Cultural Heritage & Education

The Cultural Heritage & Education department oversees the coordination of Tlingit & Haida’s cultural and educational activities in collaboration with other tribes and entities. The department reflects the principle that our communities, lands and tribal citizens thrive when our culture and education is our foundation. Cultural Heritage & Education is housed in the Vocational Training & Resource Center and oversees the following programs: ƒ Higher Education ƒ Johnson O’Malley (JOM)

ƒ Language ƒ Navigators

Sarah Dybdahl Director

ƒ Hired Cultural Program Coordinator in early 2020 to advance the Tribe’s cultural programming and educational opportunities. ƒ Applied and awarded an Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) Basic

Library Service grant in the amount of $10,000 to expand resources and services available through the Tribe’s library. ƒ Applied and awarded an IMLS Enhancement grant in the amount of $128,859 to develop and implement the Southeast Indigenous Languages Digital Archive. ƒ Awarded $175,000 from Sealaska Corporation to support six intermediate/advanced language learners. ƒ Hosted I Toowú Klatseen (Boys Run) in collaboration with community partners. The program served 39 (2nd through 5th grade) youth in the Juneau School District. ƒ Provided online Língit language course in collaboration with Outer Coast College. ƒ Hosted a First Alaskans Institute intern (10 weeks) to assist Haa Yoo X’atángi Kúdi in developing language resources for families and students. ƒ Initiated project to produce 36 early education culturally relevant videos that are culturally relevant through support from the 47 Child Care department to provide resources to families, child care providers, and early education programs. ƒ Partnered with Washington State University to develop and create a Mukurtu Hub to support Indigenous language learning communities in Alaska. ƒ Provided 300 Chromebooks to Prince of Wales Island School District students through

Achieving Success by Respectfully Targeting Individual Developmental Ecology (ASTRIDE) funding.

Haa Yoo Xʼatángi Kúdi is a community-based language learning project that focuses on improving language transmission between generations and within families. The program opened its doors to tribally-enrolled children ages three to five in 2019, immersing students in the Lingít language and ensuring families are provided the resources needed to be on the language journey with their children.

ƒ Provided 224.5 hours of in-person Lingít language immersion instruction to 15 tribal children. ƒ Hosted a five-week Lingít language literacy class for Haa Yoo X’atángi Kúdi parents. ƒ Hosted 24 in-person family events.

ƒ Organized and participated in a three-day workshop with other language teachers and educators to create an outlined plan for a book series about language leaders for pre-k through 5th grade. ƒ Hosted an amazing, safe, and socially distanced graduation ceremony for Haa Yoo Xʼatángi Kúdi students in June of 2020.

The Higher Education program provides assistance to eligible tribal citizens seeking postsecondary education. Assistance includes guidance, academic planning, scholarships (Alumni and College Student Assistance) and sharing of other financial aid resources. ƒ Provided $295,290 in College Student Assistance funding to 169 students. » 61 Higher Education students achieved honor roll status. » 7 Higher Education students graduated (6 Bachelor’s degrees and 1 Doctorate degree). ƒ Distributed 30 Alumni scholarships in the amount of $600 from an $18,000 donation approved by the Executive Council.

Hydaburg: William Lauth III; Juneau: Gail Dabaluz, Amber Lenard, Jeryd Schauwecker, Jamie Skeek, Miranda St. Clair, and Malina Walkush.

