• study languages native to Alaska; 
• develop literacy materials; 
• assist in the translation of important documents;

• provide for the development and dissemination of Alaska Native literature; and 
• train Alaska Native language speakers to work as teachers and aides in bilingual classrooms. 

“When students smile, laugh, and ask questions, I see the healing that happens through learning."

Carrying Nee’aanèegn’ Forward

Bruce Ervin finds his greatest motivation in the moments when students reconnect with their culture, whether they’re learning their first words of Nee’aanèegn’ (Upper Tanana Language) or experiencing the wellness and joy that come from Applied Arts (APAR) classes such as birch bark weaving, beading, and caribou‑hair tufting.

Bruce began studying Nee’aanèegn’ as a UAF student, using materials from the Alaska Native Language Archive and learning from family, community members, and Elders. After graduating in 2020 and working with Tanana Chiefs Conference, he returned to UAF to teach at the Alaska Native Language Center within the College of Indigenous Studies. He created new classes and learning materials to support beginning speakers of a language with fewer than 50 fluent speakers remaining.

He continues to expand his teaching abilities, is part of the Doyon Languages Education Teacher Cohort, and is preparing to collaborate with Upper Tanana communities to support K–12 teachers who want to bring Nee’aanèegn’ into their classrooms.

For Bruce, the word Nee’aanèegn’, Our Language, captures the heart of his work. “It truly is our language and who we are as Upper Tanana Dene,” he says. “I’m thankful that I can do my part at UAF to help keep it strong for future generations.”