ESD 113 Digital Learning & Innovation Team’s Growing Native AI Literacy Program Wins National AI 50 Award

This summer, ESD 113’s Digital Learning & Innovation team received the Center for Public Sector AI 50 Award for its work with Wa He Lut Indian School and Yelm Community Schools. The award recognizes the dedicated collaboration between the ESD and the schools in creating a culturally grounded program that helps educators integrate AI while honoring Indigenous knowledge and tribal data sovereignty.

The project began when Dr. Shannon Thissen, administrator for ESD 113's Digital Learning & Innovation team, discovered a grant through aiEDU to support Indigenous and rural schools. Thissen reached out to Wa He Lut Indian School, a K–8 school with around 140 students in the Nisqually Valley. The school was interested, and Thissen applied for and won the grant. This led to a partnership with Yelm Community Schools, which had just begun experimenting with the AI platform MagicSchool and would be a good partner for the project.

The schools built the program around learning circles, an approach rooted in Indigenous community practices. Teachers, superintendents, and district leaders met for four-hour Saturday sessions, and attendance stayed at 98 percent even though the sessions were voluntary. Through these meetings, the group developed 13 culturally responsive, Indigenous-based AI lesson plans for pre-K through 10th grade.

"Not only did teachers attend, but Harvey (Whitford, Wa He Lut principal), Willie (Frank III, Wa He Lut director of education), and Dr. Lisa (Cadero-Smith, Yelm assistant superintendent) were there," said Thissen. "All of them attended those sessions, which is a real nod to the support the districts are giving the work."

ESD 113 won the aiEDU grant again this year, the only repeat recipient among seven winners chosen from 39 finalists and 139 applicants. The next phase of the educators' learning will focus on how to work with students on AI, along with the policies behind it. While many schools have simply handed students AI tools without much forethought, this group wants to be more intentional: their existing lesson plans will help them gauge whether introducing AI actually made a difference in learning, among other measures.

Asked what excited her most about the award, Thissen said it's proof the work can travel beyond these two districts and the ESD.

“It’s all about the indigenous population, sovereignty, and making sure that their students receive the support they need,” she said.