Youth News

John Street from Bethel, Alaska, and this year’s valedictorian of Bethel Regional High School, has received a $1,500 Pre-Engineering Student scholarship to attend the University of Anchorage. The scholarship was awarded by the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME).
According to NACME, Street is one of 95 high-achieving high school seniors who received the scholarship this year to help with the cost of undergraduate tuition. In order to apply for and win the scholarship, Street had to meet stringent guidelines for academic excellence, demonstrate leadership skills, and show a commitment to science and engineering as a career goal.
Said Street of the scholarship, “The NACME Pre-Engineering Student scholarship will help me not to worry so much about tuition payments and focus instead on college.”
The NACME Pre-Engineering Scholarship is made possible by the generous donations from NACME Board companies, individuals and various foundations.
Since 1974, NACME has supported more than 22,000 underrepresented minority students and awarded more than $114 million in scholarships through a national network of leading corporate and university partners. For more information, please visit the NACME website at www.nacme.org.

Kako camp hoping to ‘mine’ nuggets for the future
Bible camp hoping Native Corps can help expand its reach

BUSTER CREEK – When Dave Penz came north to Alaska in 1955, he found himself chasing the dream of finding gold. With that in mind, he bought the old Buster Creek Gold Mine camp and set about looking for nuggets.
Fortunately for Penz, the mine turned out to be a lemon. Low gold prices forced Penz to turn re-evaluate his mining plans. Make lemonade from the lemon, so to speak.
Or, as Penz likes to look at it, mine a little happiness for the Yukon-Kuskokwim’s youth.
“I bought this old gold mine and developed it,” said Penz. “The gold prices weren’t so good then so we decided to do something with it. Something that could help people.”
The end result was the Kako Retreat Center, a sprawling self-contained Bible camp that opened in 1995 and now offers week-long vacations to area youngsters. The camp is located about 10 air miles northwest of Russian Mission and 17 air miles from Marshall.
“We wanted somewhere where the kids could come and have fun. A place where they could come, play and feel loved, and learn about the Bible.” Penz said. “Kids need to be happy. We want to see them grow up and learn about God, and become productive and happy adults.”
Through the camp, Penz and his employees bring in groups of 40-45 youths every week during the summer – offering the Y-K youths from more than 23 villages the opportunity to experience programs on wilderness survival, boating, canoeing, camping, swimming lessons, repelling down a tower and, of course, Bible study.
“We have a lot of programs here that the kids like,” said Penz. “They are pretty busy all the time when they come here, and they seem to enjoy it. They keep coming back every year.”
“We advertise to all the Delta kids,” he said. “They come in here on Mondays and spend the week before going home on Friday nights. It really is something special.”
Penz said the camp costs approximately $300 per person, but that youths are asked to cover only $100 of that – if they can.
“The cost for the kids is $100 for a week,” he said. “We realize that a lot of the youths from the village don’t have a lot of money, and because of that we don’t turn anyone away if they don’t have the money. If they want to come, we’ll try and find a sponsor for them. This is about more than money. This is about helping them grow up and be good people and learn a little about God.”
Penz said he is hoping to forge a working relationship with the area Native corporations to help increase the reach of the camp. With the support of the corporations, more Y-K children could learn about the camp and attend.
“I would love to get the Native corporations to come on and help,” he said. “We have a lot of Native children here and we all want to see them grow up and have a good life. By working with the Native corporations, I think we can help do that.”
Penz said the idea of starting a youth Bible camp originally came to him in the late 1980s while working at a camp near Stony River. That camp, he said, drew large interest from village children upriver.
“We started with a two week camp there,” he said. “It went really well. The kids were interested in getting away and having fun. I thought we should have something like this for the children here.”
After deciding to change the gold mining camp into a youth Bible retreat, Penz changed the name to Kako, the Yup’ik word for clay.
“It just reminded me that God is the potter and we are the clay,” he said. “Hopefully, what we do here can help mold new lives for people.”
Since construction at the camp was completed in 1995, Penz said he has tried hard to expand the camp’s range of services. Currently, he said the Kako Retreat Center holds youth Bible Camps as well as various programs for adults in the winter.
“We try to cover the needs of our people,” he said. “There is nothing like this in Alaska. We’re proud of what we have accomplished so far. I think if we can work a deal with the Native corporations, we can do even more.”
Youths looking to attend the Kako Retreat Center should contact the facility at (907) 584-5695, or visit the center’s website at www.kako-retreat.org. People can also write for applications at Kako Retreat Center, Inc., Box 29, Russian Mission, AK, 99657.

The Gladys Jung Sandhill Cranes Kubb teams hosted the Crane Kubb Classic last weekend at the elementary playground. Five teams from GJ along with three from Kwethluk participated in the event.
Kubb, pronounced “koob” is a Viking stick throwing game, said Ross Drury – a GJ team coach.
“It is kind of like chess on the ground,” he said. “The object of the game is to knock down all of your team’s kubbs – blocks of wood - and that team has to return them into the other team’s field and then they have to knock their own kubbs over before they can resume play on the opposing team’s kubbs.”
In Kubb, the battle goes back and forth until the last kubb is knocked down and then that team has to go for the middle block, which is called the King with six stick throws. That team could lose eventually if they can’t knock the king down in six throws.
“It is good strategy and excitement right until the bitter end,” Drury said.
Drew Pekar, a 5th grader on the GJ Viking Team said he really enjoys Kubb. His team made it to the championship round. What is his strategy?
“Reversing the kubby men and my strategy is to throw them low and keep my arms straight,” he said.
The Kubbers were treated to a potluck dinner on Friday and a picnic lunch on the playground on Saturday. The last Kubb tournament was held back at the old Kilbuck School playground a while back and Drury is looking forward to having this event again next spring.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a college student for a day? Eighty-three 6th graders from Gladys Jung and Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Elementary schools found out just that.
On April 9, 2010, students were invited to UAF’s Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel for the 2nd annual I’m Going to College (IGTC) program.
IGTC in Alaska is made possible by a partnership between the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA), the University of Alaska College Savings Plan and the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) AlaskAdvantage Programs. Statewide, University of Alaska campuses will host over 1900 5th and 6th grade students in 2010.
Before arriving on campus, students received activity books in which they learned about the benefits of a college education, college costs, financial aid, career exploration and more. They learned how to find a college and how to prepare academically for college.
When students arrived at KuC, they were welcomed at the Cultural Center by Mary Pete, KuC Director, and Larry Kairaiuak, ACPE K-12 Specialist. After receiving their backpacks filled with educational goodies, they were off to classes and a tour of campus. Classes included “Scramble to Unscramble” word game, Statistical Scientific Investigations, Blood Pressure Fundamentals and Through the Microscope: A Look at Science.
Students also learned about the importance of the Kuskokwim Consortium Library in a college student’s life. Lunch was provided at Sackett Hall, followed by a fun group juggling activity with KuC Asst. Professor Diane McEachern.
At the end of their busy day, students returned to the Cultural Center to receive certificates of accomplishment and piggy banks containing a penny, which signified the beginning of their college savings plans. After weeks of planning and anticipation, the event was over and the college students turned back into 6th graders as they made their way back to Gladys Jung and Ayaprun Elitnaurvik.
Thank you to all for making this special day an overwhelming success.
Amy Wald is the Talent Search Director and ANSEP Coordinator for the UAF Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel, AK.

