2026 TCLL Graduation | Sealaska Heritage

Akmun Koon Ka Juno, Alaska. Anika Pandruk, Sheikha Disha. Janelle Choo Heon, Akmun Koon Ka. Atoka Sikok Ha Douglas Jr., Fairbanks. Akmun Kook Mau Koon Ka Annie Fritzi and Julie Cook.

About Kook Ha Todd and Douglas Cook.

Ding Ukli Ka Keechuk Parker.

Mr. Josh, Mrs. Malm, Ms. Yaluk, Ms. Jen Kassay. Mr. Vladimirov, Mr. Nakashlan, Suha Hasuwaat, Mr. Ray, Miss Bradley, Miss Aker.

Kasey Selena Everson, Grandpa Kingisti David Kadzik, and Grandma Kahwe Leona Santiago.

Tikha Hitton City to each other.

Uh, Anggun Kwan.

I'm very happy to be here witnessing your graduation. Some of you I've watched over the years, actually worked in classrooms you were in.

This is the first, uh, Kaka'aka graduation I've seen.

And I'm very happy I'm here today, and I'm very proud of you folks.

I'm looking forward to how you will continue your education. You're off to a good start, and our culture is in your safe hands, and I appreciate you very much. Koonischiish.

Stetson. So, um, when I started in middle school, uh, they had just come from 5th grade when they composed this song, so they helped teach me this song, and as a whole class we learned this together. Um, English tea, hot cup.

I'm Nay. I'm the language teacher.

This particular group of students have a lot of leadership, and I just want you to know that 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. And so I just want to say konestish to our schoonwan. For being such strong leaders.

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, and I'm a little emotional about our promotion.

What I do know about this particular group of kids is they absolutely know how to bring the fun every single place they go. And it's such an important value for our people. This was also one of the quietest classes. In the beginning, many of these students, I couldn't get them to say anything, and now I can't get them to stop. Which is an amazing problem to have, especially when they're saying funny things in Tlingit even.

So it's been really fun working with them. We have a presentation for our students. Last year was our first 8th grade class to graduate from TCLL, and I see our alumni are here. Giniishaa ti aadii. And last year we had a special gift for them from Grandma Kokeshlat, but Hinday has always done a tenak for our promotions.

And so we are really thankful that he said, I'm taking that back. So we have a beautiful tenak from Hinday to give our graduates, our 8th grade graduates today.

Um, I'm just going to call them down in the order I have on my list, so you might be surprised if I call your name because you won't know the order. Maddie, come on down please.

Maybe stand here so everyone can see you. And I always like to preface, um, just because I say something about one person doesn't mean I don't see those qualities in others, but I just want to highlight, um, how amazing you are. So, Maddie always stands up for what is right. Always making sure to take care of others.

She knows the value of a good friend and really looks for the good in others.

She is kind to all and accepts and offers help freely.

She knows that working together is important and makes efforts to do her best by teaching and allowing others to teach her, really bringing the classroom community together. So, gunalchéesh.

Maddie and I started TCLL together, but we go way back. I met her mom when I was a student at UAS, and our kids are about the same age, had little playdates together. Having Maddie at TCLL has connected to me—. Oh no—. Has connected me to A'kii'sh Hus, my father's people.

Tuvuyun Kwan Hsiiti, Hwi Siti Akiish Tse. He came from Bristol Bay, and so it feels like always I have a little niece hanging around. Nay, nay. She's the only kid who doesn't call me Miss Nay, it's just Nay. But I have appreciated having her around and reminding me that we're Tuvuyun Kwan together.

I'm sure they were laid out perfectly and then I did something wrong, so thank you for your patience. Goshishmadik, can I put this on? Yeah. Okay, I'm gonna make it really loose. Oh, that works too.

Next, I'll call up Trinity.

Trinity loves to be exceptional. She is always looking for ways to improve. There's never a time when she thinks, I've done it enough. She comes back for feedback, asking for more. How can I make this better?

What can I do to be even better at everything that she does? So guna shish for striving for being the best you and being a real leader in the class. Gunasheesh.

Shuktehain.

