CHEROKEE YOUTH
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREAMBLE
FOREWARD
Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society- A society modeled on the Handbook of the Constitutional Cherokee for youth ages 14-up to 21 (under 21) for the purpose of training them for leadership, teaching our history, and sharing language and culture. Oversight is maintained at the Community, State and National Levels of this organization through a council of Mentors and Elders.
All adults assisting or teaching anyone under the age of 21 years old will need to comply with a federal background test at their own expense, for working with children. No adult shall ever be alone with children at any time and an assistant must always be present when working with youth.
Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society- A society modeled on the Handbook of the Constitutional Cherokee for youth ages 14-up to 21 (under 21) for the purpose of training them for leadership, teaching our history, and sharing language and culture. Oversight is maintained at the Community, State and National Levels of this organization through a council of Mentors and Elders.
PREAMBLE:
The Constitutional Cherokee is vitally interested in the resource that is our youth. Our younger generations are a treasure we hold for the future. The actions we take in our generation will reverberate for the next seven generations. Effective youth training and service is an essential part of the everyday life of every community chapter. This organization, the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society, Is intended to serve the community chapters in fulfilling the goal of training our youth to be the leaders we need in the next generation.
The Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society is a distinct auxiliary of the Constitutional Cherokee. As such, its officers are accountable to the membership that elects them, and the auxiliary itself is accountable to the appropriate governmental body at each level of community, state and national.
This Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Constitution provides guidelines by which the organization may facilitate and support our youth to reveal their fullest Creator given potential.
ARTICLE ONE:
NAME: Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society of the Constitutional Cherokee as it is known in English, shall also be known by its Cherokee name.
ARTICLE TWO:
PURPOSE:
The purpose of Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall be to lead youth into a relationship with their local community chapters, to know who they are historically, traditionally and culturally as Cherokee so that they might be able to fully interpret that as Cherokee in the modern age. They are to be trained, encouraged and supported to express themselves through their commitment, worship, fellowship, support of the community and the speaking of the language.
This shall be achieved by training, sharing, mentoring, educating, and allowing participation whenever possible and practical in the community’s events.
They shall also be trained to research genealogy and how to document accurately as well as to know what is not acceptable genealogical research practice.
They are to be taught ritual and tradition as they show inclination and ability.
ARTICLE THREE: MOTTO
Cherokee translated (I cant find a way to put the font here right now but that is what it should be) “They will be led by a child”
ARTICLE FOUR: SYMBOL
The symbol is a sprouting Chestnut Oak acorn on a brown background with Gold lettering. The acorn retains its cap and in the split down the side it has a small taproot going down and the scion pointing up with the start of 4 tiny oak leaves.
ARTICLE FIVE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 -- Community (AKA Local)
1. Membership in the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall be open to all persons between the ages of 14 and up to 21 who have documented Cherokee ancestry. There shall also be a council of Mentors /Elders who shall have oversight of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society. These mentor/elder members are to be between the ages of 21 and 34 years of age.
2. Community membership shall consist of those who affiliate themselves with the Community Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society by joining the organization and participating in its activities.
3. Each local Community Chapter of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall maintain an accurate roster of all active members.
4. Persons may be added to the membership roster after reaching their 14th birthday (7 x 2) and by sharing documentation of ancestry with at least one Cherokee Ancestor, and by consenting to participate in the activities of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society.
5. The activities shall be focused for the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society members ages 14 up to 21 adapted for the ages of the participants with the intention of training for the future.
SECTION TWO STATE CHAPTER OF THE Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society
All community chapters and members of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society within the boundaries of a given state (region) shall form the State Chapter of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society which shall be directly accountable the state Chief and the State Council.
SECTION THREE
All state and community organizations and members of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall constitute the national Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society which shall be directly accountable to the National Chief who holds jurisdiction for the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society and related to the National Council through the Educational and Cultural Committee. The Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society office shall function as the operational body of Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society at the National Constitutional Cherokee Headquarters.
ARTICLE SIX
OFFICERS
SECTION 1 COMMUNITY
The officers of the community organization of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall reflect some of the same officers as the actual voting community but all officers must be between the ages of 14 and under age 21:
Clans- each with their own Clan mother and a Clan chief.
A Principal clan mother and A community Chief and assistant community chief. There shall also be a record keeper (secretary); a money counting committee that will report to the community treasurer, a community council of elders (those ages 21 up to 34 years of age) and a council devoted to genealogical research. There shall also be those who are prospective members who have DNA evidence of Cherokee heritage but have not yet documented it, these may participate but may not vote or hold office within the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society.
SECTION 2 STATE
The officers of the state organization of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall reflect some of the same officers as the actual voting community but all officers must be between the ages of 14 and under age 21:
SECTION 3 NATIONAL
The officers of the National organization of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall reflect some of the same officers as the actual voting community but all officers must be between the ages of 14 and under age 21:
ARTICLE SEVEN COUNCILS
SECTION 1 COMMUNITY
SECTION 2 STATE
SECTION 3 NATIONAL
ARTICLE 8 LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS
SECTION 1 COMMUNITY
SECTION 2 STATE
SECTION 3 NATIONAL
National Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Convention held every 7 years in conjunction with the National Assembly. Scheduling of the Convention of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society should be carefully timed so that the youth may also attend the full meetings of the National Assembly of the Constitutional Cherokee for the purpose of observing those proceedings and so that the elders council may also have the opportunity to participate if they were elected to do so.
ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended by a 4/5 vote of all members present and voting at the National Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Convention with the approval of the National Council and committee. All resolutions concerning such amendments must be in the hands of the National Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Secretary 30 days prior to the opening of the National Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Convention held every 7 years in conjunction with the National Assembly. The officers of the community organization of the National Assembly of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society shall reflect some of the same officers as the actual voting community but all officers must be between the ages of 14 and under age 21: Scheduling of the Convention of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society should be timed so that the youth may also attend the full meetings of the National Assembly of the Constitutional Cherokee for the purpose of observing those proceedings.
Resolutions for Amendment of the Constitution of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society may be submitted to the National Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Secretary or the National Chief of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society by the state Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Convention of any regular state chapter of the Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society or their elected Resolutions Council/committee, and the National Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society Council. The national Constitutional Cherokee Youth Society convention may receive resolutions when sponsored by at least seven delegates, considered by the Resolutions committee (that was established by the National Assembly), and presented to the convention in proper resolution form within the 30 day time limit.
