Wakanyeja
Early Childhood Education Initiative
About The Program
The American Indian College Fund, through the Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” – Tribal College Readiness and Success by Third Grade, is working to bring together tribal colleges, communities, educators, and families to address early learning disparities in Native communities. The initiative addresses the following five domains:
- Improve cognitive and non-cognitive skill acquisition among American Indian children
- Improve early childhood teacher education quality in Native communities by partnering with post-secondary teacher education programs at tribal colleges
- Bridge early childhood education Pre-K transition to K-3 schooling
- Integrate Native language(s) and culture(s) into curriculum development and instruction for teacher preparation programming, early childhood education centers, and K-3 settings
- Empower families and communities to act as agents of change in education for their children
Location
In 2011, four tribal colleges were selected through a competitive process to participate in the Wakanyeja ECE Initiative and received up to $935,000 over four years to develop and strengthen early childhood education programs at tribal colleges.
Project Gallery
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Program Blog
Shaping Native Early Childhood Education with Work and Commitment
This fall marks the final year of the initiative; reflection on the accomplishments of the four tribal college...
Teacher of the Next Generation
Hello my name is Sasha Toribio. I am from Zia Pueblo, located in Zia, New Mexico. I attend Southwestern Indian...
Wakanyeja Early Childhood Education Initiative Goes International
The Wakanyeja Early Childhood Education (ECE) Initiative celebrates another milestone; the project story has gone (or...
Grantees
Download Our Free Report
Tribal College and University Early Childhood Education Initiatives: Strengthening Systems of Care and Learning with Native Communities from Birth to Career.
TCU Early Childhood Education Initiatives
For the Wisdom of the Children:
Strengthening the Teacher of Color Pipeline
Restorative Teachings Early
Childhood Education Initiative
Cultivating Lakota Early
Childhood Learning Opportunities
Ké’ Early Childhood Education
Family Engagement Initiative
Wakanyeja – Early Childhood
Education Initiative
Our Programs
Early Childhood Education
Native Culture and Language Preservation
Environmental Stewardship
Indigenous Visionaries
Infrastructure
Infrastructure involves design, implementation, and sustainability of systems and structures. We support tribal colleges and universities expanding their education offerings for students in this area, with opportunities to create well-designed learning spaces with the appropriate equipment, and to sustain or expand infrastructure.