Yup’ik Olympian
Chythlook-Sifsof visits Bethel
Callan is Keynote Speaker at Girl Scouts event

Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, the first Alaskan Native to participate in the Olympics came to Bethel last Saturday to be the keynote speaker at the Girl Scouts Women of Science event at the Kuskokwim Campus. Her mom Gloria was also with her. Callan, a snowboarder originally from Aleknagik, and member of the U.S. Olympic Team raced in the Snowboardcross event in Vancouver, BC. Although she did not advance to the second round, she took everything with the grace and beauty of a true Alaskan champion. We met with Callan to ask her a few questions about her Olympic experience.
How was it like to go to the Olympics? It was incredible. It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. The whole entire experience was incredible.
We were so proud of you! Thank you.
How did you start snowboarding? I grew up in Aleknagik, which is an hour drive from Dillingham. When I was 7 years old my brother had his old snowboard and he gave it to me. We were pretty much the only people snowboarding and we just did it for fun on the weekends and during any free time we had. We’d hike around and snowmachine mountains and then as I got older, I was 12 years old, my family moved to Girdwood, which is a ski resort outside of Anchorage. Once I was there, I started competing in weekend races and I did well, and then I qualified for a national competition. I went to that which was in Maine and I did well and went the next year. I kept doing well and I got invited to be on a small team in Colorado. After a year of doing that I was invited to be on the U.S. Snowboard team, I was 16. So for the last four years I’ve been traveling with the U.S. Snowboard team and I have been lucky enough to make the Olympics.
After this Bethel trip, you’re going to Europe. Can you tell us about that? Yes, tomorrow I’m going to Italy. I’ve got two World Cup races left for my season and I go to Italy for a week and half and after that is the final World Cup in Spain. So I’ll go there for two weeks and then I’ll come home.
Are you going to compete again in the next Olympics? Four years ago when I made the U.S. team I had in mind that I wanted to go to the Olympics and it was something I had been working for and honestly the last four years have gone by so fast. Four years definitely seems like a long time, but when you’re looking forward to it, I think it just goes by really quick. I want to definitely participate in the Russian Olympics.
Besides snowboarding, what do you like to do? When I get out to Aleknagik, I like to fish, anything outdoors. When I’m at home in Girdwood I like to skateboard and hike, and camp.
Do you have a Yup’ik name? Yes, my Yup’ik name is Qaayuralria. My grandpa is Adam Chythlook, my other grandpa is Victor Sifsof. I had a grandma who died when I was little from cancer, her name was Jeweline.
What would you like to say to all your fans in the YK Delta? Everybody has been so supportive in Alaska, everywhere. It’s really emotional and a very incredible experience.
Quyana Callan! We wish you the best of luck on your World Cup Tour and we’ll be looking forward to seeing you at the 2014 Winter Olympics!
During her keynote address, Callan showed a video of one of her training runs in Vancouver. She also brought her Olympic snowboarding jacket and snowpants that she wore during the competition. She answered questions, had pictures taken, and signed autographs for all the girl scouts. Callan wished to stop by the 1A Coastal Conference tournament at the high school but had a plane to catch.

Jeremiah Klejka added another chapter to his family’s successful sled dog racing history last weekend by mushing his way to fourth in the Junior Iditarod Sled Dog Race, a 160-mile race from Willow to Yentna Station and back held on Feb. 27-28.
A 16-year-old freshman at Bethel Regional High School, Klejka turned in a stellar effort at the event, improving by five spots and more than one hour from his last year’s rookie outing. Klejka finished just 16 minutes behind Rebekah Rusicka of Anchor Point for third.
Klejka mushed his team under the finish line at 12:42 p.m. on Sunday.
For Klejka, the run makes him the second family member to finish in the top five of the event. His older sister, Jessica, won the race in 2008.
Merissa Osmar, a third generation musher, won the 2010 Junior Iditarod title. The granddaughter of former Iditarod champion Dean Osmar, the 15-year-old Skyview High School freshman outraced Cantwell’s Anitra Winkler to the finish line. Spain’s Guillermo Anton finished fifth.

To catch a Red Fox we used the Alaska Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series website. We found out that they eat small mammals. We also found out when they mate, which is in February and March. This information is important because we can use what they eat for bait, and when they mate we can set double traps.
Setting traps is fun. First, we had to find a place where most fox usually go to find food. Next, we had to tie a wire around the tree connecting the foothold trap to keep it in place. Finally, we had to put bait near the tree to catch the fox’s attention.
Almost everyday we checked the Fox traps to see if we caught a fox. When we checked the Fox traps we had to stay at least 50-100 feet away because if we got too close, we could bring out the human smell and scare the foxes away.
When caught our first fox, we were curious about what they ate, how their organs looked and how they digest their food. Before we did that, we had to skin the fox with a sharp knife and dry the skin on a stretcher. It was a little difficult, but we completed it. When we were done, we used some of the organs for bait.
Researching the fox was difficult, but we did have a chance to set the traps, check them almost everyday, skin it, and dissect it. We, the eighth graders, had a fun science project.

Clarence Matthias received $100 as the 1st place winner of the Nightmute School Family Night Art Contest held on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. The theme was Kenekluki Mikelnguut, Love for Children. Clarence’s drawing will be replicated and enlarged as a full wall mural on the outside of the school building. The wall mural will be created in better weather in the spring or fall. The Nightmute gym was packed with contestants. Julia Tulik spoke on the theme. The Elder’s Council served as judges. Many people agreed it was a fun family night.

The Fall 2009 Upriver Science Fair was held in Chuathbaluk this year, November 19th and 20th. Students traveled from Stony River, Sleetmute and Crooked Creek to participate in the event. The theme was “winter safety” and also had an emphasis on how animals of this region survive the winter. Both days had students rotating through centers with different topics such as frostbite, hypothermia, how well animal furs insulate and making animal tracks in plaster of Paris.
Results:
High School Division (Grades 10-12th):
1st Place – Jacob Wise – Chuathbaluk “Music makes a difference”
2nd Place – Eva Felker and Alison Zaukar - Crooked Creek “Water vs. Ice”
3rd Place – Leann Kvamme – Chuathbaluk “Battery Potatoes”
Middle School Division (Grades 7 – 9th):
1st Place – Josephine Phillips – Chuathbaluk “Consequences of Tobacco use”
2nd Place – Rayna Waskey and Mercedes Thomas – Crooked Creek “Hypothermia”
3rd Place – Maria Fisher – Chuathbaluk “Fingerprints”
Elementary Division (Grades 4 – 6th):
1st Place – Michael Gusty – Stony River “Weighing Air”
2nd Place – Sam Mellick and Chelsea Zaukar – Sleetmute “Solar Energy”
3rd Place – Philip Phillips – Chuathbaluk “Fruit Cells”

You may be asking to yourself, “What does SIOP have to do with science?” or even “What is SIOP?” SIOP stands for Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol and it is an instructional model that is being implemented by LKSD in all schools this year to help improve students’ academic achievement. SIOP provides teachers with a well-researched model of best practices for high quality language instruction, especially to bilingual students.
SIOP has been developed to teach all subjects along with the language, whether it is the Native language, such as Yup’ik or English, that is needed to be successful in that subject, such as math or science. As part of the SIOP plan, teachers integrate language goals, such as reading, writing, speaking and listening, into every class, along with content goals, such as science, math, language arts, social studies or health.
Elementary teachers in Chefornak are developing science notebooks to increase writing in science as well as giving students the opportunity to explore the natural environment. Science notebooks give students the opportunity to learn science and develop their skills in writing. Research shows that use of science notebooks greatly increases academic achievement in science, and in addition, test scores in other subject areas increased by 26%.
Chefornak teachers follow the SIOP model by first giving the students direct instruction, and then modeling what they want the students to do. With science notebooks, students also have the hands-on experience exploring their environment and collecting data in the field. Kindergarteners and first graders gathered plants on the tundra just behind the school and brought them inside to make their observations and write descriptions in their “Science Notebooks.”
They will collect their pages of observations and then add a table of contents and a cover. Next to the word scientist, they write their names.
Teachers demonstrate to students how scientists use science notebooks when they work in the field or do research in labs. She tells them that by collecting data and writing about it in their science notebooks, they are doing real work as scientists.
And being a real scientist is exciting stuff for kindergarteners and first graders.
When students come back into the classroom after collecting data in the field, they write their observations, not in English as many scientists in Alaska do, but in Yup’ik. Along with the support of the Yup’ik curriculum staff, teachers are developing science notebooks with writing prompts in Yup’ik. The teachers note that students are learning how to write complete sentences. Teachers model writing scientific observations in complete sentences and also help students by providing “sentence frames” that help them get started.
Julia Lewis, a first grade teacher says, “Students are doing a lot more writing because I am incorporating writing in science.” That’s important considering writing is an essential skill that students will need as they progress through the grade levels and into the world of work, higher education, and being an active member of the community.
Not only are these young children strengthening their literacy skills in their first language, which is Yup’ik, but they are also learning skills that help them gain job skills. Who knows, someday these young students may be future scientists working out in the field, combining their local knowledge of the environment, Yup’ik epistemology, and their skills as bilingual speakers and writers.

In just 3 hours, Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat Primary School staff with the help of over 90 volunteers raised $6,200 for their classrooms during the 2009 “Little Folks” Halloween Carnival.
“Little Folks” dressed in halloween costumes of all kinds showed up with parents for an afternoon of trick and treats enjoying twelve different events from the football toss to ice fishing, face painting and the always a little scary “haunted classroom”. Another big treat was the extra long hot dogs donated by Crowley Marine in the 2nd grade concession stand.
Also on hand was the YKHC Injury Control Department and Tootsie Guinn from the VFW Ladies Auxiliary who put reflective tape on 92 jackets as part of their safety outreach program.
The annual event has become a popular fundraiser for the school. Sponsors who helped make the carnival so successful were Crowley Marine, Swanson’s, I.D. Variety, KC Supply, The Lumber Yard and A.C. Store. Principal Joshua Gill said, “It’s amazing how the whole community comes together to make this carnival possible, quyana to everyone”.