Shuktehain. Let's see. She's been at TCLL since kindergarten, but we met in 6th 6th grade, and what I know and learned about her is she consistently moves through life with purpose, and I feel like that aligns with a little bit what Mr. Nay shared. It kind of screams to me, definitely raised by the aunties. And one of the most chaotic times in middle school in 6th grade, she said, Miss Michelle would never allow this, Miss Nay.

And I was like, it's an auntie thing right there. So I know she was raised by I was raised by aunties, and I was raised to be an auntie, so I think that's where we have a strong connection. So, ganiilchii shaktaheen for always moving so purposefully. Ganiilchii shaktaheen.

Paul brings the laughter. He can actually make the whole entire class burst into laughter with just— with just an expression. Or a few words said in a specific voice that just brings giggles and smiles to everyone around him.

He just brings joy to everyone around him. And I wasn't thinking of this earlier, but Paul's teaching me how to be Chuukeneidi. He was at the ku'ik where I was adopted, and he danced and I watched him and I thought, you know, maybe, maybe I'm his auntie because I'm older, but really he's my uncle because he's teaching me. So, Gunashish, for all the lessons you're teaching me along the way, it's just wonderful to be around you.

Grandson, Just like Mr. Nay said, he's so funny, but he's also so kind. When we went on our 8th grade field trip, our 8th grade annual trip. We went over to Hoona. Everyone knew I was scared of heights, Maddie included. But on our way down on the gondola, he said, don't worry, Miss Nay, I got you.

If the gondola falls, I'll climb under you, I'll cushion you. And I was like, grandson, for bringing so much kindness and love. And laughter to our school.

Uh, Layton.

My first thought when I thought Layton is Layton is like lightning. He just energizes you. He is just— you'll be in the room and kind of feel like, "Oh, today's kind of a slow day," and he walks in and you're just full of energy just from watching him. As you can see right now, he's giving you an example of that. He teaches me every day how important it is to really see people.

And when he just walks into the room, fills it with energy, and brings us all together, and makes us all happy to be there, you're really jumping for joy. Exactly. He just whispered, "Jumping for joy." Literally jumping for joy because he's so full of joy. He has enough to send joy out to the rest of us. So, Gunasheesh for what you bring to all of us.

Layton, he's a kid that I feel like was always meant to be at TCLL, and he finally got to be here in middle school. When middle school first started, there was a lot of new folks to the program, and so we did a lot of lessons about how we're connected to each other. And who we are, our shagoon. And Layton had lots of questions for me. He needed me to tell him all of his shagoon that day.

I didn't always have the answers, and we're still asking questions. But he told my grandpa Kunak, he said, "I'm a wolf. I need a Tlingit name." So Kunak thought about it, and he said, "Gootch Tush Tzeeni." That's the a wolf that has this inner strength, and that's what I absolutely have learned and know about Leighton. He is one of the strongest kids that I know, and I'm so proud of him. I just know that he is going to do so many wonderful things.

Good.

Next we have Alex.

Alex is pretty quiet in the classroom. At least to the teachers. If you go out to the playground, you'll know he's not quite so quiet when he's around his friends. But one thing he's really taught me is how important it is to let people know what you need. He advocates for himself.

He lets me know what he needs, and he's letting me know regularly, I'm ready for more. I want more. I'm ready to learn more. I've got this. And so he's really reminding me how important it is to use your voice when you're ready for more and you want more good things to come your way.

You can let the people who care about you know about it. So gunashcheesh, what a wonderful lesson you've taught me and continue to teach me. And I'm so excited as you move on to high school that let those teachers know every time, I'm ready for more. And we'll just continue watching you as you grow. Gunashcheesh.

Tanya D. The first thing I learned about Tanya D. was from my daughter. She said, "Mom, that's my nephew." He's a year older than her. I said, "What do you mean?" She said, "Nakishan told me that's my nephew." I said, okay. And it's because he's like, "Na khadi yadi." She was claiming him as hers. So that was the first thing that I learned about Tan Yadi.

