KIC's Cultural Heritage Academic Services (CHAS)

Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. launched a Department-wide initiative on public safety and victim services in Tribal communities. As part of this effort, Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership conducted a series of meetings across the country addressing violent crime in Tribal communities. As a result, DOJ developed the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, combining DOJ's existing Tribal government-specific competitive solicitations into one, and thus requiring only one application from each Tribe or Tribal consortium. This approach provides federally-recognized Tribes and Tribal consortia the opportunity to develop a comprehensive approach to public safety and victimization issues. This award was selected under Purpose Area #8, Prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system (OJJDP-Tribal Youth Program - TYP), CFDA #16.731, authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010, Division B, Title II, Public Law 111-117, 123 Stat. 3122, 3134.

The Ketchikan Indian Tribes' Cultural Heritage Academic Services (CHAS) department seeks to implement the Haa Shukwa project. The project aims to supplement existing dropout prevention programs by providing culturally-grounded afterschool and weekend programming for 195 at-risk tribal youth ages 12-17. The project will decrease the AI/AN dropout rate in Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District (KGBSD) schools; and increase cultural awareness and self-identification of at-risk AI/AN youth. In order to achieve these goals, the project will engage students in a variety of activities centered on academic support and traditional character development. The project is designed around two central components: Academic Support and Traditional Character Development. The first element in the program, academic support, provides two full-time Tribal Youth Liaisons. The liaisons will use the model developed by their existing dropout prevention team, which tracks academic success of AI/AN students. One liaison will be assigned to the middle school and another to the high schools, especially the alternative and virtual high schools. The liaisons will give targeted academic support by providing homework clubs and topic-specific tutoring, as well as work with KIC's Native Student Services to identify students in need of additional academic support and encouragement. The second element, traditional character development, will allow the liaisons each week to provide an afterschool youth activity for both the middle and high school students. The activities will center on developing traditional cultural knowledge, as well as character and leadership development from a traditional tribal perspective. Outdoor education, regalia making, song and dance instruction, heritage language lessons, physical activity, traditional carving, beading, and more will be a part of the weekly activities. The liaisons will sponsor a family gathering, where participating youths' extended families will be invited to participate. Evaluations will include surveys, feedback from students on their attitudes toward school, cultural awareness and self identity and dropout rates.

CA/NCF