Lani Hansen/Senior Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma– The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Education and Training Johnson O’ Malley Program announced January 19 that the 2022 Challenge Bowl has been postponed.
The Nation’s Annual Challenge Bowl is to promote the next generations to learn more about the Creek culture, history, government and language using traditional values of brotherhood as the foundation.
According to JOM’s press release, the postponement was made due to the spike in COVID cases.
MCN JOM Manager Regina Keith stated the health and safety of students, school staff, sponsors, MCN staff and all others involved is their main concern.
The Challenge Bowl committee is set to meet in February to discuss further plans such as the dates. Once the date is determined, a request for volunteers will be sent by mass email. Individuals who do not receive employee mass emails will be contacted by JOM Volunteer Coordinator, Melinda Deeringwater.
“We were looking forward to host an in-person event since we were unable to have one last year,” Keith said in response to the postponement. “We were getting all geared and had everything in place but when numbers started spiking we knew we had to make that decision.”
The original dates set for the Challenge Bowl would have been Feb. 11 with the high school students, Feb. 18th with the middle school students and Feb. 25th with the elementary schools.
Keith added they will continue to monitor the COVID numbers and hopefully have an in-person event, but it might be later in the spring. The 2022 Challenge Bowl is set to be held at the College of the Muscogee Nation.
