SHI ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FROM PRESENTERS FOR 2024 EDUCATION CONFERENCE

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is accepting proposals from presenters for its seventh Culturally Responsive Education Conference, which is part of a larger effort to promote culturally responsive pedagogy in schools.

SHI is soliciting proposals from educators in Alaska and worldwide to present in person or virtually. This year’s theme is Connecting Culture, Community and Curriculum. Early childhood, K-12, university and community educators are encouraged to submit proposals for presentations related to the following topics:

•         STEAM/Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
•         Language Revitalization/Indigenous Literacy
•         Arts/Culture Integration
•         Indigenizing Education

The extended deadline to submit proposals is April 21, 2024. SHI will give preference to proposals that illustrate relevance to the conference theme and connect to culturally responsive education, equity in education and/or Alaska Native education issues. Successful proposals will also emphasize participant engagement, creativity and demonstrated expertise related to the topic. All presentations will be reviewed and considered. The conference will offer both in-person and virtual strands

The annual conference brings together educators from around the world. The 2023 conference served approximately 250 educators and school administrators from nearly 70 towns in Alaska, Canada, the Lower 48, and other parts of the world, including Australia.

The 2024 conference is scheduled for August 7-9 at the University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau and is open to all educators who are interested in culturally relevant education. Participants may join in person or through a virtual thread. Selected presentations will also be available via Zoom. Participant registration will open the week of May 20.

The conference is part of SHI’s education program Thru the Cultural Lens, which was founded in 2012 to provide cultural orientations for educators. For more details about the conference, contact Jamie Shanley at jamie.shanley@sealaska.com.

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 social 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.