Lower Yukon School District - Summer School is in Progress
7-23-08
One week has been accomplished, and SS is continuing through July 30th…
Hundreds of students throughout the Lower Yukon School District have happily returned to school this week. They are participating in the Summer School Program – 2008. Students were greeted by nearly 140 staff members. Teachers and cooks, tutors and custodians, secretaries and other school helpers were at work. Everyone had met on Monday to plan, and all are well-prepared to ensure a successful Summer School.
LYSD has provided a Summer School program in past years. The project has always been well received by the students and parents in the villages. This year is a bit special, too. There is a renewed focus on intensive, individualized instruction in reading, writing and math. More staff is available this year, and the stated intent is to help Summer Students to make significant academic progress while enjoying a fun-filled summertime program. In order to encourage improved academic performance, teachers, tutors and aides have been specifically assigned to work with small groups, and they are to be prescribing student lessons to meet the academic needs of each individual student.
Of course, the Summer School instructional staff is also employing creative strategies to assure that students are engaged in learning. The LYSD staff knows that students are more engaged when they are very interested. In Marshall, the staff is utilizing a “Pirates” theme to keep the attention of the young students. Mountain Village teachers are relating their academic lessons to a unit on “Kite-making and Flight”. Yet another group of creative teachers have introduced a theme on “Super-heroes”, and their Summer School program will culminate with students dressing in costume and performing as Super-heroes.
Good behavior at school and good school attendance is also a focus of the Summer School program. Summertime school provides an opportunity to build good habits that will later help students be successful at school and in the workplace. As in past years, the LYSD staff is utilizing a variety of methods to promote attendance. A nutritious breakfast and lunch is served daily to ALL school aged children – as a part of the “Open Campus” plan, sponsored by the LYSD Food Service staff. Daily prizes for prompt attendance, mid-day snacks and special field trips are planned – utilizing student input. For those students who have perfect attendance for all 18 days of Summer School; a special raffle will be held on July 30th. Prizes for perfect attendance include at least 4 bicycles for all aged students at each site, i-Pods for some secondary students, lots of basketballs and volleyballs, and a variety of other incentives to encourage attendance.
Although enrollment numbers are just being processed this week, the Scammon Bay School staff has already provided an outstanding example of good student recruitment. Last year, in the Summer School 2007 program, only 66 students were involved in the Scammon Bay Summer School program. This year, in 2008 – there are already 123 students enrolled and attending Summer School at the Scammon Bay Site.
This dramatic increase in enrollment is a result of having the Summer School staff set specific goals to increase enrollment and meet the needs of more students. They developed a recruitment strategy and introduced an interesting SS program that has convinced students to attend.
Summer School at LYSD will continue through July 30, 2008. If you know children who are not attending the Summer School program, please encourage them to go to school. All students are welcome. The SS staff will enthusiastically greet all new students, and begin helping them to participate as soon as they arrive. Remember, “Summer School builds Student Success.”
Kalskag volunteers shine during Clean-up effort
7-9-08
by Billy Jean Stewart
Kalskag IGAO Coordinator
The Native Village of Kalskag became a bit cleaner recently thanks to the efforts of more than 20 youngsters and one adult.
Actually, it became more than ton cleaner.
Approximately 21 residents, ranging in age from five to adulthood, turned out to participate in the Native Village of Kalskag Traditional Council’s annual Clean-Up, Green-Up Day activities and picked up 1,957 pounds of trash and debris around the village.
The Clean-Up, Green-Up program got under way in Kalskag on Friday, May 23, and extended through Monday, May 26. An awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 26, to honor the participants.
Among the big winners at the ceremony was William Alexie and Michelle Arbaca. The two were the top volunteers in the 4-7 age division. Derrick Holmberg and Summer Stewart were the top boy and girl in the 8-12 division, while Patricia Holmberg and Jermaine Saddler were tops in the 13-18 bracket.
Bolossa Michealson was the lone adult participating. She was presented a t-shirt for her efforts.
“We would like to say thank you to all the community members and organizations for helping make Kalskag a safe and clean community,” said Billy Jean Stewart, the Kalskag IGAP coordinator.
Stewart said the clean-up effort was aided by donations from Frontier Alaska, The Kuskokwim Corp., Donlin Creek, the Village of Kalskag, Kalskag Native Store, Ausdahl’s Store, Kalskag Store and ALPAR.
The Clean-Up, Green-Up activities were held in conjunction with the Suicide Prevention Program.
Third Annual Girl Scout Women of Science Day huge success!
5-20-08
Recently on a sunny and mild day in April, Girl Scouts Susitna Council hosted Bethel’s Third Annual Women of Science Event. Over 100 girls came for an afternoon of fun hands-on workshops led by local women involved in science. In addition to Bethel attendees, eight Kasigluk Girl Scouts and their teacher Vicki Nechodomu flew in for the event.
The highlight of the day for many girls was a science of dog mushing workshop led by Angela Denning Barnes. Angela has volunteered to lead fun and dynamic sessions all three years of this annual event. She brought a full truck of dogs, two sleds, and typical mushing gear. Two separate groups of girls spent an hour and half each with Angela and fellow musher/dog handler Jen Peeks learning the ins and outs of dog care, handling, and using the sled. The girls were so excited for the opportunity to work with the sled on their own without an adult riding on the runners behind them. Many girls were apprehensive at first to stand on the runners of the sled at first. With a bit of encouragement from the rest of the group every girl gave it a try.
A group of from Kasigluk travelled with their teacher Vicki Nechodomu to take part in the day as well as visiting the Festival or Arts and Academics. Participants included: Erin Anvil, Freda Alexie, Carolyn Berlin, Katherine Alexie, Alicia Demientieff, Wassilene Andrew, Nicole Anvil, and Amanda Andrew. Nearly all of these young women have been Girl Scouts for 5 years. The girls enjoyed a day in Bethel seeing ribbons on many of their submissions to the Festival of Arts and Academics, eating take out pizza, dog mushing, and working with scientific measurements with Christine McCaffery. The trip would not have been possible without the support from Akiuk Principal Carl Williams and Vicki Nechodomu. This summer Kasigluk will have their sixth summer of Girl Scout Day camp and I predict that all of these girls will be a part of the fun!
Over 900 girls have been involved in Girl Scouting throughout the YK Delta this year. Many girls participate in Girl Scouting through travelling Girl Scout camps. These camps are provided free of charge for all girl K-12 grade. Summer camps are planned for the following villages: Hooper Bay, Alakanuk, Emmonak, Kotlik, St. Marys, Mountain Village, Russian Mission, Marshall, Tununak, Mekoryuk, Newtok, Chevak, Scammon Bay, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, Chefornak, Kongiganak, Tuntutuliak, Manokotak, and Togiak . If you have ideas, suggestions, or ideas of adults who can help incorporate traditional skills and knowledge into the camp programs please call Amy in Anchorage at 1-800-478-7448. Watch for signs in your village for more information.
Many villages have Girl Scout groups led by local adults who plan fun activities for the girls with support for ideas and supplies from Amy von Diest the Girl Scout support person for all of southwestern Alaska. Girl Scouting depends on caring adults to lead the programs. Many girls want to be in a Girl Scout group but do not currently have one in their community. There is no certain time commitment and it is a great way to support the youth in your community.
If you would like to find out more information about starting a group, if camp will be in your village, or just want to find out more please call Amy in Anchorage at 1-800-478-7448. Amy is also available by email at avondiest@gsscak.org.
Friday Clubs:
Up and Running at BRHS
5-13-08
There’s a new buzz at Bethel Regional High School and it’s all about “Clubs”. “What club am I in?” “Do we have clubs this week?” “I don’t like my club.” “Can I change my club?” “It’s been such a long time since we’ve had clubs!” “Can I be in the same club as my friend?” “What club are you in?”
In the 2005-2006 school year, BRHS administration was planning the next school year, setting dates and laying out class schedules. When Janelle Vanasse, BRHS Site Administrator, discovered that all academic requirements were met by 3:00 Friday, it was necessary to make a decision. Do students go home early or do we fill in the hour with something else? Vanasse chose to fill in the hour with activities that would be fun for the BRHS students.
Her rationale? For the most part, the students that do well at BRHS are connected to something other than their classes. Some are involved in sports and others in academic competitions, but there is a big percentage of students that are not connected to any outside activity and they tend to fall through the cracks. Placing a high value on each and every student at BRHS, Vanasse wanted to see that change.
In the Spring of 2006, Vanasse shared her vision and assigned the project to BRHS Volunteer Coordinator, Allison Broerman. Throughout the summer, Broerman spoke with local Bethel folks and began to have community members make a commitment to sharing their hobby/interest with the BRHS students for one quarter, six to eight weeks or longer, if taking on more than one quarter.
School started, as usual in August 2006. Vanasse and Broerman debated, do we wait one quarter or do we jump right in and get it started? The decision was to jump right in; get it started and fix any glitches along the way. All students from 7th grade through 11th grade we placed in clubs, approximately 400 students. Students were given ballots with the club options listed. Each student selected their first choice, second choice and so on. Broerman burnt the midnight oil and divided the ballots according to each students’ first choice. Vanasse did the whittling when too many had chosen one club as their number one.
That first quarter presented some rather nice club options, thanks to members of the Bethel community: Hunter’s Education, Beginning German, Girls Science and Engineering, Cut and Sew, Leo Club, Stamping, Digital Photojournalism, 10 Minute Movie, Learning Resource Center Art Aid, Line Dancing, Sign Language and Career Exploration. BRHS staff provided a few to beef it up a bit: Intramural Basketball, Chess, Driver’s Education, Film Appreciation, Welding and study halls.
Throughout the birthing of BRHS Friday Clubs during that first year, Communities In Schools was there to provide money for Stamping, Cut and Sew, 10 Minute Movie, Chess and more. Not to overlook the fact that many club leaders provided their own materials along with their non-redeemable gift of time.
Now in their second year, Clubs continue on. Many thanks are directed to BVESA, Bethel Volunteer Emergency Service Association. As we all know, dollars are needed for anything to be successful. Broerman presented a request to BVESA President, Casey Burke and the BVESA board and they generously presented the check to pay for the materials needed for Ping Pong, Knitting, Candy-making, Chainmaille Weaving and Alternative Scrapbooking. Thank you, BVESA!!
The owners of Curves, Suzan Monfort and Vicki Malone, gave freely of their time and facility to have a Friday Club in the Fall of 2007. BRHS staff provided transportation for the girls in this club. Monfort and Malone recognized that one workout a week would not make a significant impact, so they made it available for the Friday Club members to come in for two additional workouts during the week for a healthy and well rounded 3 workout-week. A big thank you to you, Curves.
Vanasse would also like to publicly thank those agencies that allow for their employees to take time from their normal workweek to spend an hour with Bethel’s future. Listed below are the agencies and the employees they sent, including the club(s) they lead:
YKHC: Ed Buckley – Ping Pong; Kerri Fulton – Alternative Scrapbooking; Karen McIntyre – Cut Glass Mosaic; Barbara Tompkins – Number Sense (Math Club); Alyssa Perry – Pilates; Alicia Adkins – Stamping; Kathy Turner – Speech Club and Aerospace; Kate Knudson – LRC Art Aide; Pam Conrad – Hand bells; Jason Hochreiter – Hand bells; Agnes Tinker – First Aid/CPR; Grace David – Beading; Kendra Hoffman – Beading.
TWC: Kristy Newell – Field Hockey; F&WS: Brian McCaffery – Nature Nexus (Creative writing); Doug Staller – Walk on the Wild Side (Art Club); LKSD: Ross Boring – State of Alaska Hunter’s Education; Manfred Finger – German; Patty Jones – Cut & Sew, Knitting, and Spanish; Veronica Boerger – Intramural Basketball; Kilbuck: Ed Pironti – Leo Club and Flag Football; ME: Barb Mosier – Hand bells; AE: Maurice Nanalook – Native Dance; F&G: Phillip Perry – State of Alaska Hunter’s Education; KuC: Betsy Taguchi – Japanese; Kathy Hanson – Japanese; Job Center: Laura Wells – Career Exploration; Yvonne Jackson – Career Exploration; Jackie Johnson – Job Succe$$; Mike Rapoza – Job Succe$$; BBBS Chris Pike – Digital Photojournalism; Julie Flinn – Acting; Girl Scouts: Megan Mulcaire-Jones - Girls Science; BRHS: Students -Brian Andrew – Sign Language; Ana Smart – Sign Language; Logan Bailey – Skateboard; Catholic Church: Lisa Whalen – 10 Min Movie, Field Hockey; Individuals: Jack Adkins – 10 Minute Movie; Tamy Rogers: Line Dancing and Candymaking; Bing Santamour - Self Care; Heather Sia – Mock Trial; Liz Pederson – Mock Trial; Kari McCrea – Mock Trial; Will McMillen – Mock Trial; Craig Rogers – State of Alaska Hunter’s Education; Buster Richardson – No Sew Picture Quilt and Chainmaille; Tom McCallson – Micro Computer Programming.
