NIEA has opened applications for the Teacher Leaders for Native Futures Fellowship. This is a 12-month, hybrid professional learning experience designed to support K–12 educators in deepening leadership grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems, strengthening culturally responsive teaching practices, and building meaningful connections within a national cohort.

 

Fellows will:


✨ Engage in monthly virtual mentorship and collaborative learning

✈️ Attend 2 in-person conferences with your cohort (NIEA 2026 Educator Day & Convention, and NAU’s 2027 AIITEC)
📚 Develop a classroom- or community-based impact project
🎓 Earn up to 65 seat hours
💼 Receive a $1,500 stipend upon successful completion

 

If you have previously participated in a teacher preparation (pre-service) or professional development (in-service) program focused on Native American or Indigenous contexts and are currently a full-time, fully certified K–12 teacher, please apply. For more details and application please visit our website:

 

NIEA Teacher Leaders for Native Futures Fellowship

 

🗓 Applications are due April 6, 2026.

 

Lastly, we have concluded our Beyond Educator Day webinar series. If you would like to watch any of the webinar recordings they are on our NIEA Webinar website. A recap of each is below:

  • “Connecting New Native Books & Bylines to the Classroom” with Cynthia Leitich Smith was our most recent, and I have included below the list of the books she reviewed for us.
  • The webinar “Taking It Further: Strategies for Deepening Indigenous Learning Beyond the Conference” by Christine M’Lot was a wonderful session on decolonized and indigenizing education with very helpful engagement in the comments, thank you all for your participation.
  • Prior to Educator Day Christine M’Lot shared wonderful information on First Nations education progress on her webinar titled “A Conversation on Indigenous Place and Worldviews In & Out of the Classroom.”
  • Cynthia’s first webinar “Native Authors for Young Readers: Stories and Voices for the Classroom,” hosted three authors that she mentioned in her most recent webinar, Karina Iceberg, Christine Hartman, and Kauakanilehua Māhoe Adams. Their conversation was wonderful and inspiring, especially when their books have either been released or will be released soon.    

 

Books discussed in “Connecting New Native Books & Bylines to the Classroom” with Cynthia Leitich Smith:

 

  • Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz
  • Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Dreamer
  • Legendary Fry Bread Drive-In edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
  • Click Clack Smack by Traci Sorrell & Joseph Erb
  • Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
  • Aniin – I See Your Light by Dawn Quigley illustrated by Nanibah Chacon
  • A Good Hide by Karina Iceberg illustrated by Natasha Donovan
  • Firefly Season by Cynthia Leitich Smith illustrated by Kate Gardiner
  • Stronger Than by Nikki Grimes & Stacy Wells, illustrated by EB Lewis
  • To Walk the Sky by Patricia M. Buckley and illustrated by EB Lewis
  • Yadilah by Laurel Goodluck illustrated by Jonathan Nelson
  • Stories are the Heart of the World by Laurel Goodluck illustrated by Nicole Niedhardt release date 5/5/26
  • Kohkom’s First Drum by Monique Gray Smith illustrated by Karlene Harvey release date 4/16/26
  • Spirit Shadow by Ginger Reno illustrated by Mary Lupton release date 3/17/26
  • You are the Land written and illustrated by Steph Little Bird 2-24-26
  • Tana Cooks series by Stacy Wells
  • JoJo Makoons series by Dawn Quigley illustrated by Tara Audibert
  • Series: “Something I want to emphasize, very often the first book does very well, and the sales decline each subsequent title. If we’re going to keep Native authors writing series books for our kids, we’re going to need to support them past book one.”  –Cynthia Leitich Smith
  • Riding the Trail by Charlesbridge release date 8/8/26
  • Red River Rose by Carole Lindstrom release date 3/17/26
  • Words Spoken True by Anne Broyles release date 12/1/26
  • Anna Rose Johnson books (historical MG fiction): The Star That Always Stays, The Blossoming Summer, The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry. Secrets at Sparhawk Point release date 8/25/26
  • Medicine Wheels by Byron Graves release date 6/2/26
  • Raven Rising by Christine Hartman Derr release date 7/7/26
  • Death in the Tallgrass by Levine Querido release date 9/15/26
  • The Shark Prince by Malea Maunakea release date 5/5/26
  • Expanse of Blue by Kauakanilehua Mahoe Adams release date 5/19/26

 

We hope these resources are helpful to you and your students! 

 

Dezi Lynn, Diné (Navajo)
Educator Development Manager
National Indian Education Association
1514 P Street, NW, Suite B
Washington, DC  20005
P: 202-847-0036| F: 202-544-7293
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