Muscogee Nation Receives $3.8 Million Federal Grant

Friday, June 29th 2007, 2:10 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Oklahoma-based Muscogee (Creek) Nation will receive a $3.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to be used for technology-driven regional education and economic development activities, U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao said Friday.

The American Indian tribe, which has its headquarters in Okmulgee, is working with the nonprofit Global Trade and Technology Corp., also known as GT2, to improve education and career opportunities in the tribe's 11-county region in eastern Oklahoma.

Through the effort, the tribe hopes to provide an electronic forum to allow geographically isolated students, workers and businesses to interact verbally and visually with teachers, employers and customers.

``The programs and infrastructure funded through this grant will connect workers with educational and training opportunities that once were literally out of reach,'' said Emily Stover DeRocco, the assistant labor secretary for employment and training. ``Communications technology will link tribal businesses and workers to global markets and will help create new opportunities within and outside of the Muscogee Nation.''