When Club leaders couldn’t be there, they sometimes lined up someone to fill in for them. Vanasse and Broerman greatly appreciate this extra effort and would like to thank the following people that helped out when needed: Diana Murat, Dee Stelmach, Tim Miller, Joy Shantz, Kim Abolafia, Marlis Fox, Dave Kirby, Meghan McCormick, Amy von Diest, Mike Martz, Vicky Ayuluk, Katie Ellsworth, Wyatt Rogers, Rosa Rogers, Kevin Keyes, Reyne Athanas, John Active, Chris Ho, Laura Holman, Chelsea Gulling, Kaela Geschke, Sirena Soots, Denise Ramp, David Hicks, Tiffany Zulkoski, Bill Pagaran, Terry Dillon, Donna Davis and Nate Davis. (If you helped out and your name was not listed, sincere apologies. Call 543-5947 and ask for Allison Broerman, we want to make sure we enter your name in our records and say thank you personally.)
Pretty impressive – don’t you think? It has taken a small army to run Friday Clubs, but that’s not all. It’s not exactly easy to find volunteers to come at 3:00 P.M. on a Friday afternoon. The Bethel Regional High School staff has stepped up to the plate and filled in the gaps when necessary: Justin Hanson – Chess; Nels Alexie – Driver’s Ed/Yup’ik History; Norm Boerger – Intramural BB; Kathy Herndon – Math Study Hall/Pep club; Ryan Hayes – Computer/Math SH; Paul Cuvelier – Math SH/Cribbage, David Cronk – Math SH, Deborah Hagedorn – Language Arts SH, Jim Jurgens – Lang. Arts SH; Bruce Wegner – General SH; Mandy O’Boyle – Lang. Arts SH; Dick Hall – Film Appreciation/Cribbage; Kerri Fox – Accelerated Reader; Jim O’Neill – Welding; Amy Vanasse – Origami; Allan Christopherson – Computer Strategy; Sheila Wallace – Robotics; Alisha Coplin - Robotics; Mike Husa – Robotics; Lynn Mellor – Student Government/Prom; Shelly Leary – Cheerleading; Chandra Pingel – Cheerleading; Judy Wasierski – Pentathlon; Heather Fager – Prom Club; Chip Abolafia – Pep Club; Roberta Aloysius – Pep Club; Jay Turner – Weightlifting; James Vait – Weightlifting; Carl Bailey – Step Team/Models; Russ Josephson – Leather working; Darren Lieb – Adventure Games; Meghan Crow – Adventure Games; Keith Beairsto – Computer Strategy and Model Making; Greg Carlson – Instrumental Solo and Beginning Percussion; Bob Ellsworth – Jackie Chan Exercise and Retire Rich; Shane Wegner – Science project and Soap Making; Dianne Graham – Battle of the Books; and Lisa Whalen – Guitar.
Now that’s an army of effort and a grand round of applause is due to all these folks for all the extra work they did to make this happen. Friday Clubs, even though not popular with all, has been a great undertaking and has made an impact. Again, Thank You to all who have put forth the effort in making a commitment to being there every Friday for the BRHS students.
Amanda O’Boyle, a teacher at BRHS, often provided feedback to Broerman regarding Friday Clubs. So Broerman asked O’Boyle, “What good ‘results’ have you seen in your students because of Friday Clubs over the past two year?” O’Boyle’s answer flowed without hesitation: “I have seen tremendous growth in my students. I have seen them take on more responsibility. My quiet students who are hesitant to share words have come out of their ‘shell’. They come into my classroom and show me what they made, telling me all about it. Having really enjoyed their club, some of my students still talk about a club they had last year.”
O’Boyle continues, “I happened to observe one of my students in Leather Working club, who normally shows very little emotion, just pounding away at the leather project being worked on. That was huge in O’Boyle’s eyes. Another student, a little more on the side of having a hard time controlling self and being over energetic, has followed the recipes and directions for making candy, cleaning up and doing dishes, and showing much control and responsibility by being in club each week, knowing it’s quite a privilege to get into this club, (over 90 students had this club as their first club choice, even though this semester only 8 students could participate). Some of my students hate school, but they wouldn’t miss school on Fridays, so they could be in their club. If there was no school scheduled for Friday, my students would ask if we were having Friday Clubs on Thursday.” With that statement, O’Boyle laughs with delight. Clubs have made an impact here at BRHS.
So? What are the students saying? The smaller percent are saying they would rather be in class or go home early. However, the larger percent are saying that clubs are fun. Sarah T. stated, “Clubs give us something good to do and keep us out of trouble. They’re a good way to meet other students. As a sophomore, I’ve had the chance to meet some Junior High students and that’s been fun.” Emily V. stated, “I like clubs. I would be disappointed if they didn’t happen next year. Clubs are relaxing and you don’t have to think about school.” Eniana P. stated, “I have Candymaking and it’s so fun!! I would be sad if they didn’t happen next year, because it gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day/week.” Eric T. stated, “They’re fun. It’s a good way to end school on Friday. School without clubs would be kind of lame. School wouldn’t be quite complete without clubs.”
So what about next year? The funding for the Volunteers in Public schools is not available next year. That has always been the question asked each year, “Do we have money?” For the past ten years, the answer has always been yes, but not this year. The writing was on the wall when positions at Kilbuck and Ayaprun could not be refilled as employees left the positions. The finality of the funding cuts do not come as a surprise, but what about next year? As a community we have a huge responsibility in regards to our students. They are Bethel’s future. They are our future. Here’s hoping the “bee in your bonnet” will be buzzing and we can put our heads and efforts together to keep this alive. Vanasse states, “I’m just not ready to close the door to this just yet.”
Another teacher of BRHS, Dick Hall, commented, “Many of my students are quite sad that there may not be clubs next year. This surprised me,” said Hall, “as I never would have guessed that these students felt this way about clubs.”
Colbert crowned
Miss Indian World 2008
5-6-08
Nicole “Alek’aq” Colbert of Napakiak is the newly crowned Miss Indian World 2008. She was bestowed this honor at the recent Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albequerque, New Mexico. She was also awarded the honors for Best Traditional Presentation and was chosen Miss Congeniality. She is also the reigning Miss World Eskimo Indian Olympics 2007. Congratulations!
BRHS Robotics Team
engineers success in Atlanta
by Marc Leinberger
The BRHS robotics team: seniors Doug Lucas and Daniel Updegrove and freshmen Elin McWilliams, Sam Deitle, and Madelene Reichard; along with their robot named “BOB”, showed the world that success is found on many levels at the 2008 FIRST World Robotics Championships on April 17-19 in Atlanta.
Success includes teamwork, identifying and solving problems together, seeing BOB compete, scouting other teams’ robots capabilities, sharing their knowledge with judges, and of course, having a good time!
This high-energy competition featured 100 of the best high school level “FIRST Tech Challenge” (FTC) robotics teams from across the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Singapore. Only teams that qualified by placing 1st at their state, multi-state, or national competitions are allowed to enter this competition.
As Alaska’s sole team against the best pre-engineering students from several countries, the BRHS team knew it would be a tough but fun challenge to test their brainpower and ingenuity in a stadium filled with thousands of robotics enthusiasts. Keynote speakers from the technology, engineering and business world motivated everyone, especially keynote speaker, former U.S. President George H. Bush, who said this competition is “the only sport in which every participant can become a professional.”
Preparation for the Competition
From January to April the team’s seniors designed, engineered, and built BOB, while the freshmen programmed and determined strategy. Local mentors, Dr. Bob Brown and Tom McCallson, were instrumental in helping the team learn engineering and EasyC language programming principles during the season.
For this year’s challenge, BOB needed to be able lift rings onto different posts and move those posts into scoring positions on a playing field. The team was also required to keep an Engineering Notebook. The Engineering Notebook included design ideas, prototype sketches, and identified problems and solutions the team encountered during the season. At the competition the team presented their notebook to judges (engineers and engineering professors) who interviewed the team about its learning process.
Before the robot could compete in matches, BOB had to pass an engineering inspection in Atlanta. This was given by a BAE Systems mechanical engineer and by an AutoDesk software engineer. This whole process took 3 hours, which BOB passed with flying colors!
Competition Matches and Results
FTC robotics competition matches are like 2 on 2 basketball games, except two teams’ robots are matched to compete against other two other teams’ robots on a 12’x12’ playing field. These paired teams are called “alliances”. A match is composed of a 20-second Autonomous Mode period when the robot must run completely on the computer program students have written, followed by a 2-minute Remote Control period when the team must manually direct the robot to complete tasks using two separate remote control systems of buttons and joysticks. Each of the remote control units used in the competition must themselves be pre-programmed by the students. One student drives the robot while another student operates the robotic arm and machinery. A third student stands by the drivers to direct team strategy based on what the other 3 robots on the playing field are doing.
In the first match of the intense Qualifying Rounds, the BRHS team’s alliance suffered a loss due to a technical problem with BOB. The team did some problem solving and determined a battery charger had malfunctioned before the match. A setback, but no problem for this team! The team then went on a 3-match winning streak and ended the first day of competition with a 3-1 record.
On the second day of Qualifying Rounds, BRHS lost its first match due to a technical problem with the cables that allow referees to begin and end the match by throwing a switch on a computer. The team next went on a 2-game winning streak and ended with a total Qualifying Round record of 5-2.
The team was very pleased that although there were technical problems, BOB performed exactly as designed and the team’s strategy worked perfectly. In both matches lost, the BRHS team was ahead in points before the technical problems surfaced. One highlight of the Qualfying Rounds was that the team won all 7 of its Autonomous Mode timed periods with the program it had written. Many coaches and fellow robotics teams admired the simple, yet effective and versatile design of BOB – especially its one-of-a-kind robotic arm with a moveable “thumb”.
The BRHS robotics team’s high ranking after the Qualifying Rounds allowed it to further compete in the Elimination brackets – a single-elimination, winner-take-all event used to determine the best robotics team on the planet very similar to the NFL playoffs with one catch: best 2 out of 3 matches against another team allows the winner to advance. The losing team is eliminated. In the Elimination bracket, BOB and the team did their best but their alliance partner’s robots were not able to score many points against effective opposing alliance strategy. This handed BRHS two quick losses, with BRHS ending up in 10th place overall. An outstanding performance by an inspiring group of students – and of course, BOB!!!
Below are scores from each match:
Qualifying Matches: BRHS and Montana I vs. New Jersey I and Oregon 14-32 loss; BRHS and Massachusetts vs. Mexico and Montana II 72-20 win; BRHS and New Jersey I vs. Washington and Iowa 73-26 win; BRHS and Montana II vs. New Jersey II and Virginia II 52-44 win; BRHS and Illinois vs. New Jersey II and Oregon 64-98 loss; BRHS and Ontario-Canada vs. Michigan and Texas I 66-55 win; BRHS and California vs. New York and Texas II 49-2 win
Elimination Match 1: BRHS, California, Illinois vs. Virginia I, BC-Canada, Virginia II loss 18-110; Elimination Match 2 (same teams) loss 49-57
Many thanks to LKSD, Bethel Community Services Fund, Unicom, and Kuskokwim Campus for their support! Without generous institutions such as yours, this kind of educational experience would not be possible. Quyana!
-Marc Leinberger is the BRHS Robotics Team Coach.
Students help monitor salmon in
Upper Kuskokwim River tributaries
4-30-08
Since 1998, local youth have been helping monitor salmon returns (escapement) at the George and Tatlawiksuk River weir projects through the KNA Fisheries High School Internship Program. The goals of the program are to increase local involvement in fisheries management and monitoring, and to increase communications and understanding among management agencies and local communities. Laying the ground work for cooperative efforts can be achieved by directly engaging youth in fisheries field work and teaching them about fisheries science.
This high school internship program hopes to develop future local fisheries biologists, provide job skills for local seasonal employment on fisheries projects, or build on fisheries information that can be used by these students in their future as community or council members.
Students involved in these internships also have a lot to share of their knowledge that helps to guide fisheries projects and increase the awareness and understanding of cooperating biologists and managers. Interns have local perspectives about their communities, the natural environment, and fisheries management that they can teach fisheries biologists and technicians that often are not from the Kuskokwim area. “From personal experience I can attest that working with the interns has improved my understanding of the culture, societal needs, and ecological perspectives of local residents, and I believe that this benefits management agencies and improves people’s perception of fisheries research projects,” said Dan Costello, ADF&G Fishery Biologist. Costello has directly worked with several KNA interns.
