Back to School Means a New Beginning for Children, Families

OKLAHOMA’S KID GOVERNOR® EMMA STEPHENS (right, standing) of Ardmore along with Kid Secretary of State Lawson Reams of Alva (right, kneeling) and Kid Cabinet members (from left on the left) Alburto Harmon of Perry and Clayton Rohla of Roff, pose at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City where they spent a Saturday volunteering as part of the Kid Governor® program, designed to teach fifth-graders the importance of public service and how government operates. (Courtesy Photo) Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® Emma Stephens and several of the Kid Cabinet members recently volunteered for a day at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City. Stephens, now a sixth grader from Ardmore who attends Oak Hill Episcopal School, was joined by the Kid Secretary of State Lawson Reams from Alva who attends Lincoln Elementary School, and Kid Cabinet members Clayton Rohla from Roff Elementary School in Roff, and Alburto Harmon from Morrison Elementary in Perry. All the Kid Governor® leaders are now sixth graders, having been elected during their fifth-grade year, and all are active members of Oklahoma 4-H, which partnered with the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) to put on the program for 2025. “We are very proud of all our Kid elected officials,” said Joe Dorman, CEO of OICA. “Each of them is learning the lessons necessary to take the reins of leadership when their time comes to lead this state. All of Oklahoma should be proud of these kids for giving up a Saturday to help others.” OICA Program Director Licia Walters accompanied the young leaders during their service at City Rescue Mission. “These are impressive young people who took their work very seriously,” said Walters, who directly oversees the program. “They were engaged, enthusiastic, and helped brighten the day by serving meals to many who depend on City Rescue Mission and helping to clean up.” For the past eight years, the OICA has sponsored Oklahoma’s Kid Governor program. Three years ago, Oklahoma became the fourth state in the national Kid Governor® program, developing a state-specific curriculum on voting and government. Oklahoma 4-H partnered with OICA for this year’s Kid Governor program. Classroom sign-up for the 2025-2026 school year is underway. The next Oklahoma Kid Governor® will be elected from registered fifth-grade classrooms this November and will be sworn in during a State Capitol ceremony in February 2026. If you are a fifth-grade teacher and would like to sign up your class, or get more information, contact Licia Walters by email at lwalters@oica.org or by telephone at 405-326-KIDS (5437). You can also go to https://ok.kidgovernor.org in order to learn more about the program. A separate program is being conducted solely for 4-H members. Fifth-grade 4-H members who would like to participate in that program can sign up through Oklahoma 4-H’s enrollment system. For more information on the 4-H/KG program, contact Cathleen Taylor at the state 4-H office at cathleen.taylor@okstate.edu . The purpose of Kid Governor® is to educate students about elections and the role of public service and elected officials in creating a brighter tomorrow.

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the interim studies approved by the state Senate. This week, I want to cover some from the House of Representatives. Interim studies are officially filed reviews of specific policies which lawmakers wish to request a hearing to delve further into the issue. These studies must be approved by the leadership of the body in which they are submitted. They are held during the time in which legislators are not in session, usually over the fall months. In total, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is following or assisting with more than 20 of the 154 House studies that were filed. Here are some which stand out: 25-001 by Rep. Woolley (R-Broken Arrow) - deals with custodial issues involving Oklahoma Human Services cases. 25-003 by Rep. Archer (R-Elk City) – increasing reimbursement rate for families who are foster/bridge parents. 25-022 by Rep. Pogemiller (D-OKC) - problems resulting in chronic absenteeism from school. 25-035 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC) and Pae (R-Lawton) - needs faced by state juvenile detention facilities. 25-036 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC), Pae (R-Lawton), and Turner (R-Kinta) - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policies. 25-047 by Reps. Turner (R-Kinta), Gise (R-OKC), and Norwood (R-Owasso) - policies governing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline. 25-051 by Reps. Pae (R-Lawton) and Gise (R-OKC) - support for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs do forensic interviews of children who have been involved in a horrific situation. These interviews are often admissible in court to help convict perpetrators. OICA is not a CAC as we are involved with overall children’s policies). 25-053 by Rep. Pae (R-Lawton) - youth homelessness. 25-055 by Reps. Menz (D-Norman), Waldron (D-Tulsa), and Pogemiller (D-OKC) - childhood hunger. 25-063 by Rep. Ranson (D-Stillwater) - establishing a Department of Early Childhood in Oklahoma. 25-070 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC) - childcare accessibility and DHS Star Rating, affordable daycare for working families. 25-073 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC)- education reading readiness. 25-078 by Rep. Schreiber (D-Tulsa) and Sen. Gollihare (R-Kellyville) (joint study between both bodies) - strengthening victim services in Oklahoma. 