SHI ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR EDUCATORS OF DISTINCTION

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is accepting nominations for educators of distinction in an effort to highlight the extraordinary role they play in students’ academic, emotional and cultural success.

People who serve as teachers, educational support staff, administrators, coaches or community members whose work is of such high quality to merit recognition are eligible to be nominated.

The awards are important because they put a spotlight on people who play such a pivotal role in our society, said SHI President Rosita Worl, Ph.D.

“Educators are the heroes among us who inspire and shape our children to achieve their goals in this world. Educators play a key role in helping our children succeed, and we want to publicly acknowledge and thank them for their work,” Worl said.

SHI will present awards in three categories during its annual Our Cultural Landscape Conference, scheduled Aug. 7-9. Categories include:

• Distinguished Educator Award: This category recognizes an educator’s intentional weaving of ways of knowing throughout their lessons and classroom that reflect students through place-based and culturally relevant beliefs and practices, while reinforcing students’ capacity for achievement
• Community-Based Learning Teaching Awards: This category recognizes that generation of knowledge is not limited to the classroom but can occur anywhere and celebrates achievements in teaching that honor SHI’s value of cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through community outreach or as public service;
• Distinguished Leadership Award: This category recognizes outstanding leadership at a school level, district level or community level that exemplifies collaboration and co-creation of environments that are safe, yet challenging, where success if defined through learning, and meaningful mentorship.

Nominations are due by July 1. Selected recipients will receive a monetary award and paid travel to attend the conference in August.

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.

CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com

Caption: Group photo of the awardees who attended SHI’s 2023 Culturally Responsive Education Conference. From left: Naomi Leask; Jennifer McCarty; Donna May Roberts’ granddaughter, Megan Roberts, accepting on Donna’s behalf; Charlie Skultka Jr. and Naomi Michalsen. Photo by Stacy Unzicker, courtesy of SHI. Note: Media outlets are permitted to use this image for coverage of this story. For a higher-res image, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com