Everyone benefits from local youth involvement in fisheries monitoring projects:
•More local people are employed in Kuskokwim area fisheries management.
•Local youth learn about fisheries and gain direct, firsthand experience with fisheries monitoring which will help communities as these youth become tomorrow’s leaders and advisory council representatives.
•Monitoring Projects maintain close ties with nearby communities and people, which lead to better communication and understanding. Local people get an inside view into the daily operations at the weirs through the direct experiences of their youth and agency employees get an inside view into the lives of local residents through the interactions and stories of high school interns.
The result is that we have a more open fisheries management process and much better communications between agencies and local people.
Internships are fun, exciting, relevant, and educational. A typical day includes counting salmon in a spawning stream; sampling fish for information that allows biologist to assess the age, sex, and size structure of the spawning populations, exploring a fisheries topic of interest through reading and talking to biologists and technicians, doing a science project like suiting up in a dry suit and snorkeling to observe fish in their underwater natural habitat, and then having some free time to explore around camp, swim, or do other fun camp activities.
After completing their work interns receive a $250 stipend and may earn school credit that fit with state standards needed for graduation. In addition, interns gain valuable work experience and get a cool summer trip. The response from past interns has been incredible...they really enjoy this opportunity!
Many area science teachers have shared their support for the program and expressed how excited their students are to apply to the internship program, such as Mark Dammeyer of George Morgan Sr. High School in Kalskag who said: “The exposure to real field science is a great experience. I encourage all my students to take advantage of this opportunity.”
The Kuskokwim Native Association (KNA) is currently recruiting for 20 high school students to spend one week working side by side with KNA and Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) staff on salmon research and management projects. The high school interns will help with daily fisheries data collection and complete science curriculum assignments focused on fisheries management and ecology.
For students that were enrolled in the program in previous years a new High School Fisheries Intern 2 position is available with expanded duties and compensation to build on skills learned during the first internship.
Contact Mike Thalhauser, KNA Fisheries Biologist to receive an application package and learn more about the program (907-675-4384). This Program is open to all Kuskokwim area youth from 14-19 years old; however, KNA members receive preference.
The Kuskokwim Native Association recognizes and thanks our members for their strong support of this program, Kuskokwim ADF&G staff for their involvement, Federal Office of Subsistence Management for their long-term funding of this and other monitoring programs, the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative for supplemental funding in 2007, and Bering Sea Fisherman’s Association and Coastal Villages Region Fund for their financial support of weir operations.
The following high school students did a great job and were successful in completing the internship program in 2007: Brandon Macar, Raven Stewman, Michelle Bobby, Rochelle Sakar, Carmen Zaukar, Melissa Avakumof from Crooked Creek, Bruce Morgan II from Aniak, Robert Gusty from Stony River, Jeffery Hunter from Chuathbaluk, Vernon Zaukar, Lucas Kozevnikoff from Russian Mission, Tyler Samuelson, Josie Anderson and Charlie Vanborg from McGrath. Congratulations!
Bethel Shotokan Karate
4-8-08
Members of the Bethel Shotokan Karate Club Steve Street (top), Nate Sidell (left) and Josh Mendenhall competed in the 2008 ISKF Alaska State Tournament on March 29, 2008. Nate Sidell placed 3rd in Kata in the 11-12 yr. old division. Josh Mendenhall placed 3rd in Kumite, also in the 11-12 youth division. Steve Street was awarded 3rd in the Men's Senior Kata Division. The group trains at the Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat school gym under the instruction of Sensei Ted Berry, 1st Kyu.
Late FTs help Lady Kings to Coastal Conference championship
3-13-08
by Tommy Wells
One of the things basketball coaches preach almost every day is the importance of making free throws. Games, coaches insist, are won and lost at the free throw line.
If you need proof, just ask the Kwethluk Lady Kings.
Kwethluk nailed three straight free throw attempts in the closing moments of the Coast Conference championship game and walked away with a wild 52-49 overtime victory over the Napaskiak Lady Hawks Saturday in front of a large crowd at the Bethel Regional High School WarriorDome.
The Lady Kings, who struggled from the free throw line throughout the game, made three shots from the charity stripe in the extra frame. Napaskiak did not attempt a shot from the charity stripe.
Overall, Kwethluk made just five of 23 attempts from the free throw line – three of which came in the final frame.
With the win, Kwethluk claimed the Coastal Conference tournament crown and earned its third trip to the Class 1A state basketball tournament in the past five years.
Napaskiak carried the game’s momentum into overtime. Keyed by a strong fourth-quarter push from Rebecca Larson, the Lady Hawks forced the game into OT by reeling off a 17-9 spree in the fourth quarter.
To the dismay of the Kwethluk crowd, Larson caught a long pass fastbreak and rocked the gym when she scored 2 points with one second to go to tie the score at 45-45.
Jolene Bavilla, Francine Larson and Jaclyn Nelson also helped spark Napaskiak’s late run. Bavilla and Larson each sank two shots from the field in the final eight minutes of regulation. Nelson added a three-point shot. Bavilla and Larson both finished the game as the Lady Hawks’ top scorers, netting 12 and 10, respectively,
The Lady Kings, who were led offensively by Katya McDalton and Kelly Ayapan, controlled the game heading into the fourth quarter. Kwethluk pushed home nine points in the third and took a seemingly comfortable 36-38 lead into the final stanza.
In OT, McDalton got hot. She hit two baskets early in the extra frame and then added a shot from the free-throw line. Ayapan added the other two FTs, enabling the Lady Kings to eke out a 7-4 spree in the extra frame.
Ashley Evan helped set up Napaskiak’s late run before fouling out in the fourth. The ZJWHS standout scored seven of her nine points in the third quarter.
Kwethluk took the upper hand early in the contest. Led by five first-quarter points from Ayapan, the KAMHS girls sprinted to a 10-7 lead after the initial eight minutes. McDalton hit stride from there. She pumped in nine of her game-high 31 points in the second and helped Kwethluk run to a 22-17 halftime cushion. Ayapan finished the game with 13 points.
Kwethluk opened the tournament with a win by forfeit, missing Newtok in the first round who were on weather hold. From there, they defeated Eek, 70-57, in the semifinals.
Napaskiak, which had downed Kwigillingok by a 54-40 margin in the first round, advanced to the finals via a 57-36 romp over Akiuk in the semifinals.
The Eek Lady Cougars finished 3rd in the overall Coastal Conference standings. Eek defeated Akiuk in the third-place game on Saturday by a 63-61 margin.
The Kwigillingok Lady Eagles took the consolation honors with a 56-41 victory over Chefornak.
Andrew lifts Hawks past Islanders in OT thriller
by Tommy Wells
For the first 32 minutes of Saturday’s Coastal Conference championship game, the Toksook Bay Islander defense held Napaskiak standout Travis Andrew in check, allowing him just three shots from the field.
Andrew had the last opportunity, however. He pushed in two clutch shots in the closing minutes of overtime and helped carry the Hawks to a stunning 46-45 win over the Islanders in the finals of the Coastal Conference tournament.
With the win, Napaskiak earned a berth in the upcoming Class 1A state basketball tournament, which is slated to begin March 18 in Anchorage.
The Hawks, thanks to some early offensive fireworks from Nicholas Maxie, drew first blood in a matchup of two Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta powers. Napaskiak outscored Toksook Bay by a slim 10-9 margin in the first eight minutes.
The Islanders, a perennial Class 1A state power, answered back in the second. Toksook Bay picked up four points from Joey Lincoln, Bosco Julius and Simeon Aluska in the second quarter and rallied to post a 15-11 advantage.
The Islanders took a slim 24-21 lead into the half.
Despite a smothering Toksook Bay defense that all but took Andrew out of the game, Maxie refused to let Napaskiak slip any farther. He knocked down two shots in the third quarter and propelled the Hawks to an 11-point effort in the initial eight minutes of the second.
Julius scored five of his nine points in the third for the Islanders, who carried a 35-32 lead into the fourth quarter.
Maxie and Andrew both hit big-time shots in the fourth and helped the Hawks pound out an 8-5 run that sent tied the game at 40-40 at the end of regulation.
Andrew managed to find some space to shoot in the extra frame. After Maxie had opened the OT frame with a basket, he scored Napaskiak’s final two baskets to nail down the win.
Lincoln and Aluska knocked down shots in OT for Toksook Bay. Silas Moses added a free throw.
Overall, Maxie finished as the Hawks’ top scorer, netting 16. Andrew finished with 13, while Joachim Maxie and Daniel Joekay chipped in six and four, respectively.
Lincoln led all Islanders in scoring with 13. Aluska added 12 more, while Julius and Moses each pitched in nine.
Napaskiak, which will face the Bering Sea Conference champion in the first round of the state tournament, opened its run at the Coastal Conference title with a 62-55 win over Chefornak on Thursday. After downing the Chefornak, they defeated Akula, 80-59, to earn a spot in the title game.
Toksook Bay advanced to the championship game via a 60-36 romp over Tuntutuliak.
Akula rebounded from its early loss to finish third in the final standings. The Tundra Fox pounded out an 86-69 win over Tuntutuliak in the third-place bout.
Chefornak earned consolation honors by defeating Kwethluk, 69-60, in the loser’s bracket finals.
Young native singer releases CD
3-6-08
by K.J. Lincoln
Alyson Grace McCarty of Anchorage is not yet a teenager, but she is already an accomplished singer and has recently released her first CD album.
She is the daughter of Thomas and Minnie McCarty of Anchorage.
Minnie, Alyson’s mom who is originally from Napakiak, taught her daughter how to sing songs in her native language when Alyson asked her mom to teach her.
“Momma, teach me Yup’ik,” she said.
Minnie taught her daughter to sing songs when Alyson was 5. Six of her ten songs on her CD are sung in Yup’ik – Agaiutma Eriakamatlu Whinga (How Great Thou Art), Tan’gertsititlriame Wetatlimtine (At the Cross), Akwhaugak Unuamektlu (Yesterday, Today, Forever), Whaten Ayukingerma Whi (Just As I Am), Hallelujah Unguitliniuk (Hallelujah, He is Risen), and Atanik Itlpintsugtua (Keep Me Everyday).
Alyson, whose Yup’ik names are Panigkaq and Ayagalria, is now 10. She performed at the 2007 Native Musicale in Anchorage during the Fur Rondy festivities. She sang again this year at the Musicale last week at the West High Auditorium.
Alyson’s CD is currently available for purchase. She plans to save the earnings from her CD for her college education. To order a copy of Alyson's CD or for more information, send an email to: tmcc@alaska.net or write to: Alyson McCarty, PO Box 10-4406, Anchorage, AK 99510-4406.
School Safety in Emmonak
2-20-08
by Diana DeStafeno
On Feb. 13, 2008 at approximately 1:00 in the afternoon, a 9th grade student in Emmonak chased, threatened and attempted an attack on another student. School principal Bill Schildbach intervened and was physically assaulted by the student. The school was in lockdown for the afternoon as advised by John Lamont, Lower Yukon School District Superintendent, so children could be picked up at the school and escorted home safely by parents and adults.
Emmonak Advisory School Board Chair Lynn Hootch, along with three other ASB members, hosted a community meeting on Friday, Feb. 15 at Emmonak School to discuss the lock-down that occurred when the student threatened and chased another student and physically assaulted the principal.
High school age students from the "Natural Helpers" organization, which promotes peer counseling and assistance to all students, sat behind the speakers and were introduced to help promote a safe environment in the school.
Approximately 300 parents, relatives, friends and family members of the Emmonak community, along with 250 students from grades kindergarten to 12th, assembled in the gym. The principal, Bill Schildbach, talked about school safety, what is a lock-down, how violence is started with threats, which leads to hitting and further violence in and outside the school. The children were quiet and attentive while listening to the principal. When the students were dismissed for lunch and walked single-file past the crowds of parents and relatives, applause broke out for each class of students for demonstrating good behavior.
Parents and high school age students stayed in the gym for an additional two-and-a-half hours to further discuss many aspects of the situation including how good behavior starts at home, supporting teachers in the classroom, and creating a positive school environment.
Speakers at the three-hour meeting included many elders, parents and Emmonak citizens along with LYSD Superintendent John Lamont and Regional School Board Chair George Smith.
Herman Hootch, one of many parents in Emmonak School, posted a sign on the school front door supporting the teachers, students and principal in stopping the violence that has occurred recently at the school. Approximately 150 of the 250 students in the school stayed home on Thursday, Valentine's Day, February 14th, in an act of support for the staff and principal in stopping isolated incidences of violence against him, staff members and students.
Parents rallied around staff members and the principal by coming up to the school and monitoring the hallways and doors. Elders were on-site to speak with children who had questions and were concerned about the attack on their principal.