As I've gotten to know him throughout middle school, I want to say that he has absolutely— is finding his voice and advocating for himself. He came in marching this year into the language room. He said, "I need that shirt, the one that Nakashawn wears. I need it now." He got it. It was amazing.

I had never seen him stand so strong and so firm on an issue, and I hope that you keep doing that as you move through high school.

Ziana.

Ziana notices everything.

She especially notices when things don't seem quite right. When things don't seem fair. And she advocates for her friends, advocates for herself, and makes sure that everyone is taken care of.

She's really like a little auntie in the classroom, checking in on people, making sure everyone's doing just the right thing.

And she's become a real leader in the class. She's new to the class this year and just hearing her speak and sing it with such confidence. Her brain is just ready for all of this. So gunalchéesh for everything you do to make sure that things are just the way they should be and that everyone is taken care of.

Gunalchéesh. Shawetke.

She's new to TCLL this year and we've spent a whole year trying to get to know each other. On the 8th grade trip, I realized that we can bond through sarcasm and jokes. It was a lot of fun to ride the gondola up with her and get to know her a little bit more than I'd been able to in the classroom. But when Ziana came to TCLL, she knew exactly who she was, and she told me, and that was amazing. Sometimes when we have new friends come to TCLL, we have to do a lot of research about who they are, but she knew exactly who she was.

And that's going to take you really far, Ziana, knowing who you are.

Raiden.

Raiden is just a safe place for everybody. If you put any student anytime anywhere for any topic and say you're going to work with Raiden, they're excited. They know they're going to be taken care of. They know that he's going to make them feel good about themselves, that he'll be able to listen to them. He'll be able to share his ideas.

They know that he's a safe place for them.

So gunalchéesh for setting that example of how we can be kind to everybody. And that we can become or embody someone that just makes everyone feel safe and good. Gunalchéesh.

Wutush yadi, Aangweehaan keeawee. He just, every time we played charades last year, his answer was Aangweehaan. Grandma Kakishot taught us that that's how they used to call the A and B hall a long time ago. But he just knows how to bring that laughter to everybody, and the competitive spirit in this one is very strong, and he's still so kind in the meantime. So, gunalchiishondaydu'akht.

Roden is curious. There are times when I wish I could climb inside of his brain just to kind of go on the trail and travel that he must go on all throughout the day. Any topic you bring up, Roden is going to either know something about it or go home and research it and come back to you the next day and talk to you about it. He's so incredibly curious and is so excited to share what he knows and listen to what you know as well. That curiosity just like puts a spark and makes me want to know more as well.

So you just infuse into others a curiosity with all that you know that then makes it that it's something we want to know. So gunalchéesh for everything that you share with us.

I want to say ditto to what Miss Renee said. Um, I don't know any kid who can riff like Roden. He is so intelligent and he is so willing to share all of the things he knows. On our little field trip yesterday, uh, I got to walk with Roden the whole way, and he just had so many thoughtful things to say, and that made me think about the state of our government and things like that. He had lots to share yesterday, and I want to say ditto and gunasheesh, Rodan, for sharing all of your intelligence with everyone.

Aaliyah.

Aaliyah is an incredibly thoughtful friend, a thoughtful person. She may not necessarily always share with me all of her thoughts. She's quiet in the classroom, but when she's working with someone, I can see that they genuinely enjoy their time with her. She makes things fun, she makes things happy, and everyone in the classroom really enjoys Aaliyah. She also doesn't mind doing extra.

I don't know how else to say it. There are times when things are not for necessarily her assignment to do. They're not necessarily her work to do, and she'll come up to show me and have it be completed. So she's taking on more even than what I'm asking her to do on a regular basis. So she's just incredibly thoughtful and hardworking.

So gunashcheesh for everything you do in our classroom.

Aaliyah is a soft voice for sure. When she came to TCLL, she said, "Maybe this is my clan, I'm not sure." So we went with it, and then the next year she said, "Miss Nay, this is— my mom gave me her Tlingit name." And she just continually grew into knowing who she was, and this year she's really locked in. Last year as well, but this year she's really locked in, and if I ask her to do something, she's happy to do it. For somebody who never wanted to talk throughout 6th grade, it is an amazing feat to have her get up here and present to you guys today in our language. So, goshii shalia for locking in.

