iKaséix (aka Selina Everson) is of the Deisheetaan clan from the Yéil Hít (Raven House) in Angoon.  Known as “Grandma Selina” by the students at Harborview Elementary School, she works daily to guide students with the Tlingit language  and culture.  In the Tlingit culture, calling an Elder “Grandma” is to show respect and nurtures a family relationship  within our school as it would in the culture.  Students from Ms. Kara Hollatz’s class love Grandma!  Kindergarten student John Hawkins said, “I like when Grandma helps us Tlingit dance.”  Another Kindergarten student, Helen John,  said, “I love that she speaks Tlingit to us.”  Grandma Selina has made relationshiops with all Tlingit Culture Language  and Literacy (TCLL) students and their families.  She has positively impacted each student, making them feel  important and accepted in our school. 

As a fluent speaker of the Tlingit language, Grandma Selina works to document, perserve, and perpetuate the  moribund language.  With less than 200 fluent speakers, the TCLL students and staff are honored Grandma Selina  chooses to work with our program.  Her passion to work with the students and staff of the TCLL Program shows in her  nine-year commitment to us.  Currently, this year she is funded under the Wooch.een Grant and is a Goldbelt Heritage Employee.  We thank Goldbelt Heritage for their support of our program.

Grandma Selina is an asset to the community of Juneau.  She is an active member of the Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) and brings her knowledge and experiences of Alaska Native History to our classrooms.  Her knowledge is expressed through our primary students, as Kindergartener Micheel Martin wants to say, “Gunalchéesh, Grandma Selina, for doing all the Tlingit stuff with us!”  With this, we at Harborview Elementary School and the TCLL Program value Grandma Selina’s presence and find her to be an incredible asset for our staff and students.  We are proud she is being honored this year as one of AWARE’s Woman of Distinction.  She truly is a leader and pillar of our school and the Juneau Community.