruction from elite coaches and learn from experts in their craft.

CNO summer camps host over 2,200 youth in sports, culture and education

By Christian Chaney
September 4, 2024

Kids and teens across the reservation enjoyed an exciting summer filled with camps organized by the Choctaw Nation.

These camps, which ran from May through early August, saw over 2,200 registrations and offered a wide range of activities for various interests.

From athletics to academics, there was something for everyone.

Elite coaches and instructors provided fundamental training in different sports, while STEAM and cultural camps offered enrichment opportunities, ensuring a fulfilling and impactful summer for all participants.

Youth Events and Activities (YEA) hosted the second annual Rodeo Camp, welcoming 138 participants.

Attendees had the opportunity to meet and learn from Don Gay, a rodeo legend and partner of the Choctaw Nation. Don Gay, an 8-time World Champion Bull Rider, tribal member, and National Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee, shared his expertise with the participants.

The camp offered practice and coaching in various rodeo events, including steer wrestling, bronc riding, bullfighting, bull riding, breakaway roping and barrel racing.

Aside from athletic camps, Choctaw Nation hosted Cultural, Wildlife Conservation and STEAM Camps.

Campers who registered for Cultural Camp learned and participated in pottery, beading, traditional archery and studied the Choctaw language.

The Wildlife Conservation Camp partnered with the Choctaw Nation’s Wildlife Conservation Department and Oklahoma Game Wardens to offer campers a chance to complete their Hunter’s Safety Course, learn about ATV safety, compete in skeet shooting and fish in the Tuskahoma village pond.

Hosted by Project Pelichi WILL, the STEAM camps offered workshops, college trips and tours, academic development and more.

Program Manager Javen White expressed her excitement about the camp turnouts and is already looking forward to next year. “It was another incredibly successful summer camp season. Our participants experienced immersive, hands-on learning across a diverse range of subjects, including athletics, wildlife conservation, and cultural enrichment. We wish all our participants a fantastic school year and eagerly anticipate seeing everyone again in 2025!”