Student Success Story Submitted By: Janae Franklet
Central Council is pleased to highlight Tiadola Silva-Martin for her educational achievements. Below, in her own words, is Tiadola’s story. Hard Work and Determination
My name is Tiadola SilvaMartin. I was born in Mt. Edgecumbe to Juanita Silva and Jeremy Martin. They raised me in the small village of Angoon with the help from their parents, John & Harriet Silva and Tiadola (center) with Ed Jack and mom Juanita LeRoy & Carol Martin. My grandparents were a huge help watching me while my parents finished high school. Yes, I was born to teenage parents. I am Shangukeidi (Eagle, Thunderbird) and was adopted into the Teikweidí Clan from the Xóots Hit (Brown Bear House) in Angoon. My great grandpa Peter Jack Sr. gave me my Tlingit name Gloo'dus. Challenges began during those preteen years where you get judged for not wearing the right clothes, not being the right weight or height, not having the latest electronics, and just not fitting in. Somehow we made it past those stages and learned to accept one another for who we are. The first day of high school was hard. School work was getting harder. I was in classes with upper-classman and sports were challenging. In spite of all of this, I was a straight A student. I won academic awards and was highly involved in community/cultural groups. My extracurricular activities included cross country, volleyball, basketball, and track & field. It was hard to keep up with my classes, but I would stay up late getting all my work done so my GPA did not drop. It would have been World War III with my mom if it did drop. Through the years, there were challenges but I told myself I had to push through it. I just had to believe and pray about it. As my last days at Angoon High School came to an end, I became very emotional. They were the hardest, yet best years of my life. I graduated with high honors, quite a few scholarships, and was the 2015 Valedictorian. This was one of my goals, I pushed hard and long for this moment and once I received it, I could not stop crying happy tears. Soon after high school I started working at Greens Creek Mine, which worked out great considering I want to become a geologist. My big goal is to further my education and graduate with a bachelor’s degree. I am making that happen by starting at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado in the fall of 2015. I will stop at nothing in order to become successful. My advice for students is to work hard in school, make good choices, and don't be afraid to challenge yourself. It may be scary but education is the key to success. Big thank you to Tlingit and Haida for choosing me to be a role model for the upcoming students. It is an honor to have this privilege. Gunalcheesh!
Alaska Tribal Court Development Conference Submitted By: Office of the President
In early August, the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) hosted the 2015 Alaska Tribal Court Development Conference in partnership with the National Judicial College and University of Alaska. Central Council’s Tribal Court Judge Debra O’Gara, Tribal Magistrate David Voluck, and Special Assistant to the President Grace Singh all traveled to Fairbanks to participate. Judge Voluck spoke daily on tribal court issues and highlighted the progress Central Council’s Tribal Court has made on tribal child support. Various civil diversion agreements were discussed, with more opportunities for the Tribe to intervene on misdemeanor and juvenile cases in the future. Senator John Coghill presented his proposed legislation that will address the recidivism rates (SB91) and empower tribal courts (SB117) across the state. Central Council is excited for the new opportunities to expand our Tribal Court into other civil areas in the future. For more information, please contact Grace Singh, Special Assistant to the President, at 907.463.7103 or via email at gsingh@ccthita.org.
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