Sapsik'ʷałá Native Teacher Education Program

Sapsik’ʷałá delivers a pathway for Indigenous people to become teachers within their communities through a collaboration between all Nine Federally Recognized Sovereign Indian Nations of Oregon and the UOTeach master’s program. We provide a cohort-within-a-cohort model for students to learn Indigenous methodologies for teaching while obtaining Oregon teacher licensure. Your gift in support of the Sapsik’ʷałá Student Success Fund is not only an investment in the success of Indigenous educators at the University of Oregon, but an investment in the health of tribal communities. 

Through the Sapsik’ʷałá DuckFunder campaign, we seek to raise $10,000 for the Sapsik’ʷałá Student Success Fund.This fund will help reimburse American Indian and Alaska Native teacher candidates with travel expenses they incur when visiting tribal schools for practicum training, and while attending professional development events such as educational conferences. Additionally, this fund supports our Distinguished Elder Educator, Tuxámshish Dr. Virginia Beavert, who established the Sahaptin/Ichishkíin language program at the University of Oregon and continues to advise and teach classes on language and culture for Sapsik’ʷałá students.

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About our program:

Sapsik’ʷałá, which translates to “teacher” in Sahaptin/Ichishkíin , represents our program’s cultural values for self-determination in education for Indigenous people. The Sapsik’ʷałá Program is based on the belief that “Education Strengthens our People” and all Sapsik'ʷałá students commit to teaching in tribal schools after they graduate. Your support strengthens a culturally sustaining pathway for Native people to become teachers who give back to Tribal communities.  To date our program has 89 alumni from 42 Tribes teaching and empowering Tribal communities!