25-079 by Rep. Bashore (R-Miami) - mitigation of the effects of fentanyl. 25-102 by Reps. Tedford (R-Tulsa) and Harris (R-Edmond) - joint equal shared custody with divorced parents. 25-105 by Rep. Pittman (D-OKC) - food insecurity and agricultural solutions. 25-109 by Reps. Lay (R-Tulsa) and Adams (R-Duncan) - improving foster home environments. 25-110 by Rep. Adams (R-Duncan) - children’s court reforms. 25-111 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Sneed (R-Fort Gibson), and Stinson (R-Edmond) - rural healthcare access (Medicare/Medicaid). 25-115 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Hardin (R-Stilwell), and Kelley (R-Yukon) - life without parole sentencing review. 25-116 by Rep. Munson (D-OKC) - human trafficking and victim’s services. 25-126 by Reps. Chapman (R-Broken Arrow) and Stinson (R-Edmond) - federal Medicaid cuts to states. 25-130 by Rep. West (R-OKC) - public-private partnership for Family Resource Centers. 25-135 by Rep. Alonso-Sandoval (D-OKC) – creation of an Oklahoma Youth Advisory Council. We were pleased to see so many submissions which directly deal with children and families. When it comes to those studies dealing with children, OICA is a resource to assist lawmakers by providing state and local data, along with best practices, for potential legislation, along with connecting advocates to help them pursue the best policies.. If you would like to review the list of the House studies, you can see them at https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx and Senate studies are at https://oksenate.gov/publications/interim-studies?Year=2025 for your review. If you would like to be notified of when the study will occur, you can contact the office of the lawmaker who requested the study at their Capitol office. You can connect with lawmakers at https://www.okhouse.gov/ or https://www.oksenate.gov/ through their individual pages.

I first became acquainted with Governor Nigh not directly because of politics, but through a college program called the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL). This organization allows students to attend from their institution at a mock legislature held at Oklahoma’s State Capitol each semester. The students write ideas into legislation and debate those policies with peers, simulating state government. Governor Nigh was the state official who helped sponsor their first meeting held in 1969 and is regarded as the father of the organization. OIL is what shaped my future in public service, so I owe him a great debt of gratitude. As a lawmaker, he attended several events through the years in my district, with most, if not all, showing up to see and visit with him. From there, I would grow to know him and hear his many tales of Oklahoma history. For those not aware, Rep. George Nigh was the youngest-elected state representative in 1953 when he first ran for office. His most famous accomplishment as a lawmaker was changing our state song from “Oklahoma, a Toast” to the Rodgers & Hammerstein song “Oklahoma!” from the musical. You can view the story as told by Nigh at https://tinyurl.com/NighOKSong . Nigh went on to serve as lieutenant governor, the youngest in the nation, and then had the distinction of being sworn into the office of governor four separate times, twice to fill vacancies and then to be Oklahoma’s first two-term elected chief executive. In fact, he won all 77 counties in his race for re-election to governor. As governor, Nigh was a trailblazer, appointing the first two women to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court and selecting minority representation to serve on state agencies, boards, and commissions, and even those from differing political parties. Following his elective career, George served as the director of Tourism, the president of the University of Central Oklahoma, and as a founding member of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature Foundation, along with so many other roles. Governor Nigh joked that the first time he realized that he was no longer governor was when he got into the back of a car, and it did not move. He, later in life, did not drive, so it fell on to others to ensure that he made it to events, including the delivery of graduation speeches over a 75-year period. I became one of his “chauffeurs” for speeches, and his entourage of drivers ranged from students to even former Govs. David Walters and Frank Keating. My first time driving him was to my hometown for the funeral of former Lt. Gov. Spencer Bernard in 2001, the person who served alongside him. I escorted him to Oklahoma American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, where he spoke at 73 conferences, only missing one recently due to a health issue. Other opportunities included the OICA Heroes Ball and OICA’s Kid Governor® events, of which he was one of our strongest supporters of this grade school civics program. In fact, it was at that age that he decided that he wanted to be a governor, so this was very dear to him. You can watch a video about his thoughts at https://tinyurl.com/GovNighReflects . George Nigh was the epitome of stateman, and I consider him a mentor, as did so many other politicos through the many generations. I last saw him a month ago when he spoke to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. Up until the end, he promoted the thought that we all need to work together for the betterment of our great state. I’ll conclude with a Nigh quote about the musical, “Oklahoma!” that fits him perfectly: "Do for your life what they did for our state — put an exclamation point behind your life!”