The Bethel Regional High School Academic Decathlon team has been honing their academic skills in preparation of the upcoming GCI Alaska State Decathlon meet – a chance to take part in the “battle of the brains”.
In Academic Decathlon, students take tests in a number of subjects and compete in a Super Quiz against players from other schools from all over Alaska.
There are 10 categories: Interview, Mathematics, Economics, Literature, Science, Speech, Essay, Art, Music, and the Super Quiz.
Chip Hagedorn is the team’s coach and also the School Safety Officer. Last year, the BRHS team won 8th place overall in the state. The theme of study was “Central America”. 2009 team star Audrey Jeoun brought home two medals – a gold in the Interview and a silver in the Essay competitions.
“Academic Decathlon is a chance for students to learn new subjects and to hone study skills,” said Coach Hagedorn. “They also form good team concepts and camaraderie with other students that they normally wouldn’t hang out with.”
This year 23 students at BRHS are vying for 9 spots and a trip to Anchorage in February, 2010. Each year, national experts create new curriculum materials and establish the theme. This year it is the “French Revolution”.
In the Academic Decathlon challenge, each complete team is made up of a total of nine students. Team members may be in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. Each team has three students in each of the three grade point average categories of: Honors - 3.75-4.00 GPA; Scholastic - 3.00-3.74 GPA; and Varsity - 0.00-2.99 GPA. Each team member competes in all ten events of the Decathlon and is eligible for individual medals in all ten events.
Because Alaska has so many small and remote schools, a combined team is a team of students from different high schools within the same district. In the rural areas of Alaska, this is sometimes the only way to get a team together, says the Academic Decathlon rules. This ruling allows for small rural schools to have a team and ensures that the larger schools do not form an All-star team with a large group of students to pull from.
Last year the Lower Yukon School District Team won 2nd place in the Small Schools Division, and 17th overall. The team that wins the state competition is eligible to represent Alaska at the United States Academic Decathlon National Competition held each April. The sponsors of the GCI Alaska Academic Decathlon will provide travel and accommodations for the National Competition.
One of this year’s team hopefuls is Sarah Pak, a 12th grader, who made it to the state competition last year.
“It’s very interesting and fun,” she said. “The best part is traveling to Anchorage and you get to meet other people.”
This unique program allows students with an “A” “B” or lower GPAs to compete against their peers for scholarships. The GCI Alaska Academic Decathlon also awards a total of nine $1,000 scholarships to the top three individual students in each category of Honor, Scholastic and Varsity. Additional scholarships are made available from Rural Alaska Honors Institute, UAA, UAF, APU, UASE, DeVry and other educational institutes.
Last year, Fairbanks’ Lathrop High School captured the state championship and went on to the national competition in Memphis, Tenn.
The Bethel students have been fundraising for their trip and for their team t-shirts. They were at the Saturday Market last weekend selling homemade baked goodies. Practice is every Wednesday and Friday and more as the state competition approaches.

Early Learning
Activity Guides in Yup’ik
Fun, culturally relevant activities to help build babies’ brains

A reception was held last Wednesday celebrating the publication of early learning activity guides in Yup’ik (Mikelnguut Ayagmek Elluarrluki Anglivkallrat). The event was at the Lions Club in Bethel.
Abbe Hensley, Executive Director of Best Beginnings, was at the reception to personally launch distribution of the new guides. The book launch event was coordinated by Dolly Vasquez, Early Childhood Coordinator for the Lower Kuskokwim School District.
The activity guides contain fun, culturally relevant activities to help babies’ brains grow in ways that will help them succeed in school and in life. There are three guides, one for each of three age ranges: infant (birth to 18 months), toddler (18 months to 3 years), and preschooler (ages 3 to 5).
The guides were funded by grants from the Alaska Children’s Trust and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, with additional support from BP and ConocoPhillips Alaska.
All activities described in the books are based on the State of Alaska’s Early Learning Guidelines, developed by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
Activities for the Yup’ik version were reviewed by Yup’ik educators for cultural relevance, with many new activities added and others modified or exchanged. All translations were done by Marie Meade, a Yup’ik translator originally from Nunapitchuk, who now lives in Anchorage.
Last year, Best Beginnings published activity books in Spanish, and an English version came out earlier this year.
The guides are designed to assist parents, and other adults who work with babies and young children, in understanding child development and offering fun activities that encourage healthy brain development. The activities are geared to specific developmental stages.
Research shows that children’s brains develop at an incredible rate from birth to age 6 and that the type of learning which takes place in the early years has a profound effect on how children fare later in life. Suggested activities in multiple languages are posted regularly on Best Beginnings’ Web site (www.BestBeginningsAlaska.org).
Copies of the books may be requested from Best Beginnings.

“Alaskan youth can and will have a voice.” This was one high school student’s response to the question “What is the most important thing you learned this week?”
This teen was one of the 17 youth from 11 communities across the state who came together to participate in an environmental leadership training sponsored by Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, a program of the National Wildlife Federation.
Participants hailed from Akiak, Alakanuk, Anchorage, Big Lake, Dillingham, Homer, Kotlik, Nome, Port Graham, Seward, and Toksook Bay. In addition to making new friends and learning about the diversity of cultures in Alaska, the group spent the week exploring issues of climate change, environmental justice, renewable energy, and youth activism.
The goals of the annual week-long gathering are to educate youth about climate change, and equip them with skills to take action for the environment.
This is the third year AYEA’s statewide training has focused on using creative expression and technology as tools for environmental action. The event draws a diverse group of youth who learn about each other’s local environmental challenges and develop relationships that bridge geography and culture.
“It is amazing to see the power of art in bringing the teens together. Youth from very different backgrounds come together at these trainings and they really learn a lot from each other. It’s a powerful movement, bridging Alaska’s rural-urban and cultural divisions,” said AYEA Program Coordinator Megan McBride. This year marked one of the most diverse groups to date, with youth from Alaska Native, Samoan, African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Caucasian ethnic backgrounds.
The group met with experts on renewable energy and climate change in Alaska, and the teens shared with each other their own unique experiences with climate change. Students from Anchorage shared stories of unusually hot summers and unusually cold winter spells, while students from coastal villages in the Kuskokwim region shared stories of erosion and having to change their subsistence hunting patterns.
AYEA and National Wildlife Federation are involved with the national movement to connect children with the outdoors. AYEA combats “nature deficit disorder” by emphasizing outdoor play and exploration in all of their trainings. At this event, teens who had never been camping or hiking before got to spend a week sleeping in tents in the mountains. The group hiked up several nearby peaks, enjoying blueberries, wildflowers, and views of the Chugach Mountains and the Anchorage bowl.
Coupled with their exploration of climate change in Alaska, the students participated in intensive art workshops, studying either spoken-word poetry or digital storytelling. In one week, they created art pieces in one of these forms, inspired by their personal connection to the environment and fueled by the environmental education sessions at the training.
At the end of the training, participants shared their finished art pieces at a public performance in Anchorage. The group’s digital stories and videos of the poetry performances will be available soon on AYEA’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/AYEA4LIFE
Teens from the training will be sharing their poetry and digital stories at upcoming conferences: the Bioneers in Alaska Conference, October 2009; First Alaskans Institute’s Elders & Youth Conference, October 2009; Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management, November 2009; and Alaska Forum on the Environment, February 2010.

Christopher Liu, a 2009 graduate of Mount Edgecumbe HS from Bethel, Alaska, was selected to represent Alaska at the National Youth Science Camp® (NYSC) this summer from July 1 to July 25. Liu joined 109 other top high school graduates representing the United States as well as students from nine other countries at the prestigious four-week program, now in its 46th year. The camp, located in the beautiful and rustic setting of the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, integrates scientific programming with opportunities for delegates to explore music, art, and the outdoors.
Each year, eminent scientists from various disciplines travel to the camp to present lectures and directed studies. This year’s lecture topics included: Global Warming, Genomic Medicine, Radio Astronomy, and Energy Sustainability. Throughout camp, a Directed Study series provided extensive “hands-on” experiences in specific fields. According to Liu, “The directed study on ethics and eugenics by Drs. Sam and Elizabeth Hensley caused me to realize the importance of forming an infrastructures that controls ‘gateway eugenics’ beyond law. This study encouraged discussion between the delegates, with topics ranging from religion’s role and societal morals to questioning rationalism itself.” Delegates had the opportunity to dissect a human hand, discuss bioethics, explore forensic science techniques, and search through the DNA sequence of a genetic disease.
In addition to learning about groundbreaking scientific research, delegates also explored their natural surroundings through an extensive outdoor program consisting of hiking, caving, mountain biking, and rock climbing. The delegates may choose from an array of afternoon seminars ranging from Ultimate Frisbee and swing dancing to discussions of philosophy, travel, religion and culture. Regarding these experiences, Liu said, “The outdoor program at NYSC is very important. It disconnects delegates from society and allows them to become more in tune to their surroundings and the earth, which we are all born from.” Christopher Liu is planning to study Biochemistry/Business/Music at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks this fall.
Contributions to the National Youth Science Foundation make it possible for all delegates to attend NYSC free of charge, including round-trip transportation.