Oliver.

Oliver likes to surprise me. That's how I'll say it. We'll be in class, I'll see maybe Oliver's listening. He's being quiet. He's kind of facing towards me.

I think he's paying attention. I'm not sure. And then he'll present or show me or share with a friend this immaculate work that shows a real deep understanding. He's just not going to talk himself up in that way. His intelligence can be shown in his work, but he doesn't talk himself up.

He's so incredibly humble. So, Gunasheesh, for reminding me that you can be be good at something and not necessarily make a show of it. Just show it in your work. And that's exactly what you do. You show us your integrity with your work.

So gunashcheesh.

I want to say that I've had a similar experience with Oliver. Um, not sure if he's paying attention in class Maybe he's talking to his neighbor. And then I'll say, "Oliver," and he'll just respond, "Neech'kyaanagaa." Yay, he's been paying attention the whole time. And that is a beautiful skill to have, to pay attention and just absorb so much, even if you're not showing it out loud. But I hope you keep speaking Tlingit.

I got to hear his voice for the first time this year, it feels like, and it's a strong one. And he speaks Tlingit very well. Gunchish Oliver.

Um, if Pauline's looking at my paper, she'll see I had a hard time putting into words. I was talking to Miss Nay about it this morning. Sometimes it's hard to find the right word. To describe someone. And I put the word thoughtful, thinks deeply, listens carefully.

And I think I kind of found a series of words is Pauline is people— is a soft spot for people to land. When her friends are having a hard day, Pauline is there to comfort them. When anyone needs help, Pauline is there to offer a hand. Anytime someone is suffering or maybe having a hard time with a friend, Pauline is there to talk to that person and help them to feel okay. And I don't know a better word besides it's a soft place for people to land.

So gunalchéesh for being kind and careful and thoughtful to everyone around you. Gunalchéesh.

Like Mr. Nays said, we talked a little bit about Pauline this morning, and as Mr. Nays was just speaking, it made me think of tlaq, ka tlaq, somebody's little mom is what we call our maternal aunties. And that is absolutely who Pauline is. She's a little tlaq, a little mom who really absolutely does care for everybody and checks in with them and makes sure that she asks how they're doing. And she'll come and she'll let ask any adult, no, um, if, if she thinks that somebody's heart is hurting a little bit. And I appreciate you taking care of everybody, Pauline.

Goodness.

So a little bit like when I said Leighton, I thought of lightning. When I think of Aslan, I think of sunshine.

You can see it right now.

She just beams. She's so full of happiness, and she brings that happiness into the classroom every day. She is happy to do work. She is happy to get help. She is happy to play outside.

She's happy to be inside working with the teachers, with other students. She's like sunshine. You just feel warm when you're around her. So gunashcheesh for all that you bring to us and for bringing us all sunshine and warmth into our classroom.

Aslynn. What I'll tell you about Aslynn is no one can atx like Aslynn can atx She is, like Miss Renee said, a beam of light. And when she comes into the classroom, she can take a bunch of grumpy students and make them laugh and have fun learning Tlingit. And I'm going to miss you next year. Fazlin.

He knows.

He knows.

I don't know why, but I just kind of love giving Ezra a little bit of like big sister energy, you know, where I just like poke at him and kind of try to bug him a little bit, and he just gets silly back with me. During the day, he doesn't necessarily He just goes along with it. That's what I'll say. He's playful. He goes along with it.

It brings joy to him, I hope. Either that or I've been driving him crazy all year long and he's just worried about getting in trouble.

But he's just been so incredibly fun to have in class. He'll jokingly refuse to help and then do extra. He does it a little bit kind of behind the scenes. He'll jokingly say, "No, I'm not going to help," and then he'll be carrying twice as much as others. That's sort of like his joke back where he's kind of being a little bit of a hard time back at me, but then he still does what I'm asking to do and extra.