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) and its CEO Joe Dorman released the following statement on the passing of Gov. George Nigh at the age of 98: “The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy mourns the passing of one of our greatest patrons and an Oklahoma statesman without compare, The Honorable George Nigh. Governor Nigh was a staunch supporter of OICA and the Kid Governor program. His memory will guide us in the years ahead and our deepest sympathies go to his family and the entire state. “Goodbye to my friend, mentor, and a true public servant, the modern-day Will Rogers of Oklahoma. My life was certainly better for you being a part of it.” 

Justice Yvonne Kauger receives the Kate Barnard Lifetime Achievement Award in Child Advocacy from Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, at the organization’s annual Heroes Ball, held Saturday, July 26, at OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City. On Saturday, July 26, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our annual Heroes Ball Gala at OKANA Water Park and Resort. The event drew nearly 500 people who support our mission of raising awareness, taking action, and supporting policy for the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma's children. We were honored to have former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating and First Lady Cathy Keating, along with Chickasaw Nation Industries Chief Executive Officer Jonna Kirschner serve as our event co-chairs. Those in attendance included state and locally elected officials, along with representation from federal officeholders. We were pleased to have Miss Oklahoma City Katelynn Woods, and the 2025 Rush Springs Watermelon Queen Kylee Heston join us for the event. And the Watermelon Queen asked me to invite everyone to our hometown on August 9 for our annual Watermelon Festival. The Kiowa Blackleggings Warrior Honor Guard kicked off the event with a flag procession and Reverend Alvin Deere provided the blessing. Our masters of ceremonies, Laura and Justin Rudicel kept the event lively and at pace. Sandmann Auction Service helped us achieve our goal for fundraising for the evening, but you can help us hit the overall mark by checking out the post-event auction at our website, https://oica.org . Our keynote speaker was the current Kid Governor® of Oklahoma, Emma Stephens. Emma delivered a terrific speech, and we were honored to have her and Lawson Ream, the current Kid Secretary of State, be there to volunteer for the evening. I was pleased that my mother, Jan Dorman, was able to attend. No matter how old I might turn, it still means the world to me to have my mom be able to be a part of my life. Let that be a lesson to all parents out there that encouragement for your children will help build them as stronger leaders in their own right as they age. Our honorees, including Justice Yvonne Kauger (retired), the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, Sandra Sand, and Kim Garrett-Funk, were all truly deserving of the recognition of the hard work they put forth for children. We also want to send condolences to the Funk Family with the passing of an Oklahoma legend, Bob Funk, Sr. His work through Express Employment Professionals is how most people know his name, but he was a true champion for programs such as 4-H, FFA, the Oklahoma Youth Expo, and so much more. Our two Anne Roberts People's Choice Award winners, Sarah Soell and M&R Doyle Holdings, were deserving choices selected by the record number of Oklahomans who voted. Sarah Soell is a passionate advocate for individuals with Down syndrome, especially children. As executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, she has expanded programs and partnerships that promote acceptance, inclusion, and lifelong success. M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc. is a premier community services organization focusing on children and the developmentally disabled. I want to thank the nearly three dozen volunteers who assisted with the activities and the program, and especially those who helped make the Sidekicks Ball portion a success, including the Rockin' RolyPolys band, Mad Science, and the cosplay superheroes who posed for photos and entertained the youth ages 6-12 who attended. You can see many of them every other Saturday at the New World Comics Super Hero School. We closed the evening with a video showing former Gov. George Nigh leading the OCU Orchestra in “Oklahoma,” our state song. Governor Nigh is dealing with some health issues, so please hold him in your thoughts and prayers. It was a tremendous celebration! My thanks to the OICA staff and interns, our Board of Directors, and everyone else who made Heroes Ball a success. We hope to see you next year on Saturday, July 25, for the 10th Annual Heroes Ball!

