MARCH 17 – JUNE 5, 2025 

The Sapsik’ʷałá Program’s Grow Your Own (GYO) Future Teachers Program is a 12-week mentorship program for American Indian/Alaska Native high school and undergraduate students.

The Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education Program invites you to apply to become the next generation of *AI/AN K-12 educators in Oregon!

Applications open December 16, 2025! To Apply:

• High School Student Application – ***Deadline TBA, 2025
• College Student Application – ***Deadline TBA, 2025
• Mentor Application – ***Deadline TBA, 2025

For questions contact our GYO Program Coordinator, Dr. Rena Dunbar: gyo@uoregon.edu, 541-346-0733

Our Mission:

Building upon the Sapsik’ʷałá Program’s highly successful teacher education model, and our philosophy that Education Strengthens Tribal Communities, the GYO Program centers intergenerational Indigenous knowledge in the process of supporting Native high school and undergraduate students in Oregon to achieve college success, cultivate teacher identities, and empower Indigenous youth to become the next generation’s leaders in education.

Our Goals:

• To serve as a mentorship program for Indigenous high school and undergraduate students in attaining their diplomas and degrees
• To provide a pathway for Indigenous students to become K-12 teachers within their communities, with an emphasis on growing our own Native educators
• To provide models of culturally aligned and sustaining Indigenous educational practice
• To create an intergenerational learning community connecting students and families to Tribal preservice teachers, veteran teachers, and Elders who will serve as a supportive network throughout their journey into and through higher education
• To prepare students to become highly qualified American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) licensed teachers who are committed to Indigenous self-determination and decolonization
• To address the dire need for AI/AN teachers mandated in the Oregon AI/AN State Plan
• To create the next generation of Indigenous educators and leaders who will lead future work on AI/AN Education, Tribal History/Shared History and Ethnic Studies Education

Program Objectives:

Our unique GYO program will provide the following for participants during the 12-week project:

• Academic and cultural support through mentorship with current Sapsik’ʷałá’ students and alumni educators
• Technology and “college ready” software: Each (student) participant will receive technology support approved by our Tribal Advisory Council, including a laptop and wi-fi support if needed as workshops and mentoring sessions will be held virtually each week
• Participant Seminars: We engage Indigenous Education methods and provide academic skill-building support through community building to eliminate barriers to higher education and teacher licensure
• Partnership with the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes across Oregon and contributions from our 116 AI/AN alumni from 49 Tribes, including the 43 Tribes having a historic relationship to Oregon
• Distinguished Elder Educators: Intergenerational educational model featuring revered Elders and educational experts

Incentives:

• For Students: Besides academic and technical support, participating students will receive (up to 3) $25 gift cards at the successful completion of program benchmarks
• For Families: Participating families will also receive a $25 gift card in recognition that educational attainment is a family endeavor
• For Mentors: Participating community experts will be offered up to $4000 honoraria or a stipend for their program-long support, up to 10 facilitators

*Preference will be given to AI/AN students living in Oregon or with Tribal affiliation in any of the nine federally recognized Tribal Nations in Oregon or the 43 Tribal nations that have residency by aboriginal right in Oregon.