Jacqueline Kookesh teaches art and earth sciences classes at Angoon High School in Angoon. As a Native teacher in a school that is 90 percent Tlingit Indian, she links the school and the community, explaining policies and traditions to both. Her talent for attracting students to her art program, and for leading them to success in art, pays off in the increased confidence the students have as they approach other subjects. The student art show that Ms. Kookesh plans each year has become a valuable social event in Angoon; students, parents and the community share in the pride of accomplishment the show produces. Ms. Kookesh is proud of her role as a Native person in education, and of her contribution as a positive role model for her students.
University of Alaska Southeast, B.A.
