Educators Use Filmmaking to Bring Local History into the Classroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2025

 

Educators Use Filmmaking to Bring Local History into the Classroom

[Willow, Alaska] – Alaska educators have a new opportunity to connect students with community history and culture through filmmaking, thanks to the Anchored Histories Alaska (AHA!) program.  

In AHA!, rural and urban educators gain tools to teach Alaska and local history using primary sources and community-based storytelling through a UAA teacher professional development course created by See Stories, an Alaska-based nonprofit dedicated to building inclusive communities through film and storytelling. In early June, participants from far-flung communities gathered for a one-week, in-person retreat in Willow, where they received hands-on support from the See Stories team to produce and edit their own short documentary films. This fall, those educators will guide students to create films that explore the stories of their communities.

One of last year’s participants who is serving as a Teacher Mentor this year said, “Through the curriculum provided by See Stories we have been able to document cultural activities through film and interviews that ultimately provided a platform to preserve our culture for future generations. This is important as culture is changing rapidly.” – Alberta Demantle (Yup’ik & Athabascan, lives and works in Akiak, Alaska)

This is the second AHA! course that See Stories has offered. This year’s cohort consists of 29 educators from 18 different communities and 12 school districts across Alaska. Last year’s cohort of teachers saw a significant increase in the connections their students made between their own cultural histories and the histories that are taught in the classroom. Before taking this course, 71% of teachers witnessed these connections, and after the course 96% of teachers observed students’ connection with culture in the classroom. 

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“The process taught me much more than filmmaking. I learned a great deal about my village community’s history and culture. I can’t wait to use this process of learning with my students.” – Teacher from Yupiit School District in Western Alaska

Group photo of participants in AHA Retreat

“After this retreat, I feel motivated, inspired, and ready to help my students tell their stories through the powerful media of filmmaking.” – Daniel Greenwood, Anchorage teacher.

The films created by educators at the retreat can be viewed at https://seestories.org/blog/past-workshop/2025-aha-teacher-films.

“Our vision is for teachers to become skilled at empowering students to become citizen historians, and for students to author community narratives that contribute to a more equitable statewide curriculum.” – Marie Acemah, See Stories Founder & Director 

Map of Alaska with communities where educator participants are from.

For further information, please contact: 

Marie Acemah
Founder & Director, See Stories
marie@seestories.org
907-308-3990
www.seestories.org

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