Chugachmiut is excited to announce that our Education Department has received a $5.8 million Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This five-year grant will fund the Chugach Identity Project to support Alaska Native high school students in grades 9-12. By fostering resilience and cultural identity through social-emotional learning activities, the project will serve 75 students in rural and remote schools, including those in the Native Village of Nanwalek and Qutekcak Native Tribe in Seward, Alaska.

The Chugach Identity Project will adapt the Identity Project curriculum and educator program using Sugpiaq and Eyak traditions. Materials from this project will be openly available to the public to encourage educational innovation and equity. Students enrolled in these classes will strengthen their cultural connections, enhance their academic engagement, and develop storytelling skills rooted in their heritage.

We are excited to collaborate with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the Identity Project to deliver this program. Additionally, we are working with Dr. Heather Gordon and the Alaska Technology Development Group to evaluate its effectiveness.

In 2024, we celebrate our 50th anniversary! We are proud of the collective dedication and achievements that have shaped Chugachmiut into what it is today. From humble beginnings as a tribal consortium focused on health and social services, we have expanded our reach into culture, language preservation, economic development, and education. Our milestones underscore the commitment of our team and the steadfast support of the seven Native tribes in the Chugach Region. Our strides in healthcare, behavioral health, and economic development reflect our unwavering commitment to serving the Chugach region with integrity and compassion.

Join us as we reflect on the past 50 years with this commemorative video and booklet! 

Chugachmiut 50th Anniversary Video.

Chugachmiut’s Nupuat Newsletter Spring Edition is available!

Topics in the Nupuat Newsletter

• Career Opportunities
• State’s New VPSO Division Director
• VPSO Program at Chugachmiut
• Forestry and Fire Program Update
• Jeremy Cook Earns CDL
• Story Submissions
• Mandy Wood’s Sobriety Journey
• Housing Improvement Program
• Health Services Division News
• Nourishing Snacks
• Exercise and Brain Health      
• Tribal Home Visiting
• Litnaurwik Education Department
• Employee Spotlights
• Tobacco Prevention Support Group
• Nanwalek Basketball Team Visit

📸About the Cover: The Nanwalek Basketball Team visited Chugachmiut in February. They spent time with staff and partner organizations, Chugach Alaska Corporation and Chugach Heritage Foundation, learning about services and employment opportunities in the Chugach region. Staff shared tips for being successful in the working world, and about their careers in finance, human resources, social services, IT, administration, and communications. They also played some fun games.

Back row (left to right): Daria Swenning (chaperone), Coach Alyssa Romanoff, Margareta Demas, Phontina Demas, Macarius Evans, Dmitri Kvasnikoff, Ashton Meganack & Coach Kevin Seville.

Front row (l-r): Kenji Simmons, Jr., Alyson Seville, Royanna Berestoff, Hailey Hetrick, Emma Tanape & Shane Moonin.

Nupuat is a quarterly publication of Chugachmiut, the tribal not-for-profit organization serving the Alaska Native peoples of the Chugach Region. If you need to update your mailing address, please email us at media@chugachmiut.org.

View previous editions here.