State troopers were at the school to take incident and witness reports last week. ASB (Associated School Board) members were assisting in classrooms, attending parent/community meetings, fielding media requests and answering the phones as parents called in to check on their children. Parents of Emmonak School are asking the Lower Yukon School District to suspend the student for the rest of the school year and assist the student in seeking help before they allow their children to return to the school for the safety of our students, staff and community.
Proud to be bilingual
2-14-08
by Jonathan Evan
My first favorite language is Yup’ik. I love my language because I speak to my mom, dad, and my little brother in Yup’ik. I can also speak in English to my teacher and my friends who don’t know how to speak in Yup’ik.
When I visit my mom’s mom, I talk to her in Yup’ik because she can only speak in Yup’ik. She talks to me about simple things that I can understand.
Before he passed away, I remember my grandpa used to tell me all kinds of interesting stories. For example, one time he told about when he went hunting with his dad. When they went they used a bow and arrows when he was a kid. He caught a muskrat and when they came back he was proud. When I go hunting with my uncle I always speak to him in Yup’ik. When I go visit my mom’s hometown I always speak to my cousins in Yup’ik, too.
When I go to school I talk to my teacher in English. Some of the teachers don’t know how to speak in Yup’ik. The kids in the elementary know how to speak in Yup’ik so when they talk to me I talk to them in Yup’ik.
I am proud to be bilingual because I love my culture and my language. I enjoy talking to elders in Yup’ik because I love my language and culture. When I become a parent I will teach my kids in both Yup’ik and English. I cherish my culture because I am a Native American.
Z. J. Williams Memorial School in Napaskiak is proud to share the good news that five of our students received awards for their entries in the 2008 Proud To Be Bilingual/Multicultural Student Essay Contest including the Grand Prize winner, Jonathan Evan. Our school and community is proud of our students' success and achievement. The Alaska Association for Bilingual Education (AKABE) holds a statewide essay contest every year for students in grades three through high school who speak two or more languages. The winners went to Anchorage to receive their awards at the 34th Bilingual Conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Anchorage. Congratulations to the winners. Their bilingual teacher is Elisa Steven from Napaskiak who submitted their papers to AKABE.
Reader’s Theater
in Goodnews Bay
2-5-08
by Mrs. Carmichael’s Junior High Writing Class
Have you ever heard of Reader’s Theater? Reader’s Theater is where you take a story, create speaking parts for the characters in the story, assign a part to each student in the class and then perform the story by reading it aloud and using your voice to tell about the character’s emotions. This makes the stories come to life. The story is then easier to remember.
On January 28, 2008, Ryan Conarro came to visit Rocky Mountain School in Goodnews Bay. Ryan is an actor who teaches acting at the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau. Ryan is visiting students in the Lower Kuskokwim School District to teach dramatic arts as part of the Arts Grant that our district is taking part in.
Ryan spent his time here teaching the students of Rocky Mountain School acting skills. Each actor (student) learned that they have tools that they can use to act. These tools are body, voice, facial expression and imagination. They then got the chance to practice these skills in classroom activities planned around what they’ve been learning in their classes. After they had practiced, they gave a performance at the end of the school day.
Ryan worked with Miss Scocia and Mr. Dhaemers’ Class to create body statues from the characters in the Wizard of Oz. The character statues were the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy and Toto. The Toto statue had his tongue hanging out just like a real dog!
Mrs. Hauk’s class performed a reader’s theater called Sideways Stories from Wayside School. It was a very funny story about a boy who has a hard time counting.
Mrs. Carmichael’s Junior High Class also performed a reader’s theater. They took a chapter from the book, In Their Own Words - Lewis and Clark by George Sullivan and wrote a reader’s theater that they then performed. The students made up extra characters so that everyone would have a speaking part. Ryan worked with all of the reader’s theater students on their voices so that the characters and what they said would be seem real.
The High School students in Mr. Hauk’s Class have been studying about psychologists, so Ryan and Mr. Hauk dressed up like two well-known psychologists. Ryan was Freud and Mr. Hauk was Pavlov. The high school students made body statues that helped tell the story of each psychologist and about the important findings they made in their field. Mr. Hauk had on a white wig. It was hilarious!
Students at Rocky Mountain School appreciate that Ryan Conarro came to teach them about acting. It was fun learning to use voice, facial expression, body and imagination to tell stories.
Our class would like to perform a reader’s theater again. We think that the students in L.K.S.D. will be happy when Ryan comes to visit their schools.
Mrs. Carmichael’s Junior High Writing Class include Emma Julius, Sheila Evan, Norman Echuck, Justin Daniel, Darren Fox, Oxenia Mark, Brendalee Merritt, Lori Evan, and Jonathan Roberts
Poem of Trust
by Nicholai Peter
When you know you could trust a person you know they will be there for you.
When you know you could trust your friends you know they will be there when you need them.
When you know you could trust your parents is when they are there for you all the time.
When you know you could trust everyone around you is when they trust you too.
When trust is around you it’s a good feeling.
When trust is you, you know you’re a friend.
When trust keeps you as a friend you know it’s true to be a friend.
When you trust a person don’t let it get lost by not being trustworthy to them.
When you lose friends you know you weren’t
trustworthy.
When trust is hard to find don’t let it be hard to find in you.
Joey meets Dave Decaro
1-29-08
by Joey Davis
At the K-300 2008, I got to talk to Dave Decaro.
Dave trains and runs dogs with Jeff King and had a team of his dogs for the 2008 race. When Dave left Kalskag Saturday morning he was in seventh place.
When I asked Dave, “Have you ever been followed by any animals in the K 300?”, he told me he had been followed by a moose once, and another time by a porcupine.
I asked him the ages of his dogs. He told me that there were a couple of yearlings, a 2 year old, a 5 year old, and an 8 and a half year old.
After asking Dave which was his first dog for mushing, he told me all of his dogs were his boss, Jeff King’s dogs. Dave told me he started mushing about 10 years ago. He moved to Alaska and at first worked feeding dogs and washing dishes.
Dave has run the K-300 8 times, the Iditarod 4 times, and the Yukon Quest.
Joey Davis is a student at the Zackar Levi Elementary School in Kalskag, AK.
My time with Ed Iten
by Oscar Samuelson
On January 19, 2008, I was able to talk and interview with Ed Iten.
My sister Jodi interviewed him a couple of years ago. I got to meet his dogs and watched him put a special salve on the dogs’ feet before he put on their booties.
When I asked Ed what his lead dogs’ names were, he told me they were Hoover and Zoro. His wheel dogs’ names are Zaar and Guy.
I asked him how old he was, and he told me he was 54 years old. When I asked him if he had ever fallen in the water, he told us it was too scary to talk about. He was mushing on the Kobuk River and trying to keep his sled from tipping over. Ed broke through the ice into freezing water! Luckily, he grabbed onto the rope from his sled and his leader and team pulled him out of the water and saved his life.
Oscar Samuelson is a student at the Zackar Levi Elementary School in Kalskag, AK.
Visiting with Jeff King
by Ronald Kerr
During the K300 I was able to interview and visit with Jeff King. After he answered my questions, Jeff King gave me a musher’s ski pole, let me meet his dogs, and hang out with him.
I have chosen and interviewed Jeff King for 3 years now.
Jeff King arrived to Kalskag at 5:44 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2008, in 5th place. I asked Jeff if he had any new dogs this year. He told me that John Little gave him dogs. Jeff told me that none of his dogs had ever died in the K300. Than I asked Jeff how old are his lead dogs. He told me 3 years old.
My last question was, “What’s your oldest dogs name?”
Jeff said, “Houston is my oldest dog.”
Ronald Kerr is a student at the Zackar Levi Elementary School in Kalskag, AK.
My Tradition
by Kayla Williams
In the mushing season, people come from all over the world to Bethel to race in the K-300.
People race the K-300 for different reasons. Some race to advocate for sobriety, others may race for people’s memories, and others race for fun. I have seen the race many times, and I look forward to it.
One of the reasons I like to go is because of the fireworks and to watch them light up the sky and see the dogs go. However, the main reason it is part of my culture.
I would be scared if I was alone and going down the river with twelve dogs. My ancestors had too mush to get from one place to another. We had no cars or planes back then. I am going to tell my kids and grandkids about dog mushing so that I can pass on our culture. I will keep a book about dog mushing so that I can tell the story in the future.
Kayla Williams is a student at Ayaprun Elitnaurvik in Bethel.
2007 Robotics Competition takes on Power Puzzle
12-12-07
by K.J. Lincoln
This year’s Robotics competition theme is “Power Puzzle” Energy Resources – Meeting the Global Demand. 18 Robotics teams (4th-8th) from schools around the Lower Kuskokwim School District met on the robotics lego playing field at the Bethel Regional High School WarriorDome in this culminating event of solving real-world problems by applying math, science, and technology.
This year’s challenge called for the teams to use robotics to understand and create solutions for one of today’s most critical environmental issues – energy management and conservation.
Teams build and program their own robots using Lego Mindstorm kits. The robots are programmed to perform tasks and missions on the playing field for design, programming and performance points.
Teams also earn points for their theme projects and very importantly, teamwork. For their projects, each team was required to do an energy audit on a building in their community, record the results, and make recommendations on how the building can be more energy efficient.
“The 2007 LKSD Regional FIRST Lego League Competition was a great success due to the 15 teams and coaches as well as many volunteers to organized it,” said Marc Leinberger, the Math Education Specialist and Robotics Program Coordinator for LKSD. “All students put forth their best efforts and improved in many ways during this event. Special thanks to Dave Patterson for making the magic happen! Quyana!”
The awards for each category:
Robot Performance:
1st BRHS PowerWarriors
2nd Toksook Bay Rockets
3rd (tie) Kilbuck Tundra Techs & Tuntutuliak Legomaniac
PowerPuzzle Project:
1st BRHS ElectroWarriors
2nd Toksook Bay Fireballs
3rd Toksook Bay Rockets
Teamwork:
1st Tununak RoboSlayers
2nd Kilbuck NXTerminators
3rd Kilbuck Tundra Techs
Design & Programming:
1st Kilbuck NXTerminators
2nd Tuntutuliak Legomaniac
3rd Kipnuk Little Monsters
Spirit of Innovation Award:
High School Division - Tununak Coasterbots
**Grade School Division - BRHS PowerWarriors
**Grade School Division - Oscarville Dragonites
**These teams will be representing the region at the Alaska FIRST Lego League State Championship in Anchorage on January 12, 2008 at the University of Alaska Anchorage campus.
LKSD Rookie Team of the Year: Akiuk Grizzly Cubs
Against All Odds Team: Napaskiak RoboHawks
LKSD Robotics Coach of the Year: Kim Bentley, Toksook Bay
Adult Mentor Award: Dr. Bob Brown, UAF - Kuskokwim Campus
LKSD Robotics Business Partner Award: UAF - Kuskokwim Campus
Experiencing Meningitis
11-26-07
by Kendra Cleveland
My name is Kendra Cleveland. I am seventeen years old now and I am going to tell you a little story about me. I haven’t been telling other people about this short story, but now I am since it has been a while. I am finally telling people that I had menengitis and I almost died from it.
It has been two years and two months since I got sick. I had meningitis and encephalitis in September of 2005. I am finally telling other people all about it when I started singing in church last March. It took me a long time to think and talk about it.
I had just turned fifteen two years ago when I ended up getting sick and almost cost me my life. But first of all I want to start from the beginning.
I first started to get neck pain. It hurt so bad I couldn’t move my neck to the left, right, up, or down. That’s how badly it hurt. I didn’t go to the clinic until I started shaking. While I was waiting at the clinic I started to cry for no reason. I felt like puking but I couldn’t. They gave me four shots. Two health aides gave me two shots at the same time. After that, the doctor told them to give me another two shots and it hurt so much. I started to get weak and sleepy while I was waiting for the weather to clear up. It was foggy so we had to wait till the weather cleared up. We went on the first available plane, which was Yute air and made it to Bethel.
At the hospital in Bethel the nurses and doctors kept running tests. I had to have an I.V. on overnight when I got discharged for the day and even for couple days so they wouldn’t keep poking me.
After many spinal taps (they did a lot since they couldn’t take out any fluid), I got discharged the same night I went to Bethel. I had to go back the next day. They kept transferring me to the Emergency Room and Pediatrics. They told me to try and eat but I couldn’t. I kept puking all the food out. I couldn’t keep food, water, or the medicine in. I then got admitted to the North Wing and stayed there for a couple of days. I started to get weaker at North Wing. I couldn’t walk, go to the bathroom, and I started to have seizures. That is why I got medivaced to Anchorage.
The people from here sent out prayer requests for me. A lot of people prayed for me when I got really sick. I am thankful they did. I don’t want to be in that situation again. I don’t know how far the prayer request went, but I know a lot of people prayed for me. I thank you for praying for me.
