TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation Surgical Technology Program graduated four students recently during a ceremony inside the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center.
The program’s graduating class included valedictorian Addison Backwater of Tahlequah, Presley Cavalier of Pryor, Elena Staubus of Stillwater, and Harold Youngblood of Jenks.
“Today we celebrate not just four remarkable graduates, but four future leaders who will strengthen health care within our communities,” said Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner. “The Cherokee Nation Surgical Technology Program represents our commitment to building a skilled Cherokee workforce in health care. These graduates embody our values of service, excellence, and dedication to caring for our people. As they begin their careers as surgical technologists, they carry forward our Nation’s legacy of self-determination and our vision of providing world-class health care to Cherokee families for generations to come.”
The Surgical Technology Program prepares competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive-, skills-, and behavior-learning domains. A surgical technologist is an integral member of the surgical team, responsible for the preparation and handling of sterile supplies, equipment, and instruments while assisting the surgeon in their use. A surgical technologist may also assist the surgeon by performing tasks such as retracing incisions, cutting sutures, and utilizing suction to maintain a clear field of vision for the surgeon.
The program, accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, strives to fill surgical technologist positions in the Cherokee Nation’s health care system with educated and well-trained Cherokee people.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s graduates for their dedication and perseverance,” said Surgical Technology Program Director Rochelle Lewis. “By completing the Surgical Technology Program, they have opened the door to meaningful careers serving patients and families throughout our communities. Their achievement also reflects Cherokee Nation’s vision of strengthening health care for today and for the future.”
All four graduates of the Cherokee Nation Surgical Technology Program passed the Nation Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting CST Certification Exam.
“It’s an honor to be an official graduate of the Cherokee Nation Surgical Technology Program,” said Backwater. “This journey has tested our limits, sharpened our skills, and prepared us to walk into operating rooms not just with knowledge, but with confidence, compassion, and purpose. We did this together. And now, we’re not just surgical technologists – we’re a generation of Cherokee health professionals ready to serve and uplift our communities.”
This is the 26th graduating class for the Cherokee Nation Surgical Technology Program, which has graduated a total of 102 students since 2011.
For more information about the Surgical Technology Program, visit https://www.cherokee.org/all-services/career-services/surgical-technology-program/.