FY 2018 Awards

(S356A180013) Sealaska Heritage Institute (AK) $1,015,437 The Sealaska Heritage Institute, in cooperation with the University of Alaska Southeast, in Juneau, proposes the Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools (PITAAS VII). This project will provide and support opportunities for the preparation and advancement of Native Teacher education to improve educational opportunity for Alaska Native K-12 students. Four priorities are targeted: supporting Alaska Native students and educators for certificates and/or degrees in Education or Indigenous Language and Culture; providing professional development activities for educators, including PITAAS scholars, and University faculty on issues affecting Alaska Native students; supporting revitalization of Alaska Native Languages and Culture; and providing career preparation activities, including summer internships, for Alaska Native pre-service teachers in the PITAAS program. Proposed outcomes include at least 20 Alaska Native teachers and 20 Alaska educators with advanced degrees or endorsements; eight Alaska Native administrators; five Alaska Native Ph.D. or Ed.D. Candidates; distinction awards and target recognition; professional development opportunities; engaged University faculty; additional language and culture knowledge for Alaska Native students; and internship opportunities.

(S356A180030) Tyonek Tribal Conservation District (AK) $171,867 The Tyonek Tribal Conservation District, working with Tebughna School in Tyonek, seeks to establish a program that increases both interest and motivation in STEM subjects and prepares students for post-secondary education. Proposed goals are to (1) increase student grades 5% annually in STEM performance; (2) increase positive attitudes towards STEM classes, education, and careers by 75%; (3) increase graduation rates by 10%; and (4) increase student motivation and interest towards entering a postsecondary institution, training, or internship in a STEM field by 50%. Thirty-nine students in Tyonek will receive services, with the additional potential to reach 13,072 Alaska Native students statewide in Alaska Native Villages with a Tribal Conservation District’s School Districts.

(S356A180031) Pribilof Islands Aleut Community of St. Paul (AK) $187,118 The Pribilof Islands Aleut Community of St. Paul Island proposes the Early Childhood Unangam Tunuu Immersion Program. This project seeks to develop an early childhood immersion program for children ages infant/ toddler (ages 0-3) to preschool (ages 3-5) by making use of the Unangam Tunuu, the local Alaska Native language. Broadly, the project intends to provide culturally-enriched and intergenerational-based programs that also increase readiness for post-secondary education/ training programs. Head Start and Preschool Programs, as well as local Elders and high school students, will all participate and contribute to the project.

(S356A180029) Sealaska Heritage Institute (AK) $1,057,179 The Sealaska Heritage Institute, in partnership with Harborview Elementary School in the Juneau School District, proposes the Living the Language in the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program. This project seeks to support Tlingit culture through the following: (1) build a thorough and holistic language immersive program within the Tlingit culture, language and literacy program; (2) increase teacher fluency in Tlingit; and (3) develop Tlingit culture, language and literacy into an autonomous Optional Program in the Juneau School District and a Lab School for future teachers. This project will directly serve 95 Alaska Native students, 140 family members, and 8 teachers. It will also have an impact on more than 25 other educators through professional development, observations, and collaboration and 20 pre-service teachers from the University of Alaska Southeast. This project will directly serve 95 Alaska Native students, 140 family members, and 8 teachers. It will also have an impact on more than 25 other educators through professional development, observations, and collaboration and 20 pre-service teachers from the University of Alaska Southeast.

(S356A180006) Fairbanks Native Association (AK) $210,018 The Fairbanks Native Association, in cooperation with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, proposes the JOM Young Learners Project to provide wrap-around social-emotional support and academic intervention services to address the persistent low performance of over 200 Alaska Native students in reading, writing, and/or math. Through this grant, a staff team consisting of a tutor and family services coordinator will provide services for up to 70 students at each of three target elementary schools selected on the basis of greatest need from within the District. Three project goals are proposed: (1) increase academic performance and achievement growth by participating Alaska Native students; (2) improve the social-emotional factors of Alaska Native students served by the program; and (3) improve Parental and Family Involvement.