So gunashcheesh for having a fun time. Gunashcheesh for accepting the jokes. I hope it wasn't that I was driving you crazy the whole time and that really in 20 years I'm going to hear about this teacher that I really didn't like joking around with, but I've just really enjoyed you, Ezra. So gunashish for being such a wonderful student in the classroom.

Ezra.

Ezra and I started TCL together in 6th grade. He and Paul argue about who followed whom is what I hear to TCL. But when he joined TCL, he was a young man of very, very, very few words. I couldn't get him to say anything. He would not.

He just did not want to talk to me. Well, I don't know if he talked to anybody. Paul mentioned that earlier on our trip. But at the end of the day, this year we've been singing our students out, just a song, let them dance out. And for whatever happy reason, Ezra just happened to be on the top floor.

Usually he's downstairs, and he walked out yesterday singing at the top of his lungs and dancing. And that was the greatest thing that I've seen, maybe this year, I'm not sure. It just made my heart so happy. Because I've seen him grow into himself and find his voice, and I hope you never lose it, Ezra. Usually when we receive a gift, we will sing and dance But at this time, I'd like to call Miss Segood down.

Um, the other day, Mr. Rene said, oh my God, nay, I think this is the first thing that we've got to do together this year. Um, and that was just last week, and it really was shocking to me. Miss Rene has been teaching our entire middle school 42 students all year. She has created dynamic lessons for them. She has tried her hardest to incorporate our language and culture, and she has thought so carefully about every single one of our students' needs and how they can be successful.

And, um, we just wanted to say gunalchéeshplain to Miss Renee for the work that you've been doing this year.

This is a headband that was made by Yakutusha, Jamie Bradley from Sitka, and we would like you to have it. Did you know I was looking for a headband? No. That's perfect. Can you please put this down?

So I just want to say something real quick. When Miss Renee started 6 years ago, 7 years ago, this is my 5th year. Oh, it feels like she's been here forever just because she came in with such kindness and such enthusiasm. And she was a high school teacher before, and she came in, I think, when Trinity, you were in 1st grade, right? And she did a lesson with Raven and Water— Raven and Tide Lady.

She came in to work on learning how to teach elementary school, and she wanted to be an elementary teacher. She was a high school teacher. She came into Josh's— Mr. Josh's classroom and said, well, I think our project will be Reader's Theater. Me and Mr. Josh were like, it's K-1. Okay, like, but she brought in such positive energy and she made it attainable.

She had this big project in mind and she made it that every single child, whether they could read or not yet at that point in kindergarten, could be part of this reader's theater. And it created community, it created excitement for learning. And then she came back to us and I worked with her in the 2-3 class classroom, and we had a lot of fun there.

And years ago, she said something to me, and I thought, that is so much kindness. And I don't know if the kids know how lucky they are to have such a teacher who has just kindness deep in her soul. It is pure. And so we always kind of joke about it because we're kind of, you know, We're kinket. And we're a little, you know, rough around the edges sometimes, but when it comes to something hard, I always think, what would Miss Renee do?

And there's just this kindness that comes into my mind when I think about Renee and love for our children. And not just a few children, every child she sees, every child, and she She sees the potential in them and she loves them, and we are so lucky to have her at TCL. And so I just want to say that we love you, Miss Renee.

We are going to sing Katashdukaag, which is a Shangukeidi song. She sings to Nauwejin Yetki. And Miss Renee is Nawe Jinyadi, so we're going to sing this for her. Gai denak.

In addition to saying gunalchéesh to Haata'kiyun, Haashishkäas, Haha, Kuwaxetew, we would like to say gunalchéesh to the entities that have also supported TCLL this year.

Alaska Heritage Institution through the KUWAHA grant TCL is now kindergarten through 8th grade.

SHI also supported middle school exploratories at the Indigenous Science Building. Goonasheesh to the JSD Indian Studies program for helping us make our 8th grade trip happen.

Goonasheesh.

Kochkoon of Raven's Tail Study through Indian Studies, she provided our school portraits this spring.

When we are done with our program here, I do believe 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, and we invite you you to come with us. Our last song is a Tlaqna Khadis song, If You Feel It in Your Bones.