The Lower Kuskokwim School District is pleased to announce the 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Amanda Hauk, of Goodnews Bay.
Ms. Hauk has taught in the Lower Kuskokwim School District for six years, having started her career in Chefornak in the fall of 2003. She has taught in Goodnews Bay for the past four years. Amanda earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Western Washington University in 2002, and completed her Elementary Teacher endorsement at the University of Washington in 2003. She completed her Master’s in Special Education through the University of Alaska Southeast in the Spring of 2009.
Amanda was nominated for the Teacher of the Year award by Christopher Carmichael, the Site Administrator at the Rocky Mountain School. Ms. Hauk was selected for her outstanding instructional skills, her high academic standards, and her community involvement. In addition to her giftedness as a teacher, her commitment to excellence is manifested by her commitment to continuous learning. Her dedication to student success is further characterized by her involvement as the cross-country running coach, Future Teachers of Alaska club sponsor, speech team coach, and many other duties for which she willingly volunteers.
As the 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Hauk will be eligible for nomination for Alaska Teacher of the Year next spring.

The trip to South Africa was great. The airfare was $2000.00 per person. That was a total of $10,000 for the 5 of us. Our flight schedule going to South Africa was Shageluk, Aniak, Anchorage, Seattle, New York, Dakar, and Cape Town.
When we got to Cape Town, South Africa we had to go through Customs with our passports to identify ourselves. After that we had to look for our luggage. Then we had to go through security. Finally we entered the beautiful city of Cape Town!
We had to look for the person that was going to bring us to the University of Cape Town there at the airport.
GLOBE put us up in the University dorms. When we got there there were a lot of people waiting to get their rooms. For some reason our wait wasn’t that long. Our dorms were on Upper Campus and most of the buildings had live plants (vines) still growing on them. The birds there were way different, too. We watched them sit in trees, and swim and dive in the water.
It was fantastic. When we got to our rooms I laid down for a while. The rooms were great. After awhile I started putting my clothes away in the closet. When we were done moving into our rooms we went to eat pizza in the student lounge because we got in too late to eat in the cafeteria. The people from the Netherlands were in there watching the World Cup soccer. Their team was playing some other country. They were pretty excited.
The next day we took a cab around Cape Town. The driver sits on the right side of the car and we drive on the left side of the road, opposite of how we drive in the United States. We went to Green-Pointe Harley Davidson store. The boss wasn’t there so we were going to go back later. We went to a couple of different malls. They are like malls in the United States but have different store names.
We met lots of different people from all over the world. As for me, Jack, I was making friends left and right. I had a good time with them. The kids from all over the world liked to play soccer, or “football” as their national sport. I tried playing in the courtyard with my friends after we ate and had a fun time.
Everyday we had to take a shuttle bus called the Jammieson shuttle from Gracha Machel Dorms on Middle Campus to Upper Campus where our meetings and workshops were in Leslie and Jameson Hall.
While we were there, besides presenting our science project and cultural project, they sent us on two days of field days where we got to tour different places in South Africa. I went to three different places. They put all of us kids and chaperones in different tour groups named for animals and plants. My group was called the Leucospermum reflexum or “Rocket Pincushion” which is a flower from Africa. We had to stay with our groups.
One of the places we went to was called Simon’s Town and they had a lot of penguins there. Then we went to Cape Point on the Atlantic Ocean, almost near the spot where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. We had to climb a long ways down a cliff to the ocean. We took water samples there and watched the waves pounding on the beach. I bought a hat with Cape Point South Africa written on it. It also said, “34˚ South 18˚ East.”
We also had lunch there. We had to eat inside of the bus because they were worried about baboons coming to bother us if we ate outside. There was another place we climbed while we were in Cape Town and that was up to a lighthouse on top of a cliff. We stopped a couple of places on our walk to tour some other buildings that were there.
One was the GAWS (Global Atmospheric Watch Station) where they took data on the atmosphere. They had a high air speed tower there, too. When we got to the lighthouse there was a man waiting to teach us some things about the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and said this was the place near where the two oceans met. We learned about the weather there at Cape Point. The tours were very interesting.
Our science and cultural presentations were very, very good. Our lecture hall was packed with kids and scientists. They asked us a lot of questions about how climate change effects changes in cultural traditions. They were very interested in us.
We saw so many things there. The foods were delicious! The snacks were way different than what we have in the United States. Even their chips were different, no Doritos or Cheetos. Some of the soda pop was different but there was a lot of the same. They even had apple pop. They had different kinds of jerky: ostrich, rhino, zebra and antelope. After a couple of bites you couldn’t put it down; that’s how good it tasted! For breakfast they had some cereals that looked almost the same as our cereals. Every breakfast we had pineapple juice and yogurt made in Dakar.
The last night we were there we ate at a place called “Moya’s” which was an outdoor bar-b-que cook out place, Africa style. We were eating in a very big tent and watched a little show with someone who brought a cheetah. She was 4-years old and huge.
While we were there someone got on the microphone and announced that they found someone’s lost keys number 6C4. They were mine! I had to go up and get them in front of everyone. After that happened, we got to eat all kinds of foods. You had to go up and get your own food with a big plate. They had cooks at different places cooking all kinds of meats like venison, salads, soups, and desserts like ice cream, grapes and Jell-O. As we were eating there was an African dance and drum show that was really loud and fun to watch. There was also someone walking around painting visitors’ faces with African designs.
The next day we were very busy because we had to get ready to go. We packed up, ate breakfast and decided to take a cab and do some shopping again before we had to board the plane for our long trip back home. We went back to the Harley Davidson shop and I bought a hat and a can of pop.
When it was time to leave we went back to get our bags at Gracha Machel and go to the airport to wait for the plane. We waited for four hours for nothing! The Captain of the plane got food poisoning so we had to stay another night. This time they put us up in a 3-star hotel. The next morning around 4:00 AM we had to go back to the airport. We had to wait 8-hours in line because the airline’s computers broke down. When we finally got off it was another 8-hours to Dakar, Senegal. At Dakar we had to stay on the plane again so Dakar security could search the plane. They did that when we came from the United States, too. Again, we were off on the next part of our journey, another 8-hours to New York.
While we were in New York we had to wait again in line another 4-hours to check-in and board our flight to Seattle. In Seattle we only had a 1-hour wait and were off to ANCHORAGE. I was happy to get to Anchorage so I could see my family and give them their gifts from my trip to Africa.
We learned a lot about what is happening in other parts of the world and how other people are affected by climate change. It was the most amazing trip of my life and I am very thankful to have had the chance to show other students in the world about our lives in Shageluk, Alaska as traditional Athabaskans, the last people on the Innoko River and how we deal with climate change.
Jack John is a student at the Innoko River School in Shageluk, Alaska.

Girl Scout Camps have been happening throughout the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta all summer. Since May girls in Hooper Bay, Scammon Bay, Chevak, Marshall, Pilot Station, Bethel, Kwethluk, Atmautluak, Napakiak, Kotlik, Emmonak, Tuntutuliak, Chefornak, Kongiganak, Tununak, Toksook Bay, Newtok, St. Mary’s, Mountain Village, Kipnuk and Kasigluk have participated. Over 1,200 girls will be involved this summer.
Alaska Job Corps Students have been assisting with camp this summer. Arlene Kelly from Pilot Station, Darlene Pater from Tuluksak, Shannon Wasuli from Noatak, Cheryl Waska from Emmonak, Laura Nicolai from Akiak, Bernadette Lincoln from Toksook Bay, Staci Fawcett from Metlakatla and Cristina Roelfs from Wasilla have all worked very hard to help lead fun camps for the girls.
Three students who are a part of the 49th Fellows honors program at the University of Alaska Anchorage helped with Girl Scout camp in Tununak.
Part of this leadership program is a summer experience designed to give Alaskan students an opportunity to experience rural Alaska. The students had a wonderful time in Tununak and are grateful to all of the people they met.
The last few camps for the summer are planned for Kasigluk July 17-23, Nunapitchuk July 23-28, New Stuyahok July 28-August 2, Manokotak August 2-8, Quinhagak July 25-31, Kotzebue August 3-7, and Barrow August 10-14.
Many communities are keeping a Girl Scout program going for the girls following camp. Any community can start a program and Amy von Diest can help you get started.
For questions regarding upcoming camps or the Girl Scout program please contact Amy by email at avondiest@gsscak.org or by phone at 1-800-478-7448.
Amy vonDiest is the Rural Outreach Manager for the Girl Scouts Susitna Council.