(S356A180040) Cook Inlet Tribal Council (AK) $828,323 The Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) proposes Grad Tracks to address gaps in services in the Anchorage School District (ASD) which perpetuate educational attainment disparities between Alaska Native (AN) students and the overall student population.  Grad Tracks will serve 410 Alaska Native students in grades 8 through 12.  The project goals are as follows: (1) decrease the percent of Alaska Native students in the ASD at risk of dropping out by failing a core course in the 9th grade; (2) increase the number of Alaska Native students in the ASD who get back on track to graduate from high school after failing classes; (3) increase the number of Alaska Native students in ASD who are academically and socially prepared for college.

(S356A180043) Kenaitze Indian Tribe (AK) $1,500,000 Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s project will focus on the construction of an indoor/outdoor playground as part the proposed Early Childhood Center campus (which is supported through outside grant funds), which will house Early Head Start, Head Start, and ANEP afterschool programs. The facility will serve expectant mothers, infants, and children who are Kenaitze tribal members and/or who identify as Alaska Native/American Indian, residing in Kenai, Soldotna, Sterling, Nikiski, Salamatof, Ridgeway, Cohoe, Kasilof, and Cooper Landing. More specifically, this playground will serve 40 Early Head Start infants and toddlers, in addition to 94 Head Start preschoolers, for a total of 134 children.  Kenaitze’s goal is to create a birth-to-five continuum designed to meet the unique educational needs of Alaska Native children and their parents.  A primary project objective is to increase by 100% the number of Alaska Native/American Indian children who have access to safe, spacious, interactive, and age-appropriate indoor and outdoor play space designed to improve school readiness by the end of the project period.

(S356A180016) Seldovia Village Tribe (AK) $653,338 Seldovia Village Tribe proposes a project titled  Litnaugwiq (meaning ‘a place to learn’) to improve cultural competence, student achievement, and increase graduation rates by providing a cultural, science, technology, engineering and math enrichment camp to 9th grade Alaska Native (AN) youth.  Litnaugwiq camp’s goal is to blend traditional cultural teaching methods and knowledge (such as kayak building and subsistence skills) with experiential activities in natural sciences.  A total of 192 students will participate in the project overall.  The goals for this project are: (1) Alaska Native ninth-grade students will demonstrate increased skills and interest in science and math and related careers as a result of participation in the Litnaugwiq camp; (2) students completing Litnaugwiq camp will demonstrate improved cultural competence and identification of natural history subjects, improved science content knowledge, and ability to use technology to expand upon and record science learning;  and (3) Alaska Native ninth-grade students will learn self-management skills related to academic studies, leadership, and group interaction as a result of participation in the Litnaugwiq camp.

(S356A180039) Bering Strait School District (AK) $659,249 The Bering Strait School District (BSSD) proposes Strengthening Indigenous Learning and Academics (SILA) to build cultural connections through student success; improve mathematics and language arts achievement; and increase positive school behaviors and graduation success.  SILA will serve 15 isolated, rural schools in the western region of Alaska, none of which are connected by roads and some of which are reached only by helicopter.  The project goals are as follows: (1) thirty cultural videos with lesson plans to increase cultural demonstrations for students by thirty percent and staff by one hundred percent; (2) teachers trained in research-based effective learning strategies in the areas of mathematics and language arts; (3) 100% of administrators, teachers, and aides trained in scientifically-based schoolwide and classroom positive behavioral supports.

(S356A180032) Arctic Slope Community Foundation, Inc. (AK) $1,299,822 The Arctic Slope Community Foundation, Inc. (ASCF) in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southcentral Alaska (BGCAK) proposes Project Learn: Academic & Cultural Enrichment with Alaska Native Youth, an academic and cultural enrichment program that includes academic goal setting, academic coaching, high-yield literacy activities, and STEM activities in a way that supports the unique cultural and educational needs of Alaska Native students.  Project Learn will serve 605 youth grades 2 – 8 at 18 Boys & Girls Clubs sites, in 13 school districts, across 32 schools.  The project goals are as follows: (1) help students meet individualized goals for specific academic subjects; (2) show gains in confidence with stronger cultural awareness and engagement; and (3) prepare them for successful transition to high school, college and/or career.