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Heroes Ball will be this Saturday, July 26, and we are excited about the honorees who have been selected this year. The 2025 awards, as chosen by our Board of Directors, will recognize the work of Justice Yvonne Kauger (retired), Kim Garrett-Funk of Palomar, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, and Sandra Sand, paramedic and assistant director at Kirk’s Ambulance in Lawton. We also present People’s Choice Award in Child Advocacy for an individual and an organization. These two awards – named for Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest serving executive director – are up for public voting right now. You can learn more about each finalist and vote at https://oica.org/awards prior to Friday at 5 p.m. The nominees this year are: Organizational finalists are: M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc.; OK Appleseed Center for Law & Justice; Oklahoma Family Network; Pivot; Rainbow Youth Project; and Ray of Hope. Individual finalists: Sky Collins, Elizabeth Fisher, Darryl Savell, John Schneider, Sarah Soell, and Erika Wright. While we are certainly ready for these festivities, our advocacy work has not stopped. The state Senate announced their list of interim studies which will be held over the upcoming months. Thank you to those who submitted ideas to lawmakers, and to those who sent suggestions to lawmakers through OICA. Some of the studies we will be watching include: 25-001 was filed by Sen. Michael Bergstrom, R-Adair, and will look at ways to potentially eliminate the purchase of junk food, sodas, and energy drinks through SNAP, and look to limit use to healthy choices for family meals. 25-027 by Sen. JoAnna Dossett, D-Tulsa, will examine best practices in prenatal and infant healthcare, including a look at policies to assist pregnant mothers who are battling substance abuse disorders. 25-036 by Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, will hold a study reviewing the legal framework, prosecutorial practices, and real-world implications surrounding the various “failure to protect” laws, or enabling child abuse, including child sexual abuse, child abuse, and child neglect. 25-046 by Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, will look at potential policies for improving maternal and infant health outcomes through proven, cost-effective models of care, which would include looking at evidence-based models of care that improve health outcomes for pregnant women and infants. 25-064 and 25-066, both filed by Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City, will look at modernizing the Oklahoma Child Tax Credit and improving maternal health and reducing infant mortality rates, respectively. 25-067, also submitted by Senator Nice, will examine the root causes of student absenteeism in Oklahoma’s public schools and identify effective, fiscally responsible strategies for improving attendance. 25-072, submitted by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, will conduct an analysis of money going into the school lunch program, and look for ways to localize food sources and to make school lunches more nutritious. 25-076 by Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks, will conduct a similar study that examines the benefits and costs of universal healthy meals for all students attending public schools in Oklahoma. 25-082 by Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, looks at the nutritional value in choices available under the SNAP program, similar to 25-001. The final study submitted, 25-090, was filed by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, and will examine Oklahoma’s response to human trafficking and assess service gaps and funding inequities, along with exploring solutions to ensure victims receive comprehensive care. If you have an interest in a specific study, please reach out to the office of the lawmaker who submitted the study. You can find their contact information at oksenate.gov or call their Capitol number at (405) 524-0126. House studies are still under review, so we will keep you posted on any updates.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) was formed with the primary mission of ensuring the voices of Oklahomans are heard when it comes to developing better policies which benefit the children of our state. For almost 42 years, we have led efforts to better educate Oklahomans on how to effectively share their message with policymakers at all levels. We champion policies for the level allowed within our nonprofit status. Nationally, conversations are being held regarding the downsizing of emergency management services for Americans. Part of this is shifting the cost for efforts to local governments rather than the federal government. This will simply increase tax burdens on states, territories, and municipalities. Public broadcasting, among functions slated for cuts, plays a key role in providing alert systems. Visiting with Rachel Hubbard, the executive director of KOSU Radio, I learned that under the updated Oklahoma Emergency Communications Plan, almost all radio outlets, regardless of format or ownership, in rural areas depend on an Oklahoma public radio station to air these warnings and alerts during emergencies through an interconnected system. The authors of the Oklahoma Emergency Communications