On May 15, 2009, Bethel Regional High School graduated 48 seniors. Wearing blue caps and gowns, the graduates entered the WarriorDome in grand style to the music of “Pomp and Circumstance”. The welcome message was given by Principal Janelle Vanasse. Giving the Salutatorian address in was Dimitrios Alexiadis. Joseph Warren, who graduated in just 3 years, presented the Senior Gift. Warren will also be the 2009 Summer Intern for Senator Lisa Murkowski. 2009 BRHS Valedictorian and Ayaprun Elitnaurviat graduate was Jared Boerger. Honored guest and commencement speaker was Chip Abolofia.
Graduates wearing gold ropes indicated honors and high honors. Those wearing the blue stoles signified the National Honor Society, and the silver rope signified Ayaprun Elitnaurvik graduates. Scholarship recipients are as follows.
University of Alaska Scholars Award: Dimitrios Alexiadis, Richard Robb, Daniel Orr, Joseph Warren, Jared Boerger, Danielle Beaver
Reed Grant: Joseph Warren
Dorothy & James Hoffman Memorial Scholarship: Jennifer Klejka
Lions Club Randall Kaycon Memorial Scholarship: Richard Robb
Lions Club Vocational Education Scholarship: Nicholas Wasierski
Lions Club Scholarship: Emerie Fairbanks, Joseph Warren, Christian Osentoski
Delta Western Scholarship: Deanna Rodgers
United Utilites, Inc.: Jared Boerger, Jennifer Klejka
Bethel Art Guild: Emily Vanasse
VFW Voice of Democracy: Joseph Warren, Emerie Fairbanks, Jennifer Klejka, Nicholas Wasierski
VFW Ladies Auxilary VOD: Joseph Warren, Emerie Fairbanks, Jennifer Klejka, Nicholas Wasierski
Vicki Webb Memorial Scholarship: Joseph Warren
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship: Joseph Warren
The student council members for the senior class were: President – Joseph Warren, Vice-president Dani Beaver, Secretary – Jared Boerger, Treasurer – Avery Atti, and Class Representative – Dimitrios Alexiadis.
Class Motto: May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future.

The Kuspuk School District 2009 Upriver Science Fair was held in Sleetmute, Alaska this year on April 28th and 29th. The theme was “aquatic life/river health”. Students flew from Chuathbaluk, Crooked Creek, Red Devil and Stony River to participate in the event.
Activities included testing out how marine mammals keep themselves warm, fish dissection, making stuffed fish, as well as a study of macro-invertebrates.
The Science Fair had special guests this year, Alan Dick and his wife Helen. Alan has been involved in planning and supporting many science fairs in Alaska emphasizing being outdoors. Alan and Helen contributed greatly by showing students how siphoning works and how to make a candle from different materials, including fat from animals.
There were plenty of activities for students on both days, with the awards assembly on Wednesday, April 29th.
Results:
High School Division
1st place – Katrina Bobby and Eric Morgan – Red Devil, Experiment on Insulation
2nd place – Jonah Gregory – Sleetmute, “Handmade Crossbow”
3rd place – Vernon Zaukar – Sleetmute, “Catapult Experiment”
Middle School Division
1st place – Agnes Avakumoff – Chuathbaluk, “Solar Energy”
2nd place – Mercedes Thomas and Rayna Waskey – Crooked Creek, “Solar Energy”
Elementary Division
1st place – Crimson Phillips – Chuathbaluk, “Shocking Produce”
2nd place – Nacole Gusty, Mary Bobby, Michael Gusty and Tyrel Gusty – Stony River, “White Light”
3rd place – Joseph Phillips – Chuathbaluk, “Air Pressure”

Faced with dire environmental consequences from the use and disposal of Styrofoam lunch trays, the Lower Kuskokwim Board of Education moved to abandon Styrofoam for biodegradable trays, cups, and bowls to serve student lunches.
The motion passed during the Board’s regular meeting on March 13, 2009 on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. The item was on the agenda under “Food Service Matters” to discuss using eco-friendly materials instead of Styrofoam.
“Styrofoam is a chemical pollutant,” said Richard Curtis, President of the Board. “The Board decided to go ecologically ‘green’ - we decided to use biodegradable lunch trays.”
According to Curtis, the Board had received a request from Margaret Nickerson of Newtok. She wanted the school in her community to quit using Styrofoam.
“It was all over the place, clogging the landfills,” he said. “And it is not biodegradable.”
The Lower Kuskokwim School District is one of Alaska’s largest rural districts serving approximately 3,800 K-12 students over a 22,000 square mile area with 26 school sites.
Styrofoam poses a serious threat to the environment and health because of its inherent non-biodegradable and chemical composition. It is a non-renewable petroleum byproduct made up of styrene and benzene. Benzene is a classified carcinogen, and styrene is a neurotoxin that is also suspected to cause cancer.
Styrofoam is also non-recyclable and is estimated to take hundreds of years to decompose.
Blair Alden, the Business Manager for LKSD, did some research on the new biodegradable trays and presented samples to the Board - even testing a tray by putting food in it and having it sit for 4 hours.
“It didn’t soak through,” said Alden. “It’s a good product.”
The trays can be used for both cold and hot foods and do not have any plastic or wax coating.
The plan is to use up the current stock of whatever Styrofoam plates and trays that are left. Two connexes of biodegradable lunch trays have been ordered and will arrive by barge, said Alden.
“We would like to make the use of biodegradable products a requirement through the school district,” Alden wrote in a memo to the Board. “The use of petroleum-based Styrofoam trays is no longer acceptable and we need to migrate away from these products.”
“As the sites use up their non-biodegradables, we will ship the new trays out from Bethel. as they request,” said Curtis.
The new disposable, biodegradable, and compostable lunch trays are made from 100% “bagasse”. Bagasse is the residual sugarcane fiber remaining after extraction of juice from the sugarcane. It is a product of the World Centric Company. Although slightly more expensive than Styrofoam, the new paper trays are better.
“Better for the environment,” said Curtis.

The David-Louis Memorial School in Grayling, Alaska started a Chicken Project in August 2008. We ordered 24 Rhode Island Reds from Palmer’s Triple D Farm and Hatchery, we got them while they were a couple of weeks old. The last time we tried to hatch chicken eggs ourselves, they were not able to survive after they hatched.
The kids were very excited when they arrived and wanted to pet every single one of them. They did not know that later in the school year we had to do a lot of research, observations, and hard work to keep these chicks alive and healthy until they were full grown and laying eggs.
There was a lot of fun and hard work involved with the ‘Chicken Project’, but our main concern was to become sustainable in a way that we could help out our community and discover, once again, the values that come along with sustainability and culture. We learned humor, cooperation, sharing, honesty, and of course hard work.
Around mid-September our Teacher/Principal Matthew Brankman, called our Superintendent in McGrath, Alaska to ask them to send us a guy who had the training and certificates to help or guide us in building a 12 by 12 foot coop for our chickens. They were living outside in a small wooden box that was donated to us by Shirley Clark.
He came in the following week and his name was Bob Kountz. The first week Bob and the High School students went over the safety rules of using chainsaws and sawmills and drew a blueprint of how the coop was going to look when they were finished. They began cutting logs down at the local Airport and hauled the logs to Marvin Deacon’s house to be split with a sawmill. They did this a few times, but later decided that plywood would be easier to deal with.
The High School students and Bob did a very good job in building and insulating the coop. It took them a full two and a half weeks to complete this job and then Bob had to leave us to go back home.
The High School students continued working on the coop, because they still needed to build shelves for the eggs that would be laid and posts so the chickens would be comfortable. The coop has its own electricity, installed for us by Skip Johnson, that is separate from the schools.
As the chickens grew, the kids in junior high and high school had a lot of work to do that included: research on what chickens can and cannot eat and how much Chicken Feed will cost for a months supply.
We also did a lot of research on comparing store bought eggs and our eggs. There is a difference in it and that is we know what we feed our chickens and we know that they are healthy and that we would not run out of eggs like some stores in the rural areas do.
We looked over the Anatomy of a chicken and talked about what each part of the Nervous, Respiratory, Circulatory, Digestive, and Reproductive Systems does and how it functions in a chicken.
When the chickens were old enough to lay eggs we started observing the eggs, writing down data about the weight, mass, volume, density, surface features, and the egg whites and yolk, so we can become closer and understand more about our animals that we consider our friends.
The Junior High has the privilege to feed and clean the chickens and coop, because they enjoy going out to them to visit, collect eggs, to see how they are doing, and to make sure they aren’t lonely.
Since we’ve had the chickens, we have lost four of them due to a local dog and harsh weather. They started laying the eggs in January and have been helpful when the local Native Store runs out of eggs.
The chickens are doing wonderful and we can’t wait until the beginning of Spring so we can watch as the chickens lay and hatch their own eggs and watch as baby chicks become hens to provide more eggs and maybe food for our community in the future.
We are also thinking about adding a Billy Goat to our Grayling Farms so that we can provide milk for the community too, next school year!
Melissa Peter is a resident of Grayling, AK.