Anchorage: Dora Smith; Haines: Kiana DeJesus, Joshua Kerstein, Travis Strickler, and Roselina Wilson; Hydaburg: Janessa Chinana; Juneau: Corissa Andrews, Ashley Carabajal, Michael Cesar, Harriet Chilton, Sierra Coronell, Amanda DeAsis, Joshua DeAsis, Alicia Duncan, Hazel Duncan, Kaylah Duncan, Antonia Fogg, Madisen Grush, Kaitlyn Hannan, Heather Holland, Logan Hulse, Ashley Hunt, Sarah Jenkins-Hayes, Gwendolyn Jones-Gailey, Amber Kahklen, Anna Kahklen, Amber Lenard, Hailey Lindsley, Brandy Lokke, Eva Marks, Shannon Mason, Hunter Meachum, Mikayla Mitchell, Miranda Mitchell, Tara MorenoGoodwin, Joshua Quinto, Avery Rowcroft, Jeryd Schauwecker, Clarabella Sheakley, Cheyenne Siverly, Aminda Skan, Rochelle Smallwood, Miranda St. Clair, Madison Truitt, Valentina Vigil, Alana Walkush, Keanu Walkush, Malina Walkush, Alana Wheaton, Rose Willard, and Nicole Woodland; Kasaan: Lockley Bremner; Ketchikan: Rose Gray and Shelaine Lorenz; Metlakatla: Kate West; Petersburg: Jamie Fletcher; Sitka: Steele Whitney; Wrangell: Bryanna Howery, Leonard Vazquez, and Eliza Villarma. Note: The graduate list reflects only those students who received financial assistance and provided notification of their graduation before the printing of the Annual Report.

The JOM program provides supplemental educational opportunities to Alaska Native and American Indian students and is guided by a local parent committee. The emphasis is on tutorial and cultural enrichment activities.

ƒ Provided support and tutoring to 92 students in the Juneau School District. ƒ Provided two Academic Success classes at Yadaa.at Kalé (Juneau-Douglas High

School). ƒ Facilitated a Reconnecting Youth class for freshmen students at Yadaa.at Kalé to help improve attendance, increase academic success and offer support to one another. ƒ Offered virtual after school tutoring to students at Yadaa.at Kalé. ƒ Provided $120,000 to the Juneau School District to secure learning equipment and digital textbooks to ensure that families and students had the resources needed to continue remote learning.

ƒ Served 160 youth daily through JOM programming and activities until the COVID-19 pandemic closure in March 2020. ƒ Hosted drum practices on Wednesdays until we could not meet face to face safely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. » Virtual drumming gatherings were setup for Elders and students to continue meeting Wednesdays to sing, dance, drum and have potlatch training. ƒ Participated in a variety of activities such as: JOM Wrangell dance performances,

Baby Raven Reads events, and unveiling of the Elizabeth Peratrovich coin. ƒ Collaborated with the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium to make paddles for Celebration 2020. ƒ Made sea otter headbands for four JOM seniors who graduated in 2020. ƒ Provided winter gear (i.e. jackets, boots, snow pants, raingear, hats and gloves, hoodies, socks and face masks) to JOM students ages 5 to 18 years old.

Navigators is a relationship-based prevention and early intervention program that serves Native youth ages 13-24. The program provides opportunities that help youth navigate through adolescence into adulthood focusing on healthy relationships, cultural connectedness, learning life skills, and providing academic support, independent transitioning and leadership opportunities. ƒ Hosted 49 Compass Gatherings (prevention/early intervention meetings) that taught vital life skills through a cultural lens. ƒ Hosted 46 Study Group sessions that provided tutoring and resources needed to succeed in school. ƒ Successfully assisted two students through transition from middle school to high school. ƒ Launched virtual programming (March 2020) to ensure the safety of students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ƒ Continued to provide full services during the COVID-19 pandemic through the use of creative virtual programming. ƒ Continued International Resiliency Exchange with students in Ghana and Soldotna, Alaska that began in 2019. ƒ Hosted youth community-based scholarship workshop and adulting course.

The Vocational Training & Resource Center (VTRC) is a tribal enterprise and State of Alaska post-secondary authorized institution that provides distance education and vocational classes for career certification. ƒ Secured reauthorization by the Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education to operate as a Career & Technical Education post-secondary institution. ƒ Hired Vocational Training Coordinator to grow capacity for essential programs and services. ƒ Conducted a Workforce Development Assessment to evaluate and prioritize training and educational needs. ƒ Applied and received Economic Development Administration CARES Supplemental funding in the amount of $150,000 to support distance and virtual career training opportunities.

ƒ Host a Youth Summit with Tlingit & Haida Youth Commission. ƒ Coordinate and offer career and technical training opportunities: Automated External

Defibrillator (AED), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), First Aid; Commercial

Driver’s License (CDL); and Early Childhood Development (CDA). ƒ Develop and host regular and recurring cultural heritage classes.