Native American youth from north central Oklahoma attended the 2026 Native American Youth Leadership Day at NOC Tonkawa July 22. (photo by Dina Kleinmann/NOC).
Over 80 attend NOC Native American Youth Leadership Day
Over 80 Native American youth attended the Native American Youth Leadership Day Wednesday, July 22, at the Northern Oklahoma College campus in Tonkawa.
The one-day event brought Native American students from the Tonkawa, Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe-Missouria, and Kaw tribes together for a day of fun and learning. The event was emceed by Greg Victors, award winning fancy dancer from Wichita, Kansas.
Students broke out into a number of morning breakout sessions including Horticulture/Greenhouse led by science instructor Scott Harmon, Process Technology/Rockets by Dr. Frankie Wood-Black, Nursing Simulations by nursing instructor Brian Baird, and Respiratory Care by Dr, Deryl Guilford.
Afternoon breakout sessions included Digital Media/Animation and Design by DMI Instructor Brad Matson, Managing your Money by the Otoe Credit Union’s Leilani Harpole, Healthy Lifestyles by White Eagle Behavioral Health’s Stephen Seymour, and Life Choices by Paula Lewis.
During the day, students toured the NOC Tonkawa campus and participated in a panel discussion about life after high school.
The day concluded with an Indian Dice Game hosted by Chris Littlecook.
Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.
NOC serves nearly 3,100 students through the home campus in Tonkawa, Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater, and the University Center in Ponca City. Of these students about 80% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 75% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.
For more information about Northern Oklahoma College please call (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at www.noc.edu.
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