Alaska Native Heritage Center
The Center focuses on carrying out the following goals:
- Providing opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural sharing;
- Providing opportunities for Native and non-Native children to learn about Native culture, art, and history; and
- Supporting Native youth in the use of their many skills and talents on behalf of other cultural and educational agencies.
Specific programs that are being implemented to support the goals include the:
- Master Artists Program;
- Rural/Urban Youth Program;
- Anchorage High School Credit Program;
- University Internship; and
- New Trade Winds project in partnership with the Bishop Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, North Slope Borough, New Bedford Whaling Museum, and the Fine Arts Commission.
The Bishop Museum partners with the North Slope Borough, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Peabody Essex Museum, the New Bedford Whaling Museum and other Hawaiian organizations.
Specific projects include:
- Whaling Traditions in Hawaii and Alaska;
- Educational Outreach for Native Hawaiian and Alaska Natives;
- Youth Exchange Programs;
- Staff Exchanges; and
- Training with Alaska Native and Native American Cultural and Historical Organizations.
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Cultural Education Program is designed to establish the fundamental capabilities needed to deliver research based historical and cultural education opportunities to students, educators, parents and the public at the tribal, state, and national levels.
- Develops plans and specifications for a Cultural Education Center to be constructed with tribal funds;
- Designs Choctaw historical and cultural awareness exhibits;
- Develops and publishes materials that increase awareness and understanding of Choctaw culture, history, traditions and government;
- Establishes organizational standards and protocols for the collection, identification, cataloguing, preservation and sharing of historically and culturally significant information and artifacts; and
- Catalogues and digitizes tribal archival information and records to be used for the basis of future educational research and material development projects.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum partners with the New Bedford Oceanarium to deliver services. Specific activities include:
- Development and implementation of educational programs to increase understanding of cultural diversity and multicultural communication;
- Development and implementation of programs using modern technology;
- Cultural exchanges of elders, students, parents, and teachers;
- Sharing of collections among cultural institutions designed to increase awareness of diverse cultures and links among them; and
- Development and implementation of internship and apprenticeship programs in cultural institutions.
North Slope Borough
North Slope Borough strives to provide original, quality programs that:
- Empower the Iñupiaq People of the North Slope to educate the global community;
- Create Education programs that promote and preserve the history and culture of the ECHO partner regions;
- Honor and celebrate the diverse and unique cultures of the world; and
- Optimize opportunities to expand horizons through cultural exchanges and collaborative projects.
Specific activities to be implemented include the following:
- Exhibit exchanges to North Slope Borough communities, schools, and State museums;
- Internship/Apprenticeship programs for Alaska Natives interested in careers with cultural institutions;
- Collaborating with North Slope Borough entities such as the North Slope Borough School District, Barrow Arctic Science Consortium and Ukpeagvik;
- Inupiat Corporation to create education programs and hands on experience in anthropology and archeology projects; and
- Coordinating with the New Bedford ECHO Project, Bishop Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in the development of collaborative performance programs, curriculum development, and cultural exchanges.
Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum will provide culturally based educational programs that are shared regionally, nationally, and globally in collaboration with ECHO partners. The goals of these programs are to
- Disseminate knowledge and increase public appreciation of Alaska, Hawaii, and Massachusetts heritage;
- Establish outreach and communication techniques between the cultural, educational institutions and educators involved in the research and teaching the history, art, and cultures of Alaska, Hawaii, and Massachusetts;
- Increase national and international awareness of the benefits of these partnerships; and
- Provide low-income and disadvantaged young people with leadership skills and career training in the cultural sector.