Team Total 363 + 368 = 731

Once again windy and cold to start out, so the conditions did not help. It was our first 36 hole tournament and we got a little tired. Real proud of the team for hanging in and finishing.

I feel we are right on the edge of shooting a good good team score, we just need to eliminate one or two bad holes. We are going to put it all together before the season end.

Next tournament is at Shawnee where the Regionals will be played on the 29th.

-- CHS Boys Coach Bob Pratt (4/15/2013)

Wanted to share some news with you... Holly and I are starting a ministry and mission here in Collinsville. It is called "Mainstreet Ministries". Its located at 1013 W. Main. We will also be utilizing the old Crown Theater next door, 1015 W. Main.

Our vision is a ministry that provides a system of caring for the needs of families. We feel that all people (especially in AMERICA) SHOULD BE PROVIDED THE BASIC NEEDS OF LIFE, (food,clothing, shelter, and especially the WORD OF GOD)

Given our unique opportunity of seeing and working with kids everyday, we gain privy information to just such needy families. Please feel free to contact us or refer them to our ministry. We also want to get them plugged-in to a church home.

We will be holding monthly services on the 3RD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, starting at 6pm in the THEATER. Our first service is this Sat. (20th). It would really do our hearts (and the LORD'S TOO) :) GOOD to see you there. We will be sharing our VISION for this MINISTRY and would love for you to be involved. It will also be a time of singing, praise and worship, and a WORD from the LORD. This service will take you back in time, but will also CHALLENGE YOUR HEARTS FOR THE FUTURE...YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THE SAME WAY YOU CAME.

I believe this ia an opportunity for us as friends, educators, and family members to UNITE! Regardless of denominational ties or backgrounds, we can all agree that the very heartbeat of God is to SAVE THE LOST. And our #1 priority as CHRIST-FOLLOWERS is to LOVE OTHERS. We LOVE by DOING...what can you do?

Would love to see you Saturday night!

Focused on HIM,

Arlin Stacy and Family.
(4/17/2013)

Rogers County schools receives $367,607

TAHLEQUAH, Okla.—Checks totaling $3.2 million were distributed to 92 school districts Friday during the Cherokee Nation’s Public School Appreciation Day held at Sequoyah High School.

“This year the Cherokee Nation is making a record contribution to area schools. I believe that strongly supporting access to educational programs for our youth and future generations is the best investment we can ever make as a sovereign tribal government,” Chief Baker said. “When Cherokee citizens register their vehicles with the Cherokee Nation, we are making a commitment to the future of the Cherokee Nation - our sons, daughters and our grandkids.”

Each year since 2002, the tribe has allocated 38 percent of tax revenues from the sale of tribal car tags to area schools to spend how they best see fit. Funds are based on the number of Cherokee students enrolled in the school, but schools have full discretion on how to use those funds. Some schools have used the funding for staffing, technology, after-school programs and more, which benefit all students, even those who are not Cherokee. To date, the tribe has awarded nearly $30 million to northeast Oklahoma schools.

Rep. Chuck Hoskin, D-Vinita, who also serves as the Cherokee Nation Chief of Staff, says school officials have struggled since the recession and Cherokee Nation funding is vital to many districts. Hoskin also serves on the Oklahoma House appropriations and budget committee.

“Over the last several years, public education has taken numerous financial hits because of the downturn in the economy and unfunded mandates that we, as a legislature, have placed on schools,” Hoskin said. “What we do at the Cherokee Nation, by providing additional funds, will benefit these schools greatly to best address the needs of their students.”

Cherokee Nation education services senior advisor Neil Morton also announced at the event that school districts may apply for additional funding through the Cherokee Nation. That funding can be used for robotics kits in classrooms, summer teacher training and support staff who will act as mentors in math and science classrooms.

The Cherokee Nation has recently expanded support for many high school students, including paying for high school juniors and seniors to take the ACT and expanding its college scholarships for Cherokee students who live beyond its traditional 14-county jurisdiction.

“The monies we receive from the Cherokee Nation allow the district to acquire technology that we would normally not be able to access,” said Claremore Public Schools Superintendent Michael McClaren. “It provides enrichment activities, funding field trips to exhibits similar to the Gilcrease Museum of Art, and subsidizes our staff development monies that have been in decline over the past three years. Sequestration will affect our title programs, so we will be looking at possibly offsetting the net loss that we will experience with some of the disbursement revenue.”

The Cherokee Nation awarded funds to school districts in the following counties:
•Adair $311,000
•Cherokee $650,000
•Craig $110,000
•Delaware $273,000
•Mayes $318,000
•Muskogee $313,000
•Nowata $66,000
•Ottawa $64,000
•Rogers $368,000
•Sequoyah $338,000
•Tulsa $227,000
•Wagoner $67,000
•Washington $71,000
•Osage $3,800

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-- Cara Cowan Watts (4/17/2013)