(S356A180041) Craig Tribal Association (AK) $516,780 The Craig Tribal Association (CTA) works with three school districts serving Alaska Native students on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska. The school districts involved are Craig City School District, Klawock School District and Hydaburg School District. They represent CTA tribal members’ families in the Tlingit, Haida and Tshimshian Alaska Native groups. The number of Alaska Native students in the three schools is 239 with an additional 93 designated “two or more races”, many of them part Alaska Native. Through this project, counselors will work with all students in grades 8-12 in developing an individual plan that details their course of study in high school and plans for the future. Participation by tribal members in school cultural activities will result in 85% of students reporting increased knowledge of their culture. Anticipated outcomes for Alaska Native students include improved student achievement, decreased dropout rate, increased on-time graduation, increased knowledge about Alaska Native cultures, culturally responsive teaching, and integration of cultural skills into education.  Grant services will include tutoring after school, student academic assessment to provide targeted instruction, blended learning with web-based programs, counseling, college and career readiness workshops and information, family outreach, cultural integration in the curriculum, culturally responsive instruction, cultural arts, credit recovery, career skill training, and college visits.

(S356A180033) Yupiit School District (AK) $807,226 The Ilakuyullata Project will bring together students, families, tribal organizations, and schools in Akiak, Akiachak, and Tuluksak.  This project will infuse the values of the region and establish relevant project-based learning and leadership through improving the outcomes for 450 students and 200 families within the district.  Yupiit School District will partner with the Association of Alaska School Boards Initiative for Community Engagement, Trillium World Bridge Performance Learning, and Parents as Teachers program. The goals are to work towards four outcomes for student success: (1) culturally relevant and real-world learning through project-based learning structures (CR PBL) and relevant learning academies; (2) consistent and culturally responsive Pre K-12 school staff who are competent in project- based learning; (3) student leaders prepared to drive their own education and learning; and (4) develop strong partnerships between families and educators to enhance student learning.  Students will learn the science and engineering skills to solve some of the most challenging issues facing each community and will have an opportunity to participate in learning academies that relate to the needs and interests of families in the region.

(S356A180018)  Arctic Slope Native Association (AK) $623,991 NSBSD is comprised of 11 isolated, rural schools at eight sites in the far northern region of Alaska. The project, entitled SISamat (Four) Strategies for Iñupiaq Success, will focus on four main goals: (1) to infuse Iñupiaq culture and knowledge into school teaching materials and practices; 2) to improve mathematics achievement; (3) increase graduation success through expanded vocational/technical opportunities; and (4)  to enhance youth leadership opportunities. This project will establish Youth Leadership Clubs in four villages served by the NSBSD, and hold local and regional youth leadership camps.

(S356A180036) Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (AK) $742,220 The Central Council for the Indian Tribes of Alaska (Central Council) proposes the ASTRIDE (Achieving Success by Respectfully Targeting Individual Developmental Ecology) Project. Central Council has partnered with the Tribal Councils of: Kasaan, Hydaburg, and Klawock; Brightways Learning; and the school districts of Klawock (KCSD), Hydaburg (HCSD), Chatham (CSD), Craig City School District (CCSD) and Southeast Island (SISD) in support of this innovative program for Alaska Native students. The proposed project goals include: (1) increase Adult Anchors (caring and connected adults); (2) increase student achievement; (3) increase graduation rates; and (4) integration of cultural standards in classrooms.

(S356A180011) Saint Mary’s City School District (AK) $694,221 Saint Mary’s School District proposes the Culture, Education and the Environment (CEE) project. St. Mary’s is a bilingual Yup’ik Alaskan Native community, serving 200 students and their families, that maintains a subsistence lifestyle of fishing, hunting, and gathering. The City of Saint Mary’s encompasses the Yup’ik villages of Algaaciq Native Village and Yupiit of Andreafski located within the rural Yukon Delta National Wildlife Preserve There are three project goals: (1) to improve academic achievement; (2) to prepare students for college and career readiness; and (3) to preserve the Yup’ik culture and language through relevant project-based activities supportive of the subsistence lifestyle. Students will participate in project-based science learning activities addressing environmental education, subsistence lifestyle needs, climate change and/or Yup’ik cultural activities and elder participation. The activities include project-based learning, academic support, summer programs, tutoring after school, Yup’ik language instruction, cultural skill development, culturally responsive teaching, credit recovery, place-based education, counseling, family engagement and college and career preparation through counseling, workshops and college visits.

