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Raven Bruner, Jr. Miss Cherokee 1999-2000, visited the Cherokee Nation Early Childhood Unit Early Head Start Program Feb. 16 to read books to the children. She is reading to, from left, Michaela Johnson, Bradley Billy and Mariah O=Field of the Igali classroom. She also read to the children in the Wa-ya and So-li-gu-gi classrooms.

Raven is a freshman at Stilwell High School. The reading was a part of ECU's Read Aloud Project which invites guests to read to Head Start and Early Head Start children.

Pictured: Rosie Proctor, of Kenwee, thanks B. J.Leach for the valentine he gave her.

Children from the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma's Oosdi Head Start Center paid a special visit to the Davis Nursing Home on February 14, 2000. The students of the CNO's Oosdi Head Start Center delivered Valentine's to residents of the Davis Nursing Home. The class not only delivered valentines but also sang songs in the Cherokee language to the residents of the nursing home.

The Cherokee of Oklahoma's Early Childhood Unit Early Head Start Program received gifts of 14 children's books from Makayla Mouse, left, a 1999 graduate of the Unahnti Head Start classroom and currently a Kindergartner at Peggs School. Mouse is the youngest volunteer that the Head Start or Early Head Start has had. She is presenting a book to Kiki McWilliams, program specialist for the Early Childhood Unit's Early Head Start Program.

McWilliams is holding Makayla's sister, Nakiah. They are the daughters of Gabe and Deana Mouse of Peggs. Mouse plans to donate more books and toys to the centers in the future.