Day Four: Culture + Shock + Education + So Much More

Oklahoma is a proud state, and the more of it that we see, the more it proves its worth. Today we began in Sulphur after what is possibly one of the best complimentary continental breakfasts out there (thank you, Embassy Suites). Upon arrival at the Chickasaw Heritage Center, our group was immediately immersed into the roots of Oklahoma's history and the history of a people that have risen above the odds. The beauty of the grounds and the presentation of the architecture was breathtaking, not to mention inspiring. I have to admit, as a tribe member and current employee of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, I'm a little jealous of the Chickasaws for having such a first-class facility such as this. It is truly one of a kind, and I encourage all to experience what this place has to offer. 

Jake Meyer, a true gentleman. Not only does he wear a seersucker bow tie, he also holds doors open. Take note, fellow men. 

Watching a demonstration of Stickball and seeing this gentleman's handmade instruments and sports equipment.

My favorite two people. Casi & Lee Anne make sure I'm not getting everyone else into trouble.

Viewing the outdoor village from the SkyBridge.

Some of the class participating in a friendship Stompdance.

Lunchtime! Indian Tacos, delicious. 

Right as we were boarding the bus to leave, I heard a loud series of screams. This is the source. 

Three hours and a good cat nap later, we were at Williams Tower in downtown Tulsa. Several miles of construction on I-44 put us behind schedule, so we only got a short tour of the building, but that didn't keep Volt, the official mascot of Tulsa's WNBA team, the Shock, from paying us a visit, along with two of the players and an assistant coach. An interesting Q&A based discussion about the advancement of women in sports and society as well as life as a professional basketball player came out of this presentation.

Next, we headed to Educare, a semi-private institution for poverty-stricken toddlers and pre-schoolers. This place provides state of the art facilities along with quality education to at-risk children, with hopes of breaking the cycle of poverty. Its location in North Tulsa is near the site of the worst race riots in American history, and it is a symbol of renewal and advancement for this area. Educare is set apart from most programs because parents are not "punished" for being successful by being unable to qualify for the program for free once DHS services are no longer needed. Instead, parents are encouraged to better themselves, and once they receive decent jobs, they begin paying incremental amounts to continue to have their children receive this education. It's all in the name of breaking the cycle of poverty.

Finally, everyone headed to the Blue Rose Cafe on the Arkansas River to feast on burgers and chicken sandwiches, accompanied by my favorite speaker of the day, Blake Ewing. Ewing owns multiple local restaurants in Tulsa and is a city councilman for District 4, which includes downtown, parts of Route 66, and the river area of Tulsa. A true visionary and trailblazer, Blake is one of the key people that is working diligently to help Tulsa find its identity post-petroleum boom, and the quality of his entrepreneurial ventures proves that he is capable.

Om Nom Nom. 

Having a great time!

If you aren't convinced that this group isn't the very, very best of the best in the state, then I'm convinced that you should reconsider. I continue to be grateful to spend time with these kids and get to know them even more. It's so fun to see how much I've grown in the three years since my YLOK experience, and yet I realize that a vast portion of who I am now was sparked when I was in these people's shoes. To know that many of these students will go on to become the next success stories of Oklahoma can't help but make me smile. Cheesy moment of the day. That's all for now.

Tomorrow we crawl out of bed and head to Enid, the jewel of the Oklahoma Northwest. We're on the downhill slide now! Enjoy the pics, and look forward to hearing about our day tomorrow!