At its November meeting, the Shee Atiká Board appointed Chuck Miller to the Scholarship Committee for a three year term beginning on December 1, 2020. The Committee meets once per year usually at the beginning of April to review all academic, vocational, and cultural and heritage applications.

Here is a little more information on Chuck:
“My Tlingit name is Daanaxh.ils’eikh. I was also given the name Chuck Miller. I was born and raised in Sitka, Alaska. I also spent time growing up in Haines with my father, the late Master Engraver, Jay Miller, where he was born and raised. I am of the Raven/Coho clan, better known as the L’uknaxh.adi clan. My mother is Mary I. Miller of Sitka. I am the caretaker of our traditional clan house, Kayaash Ka Hit (Platform House), which is also located in Sitka. I am the youngest in my family. I have 3 adult children and a daughter that is currently a sophomore at Sitka High School. I also have been blessed with six beautiful grandchildren.

I’ve spent the majority of my life learning about my Tlingit way of life, from our local elders and teachers, from both communities and the Sitka Native Education Program where I was a student and teacher for 20+ years. I’ve been blessed to have learned a majority of my Tlingit culture from the teachings of Charlie Joseph, Sr. (Kaal.atk’), my mother’s parents, Ed and Sarah James, my Grandmother Elizabeth Basco, my parents Jay and Mary I. Miller and my late step mother Maria Ackerman Miller. There have been many other elders that have shaped and influenced me throughout my life, but too many to mention here. I was also involved in theatre, telling and sharing our Tlingit legends to people around the world, with Sealaska Heritage Institutes – Naa Kahidi Theatre for 4 years.

I was fortunate enough to also work for SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortiums (SEARHC) – Raven’s Way Program and Bill Brady Healing Center, which were Adolescent and Adult residential drug and alcohol treatment facilities. Besides teaching about drugs and alcohol to our clients, I was able to reinforce our Tlingit values and traditional knowledge to help in the healing process. I worked as a State of Alaska certified drug and alcohol Counselor II. I am a product of the Sitka Native Education Program and spent 15 plus years off and on as a Cultural Instructor.

I currently work for Sitka Tribe of Alaska as a Culture and Community Liaison. I work with many of our local Native and non-Native students within our Tribe and many other entities within our beautiful community, such as: Sitka Sound Science Center, 4-H Program, Sitka Conservation Society, Sitka School District, Sitka Native Education Program, Sealaska Heritage Institute, SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, City of Borough of Sitka and of course, within the many different departments of our Sitka Tribe of Alaska. I am very fortunate to have been freely given this traditional Tlingit knowledge from our elders and will continue to share what I know with anyone who wants to know about our people of Sheet’ka (Sitka) and S.E. Alaska. Gunalcheesh (Thank you!)”

Congratulations, Chuck!