In Anchorage, my kidneys failed and I couldn’t breathe on my own. I had to have dialysis for about two to three weeks so my kidneys could work. That was when they found out I had meningitis and encephalitis.
I was at ANMC for a couple days until they transferred me to Providence Hospital. The doctors were telling my mom I wasn’t going to make it. So my dad John, my brother Darren, and my little sister Sydney went to go see me. I got baptized on September 6, 2005 around 9 o’clock and 10:30 P.M.
I used to have dreams I was going to die. The first dream I had was I was going to fall from a really high ceiling. There were pipes and I started hanging on them. Two people were trying to let me fall. They were holding me on my legs and I was slipping. Just before I was going to fall I woke up and I prayed in my mind.
The second dream I had was while I was working at A&C Market in my hometown. I was running away from something, I don’t remember what it was. Then I did the same thing I did, I prayed in my mind. I still had the breathing tube in me. For some reason I kept having those dreams. I had the same dream twice, which was about the A&C Market store.
I was in a deep sleep for how many weeks. I can’t say how long since I don’t know how long I was in a coma. But I remember waking up a couple of times seeing my mom, my dad, my little sister, and my two cousins from Manokotak. They used to talk to me, but I don’t know what they were saying. I know a lot of people went to go see me, but I don’t know who they were. People went to go donate money for my family to have food to eat and to do laundry. I thank them for donating money.
When I fully woke up, I couldn’t sit, walk, or stand. I was really weak. The physical therapist I had helped me walk, sit, and stand. I didn’t like to try sit down because it was hard at first. The second thing she taught me was walking. She had to hold me by my arm and someone else on the other and they helped me walk without arguing.
Although I don’t know most of what happened, I know this much. I’m sorry I didn’t give any more information, but this is all I remember.
I came home on October 4, 2005 (I will never forget the day I came home). They had a welcome home feast for me at the school. My friends and family went to go see me at my house when I first came home. I was tired so I didn’t come to school for a few days since I started to feel sick. They were really surprised that I made it. Now I am living my life like it didn’t happen. But I have a scar on my left cheek that reminds me of it.
If you don’t know what meningitis means, it means inflammation of the membranes that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. This happens when an infection anywhere in the body spreads through the blood into the cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid circulates into spaces around the brain and spinal cord.
Any person can get meningitis, which means young and old can get it. Encephalitis means swelling of the brain (brain damage). I’m glad nothing else happened because I heard people that had it got permanent damage. (Encephalitis isn’t contagious.)
I’d like to say thank you to my parents John and Theresa, my older brother Darren, my little sister Sydney, my cousins Travis and Akiq, my aunt Louise and uncle Frank from Bristol Bay, and others from the Anchorage area for being there for me when I got sick. And my family and friends that went to go see me when they thought I wasn’t going to make it. The doctors and nurses at ANMC and Providence hospital did their very best to keep me alive and they did a very good job. Quyana, if I didn’t mention your names.
LKSD Senior High
Speech Contest
11-23-07
by Sharon Wegner
LKSD hosted the District Senior High Speech contest November 13-14, 2007. We had 123 students participating from 18 schools (Akiuk, Akula, Atmautluak, BABS, BRHS, Chefornak, Eek, Goodnews Bay, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwethluk, Kwigillingok, Mekoryuk, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Nunapitchuk, and Quinhagak). There were 17 more students involved in this year’s event than last year.
As usual, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all of the coaches, chaperones and Bethel community members who volunteered as speech judges.
The English 1st and 2nd place winners will represent LKSD at the State DDF Tournament. The Yup’ik 1st and 2nd place winners will represent LKSD at the Alaska Native Oratory Society Competition. Both events will be held in Anchorage. Congratulations to ALL participants!!!
English Expository
1. Charles Herman-BRHS
2. Delcie Davis-Mekoryuk
3. Arlene Tulik-Nightmute
4. Danya Andrews-Akiuk
5. Edward Wassillie-Akiuk
Yup’ik Expository
1. Adeline Tulik-Nightmute
2. Elena Anthony-Nightmute
3. Janet White-Nunapitchuk
4. Becca Larson-Napaskiak
5. John Maxie-Napaskiak
English Humorous Interpretation
1. Yvonne Jackson-BABS
2. Kelsey Wallace-BRHS
3. Jennifer Klejka-BRHS
4. Carolyn Atti-Kwigillingok
5. Andrea Aliralria-Kipnuk
Yup’ik Humorous Interpretation
1. Janice Atti-Kwigillingok
2. Gabriella Sergie-Akula
3. Keri Sharp-Quinhagak
4. Jerrilyn Andrew-Akula
5. Nastasia Kassel-Akula
English Dramatic Interpretation
1. Joseph Warren-BRHS
2. Kelsey Wallace-BRHS
3. Nicole Haglund-BRHS
4. Jenny Klejka-BRHS
5. Jalene Herron-BRHS
Yup’ik Dramatic Interpretation
1. Edward Wassillie-Akiuk
2. Charlene Berlin-Akiuk
3. Anastasia Brink-Akiuk
4. Allen Abraham-Chefornak
5. Nicole Twitchell-Akiuk
English Original Oration
1. Joseph Warren-BRHS
2. Gelsey Carmichael-Goodnews Bay
3. Joanne Twitchell-Akiuk
4. Eunice Whitman-Mekoryuk
5. Kevin Wiseman-Chefornak
Visual Art through collaboration
10-31-07
by Bev Williams
Two big events have occurred in the world of art in LKSD, the Visual Art Retreat in Bethel, held October 11-13, and the “tour de delta” by guest artists to eight art grant sites, October 15-19. These projects are sponsored by the LSKD federal grant, Literacy Through the Arts.
Thirty-six staff from around the LKSD converged at the Cultural Center in Bethel for three days of painting, sketching, creating murals and paper sculptures while learning more about the fundamentals of visual art and their integration with literacy instruction. Barb Short, Linda Pfisterer and Karen Stomberg, Art Specialists from the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District shared their expertise by demonstrating the components of some of the 64 Project Articulate Grant art kits. LKSD educators were instructed in the use of the kits, were introduced to methods of classroom implementation, and were shown how to access the art kits through the LKSD Media Center and on-line.
The following week, three teams traveled to six village schools and two Bethel schools. Nita Rearden and Barb Short worked with ME and Ayaprun in Bethel. Pam Lau and Linda Pfisterer traveled to Akiuk, Eek and Kwig. Bev Williams and Karen Stomberg went to Tununak, Newtok and Atmautluak. Students created murals, oil pastels, paper scultures, watercolors, and bird sketches. They learned about color, basic elements of art, and about important artists and their work.
During this week of travel, 36 staff members and 408 students participated in the art activities at sites. Many of the staff members participating at site had not attended the Art Retreat, so the knowledge of the art kits and art instruction was expanded to even more classrooms and students.
The next Literacy Through the Arts Retreat will be held in mid- January with Ryan Conarro as the guest arts, focusing on the performing arts, drama and Readers’ Theater.
2007 Jr. High Speech results
10-23-07
by Sharon Wegner
LKSD hosted the District Jr. High Speech contest October 15-16, 2007 here in Bethel. There were 145 students from 18 schools that participated (Akiuk, Akula, Atmautluak, Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, BRHS, Chefornak, Eek, Goodnews Bay, Kilbuck, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwigillingok, Mekoryuk, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Nunapitchuk, and Toksook Bay).
Thanks to all the students and coaches that were involved. A sincere THANK YOU to all the coaches, chaperones and community members who volunteered as speech judges. Without your support we would not be able to pull off such successful events. Congratulations to ALL!
Yup’ik Expository
1. Waska Oscar-Akiuk
2. Ann Marie Joekay-Napaskiak
3. Josiah Nicholai-Napaskiak
4. Howard Nicholai-Napaskiak
Expository
1. Mitchell Forbes-BRHS
2. Hannah Ward-Akula
3. Alyssa Williams-Mekoryuk
4. Minnie Tinker-Akula
5. Dawn Davis-Mekoryuk
Yupik Original Oration
1. Jonilyn Bavilla-Napaskiak
Original Oration
1. Janessa Warren-BRHS
2. Jesse Klejka-BRHS
3. Erin Kiokun-Mekoryuk
4. Deanna Berlin-Akula
5. Nate Cidell-Kilbuck
Yup’ik Dramatic Interpretation
1. Arnaqullek Shields-Ayaprun Elitnauvik
2. Olivia Shields-BRHS
3. Geraldine Brink-Akula
4. Adrianna Tinker-Akula
5. Nagtaq Maryssa Soots-Ayaprun Elit.
Dramatic Interpretation
1. Olivia Shields-BRHS
2. Amber Shields-Ayaprun Elit.
3. Megan Snyder-Kwigillingok
4. Ashleigh Naneng-B5. Moses Jacob-Napaskiak RHS
Humorous Interpretation
1. Catherine Jackson-Eek
2. Megan Snyder-Kwigillingok
3. Clarissa Manchuak-Kwigillingok
4. Katrina Leary-Kilbuck
5. Tristan John-Kwigillingok
Umkumiut Trip
10-9-07
by Alicia Chagluak
On the 29th of August the students and teachers of Nelson Island High School traveled by foot to a nearby campsite called Umkumiut. The students traveled there to learn more about the outdoors and about their Yupik culture.
While the Islanders were in Umkumiut we stayed in tents and held our classes outside by the fire that Simon made for us every day. Some of my classes were Yupik, math, video production, and reading/writing. One day we didn’t have class until 4th period due to the rainy and windy weather. I was kind of happy. During the 2 or 3 hours of awful weather the students stayed in their tents, ran into other people’s tents and hung out while they listened to music from the guitar.
We also had some free time; we played football, walked on the beach and up at the hill, sat by the fire and went up to the hill and picked some berries. One day Simon caught 6 or 7 geese, and some of the girls plucked them and roasted them on the fire for a midnight snack.
There were jobs we carried out. The duties were to pick up trash around the campsite so the campsite would not be trashed, serve lunch or dinner, and to cut up or collect firewood. The entire student body helped out.
On the last day we cleaned up the campsite, put our tents down and headed home. It was an amusing and exiting experience camping out in Umkumiut. I hope we could do it again some time. b
by Mary Inman
Three days before Black Berry Festival students and teachers walked from Toksook Bay by tundra and sand. Students laughed as they walked. We all stayed for three days and two nights. We explored Umkumiut and learned the culture and stories of the past.
While attending class, we had lots of fun. We took pictures and had fun in classes. We also walked around on the beach, tundra and hills. My friends Shannon Braden, my brother Forrest, and Jacob and I hiked around the place seeing lots of berries and skulls. The water felt like needles poking our skin every time we went to wash our faces or even put our hands in the water.
We had so much fun berry picking and selecting wild flowers. As we chose raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, we also pulled out purple and white flowers.
It was so much fun going to Umkumiut. At first I did not want to because I thought it would be boring, but I went with it, had lots of fun. Well let me tell you, we all have learned so much for example about culture, the stories of our ancestors, how to live in the wild. I also learned if you respect the people you’re with and the environment around you, they will do the same to you. I also learned that you could have fun during school time.
Calista Camp stories
8-28-07
by Jacqueline Lincoln
I was asked by my grandma Ruth Jimmie to come along this 2 ½ week Calista Elders Council project in Umkumiut.
Umkumiut is a camp located on Nelson Island only three miles out of Toksook Bay. This camp is mainly to harvest fish. During the summer, residents from Nightmute come over to dry freshly caught fish. During the long cold winter Umkumiut is deserted.
We were in Umkumiut for about 5 days. It was fun! And the beach was wonderful. While we were there, elders told stories. The story that stood out most to me took place in Nunalleq.
Long ago, in Nunalleq there were homes under the ground, in my guess it was to have better protection. Women with their kids would hide during battles. Once there was a battle and everyone was killed, except one woman. When she finally got out of the “tunnel”, eveyone was dead. Each body was laid down on the shore going about 1/4 of a mile (or less). She took all the jewelry of the dead and placed them where they would not rust or be destroyed.
After five days we went to out into the ocean. I am hardly on a boat and I was scared! It seemed like the waves were getting bigger. I was absolutely sure I was going to be seasick. During the long ride I fell asleep (lucky me).
Our first stop was called Ungayakcaaq. It was B-e-a-u-tiful! Much different from the village and nothing like the city. It was quiet and relaxing.
The first day of camp was easy, the hard party came at the end. Our last stop was Cakcaaq. Only a few more days until we go home. I was happy but the days went slower then usual and everyone talked about home. I was homesick.
