The boarding school era is an unclear and tentative time in history for many Alaskans. This era has come to the forefront while the Alaska state legislators work toward reinstating regional schools. The purpose of this timely research project was to listen to the voices of Alaska Natives who attended boarding school thirty years ago in order to learn more about this obscure period. Researchers for this study performed a secondary analysis on data originally collected in 2005, focusing on different perspectives than the original researchers. Our team was made up of Alaska Natives trained in psychology and social work and involved in healing activities. In particular, researchers spotlighted resiliency factors of students
attended boarding schools and attempted to gain a deeper understanding of the mental-health impacts of the boarding school experience and the intergenerational long-term effects. The project team wanted to honor those who openly revealed themselves and their experiences.