(S356A180025) Goldbelt Heritage Foundation (AK) $812,995 Goldbelt Heritage Foundation in partnership with Douglas Indian Association proposes the Haa Wsineix Haa Yoo X’atangi, Our Language Saved Us grant initiative.  This project will concretely provide culturally-relevant strategies designed to improve the educational and life outcomes for youth, families and educators. Seven overarching goals are proposed: 1) provide native language immersion within early childhood education programs and increase family involvement through a Parents as Teachers model; 2) provide Early Childhood Education and Language Instruction that enhances school readiness for Alaska Native Children; 3) provide Instructional programs that include heritage language and culture resulting in a Family and Youth Language Program for elementary students; 4) provide instruction in heritage language connected to core subjects inclusive of technology supported by Language Educators, Elders and Tradition Bearers; 5) develop a Language Teaching Curriculum, Heritage Language Academic Vocabulary that connects to the Core Curriculum and which preserves and promotes Language and Culture for Youth Achievement in schools and extended learning environments; 6)  increase the number of qualified language teachers by advancing fluency and creating a pathway for language teacher certification; and 7) facilitate an annual language consortium gathering advancing the rich culture of people with the community. The program will serve a minimum of 500 students.

(S356A180003) Sealaska Heritage Institute (AK) $712,580 Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and its partner South East Regional Resource Center (SERRC) proposes Amplifying Our Stories, this project aims to expand and renew the innovative programming that brings performing arts, digital storytelling, and Tlingit language to young students to improve their literacy skills.  This project will directly serve 600 Alaska Native students in grades 4 – 8 in Southeast Alaska elementary and middle schools located in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Yakutat in order to (1) improve student engagement, academic performance in language arts and student approaches toward school and self through the production and public performance of plays based on traditional knowledge and stories; (2) produce digital stories and sets of illustrated storybooks based on traditional knowledge, and a Digital Storytelling Handbook for use in Language Arts classes, K – 8; and (3) train elementary and secondary teachers on strategies to integrate visual and performing arts into classroom instruction on regular basis.

(S356A180008) Hydaburg City School District (AK) $569,368 The Hydaburg City School District (HCSD), sanctioned by and in partnership with the Hydaburg Cooperative Association, proposes the Hydaburg Education And Language (HEAL) program. This project proposes to empower and educate the district’s youngest students by immersing them in their native Haida language, culture, traditions, and values.  This project will serve 60 Haida students from birth to 4th grade in a community of 376 residents. It seeks to implement a Montessori pre-kindergarten/Kindergarten program; develop a curriculum based on Montessori principles for grades 1-4 that also incorporates Haida language, culture, and values; provide coaching and parenting strategies to the community; and encourage local native residents to become Montessori teachers, Alaska state-certified teachers, and Haida language speakers.

(S356A180026) Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. (AK) $500,000 Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. (CITC) proposes La’a Kenu–Learning Our Way, a project that will focus on improving the kindergarten preparedness of Alaska Native children ages 0-5 in Anchorage by intervening with the adults who raise them and care for them. La’a Kenu will: 1) identify and publish traditional child development practices and activities 2) provide families with supportive events, education and information 3) develop and publish children’s books for use by children and families served by the program and other Alaska Native children in the community, and 4) provide training to early learning and care professionals. The project expects to serve 475 children by intervening with 310 adults who care for them at home and in childcare settings.

(S356A180028) Northwest Arctic Borough School District (AK) $952,110 The Northwest Arctic Borough School District (NWABSD) sanctioned by and in partnership with the Native Village of Buckland, proposes the Career and Technical Education (CTE) project. This project focuses on the education of students for successful careers and opportunities after graduation and increasing the graduation rate with related academic improvement. The goals of the project are: (1) to establish and maintain student enrollments in STAR of the Northwest Magnet School programs in coordination with Alaska Technical Center (ATC); (2) to develop and enhance Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in the domains of Culinary Arts, Education, Process Technology, Health Services, Construction Trades and Business; and (3) to develop, establish and refine the Residency Life Program and coordination with ATC.