If I was to tell you everything about the camp, and all the stories the elders told us, I’d probably use the whole paper up. I learned a lot: customs, beliefs and about our brave ancestors. They had a hard life and I am lucky. Thank you Calista for this wonderful adventure. I will never forget it.
Jackie Lincoln is a student at Nelson Island High School in Toksook Bay.
Bethel Boy Scouts earn Eagle Scout Awards
8-21-07
by Janet Athanas
Last week I had the honor of attending the Boy Scout Troop #557 Ceremony that was held at the Moravian Church where Patrick Brinich-Langlois, Eddie Corp, Brian Hildreth and Sam Young all received their Eagle Scout Award.
They were eligible after receiving a required number of merit badges and completing a community service project that they selected and coordinated with volunteers for time, money and materials. Their project were reviewed by a committee in Bethel and forwarded to the National Boy Scout Headquarters for final approval. The Boys each received a pin to give to their mother, father and mentor and a badge for themselves. They also received an Eagle Scout embroidered scarf, a letter of commendation from Governor Sarah Palin, and an Eagle Scout certificate from President George Bush.
In 1996, when I started my position as the Director of the Bethel Youth Center and 4-H Program, one of my responsibilities was to hold the Charter for Cub Scout Troop #556. They used both the Bethel Youth Center and the Log Cabin for meetings, and a place to keep their supplies. I signed the Charter every year, and over the years, worked with many scouts and their families.
When Boy Scout Troop #557 was formed, I was their sponsoring Lion at the Bethel Lions Club. The troop immediately started working with the Food Bank Program, which is held every month of the year. Early in the morning, on the last Saturday of the month, the Scouts and their Leaders were there early in the morning, setting up the food for distribution, helping to pack and carry the boxes and then still smiling, helped to put everything away again and clean up the clubhouse.
I was one of the judges for the Pine Wood Derby held every year at the Mormon Church. Serious stuff, judging those cars and watching the times of the cars!
The Scouts have worked with us every year at the Bike Rodeo doing bike maintenance, and took on the extra responsibility of fixing up all the abandoned bikes in Bethel and having a bike auction, so more kids could have bikes.
The Scout Troop works with the Parks & Recreation Department to do an ALPAR Grant fund community cleanup that we receive every summer.
I have personally worked with all the men involved with Troop #557. Tom Hildreth and I built the Owl Street Park with Community Development Grant Funds from the State of Alaska when he worked for AVCP Housing. He has been the Scout Master for all these years. Last week was his last official week as the Scout Master, a job that was turned over to Rick Robb.
Stan Corp has served on the Bethel District Cooperative Extension Service Advisory Council that I coordinated before Dr. Lucy Bayles was hired. He has been an advocate for safe smoking and “jarring” of salmon and taught many people how to make sausage. Any time you go for a haircut, you can pick up the CES publications. Many of the boys camping trips were held at the Corp fish camp.
George Young and I have worked together for 10 years as Department Heads for the City of Bethel and worked on many project together. You can always count on George!
Rick Robb served on the Parks and Recreation Committee for two terms and has always worked for the betterment of the community and our children. You should listen to him leading the scout meetings and singing with the boys.
Marty Langlois has worked with me and the 4-H Summer Program for 10 weeks a year, for 10 years, teaching children both archery and soccer. He has served on the statewide 4-H Shooting Sports Development Committee as an Archery Instructor since 1999. Now that is a commitment to our youth!
I am honored to have served on the Eagle Scout Review Committee for both Brian Hildreth and Patrick Brinich-Langlois.
Nationally, only 2% of the Boy Scouts ever become an Eagle Scout. Five of the ten boys in this troop have accomplished becoming an Eagle Scout. This is an amazing accomplishment and a tribute to the boys and their families.
I look forward to the future of the Boy Scouts and all our youth in Bethel.
Janet Athanas is the Director for the Bethel Parks & Recreation Department, Bethel Youth Center & 4-H Program and Alaska 4-H Shooting Sports Program.
Colbert of Napakiak wins 2007 Miss WEIO title
8-9-07
by K.J. Lincoln
Nicole Colbert is this year’s reigning Miss World Eskimo-Indian Olympics.
Colbert, whose Yup’ik name is Alek’aq, is the granddaughter of George “Nuc’aq” Billy, and is originally from Napakiak. The 22-year-old was the only Miss WEIO contestant representing the YK Delta region in a field of 7 during the competition at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, this year’s venue for WEIO.
During the competition, the queen contestants were given a chance to display their talents, answer an impromptu question in front of the WEIO crowd, and undergo a 15-minute personal interview session with the panel of judges.
For the talent portion of the competition, Colbert spoke about Yup’ik dance, how it originated, the story of the song, and for her finale danced a yuraq, “Unugaanga” with her local guest artist, Ossie Kairaiuak.
The importance of the Alaskan Native language and promoting Cultural Awareness was her response when answering the impromptu question, “What is the most important thing about your culture and why?”
“The most important part of our culture is our language. When our language dies we lose our culture. It is important that we keep our language alive,” she said.
Shyness and stage fright were not a problem for Colbert who felt “very confident” amidst the various speaking engagements scheduled for the contestants around Anchorage.
For her regalia, she wore traditional and contemporary qaspeqs made by her aunt Minnie McCarty and her great-grandfather’s piluguqs, or mukluks.
“They were very old piluguqs,” she said. “I had them because I wanted to be as traditional as possible.”
Colbert is the daughter of the late Grace and late Drew Colbert. She has four older sisters and one younger brother and she currently lives and works in Anchorage.
She attended Napakiak High School and then transferred to Mt. Edgecumbe High School where she participated in Cross Country, Track and Field, Drama, Debate, Forensics, and Yup’ik Dance while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. She encouraged others and made sure that her teammates attended practice, earning her the nickname, “coach”. She graduated from MEHS in 2004.
You don’t have to bear a title to enter into the Miss WEIO pageant, said Colbert, so she went in as a representative of her community of Napakiak and came out as the most decorated contestant in the event. Colbert won the awards for Most Talented, Most Traditional, and Miss Congeniality.
First runner up was Miss Rampart. Second runner up was awarded to Miss Fairbanks Native Association.
“I competed out of boldness. It was an honor to represent my family, my village, and my region as Miss Napakiak,” she said.
As the new reigning Miss WEIO, Colbert hopes to visit various villages and talk to the youth about Cultural Awareness with an emphasis on language.
“Becoming Miss WEIO is an honor,” she said. “I want to talk to the youth and encourage them to rise to the occasion of who they are today.”
Colbert joins former YK delta queens Valerie Davidson of Bethel - 1986 Miss WEIO, Karen Cooke-Phillip originally of Bethel - 1989 Miss WEIO, Jolene John of Toksook Bay - 1990 Miss WEIO, Ana Cooke-Hoffman of Bethel - 1992 Miss WEIO, and Gussie Ivanoff of Unalakleet - 2005 Miss WEIO.
LYSD celebrates Summer School attendees
7-31-07
Alakanuk Summer School Perfect Attendance winners
Kindergarten: Clifford Damian, Haley Moses, Judi Wilson; First: Teri Cook, Patrick Wilson, Jamal Alstrom, Latrell Alstrom, Karen Joe; Second: Azann Sage, Esther Sage, Mikayla Edmund; Third: Mason Cook; Fourth: Jason Tucker, Terecita Leopold, Heather Isidore, Karen Edmund, Angelica Damian, Todd Chikigak; Fifth: Kionee Joseph, Eugena Leopold, Nicole Moses; Sixth: Joseph Agayar, Francisca Agayar, Lanea Paul, Anthony Shelton, Travis Isidore, Tanya Chikigak, Hope Tucker, Maggie Isidore, Carl Chikigak.
Bike Winners: Karen Joe, Clifford Damian, Nicole Moses & Joseph Agayar; Donations: DF Jorgensen & Co - 4 cases apples & oranges; Alakanuk Native Store 1-20” girls bike; Ray & Sylvia Joseph $30.00 for Poster contest winners.
Kotlik School SS Perfect Attendance and Prize Winners
Kindergarten: *Matt Hunt - Bike Winner, Cameron Teeluk – K; Second: Duncan Okitkun, Michelle Teeluk, Gayle Tony; Third: *Paul Tony - Bike Winner; Fourth: Tyhera Okitkun; Fifth: Juwan Akaran, Nathan Hunt, JoAllyn Johnson, Donovan Okitkun; Sixth: Sherrilyn Teeluk, Edmund Akaran, Brittany Akaran, Richard Akaran; Seventh: Anissa Jack, Evelyn Teeluk; *Ariel Williams – Bike Winner; Eight: Jolene Fancyboy; Ninth: Jordan Johnson; Jennifer Prince; Tenth: Steven Fancyboy, Priscilla Kitsick; *Ralph Teeluk II - Bike Winner, *Darren Wasuli - 11, Grub Box Winner; Twelfth: Sheena Kameroff – 12. Everyone else got a backpack.
Mtn. Village Perfect Attendance 06-07 Summer School
Kindergarten: Ashley Agwiak, Joshua Alexie, Jerome Andrews, Jaycee Alexie, Rayna Peterson; First: Faith Andrews, Tyler Joe, Philbert Kokrine, Ole Chief, Chris Sheppard; Second: Mackenzie Mike, Mollie Waskey, Coy Bryan; Third: Mya Kokrine, Jeff Sheppard, Shannon Lawrence, Shannon Stevens; Fourth: Kateri Beans, Micheal Bialy, Jehova Long, Ian Waskey; Fifth: Meriel Mike, Christian Agwiak, Ashley Long, Jereth Lawrence; Sixth: Rose Andrews, Susie Lawrence, Georgianna Landlord, Kristy Sheppardj; Seventh: Vivian Bialy, Angilyn George, Martha Mike, Virginia Walters, Daniel Wasky; Eight: Amber Agwiak, Karlene George, Joseph Landlord: Ninth: Fred Beans, Edwin Waskey, Stephan George; Tenth: Janelle Sta Cruz, Martin Mike, Michael Long, James Landlord II; Eleventh: Eugene Stevens, Joel Brink; Twelfth: Phylicia Wilde, Meghan Beans; BIKE WINNERS: Grades k-4 Coy Bryan; Grades 5-7 Meriel Mike; Grades 8-12 Joseph Landlord.
Perfect Attendance Bike Winners from Scammon Bay
K: Richard Charlie, Tom Tomaganuk (WINNER); 1st: Austin Kasayuli, Skyler Ulak, Joe Uttereyuk, Everett Ulak, Zach Kaganak 2nd: Kiah Charlie, River Simon, Theodore Sundown; 3rd: Kobe Ayupan, Kendra Charlie, Karl Hunter, Elijah Kaganak, Megan Simon, Kimberly Tomaganuk; 4th: Samantha Cholok, John Hunter, Jace Aguchak; 5th Bradley Charlie, Mariah Charlie, Norman Charlie (WINNER), Helen George, Ellis Tomaganuk, Isaac Tomaganuk; 6th: Hubba Charlie; Garner Kaganak; Shelaya Kaganak; 7th Chance Hunter, Scott Kaganak (WINNER); Brandy Ulak; 8th Dee Dee Hunter; High School: Olivia Kaganak; LITTLE BIKE - Tom Tomaganuk; MEDIUM BIKE - Scott Kaganak; BIG BIKE - Norman Charlie.
Mtn. Village Perfect Attendance 06-07 Summer School
K: Ashley Agwiak, Joshua Alexie, Jerome Andrews, Jaycee Alexie, Rayna Peterson; 1st: Faith Andrews, Tyler Joe, Philbert Kokrine, Ole Chief, Chris Sheppard; 2nd: Mackenzie Mike, Mollie Waskey, Coy Bryan; 3rd: Mya Kokrine, Jeff Sheppard, Shannon Lawrence, Shannon Stevens; 4th: Kateri Beans, Micheal Bialy, Jehova Long, Ian Waskey; 5th: Meriel Mike, Christian Agwiak, Ashley Long, Jereth Lawrence; 6th: Rose Andrews, Susie Lawrence, Georgianna Landlord, Kristy Sheppard; 7th: Vivian Bialy, Angilyn George, Martha Mike, Virginia Walters, Daniel Wasky; 8th: Amber Agwiak, Karlene George, Joseph Landlord; 9th: Fred Beans, Edwin Waskey, Stephan George; 10th: Janelle Sta Cruz, Martin Mike, Michael Long, James Landlord II; 11th: Eugene Stevens, Joel Brink; 12th: Phylicia Wilde, Meghan Beans. BIKE WINNERS Grades k-4 Coy Bryan; Grades 5-7 Meriel Mike; Grades 8-12 Joseph Landlord
Russian Mission Perfect Attendance Bike Winners: Dena Nickoli, Mariah Wigley, Alexie E. Evan
A total of 12 students had perfect attendance. They received a huge round of applause and a basketball and a backpack. In order of days in attendance, the rest of the students were able to choose a wide variety of smaller prizes.