The message is clearly stated, and repeated daily: “Come to school every day. Be here on time, before 9:00. Eat a good breakfast, and come to class with a happy face and a good attitude. You are at school to LEARN. You will also make friends, have fun, and become prepared to live a productive life.”
The results have been dramatic.
Students in Grade 1 have been working very hard to be at school each day. In the past two weeks, the entire Grade 1 class has made remarkable progress. Four of the Grade 1 students have had perfect daily attendance (at school, on time, every day) for at least three weeks. Many other have been absent or late only once this month.
Parents and children, teachers and communities need to know: School success is built, in large part, on a commitment to good school attendance and appropriate classroom behavior. The children attending Grade 1 in Akiak are receiving immediate rewards for coming to school and having a good day.
Practical gifts make the best incentives for student success: Student in groups receive healthy snacks (nuts, raisins, crackers) when they meet new behavior objectives. A successfully completed math assignment might result in a reward of some free choice computer time. Good performance in reading will win the class a 20 minute play time outdoors.
Last week, when the entire class had an especially productive day, everyone got to take home a new pair of warm socks. Next week, those who have perfect attendance for a month will finally “win” the pajamas they chose as their attendance incentive.
Parents, Grandparents, Community Leaders and Teachers, remember: We establish the good habits of getting up, having breakfast and “getting on with the day” when children are very young. These habits will last a lifetime. We need to begin today … to help our young children to be strong, happy and successful.
Pamela VanWechel is currently serving as a long-term substitute teacher for Akiak’s Grade 1 students. Their regular teacher, Amy Cook, is on maternity leave. Pamela VanWechel, a retired Alaskan teacher/ principal / superintendent is known for her passion to create safe and productive learning environments in bush communities.
Pamela says, “Good school attendance and appropriate classroom behavior will always be primary goals that I set for my students. Children who attend school EVERY day are more successful in school, and later, they will be successful in life.”

Kilbuck 6th graders were at UAF’s Kuskokwim Campus on April 3, 2009, for Bethel’s first “I’m Going to College Program”. The students had the opportunity to become college students for a day and see for themselves what college life is like.
I’m Going to College in Alaska is made possible by a partnership between the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) and the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) AlaskAdvantage Programs. Statewide, University of Alaska campuses will host over 1800 5th and 6th grade students in 2009.
Several weeks before arriving on campus, the students received activity books which they used to learn about the benefits of a college education, college costs, financial aid, career exploration and more. They learned how to find a college and how to prepare academically for college.
Then, on April 3, they arrived at KuC to see what college really is all about. They were welcomed at Sackett Hall by Bing Santamour, KuC Advisory Board Member, Susan Baird, KuC Assistant Director, and Larry Kairaiuak, ACPE K-12 Specialist. After receiving their t-shirts and backpacks, they were off to classes and a tour of campus. Classes included “Scramble to Unscramble” word game, Impulse Momentum in the Physics lab, Encryption Basics in the IT lab, Blood Pressure Fundamentals with the nursing program, Internet Scavenger Hunt, Through the Microscope, and Photoshop Art. Lunch was provided at Sackett Hall, followed by a little outdoor fun building snow people.
At the end of their busy day, students gathered in the ABE center to receive certificates of accomplishment and piggy bank boxes containing a penny, which signified the beginning of their college savings plans. After weeks of planning and anticipation, the event was over and the college students turned back into 6th graders as they made their way back to Kilbuck. Thanks to all for making this special day an overwhelming success.

My name is Angela Grabuloff and I have been a teacher in Tuntutuliak, Alaska for two years now. This year I teach eight eighth graders.
Recently in our class we learned how to write business letters. I always try to make learning real, so we decided to write business letters to the three local stores and our school’s site administrator, Frank Cook, to ask for donations that we could use in a fundraiser.
After researching charitable organizations online, the class voted to donate all of the money we would raise to the American Eagle Foundation, http://www.eagles.org.
Items we received mostly included food that we could bake and sell such as pudding, jell-o, noodles, canned meat, etc. Knit hats were also included. The hats were from Kathleen Leitner, a woman in Pennsylvania, who has donated hats that she’s made to our school for two consecutive years.
The fundraiser was a lot of work: organizing, baking the food, and setting up a table in our school to sell things during a basketball tournament. The students worked very hard and handled the responsibility with an obvious amount of pride. Overall, the eighth grade class raised $101.75 to donate to the foundation!
The remaining food was donated to elders in our village. Thank you to the school and the Corporation store for their generous donations.
My family and I are returning to the East coast this June, but this was a wonderful, final opportunity for me to witness the ability of our students as well as the generosity and support of the people in Tuntutuliak. I am proud to have lived here and thank everyone for all of the kindness. Go Blue Jays!

Robotics competition challenges students to study climate

12-22-08

by K.J. Lincoln

Eighteen robotics teams participated in the 2008 Alaska Southwest Regional Robotics Competition in Bethel last Friday and Saturday, sponsored by the Lower Kuskokwim School District.
Every year, First Lego League works with experts in the field to create a Challenge that relates to a significant real-world issue. The end result is a two-part Challenge that requires research to complete. The theme of this year’s competition is “Climate Connections”.
Teams embarked on an exploration of the earth’s climate, discovering the links between science, people, resources and communities. Students also researched how we learn about past climates and delve into questions surrounding our current and future climatic conditions.
Learning about the Arctic snow pack and how an aqua dome can be used to help plants grow was part of the Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Guskimos team project.
“Working with the team was the best,” said team member Aiden Kuhne, age 9, while cheering enthusiastically for the other teams in the pit area. His team won an award for their project and research.
Simone Julius, a 7th grader of the Toksook Bay Honey Bees says this is her third year in robotics and she loves it. “It’s good. I learned about programming,” she said. “But I was shaking when it was my turn.”
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 the Kipnuk Aangaayucuaraat team member Louisa Paul, the best part for her was the robot performance portion of the competition. Coached by Naomi Olsen, the team took home a Teamwork award.
Ethan Forbes, a 5th grader from the Kilbuck Tundra Techs explained their team project. “We learned that carbon dioxide affects plants and that sewage spills are very dangerous to plants and animals in the surrounding areas,” he said. “Our solution was to create a rubber tube connector that fits around the sewer pipes so that they bend when permafrost makes the pipes go up. That makes it easier for maintenance people to fix the pipes.”
The Kilbuck Tundra Techs and the BRHS Warrior Avalanche teams won the “Spirit of Innovation” awards and were selected to compete at the upcoming state robotics competition, the Alaska Robot Rondezvous in Anchorage on January 17th, 2009.
Climate Connection special guest included Master of Ceremonies from Juneau – Rebecca Parks from the Springboard Economic Development Program. Head judge was Marc Leinberger, Math Education Specialist and Robotics Program Coordinator for the Lower Kuskokwim School District. Winners are as follows in the following categories:
Robot Performance
1st BRHS Warrior Avalanche
2nd Tununak Lego Spartans
3rd Kilbuck Tundra Techs
Project & Research
1st Oscarville Electric Stingers
2nd Akiuk Grizzlies
3rd Ayaprun Guskimos
Design & Programming
1st BRHS Electro Warriors
2nd Tununak Lego Spartans
3rd Kilbuck Wall-E
Teamwork
1st Chefornak RoboShamans
2nd Kipnuk Little Monsters
3rd Toksook Bay Native ‘Bots
Rookie Team of the Year: Chefornak RoboShamans
Coach of the Year Award: Paul Monson, Tununak Lego Spartans
Spirit of Innovation Awards (Will travel to Anchorage for State Competition)
Team 1: BRHS Warrior Avalanche - David Evon, Mitchell Forbes, Ryan Hunter, Mack Lincoln, Carlin Lupie, Reed McWilliams, Alfred Wallace, Janessa Warren, and Coach Alisha Coplin
Team 2: Kilbuck Tundra Techs - Ethan Blevins, Ethan Forbes, Elijah Lamont, Kate McWilliams, Haley O’Brien, Lily Reichard, and Coach Jeff Blevins
Previous Years’ Robotics Challenges:
2004: Mission to Mars
2005: Ocean Odyssey
2006: NanoQuest
2007: Power Puzzle
2008: Climate Connections
“They’re definitely becoming aware of change in the world,” said Oscarville Electric Stingers coach Chris Meier, and former Coach of the Year recipient. “They learn a lot of different things from logic, hard work, practice, tenacity, technology, and social communication.”
According to First Lego League, the theme for 2009 is Transforming Transportation the “Smart Move” Challenge.

