Free, Fun, Educational Opportunity for Alaska Native Youth

The Alaska Native Heritage Center’s Ilakucaraq Project (I.P.) has a free, fun, educational, statewide travel immersion opportunity for Alaska Native youth beginning in June 2022!

Ilakucaraq (pronounced Ee-la-cou-jaw-ga-ck) means “being together” in Yugtun, the language of the Yup’ik people of Southwest Alaska.

IP youth program participants will build confidence in their cultural identities while forming a supportive community with other Alaska Native youth from around the state. Understanding culture as a source of strength can help students navigate high school and find success in post-secondary opportunities and beyond.

Key program components include:

• Positive self- and cultural identity formation
• Personal reflections
• Cross-cultural experiences
• Peer-to-peer learning and discussions
• Elder and culture bearer teachings
• Art and storytelling

IP is a partnership between the Alaska Humanities Forum, Alaska Native Heritage Center, and Mt. Edgecumbe High School.

We are now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 IP Cohorts (Student groups)!

IP Cohorts bring rural and urban Alaska Native youth together to explore their heritages, share their cultures, and identify strengths in being Indigenous. The year-long experience allows each cohort to become a tight-knit community that supports one another as participants build confidence in who they are and their relationship to their cultures.

Applications are now being accepted for the 1st Year 2022-2023 IP Cohort Immersion Program! Please click on the link below to learn more about how Alaska Native students in the 8th-11th grades can apply to join a Cohort group and travel to Yakutat, Bethel, or Kodiak this summer.