The Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association will open its new Head Start facility in Unalaska this September, replacing the island's existing Head Start building. The federally-funded program is to promote education readiness for low-income families with young children, and it’ll be housed in a much larger building dedicated to the late Maria Turnpaugh.
Turnpaugh was known for empowering children and families in the Aleutian region by preserving and sharing Unangan traditions.
Marie Schliebe, lead teacher at Unalaska’s Head Start, is happy that the new facility is named after Turnpaugh.
“Everything she did in her life was for education,” Schliebe said. “I couldn't think of a better person to dedicate this Head Start to.”
Turnpaugh faced many serious challenges in her lifetime. She was born in Unalaska in 1927 and experienced the Japanese bombing of the island during World War II. Turnpaugh’s family and her community were forced to evacuate and sent to camps in Southeast Alaska by the U.S. government.
“Despite these hardships, she never gave up on her passion for learning and serving,” Schliebe said during a dedication ceremony on July 2.
Turnpaugh’s youngest sister, Katherine Grimnes, was at the ceremony. She said Turnpaugh was always a doer, taking care of people — whether they’d be from the community or from her family. Grimnes said that even though she was her older sister, Turnpaugh acted more like her mother.
“She was always taking care of somebody, not only for her 10 million children,” chuckled Grimnes. “She took care of everybody … that's just the way she was.”
One of Turnpaugh’s sons, Dennis Robinson, accepted a plaque in her honor at the ceremony. On it, there's a photo of Turnpaugh singing in her traditional language, Unangam Tunuu, with her grandchildren.
Robinson said his mother was committed to preserving the cultural history of the Aleutians and was known for continuing traditions like basket weaving. He said some of her work is held in museums across the country, including the Smithsonian.
Robinson said his mother would be beaming, knowing the new Head Start facility is dedicated to her.
“She would be as in the picture on the plaque,” Robinson said. “She would be smiling ear to ear … just loving it.”
Unalaska’s Head Start facility is scheduled to open for school in September. There will be a grand opening for families and community members in late August.