Bethel Shotokan Karate Club

12-11-08

by Andrew Stemp

The Bethel Shotokan Karate Club hosted a series of special training sessions with visiting Sensei Pat Andrews last week, Dec. 5th & 6th, 2008. The events also included promotion examinations for junior and adult students. Students are juniors and adults from Bethel and include all ages.
During testing, the students demonstrated their abilities and knowledge of kihon, kata, and kumite. Sensei Pat Andrews will evaluate the students to determine if they are ready for the next rank. This is the first karate examination held in Bethel.
The special classes focus on karate techniques, a Japanese martial art. Karate is a form of self defense that includes punches, kicking, and throws. Students practice basic movements called kihon, patterns of attack and defense call kata, and self defense movements with a partner called kumite.
People train in karate for many reasons: self defense, improved health and flexibility, weight control, etc. Many parents enroll their children because of the emphasis karate places on self-control and concentration. These same improvements appear to benefit the students at school. Whatever the reasons for enrolling karate teaches five key lessons, called the dojo-kun:
1. Seek Perfection of Character
2. Be Faithful
3. Endeavor
4. Respect Others
5. Refrain from Violent Behavior
Students practice techniques, work with the instructors, and push themselves forward at their own pace to develop their skills. Students also study the application of the dojo-kun throughout their training (i.e. bowing to their partner to show respect).
About the International Shotokan Karate Federation:
The International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) is the largest Shotokan Karate organization in North and South America. Until 2007 it was part of the Japan Karate Association, an organization that founded the ISKF in 1977 in efforts by its high-ranking members to spread the study of shotokan karate throughout the world. Members of the ISKF follow the teachings of shotokan’s founder, Gichin Funakoshi. Though ISKF is based mainly in the United States, ISKF dojos can be found in over forty countries worldwide. Teruyuki Okazaki (1931-present) is the chairman and chief instructor of the ISKF.
About the Bethel Shotokan Karate Club:
The Club is a non-profit that formed approximately three years ago. The board of the club is made up of parents of students and the instructors. This year the club has focused on offering very good karate instruction and has brought several advanced instructors to Bethel to work with the students. The Club also applied to the ISKF for membership last year and has been accepted.
Sensei Pat Andrews is a 5th Dan (Black Belt) and leader of the Anchorage Boys and Girls Club dojo. He has been training in karate since the age of 12. He acknowledges karate as the best thing that has happened in his life, since he met his wife through karate.
Ted Berry is a 1st Kyu (Brown Belt) and the head instructor of the Bethel Shotokan Karate Club. Originally from Australia, Ted is working for the LKSD technology department. In his words karate teaches young people a lot of really positive values.
About the Helpers:
Pam Lau is an 8th Kyu (Orange Belt) and works very hard with the junior classes. She is also an Art Teacher for the school district. She has high expectations for all of her students and their performance usually rises to meet those expectations.
Andrew Stemp is a 5th Kyu (Purple Belt) and helps with the basic training and kumite elements of the class. He has a strong belief that karate can provide young people with a little encouragement and good role models that point them in the right direction for their life.
Acknowledgements: We are very appreciative of the hard work of the Club board and students, the support of the parents and community members, the willingness of the ME school to provide training space, and the tremendous amount of volunteer time from Ted Berry and his wife, Pam Lau. The mentoring and support of Senseis Pat Andrew and Diana Stevens, the ISKF, and the Bethel 4-H program have made this program possible.
Events will be at the ME school gym, which also hosts the regular classes. Classes are offered three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Monday and Wednesday junior classes start at 6:00 with adult classes following at 7:00. Saturday classes start at 10:30 with adult classes following at 11:30.
Classes are open to anyone 6 years of age or older. You do not have to be an athlete, really big or strong, or meet any other requirements. Come with a good attitude and be ready to have fun and learn karate.

LKSD Senior Speech Results

11-29-08

The LKSD District Sr. High Speech contest was held in Bethel November 19-20, 2008. There were 105 students from 17 sites that participated in the event - Akiuk, Akula, Atmautluak, BABS, BRHS, Chefornak, Eek, Goodnews Bay, Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Mekoryuk, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Oscarville, Quinhagak and Toksook Bay.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the coaches, chaperones, LKSD district office staff, and Bethel community members who volunteered as speech judges. Without your support this event would not have been successful.
Final Results:
English Dramatic Interpretation
1. Corey Joseph-Kwigillingok
2. Faith Meier-Oscarville
3. Adriana Betz-Kwigillingok
4. Phillicia Charlie-Kwigillingok
5. Charlene Berlin-Akiuk
Yupik Dramatic Interpretation
1. Charlene Berlin-Akiuk
2. Renae Keene-Akiuk
3. Miranda Mochin-Atmautluak
4. Karlene Peter -Akula
5. Nicole Twitchell-Akiuk
English Humorous Interpretation
1. Lonny Strunk-Quinhagak
2. Leon Jimmie-Kwigillingok
3. Jacklin Gilman-Atmautluak
4. Caroline Atti-Kwigillingok
5. Terrilyn Brown-Quinhagak
Yup’ik Humorous Interpretation
1. Janice Atti-Kwigillingok
2. Douglas Lewis-Kwigillingok
3. Jason John-Kwigillingok
4. Carolyn Atti-Kwigillingok
5. Timothy Beaver-Akula
English Original Oration
1. Joseph Warren-BRHS
2. Ryan Abraham-Chefornak
3. Zachary Joekay-Napaskiak
4. Arlene Tulik-Nightmute
5. John Maxie-Napaskiak
Yup’ik Original Oration
1. Renae Keene-Akiuk
English Expository
1. Kelsey Wallace-BRHS
2. Faith Meier-Oscarville
3. Eniana Pellumbi-BRHS
4. Revie Tony-Nightmute
5. Timothy Kinegak-Chefornak
-Sharon Wegner, LKSD Student Activities Coordinator

Girl Scout Penny Drive raises over $2K

10-29-08

by Amy Ponsness

You may have noticed a shortage of pennies around Bethel the past couple of weeks… Bethel girl scouts were collecting them in their “Pennies for our Pool” penny drive. And collect them they did – ending up with over 75,000 pennies!
When deciding on a community service project, the girls came up with the idea of raising money for Bethel’s long awaited swimming pool. They decorated and distributed over 60 jars around town hoping to collect spare change for the pool. The response was overwhelming! Immediately coins began filling jars and the girls had to check and empty them on a weekly basis. They spent the next few meetings wrapping coins…
Local schools got involved as well. ME held a competition to see which class could collect the most weight in coins. In all, ME and Ayuprun Immersion brought in 342 pounds. Mrs. Cuvelier’s second grade class won with 100 pounds and received free passes to roller skating. Kilbuck also filled their penny jar up several times.
After six weeks of collecting, the girls “wrapped up” the penny drive and marched into the bank on Tuesday with their masses of coins and bills. They proudly deposited a grand total of $2,558.29 into the YK Delta Lifesavers account.
Even though Bethel citizens are paying an extra 1% sales tax toward the rec center, people still dug into their pockets and contributed more. Children brought in money from their piggy banks and made sure parents emptied their wallets of change to put in the jars. The generosity of you all is very touching. Hopefully your actions are heard and the community pool becomes a reality in the near future.
We’d like to thank all the businesses in Bethel who allowed us to put jars on their counters, AC for donating jars, Wells Fargo and First National Bank for donating coin wrappers, and a special thanks to Lorraine Jones, Cauline Ferguson, and the Hippler Family for donating their time to help the girls wrap coins. The leaders of the participating girl scouts are: Shea Rice, Ed Klem and Amy Ponsness.

