Doyon Foundation is excited to announce that we will be holding the first ever, Dena spelling bee featuring Denaakk’e & Benhti Kokht’ana Kenaga’ languages. The event will take place May 1, 2026 from 5-8 p.m. at Effie Kokrine Charter school, 601 Loftus Road in Fairbanks.

The inaugural Dena Spelling Bee represents a historic milestone as the first competition of its kind. While this initiative was inspired by the established Yup’ik spelling bee, it has been uniquely tailored to celebrate our Dena languages.

This project was made possible through the vital support of the Doyon Foundation’s partners and the Effie Kokrine Charter School community. We extend our sincere gratitude to the school for hosting the event and to the students who contributed significantly by curating word lists, selecting prizes, and helping shape the vision for this competition.

Funding and Support:

This Dena Spelling Bee journal was made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Department of Education, Alaska Native Education Program. The project is funded under award number S356A220042, as part of the Doyon Languages Education: DLO In The Classroom initiative. We are grateful for this partnership, which allows us to continue our work in language revitalization and educational innovation.