C3: Cross-Cultural Competence

What is C3?

The Cross-Cultural Competence (C3) Educator Program supports educators in building resilient cultural identities while reflecting on the lens through which they view their students and communities, their relationship-building, and their teaching practices. C3 guides participants through a cultural induction program that includes a cultural immersion experience, supportive gatherings during the school year, a graduate-level university course, and community mentorship. Educators who come through C3 gain the tools, support, and confidence to sustainably build welcoming school spaces that reflect and honor the cultures of their communities.

• Experiential Learning: Cultural immersion experience with local Elders, youth, and community members
• Earn graduate credit: Free enrollment for teacher participants in a multicultural studies course required for Alaska certification or renewal credits.
• Build relationships:  Develop deeper, reciprocal connections with a community mentor, your students, and fellow teachers as part of your cohort experience
• All expenses paid: Airfare to your rural community, program materials, and course credit are covered by the program.

Current C3 Program Areas

Northwest Arctic Region:

We are delighted to be embarking on a new C3 partnership with Northwest Arctic School District, Alaska Technical Center, and tribal councils, communities, and individuals in-region. We will begin recruiting for a cohort of educators in Northwest Arctic early spring 2025 to attend camp summer 2025!

Bristol Bay Region: Download the BBNC Cultural Wellness report to learn more about this unique region and how the three indigenous cultures of Bristol Bay- Alutiiq, Dena'ina, and Yup'ik- come to life here.

Our partners are instrumental in moving this project forward: 

• Bristol Bay Native Corporation and BBNC Education Foundation, 
• Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education Program (BBRCTE), 
• University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) School of Education,
• Bristol Bay Borough School District, 
• Dillingham City School District, 
• Lake and Peninsula School District, 
• Southwest Region School District, and
• Education Northwest

In connection with this program, UAA is pleased to offer a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning.  C3 participants will have the unique opportunity to earn 3 credits towards this Master's degree, in addition to the required experiential learning credits after 3 years of teaching in the Bristol Bay region.  Learn more by visiting this webpage

​C3 is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Alaska Native Education Program.

C3 Program Impact

A 2017 five-year study shows a significant impact:

• Twice as many C3 teachers chose to stay in Lower Kuskokwim School District compared to non-C3 teachers; in NWABSD, 1.7 times as many C3 teachers chose to stay compared to non-C3 teachers.
• The C3 induction model becomes cost effective by year 2 or 3, depending on the scale of teacher replacement in a district.
• Increasing cultural competency, as the C3 Project does, increases teachers' grit and growth mindsets.

See the "5 Year Evaluation Report" to learn more about the full study.