TCLL graduates first 8th grade class after years of Tlingit immersion

The Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy program graduated an eighth grade class Tuesday, marking the second year the Juneau School District's optional immersion program has sent students forward after expanding to include middle school grades.

Students delivered speeches and presentations in Tlingit during a ceremony at Sealaska Heritage Institute, demonstrating fluency developed over years in the program. The graduates received handmade tenák—traditional headbands—from cultural leaders and performed songs and dances as part of the ceremony.

The program operates as a place-based, cultural-based optional K–8 program within Juneau School District; Tlingit language and culture are integral to daily instruction while meeting state and national standards. It is housed at Harborview Elementary School and operated in partnership with Sealaska Heritage Institute. The program is free and open to students of all races, nationalities, and abilities.

The language teacher who started at TCLL when the middle school expanded six years ago said the students took ownership of the ceremony. "Their speeches, their presentation that they gave to you today, all I had to do was tell them, guide them in what to do, and they took it upon themselves to put this program together today," the teacher said.

The teacher described the class as initially quiet. "In the beginning, many of these students, I couldn't get them to say anything, and now I can't get them to stop," the teacher said. "Which is an amazing problem to have, especially when they're saying funny things in Tlingit even."

The middle school expansion coincided with the teacher joining the program. "When the middle school expanded, these guys were in 6th grade. That was also the year that I started at TCL. So I kind of joked with them that I'm also in 8th grade this year," the teacher said.

Last year marked the program's first eighth grade graduation after the middle school expansion. The teacher noted that alumni from that class attended Tuesday's ceremony.

Funding sources that supported the program this year included Sealaska Heritage Institute, which also supported middle school exploratories at the Indigenous Science Building. The Juneau School District Indian Studies program helped make the eighth grade trip possible. Alaska Heritage Institution provided support through the KUWAHA grant.

Andi Story, speaking on behalf of Juneau School District, described TCLL as an exemplary program statewide and thanked Sealaska Heritage Institute for its commitment through grants that fund teachers, curriculum, and professional development.

The ceremony included traditional protocols, with students presenting gifts and performing songs. The teacher said the entire TCLL student body was watching via livestream and would greet the graduates with dancing when they returned to school. "All of our classes back at TCLL are also watching the live stream, and they'll be dancing. They'll be greeting us at the door and dancing our 8th graders back in and celebrating with them," the teacher said, inviting ceremony attendees to join the celebration.

The graduates will move on to high school next year, carrying the language skills and cultural knowledge developed through the immersion program.