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ON Education Department brings new Driver’s Ed program to Hominy

Partnering with Safer Driving School, the Nation will offer comprehensive driver’s education classes and training.

The Osage Nation Education Department is offering a new nationwide driver’s education assistance program.

The program will provide monetary assistance for Osage students to take Driver’s Ed in their city or state of residency. The ONED is partnering with Safer Driving School to also provide in-person classes at their offices in Hominy, and Safer Driving School will provide classes at its location in Owasso.

Applications for interested Osage students opened on Dec. 16. While the program start date has not yet been announced, Robynn Rulo, the academic advisor for ONED confirmed.

Rulo is directing the driver’s ed program, which was announced on Nov. 25 via Facebook. “The Osage Nation Education Department is proud to announce the launch of our new Driver’s Education Program!” read the announcement.

“Our goal is to equip our students with the necessary skills and confidence to become safe and responsible drivers. Let’s help our Osage students get behind the wheel and on the road to success,” the flyer said.  

For the in-person training in Hominy and Owasso, Beau Wikoff, who is a certified instructor at Safer Driving School, said Osage students will receive a student account with Safer Driving School as part of the driver’s ed program. They can use this account to schedule their supervised driving sessions at their convenience.

“You can schedule all of your driver times. Everybody will [have] the same [setup],” said Wikoff, and he went on to explain that all of the driving sessions are two hours long. “Two hours is when you can get the most work in. If you do any less than that, it’s just not viable.”

The students will complete three two-hour sessions for a total of six hours of supervised driving time. In addition to the six hours of certified instructor-supervised driving, the driver’s ed program also includes 10 hours of classroom time. Wikoff said those hours are typically broken up into two days, although the schedule for the Nation’s program has not yet been set. “We often do six hours on a Saturday and five hours on a Sunday. That’s the usual format,” Wikoff said, in hopes of providing an idea of what a potential schedule might tentatively look like.

Rulo said she welcomes students to join the program. “[Safer Driving School is] really nice to work with,” she said, assuring those who are considering taking the courses.

On Facebook, Osages responded to the announcement of the new program with interest. “If only this would have been 6 months ago,” wrote Alyssa Goodfox. Goodfox noted that she had to pay $400 for a student driver, “the cheapest I could find,” she said.

“This is a great opportunity though!” she added. 

The cost for those enrolling directly through the Safer Driving School is $400 for the minimum package. For enrolled Osages who want to have costs covered through the program for student drivers, the announcement notes that they must be current high school students.

Additionally, to qualify for the driver’s ed program prospective Osage students must be 16 years of age or older. If they fit all these qualifications, they are eligible to apply to be in the first classes.

More information is available at (918) 287-5300 and via education@osagenation-nsn.gov. Learn more at https://www.saferdrivingschool.com.

Editor’s Note: This article was clarified and updated on Dec. 20, 2024.

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Chelsea T. Hicks
Chelsea T. Hickshttps://osagenews.org
Title: Staff Reporter
Email: chelsea.hicks@osagenation-nsn.gov
Languages spoken: English
Chelsea T. Hicks’ past reporting includes work for Indian Country Today, SF Weekly, the DCist, the Alexandria Gazette-Packet, Connection Newspapers, Aviation Today, Runway Girl Network, and elsewhere. She has also written for literary outlets such as the Paris Review, Poetry, and World Literature Today. She is Wahzhazhe, of Pawhuska District, belonging to the Tsizho Washtake, and is a descendant of Ogeese Captain, Cyprian Tayrien, Rosalie Captain Chouteau, Chief Pawhuska I, and her iko Betty Elsey Hicks. Her first book, A Calm & Normal Heart, won the 5 Under 35 Award from the National Book Foundation. She holds an MA from the University of California, Davis, and an MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts.
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