Over 2,514 book pages were read in school and at home by students in grades 3 thru 12: Henriann Nickoli read 239 pages; Vassalisa Askoar read 202 pages; Natasha Nickoli read 175 pages. These girls all chose a backpack.
24 other students read fewer pages, they chose small prizes. A total of 299 books were checked out of the school library by the students. Vassalisa Askoar & Dorothy Simeon read 18 books each; Henrianne Nickoli read 17 books; Josephine Edwards & Kristen Tinker read 15 books each. They chose various game balls.
23 other students read few books, they chose smaller prizes.
Grades K-2 took books home and returned check sheets with number of minutes read by a family member. All students were able to choose a variety of smaller prizes. It was a VERY EXCITING afternoon for the students at Russian Mission.
Akiachak school hoping to debut new radio station this fall
7-19-07
by Tommy Wells
Students at Akiachak High School could be taking their education to the airwaves the fall if the Federal Communications Commission gives its approval.
Akiachak teacher Trevor Snyder announced the school had filed an application for a broadcasting license with the FCC on April 18, 2007, to create a low-level FM station to be used by students in the new Broadcasting and Media class. The students are planning to broadcast music, community announcements, historical facts, and interviews with local elders. The station, through intended to serve Akiachak, will be a 50 watt station and may be heard in Bethel, Kwethluk and Akiak.
Should the FCC grant its approval, the station would be available on 92.7, and would become one of just a handful of school-operated radio stations in western Alaska. Scammon Bay and Shishmaref students both operate low-level radio stations.
Local musicians in
music production
6-19-07
Michael McIntyre and Anthony Shield are local musicians hoping to find a place in the music history of Bethel. They are in a band that’s called Farthest Frost, which Michael plays guitar and sings for. Currently, they have been working on producing an album for their band, Ohmindyou. Both bands specialize in alternative style music. A third member of the band is Myron Naneng Jr. who plays bass in their projects.
“What do you sing about?”
“Personal stuff, things that happen to us day to day in life that inspire us to write songs or also things that we don’t agree on. Anything that would result in an impressive song in our own minds,” said McIntyre. “Ohmindyou is pretty deep on those kinds of things, for our own selves.”
Both Anthony and Michael also play for another group – a fiddle band. Anthony, who is the son of the late Sophie Shield, plays bass and Michael, son of John and Agnes McIntyre, plays the drums for the Kuskokwim Fiddle Band.
It was during junior high school that Michael learned how to play the drums. As a student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks he performed as a drummer for the UAF Pep Band in 2002 and 2003. Michael’s talents of playing drums and guitar were started at the age of 12. Today he works as a Computer Technician for YKHC.
After slowly building a studio from the ground up, the two have learned a lot about recording. Using microphones and computer software, they are able to record their music. One of their songs is based on the fire that occurred in Hooper Bay in August 2006, written by Anthony for Ohmindyou. Anthony, whose Yup’ik name is Uitang’aq, has plans to learn how to play the cello and piano to add to his musical repertoire. When he is not playing the guitar, he works at ATS as an airplane loader.
With the knowledge of recording and mixing music, Michael also has the skills and patience to remaster old cassette tapes. He was able to fix the sound of an old cassette tape belonging to Peter Twitchell.
“It was very time consuming, but maybe someday I can start a business doing that and also recording other artists, but not right now,” he said. “But Peter, he heard my band’s demo cd before and really liked the sound of the music we had. So impressed that he just had to call me on a project he wanted me to work on for him. An old tape that he had put together when he was my age.”
Their music? What sound is that?
“It’s called Screamo, post-hardcore,” said Michael. “But we don’t swear in our music and we are strongly against swearing in our lyrics. People step back (stereotypically) and think the screaming is bad, but it’s not out of anger but in passion for the music. We are extremely passionate about our music and this is the kind of music that we like to listen to and love to make.”
“We try not to get a negative output in our style of playing. We try to put out the most positive aggressive sort of sound without coming across in a bad way. We try not to influence negative things. When I write the lyrics for Ohmindyou, I try to look at the positive side of things, like a dedication. I dedicate songs to people that I’ve known and what they mean to me,” said Anthony.
The group has plans to relocate to Anchorage perhaps in the future to further pursue their music and other interests.
“We just want to make music,” said Michael. “And already we have fans from all over the world. The albums that we are also coming out with will be engineered by top of the line masters in mixing music.”
KNA Youth Farm celebrates Arbor Day with tree planting
6-12-07
by Norm Stadem
The Kuskokwim Native Association (KNA) Youth Farm, at Aniak, Alaska, has done it again. Under the guidance of Diana Lehman, Education and Training Director, the farm has come up with another first for the Farm. Recall that in 2003, the Youth Farm Crew was awarded the Pacific Rim Region Association of RC&D Councils (Pac Rim), their Outstanding Youth Involvement Award. A significant achievement competing with some 150 councils in 5 states and 2 commonwealths.
This year, on May 22, the KNA Farm held an “ARBOR DAY” tree planting at the KNA Youth Farm. School children were bused to the farm, they were issued their seedlings, they dug their holes with oversized shovels and planted seedlings, which will eventually grow into a windbreak. Just visualize those seedlings growing into a windbreak.
Diana Lehman arranged to purchase the 140 seedlings (20 birch, 60 blue spruce, 60 white spruce) from the Cook Inlet Chapter of the Society of American Foresters.
The children enjoyed a universally favorite lunch of hotdogs, chips and sodas along with runny noses. A whole lot of fun was had by all, while at the same time motivating the NRCS mission, “Helping People Help the Land.” Clearly, an excellent example of local volunteers making a positive difference in their community and training a new generation of volunteers. Diana hopes to make this an annual event.
Over the past several years, the farm has become an important part of the Aniak youth culture. The youth are involved in every phase of farm activity from preparing the soil, planting crops, fertilizing, weeding, irrigating and finally harvesting the crops during the Interior Rivers State Fair. Rob Sampson, former NRCS State Conservation Engineer, was instrumental in assisting the Farm to install an irrigation system, which continues to work like a Swiss watch, but is in need of expansion.
Age-appropriate tasks are assigned to all young volunteers who want to participate. Potatoes are harvested and the bulk of the crop is donated to elders. Other crops are harvested by the youth and given to elders or sold at the Interior Rivers State Fair in August. It’s well worth a visit.
Norm Stadem is the RC&D Coordinator.
Local students help professional biologists with Moose Captures
5-9-07
by Brian J. McCaffery
During the second week of April, four local students assisted federal and state biologists in an important moose study along the Lower Kuskokwim River. High school students Eddie Corp and Richard Robb from Bethel, and David Guy and George Maxie from Kwethluk, enjoyed a unique experience working side by side with professional biologists.
The four young men flew in an R-44 helicopter, were dropped off next to moose that had been darted with tranquilizers, and helped biologists collect data and put radio collars on the moose.
During the week’s work, 38 moose were captured, including 28 adult cows and 10 female calves. Thirteen of the cows already carried radio collars. These collars were removed by the capture team so that GPS data stored in the collars could be downloaded. The other 15 cows got new GPS collars that will tell biologists exactly where they go over the next two years. By learning about where the collared moose travel, biologists will better understand the effect of the moose hunting moratorium on the Lower Kuskokwim River. If the moratorium is successful, local residents should have better moose hunting opportunities in the years ahead.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Pollux Aviation, and pilots from the Alaska State Troopers all cooperated to make this project a success. The participation of the students, however, made it particularly memorable for all involved. Two accounts of the students’ experiences are included below in their own words.
Brian J. McCaffery is the Education Specialist for the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.
A Once-In-a-Lifetime Experience
by Richard Robb
As we eagerly walked out of the hangar towards the awaiting helicopter, we ducked to stay clear of the spinning blades and climbed into the small red aircraft. The blades started picking up speed and the helicopter shook violently as it left the ground and turned towards the river. My heart beat rapidly as we watched the houses quickly pass under our feet and my hair blew in the wind coming through the removed door of the helicopter.
After only a couple of miles, we neared the paralyzed moose; the pilot circled and gently landed the aircraft in a frozen meadow. We quickly climbed out of the helicopter and started walking into the thick willows. After traveling for about 50 yards, we reached the downed moose and the two biologists that were tending to it. The large cow moose was calmly panting in the cold morning air as we took pictures and put a radio collar around its thick neck.
After a few minutes, the biologists injected a reversal drug into the moose to revive it from the paralysis. It took the moose three minutes to get on its feet and walk away into the brush. The two biologists then took off in the helicopter and searched for another moose to dart and tag. The four-person helicopter did not have enough room for all of us so we reminisced about the once-in-a-lifetime experience while we waited for the aircraft to come pick us up and return us to the hangar back in Bethel.
The whole purpose of this moose capturing experiment is to see if the closure of moose hunting in this area has an effect on the moose population. From their studies, the biologists hope to find out if the closure is working and if the moose population is steadily climbing.
Learning about the Moose Lifestyle
by Eddie Corp
On April 12, 2007, I went on a moose tagging project with the Fish and Wildlife. We left in a helicopter and went to check up on a cow moose that they were taking a health examination on.
When we got there, the moose was already sedated and laying on the ground. We took its temperature, tagged the ear, measured the fat content, measured the legs, and we put a radio collar on it so that they can see the movement and location of the animal for the next year or so. When we were all done, they gave it a reverse drug so that the sedative would wear off and the moose can get on its way back into the woods quicker.
I thought that the experience was interesting because we got to fly in a helicopter and that I didn’t know that there were moose living so close to town. While helping them, I learned a lot about the lifestyle of the moose.
I would like to thank the Fish and Wildlife Service office for giving me this opportunity because some day I may want to have a career in biology with the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Local high school students monitor salmon
escapement in Upper Kuskokwim River tributaries
4-24-07
by David Orabutt
The Kuskokwim Native Association (KNA) is currently recruiting for 20 high school students to spend one week working side by side with KNA and Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) staff on salmon research and management projects.
The high school interns will help with daily data collection and complete some assignments focused on fisheries management and ecology.
Internships are fun, exciting, relevant, and educational. A typical day includes counting salmon in a spawning stream; sampling fish for information that allows biologist to characterize the age, sex, and size structure of the spawning populations, spending an hour or so exploring a topic in fisheries through reading and talking to biologists and technicians, doing a science project like suiting up in a dry suit and snorkeling to observe fish in their natural habitat, and then having some free time to explore around camp, swim, or do something else fun.
After completing their work interns receive a $250 stipend and meet state standards needed for graduation. In additions, interns gain valuable work experience and get a cool summer trip. The response from past interns has been incredible...they really enjoy this opportunity!
“Word about the intern program has been spreading within the student body” said Marcus Dammeyer, science teacher at George Morgan Sr. High School in Kalskag, “This year I had students asking me about applications in the middle of winter. Some of my Junior High students are anxious to turn 14 so they can apply. The exposure to real field science is a great experience. I encourage all my students to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Since 1998, local youth have been helping monitor salmon runs at the George and Tatlawiksuk River weir projects through the KNA Fisheries High School Internship Program. The goals of the program are to increase local involvement in fisheries management and monitoring, and to increase communications and understanding among management agencies and local communities. This is done by directly engaging youth in fisheries fieldwork and teaching them about fisheries science.
However, the learning is not a one-way street. Interns have local perspectives about communities, the natural environment, and fisheries management that they teach fisheries biologists and technicians that often are not from the Kuskokwim area.
“From personal experience I can attest that working with the interns has improved my understanding of the culture, societal needs, and ecological perspectives of local residents, and I believe that this benefits management agencies and improves people’s perception of fisheries research projects,” said Dan Costello, ADF&G Fishery Biologist. Costello has directly worked with several KNA interns.
Everyone benefits from local youth involvement in fisheries monitoring projects:
•More local people are employed in Kuskokwim area fisheries management.
•Local youth learn about fisheries and gain direct, firsthand experience with fisheries monitoring which will help communities as these youth become tomorrow’s leaders and advisory council representatives.
•Monitoring Projects maintain close ties with nearby communities and people which lead to better communication and understanding. Local people get an inside view into the daily operations at the weirs through the direct experiences of their youth and agency employees get an inside view into the lives of local residence through the interactions and stories of high school interns.
The upshot is that we have a more open fisheries management process and much better communications between agencies and local people.
Contact David Orabutt, KNA Fisheries Director to receive an application package and learn more about the program (907-675-4384). This Program is open to all Kuskokwim area youth from 14-19 years old; however, KNA members receive preference.
