The Potawatomi Fire aren’t the only CPN group with a three-peat championship under their belt. This year the Pre-K class took first place at the language fair for the third year in a row.
Each year, the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair takes place on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma. Since 2003, hundreds of youth from Oklahoma and other states come together to present songs, poems and more in more than 40 different Indigenous languages.
Interdepartmental Language Lead Robert Collins took about 15 of CPN’s Pre-K students to participate in the in-person performances at the language fair this year. In addition, 50 students from the after-school program participated in the drop off/mail in submissions.
Pre-K students competed in large group skits, students ages 5-6 participated in the video submission category, and after school students ages 7-12 took part in the art submission category with the theme of “Language at Home.”
Of those performances, the 4-year-old students placed first for their in-person performance of Bozho/Bama miné. The 5–6-year-old students placed second for their Ké Penojéyek Ndawmen video performance submission.
“We want to thank everyone who helped us this year, whether by practicing with us, making regalia or simply cheering us on. Igweyen,” Collins said. “Language is the thread that connects generations. By speaking it, we repair what was broken and create what is yet to come.”
View winning submissions form ONAYLF at cpn.news/2026languagefair.