Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – Tlingit & Haida unveiled a new vision for education on Wednesday, April 17.
President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson showcased the new tribal education campus, slated for Juneau, Alaska.
He made the announcement as part of the annual State of the Tribe address at the 89th Annual Tribal Assembly.
The Tribe now owns 42 acres of land on Glacier Highway in Juneau.
Approximately 12 acres will be dedicated to the new education campus. The new facility will provide opportunities to bring current Tlingit & Haida education programs together.
Existing Juneau programs include the Tribe’s language immersion nest, Haa Yoo X’atángi Kúdi (HYXK), child care program, Little Eagles and Ravens Nest (LEARN), and Head Start.
“As we look to expand the Tribe’s educational ownership, the campus has the potential to enhance education delivery,” President Peterson said. “The return on this investment is a new generation of students graduating from an education system built for Native people by Native people.
Education sovereignty is the integration of place-based and culturally-relevant education to ultimately foster identity and community connection.
The Tribe is ready to invest in education sovereignty and will raise funding from diverse sources, including federal, state, non-profit, and private dollars.”
Tlingit & Haida believes student success is driven by learning through cultural identities and ways of life.
“Tlingit & Haida’s education campus will be centered around Indigenous wisdom, while reinforcing traditional values,” President Peterson said. “The campus will be a multi-generational learning space, bringing the youngest learners and Elders together. There will be an opportunity for the community to engage in rich Tlingit & Haida languages and culture. We are excited to return to traditional methods of teaching and healing while simultaneously delivering rigorous and cutting-edge academia.”
Tlingit & Haida is also working with two tribes on Prince of Wales Island to establish early education campuses. Each facility will bring early childhood services together to a single location, providing improved accessibility for tribal families and reducing transportation challenges.
“Tlingit & Haida is excited to work with Craig Tribal Association and Klawock Cooperative Association to provide high quality education to tribal children,” President Peterson said. “The partnership provides access to land and infrastructure for each campus. Together we are strengthening student success. Tlingit & Haida is interested in taking this model to other communities.”
Over the years, Tlingit & Haida’s Delegates and Executive Council have approved resolutions directing the Tribe to tackle various components of education. Delegates and tribal citizens want Native language classes mandatory in the State K-12 education system.
“They also made it a priority to see the development of a Tribal Science Technology Engineering Arts & Math program,” President Peterson said. “We know the education campus will provide a holistic solution that is a model for other education institutions on how to deliver culturally-relevant learning environments.”
President Peterson also unveiled a re-imagined Cultural Immersion Park. The project will be located on 457 acres near Tee Harbor. The success of the project will be made possible with a partnership with tribally-owned business, Allen Marine Tours.
Tlingit & Haida will be hosting an education fundraiser on Friday, April 19, in conjunction with the President’s Awards Banquet with proceeds supporting the Tribe’s education initiatives. View renderings of the Education Campus here.
