Urban American Indian Alaska Native Education Alliance

TO SERVE AND EMPOWER NATIVE YOUTH THROUGH EDUCATION CULTURE AND TRADITION. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION BY ENGAGING ALL GENERATIONS TO CONTRIBUTE THROUGH VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND PROGRAMMING SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO PROMOTE TRIBAL VALUES CULTURAL IDENTITY AND EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS.

KING COUNTY BEST START FOR KIDS 3 - POSITIVE FAMILY GRANT. THE CLEAR SKY PROGRAM FOCUSED ON NATIVE STUDENT LEADERSHIP MULTI-GENERATIONAL LEARNING AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. NATIVE STUDENTS LEADER INTERNSHIP PROVIDED STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANIZING PLANNING AND ATTAINING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING MULTI-GENERATIONAL CONNECTIONS AND AFFIRMING CULTURAL VALUES WHILE SERVING AS LEADERS WITHIN OUR URBAN SEATTLE COMMUNITY. THESE STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY USED THEIR PLATFORMS FOR ELEVATING VOICES OF INDIGENOUS YOUTH AND SHARE THEIR IDEAS EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE TO STRENGTHEN AWARENESS AND CROSS CULTURAL AND GENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. A HIGHLIGHT IS THE ELDERS PROJECT WHERE STUDENTS WERE PAIRED WITH ELDERS TO DO WEEKLY WELLNESS CHECK-INS AND DELIVER TRADITIONAL FOODS ITEMS AND VARIOUS RESOURCES.

KING COUNTY BEST START FOR KIDS 1 - FUNDED YOUTH LEADERSHIP THROUGH INVOLVEMENT WITH MOVING IN SOLIDARITY COLLECTIVE OF MULTI-CULTURAL YOUTH MEMBERS JOINING BI-MONTHLY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS AND STRATEGIZE COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AS A VITAL PART OF FORMING A SOLIDARITY ACROSS CULTURAL DIVIDES. FOUR YOUTH WERE INVOLVED AND THE PROJECT CULMINATED IN A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE WITH STUDENT LED WORKSHOPS. EIGHT INDIGENOUS YOUTH LEADERS PARTICIPATED IN A FIVE-DAY CIVIC AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH COMMUNITY. STUDENT LEADERS CONTINUED TO BUILD BONDS WITH BISHOP BLANCHET HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LEGACY CLUB FOR BUILDING A COALITION OF ALLYSHIP AND STRENGTHENING OUR CONNECTIONS WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTING EQUITY AND POLICY CHANGES AT BISHOP BLANCHET HIGH SCHOOL.

KING COUNTY BEST START FOR KIDS 2 - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT GRANT. THE CLEAR SKY PROGRAM INCLUDED CULTURAL TRADITIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR NATIVE YOUTH. WEEKLY TUTORING SERVICES FOR FULL SCHOOL YEAR PROVIDED CONTINUED ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES WITH ACCESS TO HOMEWORK SUPPORT AND 1:1 INTENSIVE TUTORING SUPPORT. NATIVE STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE VIRTUAL EVENTS PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND HOLISTIC WELL-BEING. END OF YEAR RITE OF PASSAGE GRADUATION CEREMONY WAS A SIGNIFICANT HIGHLIGHT. GRADUATED 16 SENIORS AND 14 8TH GRADE SCHOLARS. THE EVEN UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW THE ORGANIZATION PLACES ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT WHILE ALSO HONORING CULTURAL VALUES AND LIFTING THE VISIBILITY OF OUR STUDENTS SUCCESS.