Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. recently delivered his eighth and final State of the Nation Address as part of the 74th annual Cherokee National Holiday, reflecting on a transformative era of language revitalization, record housing investment, expanded healthcare and a strengthened defense of Cherokee sovereignty. Chief Hoskin, who will term out of office on August 14, 2027, told hundreds of citizens gathered in Tahlequah that the Cherokee Nation is resilient and strong for the next seven generations.

Jaycee Gideon, 20, of Stilwell, was crowned Miss Cherokee 2026-2027 during the annual leadership competition held in Tahlequah. The tribe also crowned a new Junior Miss Cherokee, Maggie Rhodes, 14, of Tahlequah. As Miss Cherokee, Gideon will represent the Cherokee Nation as a goodwill ambassador to promote the Cherokee government, history, and to preserve and promote the Cherokee language and culture. Gideon also received a $6,000 scholarship.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and other Cherokee Nation leaders gathered with Tahlequah community members and Sequoyah High School students to celebrate the opening of two new construction projects completed under the $65 million Sequoyah High School Capital Plan. First proposed by Chief Hoskin at his 2024 State of the Nation address, the Sequoyah High School Capital Plan called for the largest capital investment in the school’s history.