Yup’ik Immersion Offers Refuge for Displaced Alaska Native Students

Sat Nov 15 2025 10:17:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the aftermath of devastating floods in rural Alaska, a Yup’ik language immersion program in Anchorage offers cultural connection and educational hope for displaced students.

After Typhoon Halong caused severe flooding in their coastal villages, many Alaska Native families were evacuated to Anchorage. Among the displaced children, a Yup’ik language immersion program provides a sense of familiarity and cultural connection amid their disruption. With a unique learning environment focusing on the Yup’ik language and traditions, over 70 students have enrolled, including new arrivals from affected regions. School officials emphasize the importance of bridging cultural gaps and connecting generations through language.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — In a turn of events following the destructive Typhoon Halong, which inundated Alaska Native villages last month, children like Rayann Martin find solace in a classroom far from home. Holding up ten fingers when asked about their age, Martin answered in Yup’ik, a reflection of both her cultural roots and the shared experiences of her community that has fled the aftermath of the storm.

Hundreds were airlifted to Anchorage after floods washed away nearly 700 homes across the Bering Sea coastal villages, resulting in one death and two individuals remaining unaccounted for. In their new city surroundings, the children are navigating significant changes but have found a measure of comfort through a newly established Yup’ik immersion program — one of only two in the state.

“I’m learning more Yup’ik,” Martin expressed, noting that the language, usually more prominent in village life, has now found a home in her urban education. The immersion program, created in response to community requests and supported by federal grants, was initiated nearly a decade ago as part of Anchorage School District’s effort to embrace its diverse linguistic landscape.

With over 100 languages spoken by students in the district, Yup’ik stands out as the fifth most common language. The program is now experiencing a boost in enrollment, with 71 out of 170 displaced children choosing to join the Yup’ik classes offered at College Gate Elementary and Wendler Middle School.

“It’s booming,” said Brandon Locke, the district’s world language director. Students participate in half a day of Yup’ik instruction, complemented by English lessons.

Guided by principal Darrell Berntsen, himself of Alaska Native descent, the program encourages students not just to learn a language but to preserve and share their cultural heritage. Berntsen, who witnessed the impact of natural disasters on his own family, has made it his mission to create an inclusive environment where displaced families feel supported in their transition.

As the new semester unfolds, activities like gym nights and culturally inspired events aim to facilitate connections between students and communities, reinforcing the significance of language in maintaining cultural identity. Berntsen hopes this initiative also helps bridge generational divides, allowing children to converse with their great-grandparents in Yup’ik—a language often lost due to colonization and trauma.

“I took this as a great opportunity for us to give back some of what trauma had taken from our Indigenous people,” Berntsen remarked. While their homes may have been uprooted, the spirit of the Yup’ik culture remains alive in classrooms, a testament to resilience and a hopeful future.