Rep. Deb Manjarrez: A model of pride, purpose, and possibility at Wapato High School
A powerful success story is unfolding every day in the classrooms of Wapato High School. It is one rooted in pride, culture, and opportunity. Toward the end of the legislative session, I introduced House Resolution 4679, which was adopted by the Washington State House of Representatives to formally recognize and commend the district’s outstanding Ichishkiin language program. The program, developed in partnership with the Yakama Nation, stands as a shining example of what public education can achieve when it honors students’ identities while preparing them for the future.
For Indigenous communities, language is far more than words. It carries history, values, and a worldview that is passed down across generations. For too long, Indigenous languages were pushed to the margins or ignored in schools. Wapato School District chose a different path, one that recognizes sovereignty, respects culture, and embraces education as a tool for restoration and empowerment.
Since 2011, Ichishkiin has been taught in Wapato public schools, thanks to the leadership of Túulhɨnch (Roger Jacob) and the advocacy of Native parents through the Johnson-O’Malley program. What began as a commitment to cultural preservation has grown into a robust academic pathway serving students from grades four through twelve. Middle and high school students can now take Ichishkiin as part of their coursework, and those who commit to advanced study can earn college credit through Heritage University.
That makes it practical and pragmatic, not just symbolic. Students are gaining real academic credentials while learning a language that connects them to who they are and where they come from. Wapato is the first high school in Washington state to allow students to earn the Seal of Biliteracy in an Indigenous language, placing Ichishkiin on equal footing with world languages traditionally offered in schools. That achievement sends a clear message: Indigenous knowledge belongs at the center of education, not its edges.
The program’s excellence has earned national recognition. In 2025, Wapato’s Johnson-O’Malley program was named Exemplary Program of the Year for Region 6, and Roger Jacob was honored as Region 6 Teacher of the Year. These awards reflect more than strong instruction—they reflect a community working together to lift students up.
At a time when many conversations about education focus on division or decline, Wapato offers something refreshingly positive. This program shows that when schools partner with tribes, families, and higher education institutions, students thrive. The Ichishkiin language program is preserving a language while building confidence, opportunity, and hope.
Wapato High School is proving that honoring heritage and pursuing academic excellence are not competing goals. They are, in fact, strongest when they move forward together.