The Kuskokwim Native Association recognizes and thanks our members for their strong support of this program, Kuskokwim ADF&G staff for their involvement, Federal Office of Subsistence Management for their long-term funding of this and other monitoring programs, the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative for supplemental funding in 2007, and Bering Sea Fisherman’s Association and Coastal Villages Region Fund for their financial support of weir operations. In the past two years the high school internship program has been strengthen greatly by the involvement of Dana and Rainy Diehl who served as KNA Fisheries Education College Interns in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
David Orabutt is the Fisheries Director and Fish Biologist for the Kuskokwim Native Association.
World Class accomplishments by our own World Class students
4-24-07
by Marc Leinberger
3-2-1 Go! The sound of a bell ringing (like that of a boxing match) to announce the start of the next contest reverberates throughout the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. At the same time, thousands of rabid fans – youth and adult, some with dyed hair, face paint, banners waving – cheer for the allied and opposing teams to excel.
This is the excitement of the FIRST World Robotics Championships which the BRHS Warrior Vex Challenge Robotics Team members, Doug Lucas and Levi Wegner, felt and witnessed on April 12-14, 2007. The championships consist of 10,500 robotics team members between the ages of 11 and 18 in 3 divisions who participate in a cooperative-competitive atmosphere.
The BRHS Warriors competed with the top 100 robotics teams from 5 countries: U.S., Canada, Mexico, China, and Singapore in the FIRST Vex Challenge division of this year’s competition. “Vex”, as it is called, is the next division above the FIRST Lego League, which over 300 LKSD students have been participated in the past couple of years.
The road to Atlanta for this team started in August as part of Shane Wegner’s physics class, and then a short intense season in March, which ended up pitting two BRHS robotics squads against each other. As the pilot for Alaska, a team from Bethel was guaranteed a berth in this year’s competition. There was some uncertainty about whether or not this untested team would succeed at this level of competition, as there were no other teams to compete with in the state to test their skills.
However, the team that went to Atlanta had a lot of help along the way from their classmates and mentors Bob Brown of KuC, parent volunteer and all-around robotics guru Tom McCallson, and coach Shane Wegner. Going into the World Championships, the team was cautiously optimistic. After all, there were great mentors who kept the team focused and there was the team from Oscarville, who last spring performed admirably in the FIRST Lego League division at this level. Without the encouragement and cooperation of all involved, BRHS probably would not have been as successful as they were at the competition in Atlanta.
And they were very successful! Remember, this is the first Vex team ever from Alaska and the first team ever to compete at the World Robotics Championships…
Pit Area
A pit area is located near the Georgia Dome where all teams put last minute touches on the robots they have designed, engineered and constructed this year. Between matches, teams often find themselves making repairs. The BRHS team had to replace motors, batteries, broken gears, reroute electrical leads, fix mechanical and design problems, reprogram their robot, and address many other details to prepare for successive matches. All in an extremely small amount of time. In the evenings, the hotel room was transformed into an additional pit area, where Doug and Levi kept improving their robot.
Scholarship Row
Just outside of the pit area is Scholarship Row, where robotics team members can collect information and applications for scholarships from over 50 universities and organizations such as MIT, Embry-Riddle, Motorola, Raytheon, FIRST and even the CIA. These scholarships are available ONLY to students who participate in the FIRST robotics programs.
Competition
In the Vex Challenge, each team presents its Engineering Notebook to and is interviewed by a team of judges who are practicing engineers, scientists, educators, and business leaders. In this fashion, the students are able to describe the challenges they faced during the season, their solutions, talk about the special features of their teamwork, programming, robot design and overall strategy.
Afterward, each robotics team is paired with another team to form an “alliance”, which competes with another two team alliance in a 2 minute 20 second match on a 12’x12’ playing field. With 4 robots compiling points and employing both offensive and defensive strategies, it is a fast paced match. The first 20 second period is for a robot to operate solely using the EasyC computer program the students have designed and written for the robot. This is called ‘autonomous mode’. Next comes a 2 minute period in which the robot is directed by remote control, or R/C mode. In the end, the alliance team with the highest score win the match.
Scoring
Three criteria determine the final placing of robotics teams at this competition. The win/loss record of the team, the Qualifying Points which are based on wins, losses and ties, and Ranking Points which is the cumulative points scored by the opposing alliances. The goal in a match is to have both teams score as high as possible – and still have the highest score at the end. The better the opposing alliance does, the more Ranking Points a team is awarded. In fact, it is ok for an alliance to score points for the other team to increase the Ranking Points. However, this is risky since it means the other team may end up with more points and win the match.
BRHS Robotics Team Match Results
Qualifying Round Match 1 Standing after Match 1: 55th
BRHS Warrior Alliance 23, Team Canada and Oregon Alliance 55
Qualifying Round Match 2 Standing after Match 2: 23rd
BRHS Warrior Alliance 76, Georgia and Missouri Alliance 45
Qualifying Round Match 3 Standing after Match 3: 13th
BRHS Warrior Alliance 100, South Carolina and California Alliance 33
Qualifying Round Match 4 Standing after Match 4: 4th
BRHS Warrior Alliance 36, Team China and New Jersey Alliance 18
Win/Loss Record 3-1-0 Qualifying Points 6 Ranking Points 151
After the Qualifying Points and Ranking Points had been tallied from all teams, the BRHS Warrior Robotics Team finished in 28th place among the 100 teams at the competition. The top 24 teams made it to the final Elimination Round – including two of the BRHS Alliance partner teams.
Closing Ceremonies
In the final ceremonies, FIRST founder Dean Kamen addressed the 25,000 spectators: Who are the heroes we have as role models for our nation’s youth? Professional athletes, rap singers, Hollywood superstars? Why not scientists, business leaders, engineers, and technologists who are everyday trying to – and are – making human existence of higher quality We are struggling for the attention of our youth. What we expose them to and the people they come in contact with are what they will remember and have to look forward to. Here at FIRST, we are changing the culture of youth by putting them in touch with real scientists and mentors who can inspire them and show them how what they are learning is important. Let’s inspire students to dream and do the amazing things that make our economy and nation strong and admired. Scientific and technological innovation will be the determining factors in our nation’s future. That is what FIRST is about – setting students along a path that will make them problem solvers, scientific thinkers, and knowledgeable about the uses of science, math, engineering and technology in their lives.
Presenting awards and giving words of encouragement at this year’s ceremonies were: Chad Hurley, inventor and founder of YouTube.com and PayPal.com; Dr. Tony Tether, Director of DARPA – the U.S. government organization that 20 years ago invented the Internet; General Motors Vice-President, who recognized the thousands of young women on robotics teams in the audience, representing the largest group of young women who gather on the planet each year to celebrate their interest and knowledge in science, math, engineering and technology – and get praise for it; U.S. Secretary of Commerce – who sees young participants in the FIRST robotics programs as part of the solution to the United State’s economic picture.
Marc Leinberger is the Math Education Specialist and Robotics Program Coordinator for the Lower Kuskokwim School District.
New 2007 Mr. and
Miss Cama-i crowned
4-5-07
Joe Forbes of Togiak and Flossie Wahlberg of Bethel were crowned this year’s Mr. and Miss Cama-i at the Cama-i Festival last weekend. Seven contestants, a record number, entered the Mr. Cama-i contest while four entrants vied for the Miss Cama-i crown. Miss Cama-i will travel to Anchorage to represent the Cama-i Festival at the 45th Annual World Eskimo Indian Olympics, which will be held on July 18-21, 2007. The 2008 Cama-i Festival is scheduled for April 4-6, 2008.
2007 Upriver Science Fair
3-14-07
by Dave Bonanno
The 2007 Upriver Science Fair was held in Crooked Creek for two days on Feb. 22nd and 23rd. Students flew in from Stony River, Sleetmute, Red Devil and Chuathbaluk to participate. A total of 16 students traveled to Crooked Creek in all.
The theme this year was jet propulsion. Primary students were given a nifty torpedo-shaped balloon powered car which they raced in the gym. The intermediate and middle-school students made balloon-powered cars from a kit of straws, tongue depressors, rubber-bands and plastic wheels. The High School students made a flying space shuttle out of tag-board and read about STS missions on the NASA website. Their model space shuttle was flown in the gym. They heard a bit about vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) and then got to go outside and launch a water-powered pump rocket. The rockets easily flew 50 ft in the air!
Traveling students spent the night in Crooked Creek this year, and enjoyed science activities as well as a movie in the evening. Most judging was completed on Thursday, the 22nd, with a few students having to present their projects to judges the following day. The awards ceremony was at 11:20 on Friday with students flying back to their sites soon afterward. All in all, it was a fine Science Fair!
2007 Upriver Science fair Winners
1st – 3rd grade
1st Place: Nicky Loomis (RDV) “Torsion Catapult”
2nd Place: Austin Wilmarth (RDV) “Propulsion Vehicle”
Elementary Division (4th – 6th Grade)
1st Place: Desmond Thomas and Alison Zaukar (CKD)“Dirty Snow”
2nd Place: Sam Keene (CKD) “How does this sound?”
3rd Place: Fred Morgan (CKD) “Race Car Kit”
Middle School Division (7th – 9th Grade)
1st Place: Oxenia Sakar and Katie Anderson (CKD)“The Beat Goes On!”
2nd Place: Wendy Parent and Vanessa Avakumoff (CKD) “Water Testing”
3rd Place: Phyllis Phillips, Josephine Phillips and Denise Peterson (CHU) “Doubling Dough Balls”
High School Division (10th – 12th Grade)
1st Place: Tracy Parent (CKD) “99.9% - How True Is It?”
Tie for 2nd Place: Johni Lea Clark (CKD) “In our Face” and Jeffery Hunter and William Nesbit (CHU) “Air Pressure”
3rd Place: Bedusha Thomas (CKD) “Dissolved Oxygen”
Lower Kalskag students
celebrate Ben Bruce Day
2-28-07
by Rick Kamm
Ben Bruce, 41, pulled out of Bethel at midnight Saturday, February 17, with twelve dogs—one for each foot of his long freight sled. He had traversed this same route almost a month earlier when competing in the Kuskokwim 300. He set a record in that event, a dubious one to be sure.
“I took the longest time to complete the race. My goal is not to win or, even work towards building a winning string of dogs. My goal is to have fun and attempt to finish the race.”
This night was not for racing though. This night’s goal was a schoolhouse full of kids in Lower Kalskag (a checkpoint on the K300 route where Ben took time during his mandatory rest break to visit kids in their classes and promised to return). At the head of the team ran a slight, all white, four-and-a-half-year-old female named Pearl. She led the dozen runners, a motley crew of stray, orphaned, and unwanted canines, up the Kuskokwim in sub-zero degree weather with Ben alternately pedaling with his foot and thrusting with his ski pole.
“You get into a rhythm,” he said. “It helps the team just a bit.”
The old K300 trail was useless for this trip because it went over sand and gravel bars that had shed their snow cover due to recent warm temperatures.
“I had to stick to the river, but that was jumble ice and very rough mixed with glare ice. Very hard on the dogs. I made a rest stop to feed them, check between their toes for ice crystals, and, above all, cook the dogs’ food. I got maybe an hour of light sleep, not enough to recharge any batteries.”
About thirty miles outside the Yup’ik village of Lower Kalskag, the rough conditions caught up with Ben. He began to wonder if his two limping dogs, Nova and Trouble, would be able to hold out when the left runner cracked, just in front of the footboard. A good musher has to be prepared.
“Among other things I carry an emergency pouch--just in case the dogs take off with my sled--with matches, firestarter, some first aid, spare batteries for my headlamp, and parachute cord—great for jerry-rigging a broken runner.”
Ben crawled into Kalskag at 6:30 a.m., after eighteen hours on the ice. Sue McDonnell, lead teacher for the elementary, who’d spent half the night looking for the musher, had Ben in a pick-up truck by seven a.m. with the principal, Bill Gilliland, headed for the high school shop where two early-bird teachers, Marcus Dammeyer and Ray Tubbs, would soon mend the sled runner with wood screws, splints, and epoxy glue. By eight-thirty Ben found himself back at the Lower Kalskag school, where a large banner proclaimed Ben Bruce Day, eating a specially-prepared pancake breakfast with community members and sixty-five kids, all eager for him to sit at their table. By nine the sled traveled back via truck where it was unloaded into the all-purpose gym/lunchroom to sit several hours for the glue to cure while Ben talked mushing and dogs to the four elementary classes in turn.
“An outsider watching me train dogs might think I’m cruel, but in the world of dogs, dominance rules. If two dogs are fighting, I can sit back and let them tear each other to pieces and make my life miserable, or I can step in, be the alpha male, and let my dogs know who’s in charge. I can also do that without being cruel to my animals. Harsh, demanding, firm, but not cruel.”
Dogs are not the only ones who respond to the alpha male that so aptly describes six-foot-two Ben Bruce. In the classroom, a gaggle of eleven and twelve-year
