After three and a half years of dedication, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to language revitalization, the Alaska Native Education Program (ANEP) grant-funded Doyon Languages Education (DLE) project has officially come to a close. While this chapter has ended, the important work of preserving and strengthening our Doyon languages continues.
The DLE project brought together a six-member cohort of language champions who embraced the unique challenge of teaching their Native languages while continuing to learn them themselves. Their journey demonstrated that language revitalization is more than education, it is heart-work. Through perseverance, collaboration, and a shared commitment to future generations, the cohort helped strengthen our languages and communities in meaningful ways.
Throughout the project, the cohort played a vital role in expanding Doyon Languages Online (DLO), developing interactive language lessons that will continue to serve learners for years to come. They also represented Doyon Foundation at conferences and gatherings, sharing their experiences, building lasting partnerships, and strengthening a growing network dedicated to Indigenous language revitalization.
Most recently, the cohort lived out Doyon Foundation’s values by giving back to their communities through DLO workshops held in Galena, Kaltag, Minto, Nenana, Grayling and Tok. These workshops provided opportunities for community members to engage with language learning technology while celebrating the knowledge, culture, and traditions that make each language unique.
As we celebrate the accomplishments of the DLE project, we also recognize the incredible individuals whose passion and dedication made this work possible. We extend our deepest appreciation to the DLE cohort members:
- Anna Clock
- Bertina Titus
- Bruce Ervin
- Dewey Kk’ołeyo Hoffman
- James Miller
- Teresa Trinidad
We also honor their language mentors, whose wisdom, patience, and guidance have been instrumental in nurturing both language learners and our cultural traditions:
- David Engles
- Ruth Johnny
- MaryAnn Wiehl
- Thelma Saunders
- In memory of the late Lidwin Alexie
- In memory of the late Mary Deacon
Together, these teachers, learners, and mentors have created a lasting legacy that extends far beyond the life of the grant. Their work has strengthened resources, inspired communities, and helped ensure that our languages continue to be spoken, taught, and cherished by future generations.
Although the Doyon Languages Education project has concluded, its impact will continue to be felt through the lessons created, the relationships built, and the communities empowered. We thank each member of the cohort and their mentors for their dedication, resilience, and love for our languages. Your work has laid a strong foundation for the next generation of language revitalization efforts, and for that, we are deeply grateful.
We also extend our sincere gratitude to the Alaska Native Education Program for supporting this work through Grant S356A220042. Your investment has helped strengthen Indigenous language revitalization and will continue to benefit our communities for years to come.