Plan and the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters years ago approached public radio in the state to take over this critical distribution role. This was because the federally funded Public Radio Satellite System is one of two FCC-required pathways into the state for national alerts and presidential warnings. Public radio stations in the state depend on these federally funded systems, including the required tests of the national alert and presidential warning systems. Interconnection funds also subsidize the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is operated by National Public Radio on behalf of rural radio stations that cannot use the internet or microwave links to deliver programming to tower sites. This system, even subsidized, is already extremely expensive and the site is also vitally important for Oklahoma’s emergency warning system. If you are not aware, four pages within the “Project 2025” proposal for overhauling government call for dramatic changes to how the feds will reduce their part of emergency alerts, including the suggestion to privatize alert systems, placing the cost solely on those who could or would pay out of pocket to get warnings over the phone or radio. OICA has created an online petition for anyone to sign, which will soon be shared with members of the United State Congress, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump, calling for continued funding support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This petition calls for officials to: Immediately reverse federal staffing cuts and restore full funding to the NWS and do a thorough, proper review of services provided and staffing needs available to provide support and proper research (which also seeks to protect the center in Norman). Preserve and protect the FEMA as a critical federal agency — not dismantle it. Invest in disaster science, communication tools, needed infrastructure too costly for rural and lower income areas, and emergency coordination for areas of need across the country, not cut them. Protect the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory and other essential facilities from any cuts. Work with state and local emergency management services to aid critical areas of need. Investigate what went wrong in Texas to ensure that it does not happen again. Anyone who shares OICA’s concern about the weather prediction cuts can go to https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition to sign the petition. You should also contact your members of Congress directly. Together, we can ensure policymakers hear our concerns about averting future disasters and protect American lives from severe weather conditions.

Each summer, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds its annual Heroes Ball to celebrate champions for children. Among the awards presented are two chosen by the people: The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy. The award is named in honor of Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest serving CEO; it recognizes outstanding service to Oklahoma’s children by an individual and an organization, as nominated and voting on by the people. The process began with nominations, which were open to the public. Following the nomination period, the OICA Board of Directors narrows the list to a select few to put forward for an online public vote by Oklahomans. The finalists for this year’s Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy in the Organization category are: M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc. Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. Oklahoma Family Network. Pivot – A Turning Point for Youth. Rainbow Youth Project. Ray of Hope. In the Individual category, the finalists are: Sky Collins. Elizabeth Fisher. Darryl Savell. John Schneider. Sarah Soell. Erika Wright. Online voting is underway and is available through OICA’s website at https://oica.org or by going directly to https://qrco.de/ARPCVOTE25 . Those in attendance at OICA’s Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 26 will receive a final paper ballot to help finish off the voting. Winners will be announced at the Heroes Ball, held this year at OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City. “This award is fully in the hands of those interested in child advocacy in the state of Oklahoma,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “The list of previous winners reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Oklahoma Child Advocates.” Previous winners of the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Organizational Award are: 2017 – Whiz Kids Oklahoma. 2018 – Peppers Ranch. 2019 – Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care. 2020 – Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma. 2021 – SoonerStart. 2022 – Fostering Connections. 2023 – Sara’s Project. 2024 – The Anna’s House Foundation. Those individuals who have won the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Individual Award are: 2017 – Brenda Lene’. 2018 – Cody Inman. 2019 – Judy Payne. 2020 – Ryan Abernathy. 2021 – Melissa Ahlgrim. 2022 – Amber Cuyler. 2023 – Alethea Satterwhite. 2024 – Mary Beth Talley. Tickets to the Heroes Ball are going fast. They can be purchased at https://www.oica.org/events

Sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition