$1 MILLION GRANT FUNDS ALASKA NATIVE LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM FELLOWSHIPS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 26, 2001

Fairbanks, Alaska – A University of Alaska Fairbanks Native language education program designed to preserve threatened Athabascan languages recently received a $1 million five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The money will fund four $10,000 fellowships; two for full-time students seeking a master’s degree in education with a Native language endorsement, and two for full-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree in linguistics, Alaska Native studies, education or other relevant field.

Through UAF’s Alaska Native Language Center, students can focus on one of seven Athabascan languages while pursuing their undergraduate or graduate degree. All 11 Athabascan languages are on the verge of extinction.

"None of the Athabascan languages in Alaska are being learned by children and there’s only a small number of fluent adults," said Patrick Marlow, an assistant professor with ANLC and program coordinator. "It’s been more than 40 years since these languages were consistently transmitted from one generation to the next. Strong language programs in the schools can help to change that."

The money is in addition to a five-year grant that began in 1999 to create a Native language education program and career ladder for current and future rural school district teachers in the study of Gwich’in, Koyukon Upper Kuskokwim, Deg Xinag, and Lower Tanana languages. This latest grant focuses on Upper Tanana, Tanacross and Dena’ina and will also be used to help develop a language education program within the Interior Athabascan Tribal College.

"The tribal college program can help to solidify the effort within communities to save their languages and at the same time become a bridge to the university," said Marlow. "The success of our students from rural Alaska often depends on these cultural connections to education."

Classes are delivered through distance education, workshops and an annual summer session known as the Athabascan Language Development Institute. Nearly three dozen students have participated in the existing language education program and the first to receive a master’s degree with a bilingual endorsement is expected to graduate in December 2001.

Partners in ANLC’s newest project called "Genaga: Language, Career Ladder Program for Athabascan Teachers" include the Alaska Gateway School District and Lake and Peninsula School Districts, Tanana Chiefs Conference Interior Athabascan Tribal College and UAF’s Rural Educators Preparation Partnership Program.

Athabascan languages are recognized as some of the most endangered Native languages in the state. In response, ANLC began initiating programs to increase the quality of Native language education in Alaskan schools in the mid-1990’s.

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CONTACT: Patrick Marlow, ANLC at (907) 474-7446 or e-mail: ffpem@uaf.edu or Carla Browning, Public Information Officer at (907) 474-7778 or e-mail carla.browning@uaf.edu.

CJB//10-26-01/02-019