Kilbuck and BRHS Mock Election Results

Students at the Bethel Regional High School and Kilbuck Schools participated in the 2008 Mock Student Election.
According to Daman Irby of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, Kilbuck was the first school in the nation to vote in the Youth Leadership Initiative’s mock election! Here are the voting results.
Kilbuck Elementary
President
Ralph Nader 2
Chuck Baldwin 5
Bob Barr 2
John McCain 70
Barack Obama 148
Which issue is most important to you as a voter?
Economy 28
Environment/Energy 42
Homeland Security/War 32
Education 32
Health Care 60
Other 39
Bethel Regional High School
President
Chuck Baldwin (A.I. Party) 8
Bob Barr (Libertarian Party) 5
John McCain (Republican Party) 90
Ralph Nader (Independent) 5
Barack Obama (Democratic Party) 249
U.S. Senator
Mark Begich (Democratic Party) 135
Bob Bird (A.I. Party) 66
Ted Gianoutsos (No Party) 11
Fredrick D. “David” Haase (L. Party) 19
Ted Stevens (Republican Party) 129
U.S. House Representative
Ethan A. Berkowitz (Dem. Party) 116
Don R. Wright (A.I. Party) 72
Don E. Young (Republican Party) 169
Which issue is most important to you as a voter?
Economy 68
Energy and the Environment 103
Homeland Security/War 55
Education 54
Health Care 52
Other 40
*A.I. = Alaskan Independence Party

LKSD Jr. High Speech Contest

The LKSD District Jr. High Speech contest was held in Bethel October 21-22, 2008. There were 116 students from 16 sites that participated in the event - Akiuk, Akula, Atmautluak, Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, BRHS, Chefornak, Eek, Goodnews Bay, Kilbuck, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwigillingok, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, and Toksook Bay.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the coaches, chaperones, LKSD district office staff, and Bethel community members who volunteered as speech judges. Without your support this event would not have been successful.
Congratulations to ALL the brave Jr. High students that entered the competition.
Final Results:
English Dramatic Interpretation
1. Carolyn Berlin-Akiuk
2. Amber Shields-BRHS
3. Stephanie Wise-Nunapitchuk
4. Katie Waska-Newtok
5. Shannon Pavilla-Atmautluak
Yupik Dramatic Interpretation
1. Amber Shields-BRHS
2. Maryanna Jimmie-Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
3. Carrie Beaver-Akula
4. Angela Thomas-Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
5. Manuel Seal-Akula
English Humorous Interpretation
1. Hannah Ward-Akula
2. Mike Fairbanks-Newtok
3. Alfred Wallace-BRHS
4. Joshua Klejka-Kilbuck
5. Frank Carter-Kwigillingok
Yupik Humorous Interpretation
1. Shaina Andrew-Kwigilllingok
English Original Oration
1, Janessa Warren-BRHS
2. Carolyn Berlin-Akiuk
3. Taylor Hoffman-Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
4. Willeth Phillip-Goodnews bay
5. Eric Tunuchuk-Chefornak
Yupik Original Oration
1. Taylor Hoffman-Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
English Expository
1. Hannah Ward-Akula
2. Mitchell Forbes-BRHS
3. Amanda Andrew-Akiuk
4. Lena Morris-Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
5. Alicia Demientieff-Akiuk
Yupik Expository
1. Amanda Andrew-Akiuk
-Sharon Wegner
Student Activities Coordinator

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-old girls, operating on some primitive instinct that somehow identifies him as a man who personifies safety and protection (the very traits that any one of them would want in a father, and later in life, perhaps, a husband), flock around the musher. Ben, in turn, is not aloof, not staid, not cold, but receptive, responsive and jovial.
Fifth grader Platonida Hapoff pulled his overparka over herself. Where his waist would be, her feet stick out. Her dark, sparkling eyes peep through a hood surrounded by a ruff of beaver and wolf fur. She pulled a sleeve, much too long for her hands to show, across her nose.
“Hey!” yells Ben. “You just wiped your nose on my sleeve.” Then he made a big deal of it by repeating the whole event with his own sleeve, adding appropriate, disgusting noises. Platonida doubled up laughing.
After lunch Ben took groups of kids for sled rides on the little lake behind the post office. At the end of the day, during the assembly in the gym, children gave Ben letters they had written, along with a giant check for one hundred dollars, money they had earned with a bake sale, for the care of a puppy in Ben’s dog rescue shelter. For more info see www.moonlightmushing.com.
That evening, guided by six girls, Ben made his way to the home of first grade teacher Karen Ward for a small staff gathering and his first hot meal in several days. He told of dogs and races, what brought him to Alaska, meeting his wife, and his obvious enjoyment being with kids.
Ben attributes his report with children to the time he ran the Little Red Schoolhouse preschool in Bethel, before the building was condemned as structurally unsuitable. He doesn’t have long to wait for a preschooler of his own, as his wife Michelle, a fourth grade teacher at Kilbuck Elementary, is expecting in May or June.
Ben finally got to lie down for the night on a mat in the gym after nearly forty sleepless hours. Tuesday morning came in clear and negative twenty. By nine he had the team fed and in harness, with Pearl ready do her thing. The whole school bundled up and turned out for the send off. Kids and teachers lined the riverbank as Ben mushed away home.
His final words rang in their ears. “Goodbye. I love you.”
Rick Kamm is teacher in Lower Kalskag.

Kalskag elementary students
to celebrate ‘Ben Bruce Day’

2-20-07

by Sue McDonnell

The Zackar Levi Elementary School is honoring one of your Bethel citizens. We are declaring Monday, February 19, 2007 as BEN BRUCE DAY.
The whole day will be devoted to this dog musher whom we met during his stop here for the K300. He came into several classrooms and the kids fell in love with him. He graciously accepted our invitation for him to return.
Ben will bring a team of dogs, a freight sled with which to pull kids around on the river, and he will set up a musher’s tent and camp.
In turn the kids will all work together to pull Ben around for awhile, after which we will return to our gym to formally adopt a dog from his Dog Rescue shelter in Bethel and present him with a check for $100 to care for that dog.
We will cook a Pancake Breakfast for him on Monday morning so that all our kids can eat with him. The community will be invited. Ben and his wife Michelle Bruce who teaches at your Kilbuck Elementary School are expecting their first child in June.
This will be our way of kicking off our Cultural Heritage Week to coincide with the Elders Conference (February 19-23), which will take place in our George Morgan Senior high school gym. We are expecting thirty-seven out-of-town elders who will lead and participate in planned events for the week, ending with a community Potlatch featuring heart-healthy foods.
Another one or two of your citizens will be here for that event: Catherine “Cathy” Kairaiuak, Diabetes Prevention & Control (907-543-6235), Deborah Michael, and possibly Teresa Markham (pending scheduling). All are connected with YKHC in Bethel and Zackar Levi School has received several physical activity grants sponsored by the American Diabetes Foundation. We have used the money to create cross-country skiing and roller skating for our PE program.
Sue McDonnell is the Lead Teacher at the Kalskag Elementary School. Note: Thank you to the wonderful cooks: Helen Gregory, and Polassa and Polly Evan for their help with cooking, cleaning, and supporting the Kalskag Checkpoint during the 2007 K300 Sled Dog Race.

Aliy Zirkle

1-31-07

by Alyssa Williams

I am Alyssa Williams and I interviewed Aliy Zirkle. She was at the KALSKAG Checkpoint on Saturday, January 20th, 2007. She was racing in the Kusko 300.
First, I asked her “Who are your lead dogs?” She told me she had only one lead dog, named Donya.
Then I asked her,
“How many dogs do you have?” She said, “I have 14 in my team.”
Third I asked her “What was your first ever lead dogs name?” she said “ Skunk.”
When I asked her, “How long have you been mushing?” she told me “she have been mushing for 15 years!”
It was sure fun meeting Aliy Zirkle and her team!

Aliy Zirkle

by Ronald Kerr

Jeff King arrived at the Kalskag Check Point at 10:36 p.m. Friday night during the Kusko 300 2007. He came in 6th that night at Zackar Levi Elementary School. Reporter Ronald Kerr was able to interview him before he left for Aniak Saturday morning.
The first thing I asked him was, “What was your first lead dog’s name?”
He told me it was Gandy.
Then I asked him, “Did you ever have problems when you were mushing?”
“One time,” he told me, “A moose chased my dog team because it was protecting its calf.”
Another time, he told me he fell through the ice.
My final question was, “ Did any of your kids ever try mushing?”
He said, “ In 2002, my daughter Cali, ran the K 300.”
Then I asked him for his autograph.
I really enjoyed talking to Jeff King and meeting his team. He came in only minutes behind Martin Buser at the Race Finish in Bethel!

My visit with Martin Buser

by Ashley Evan

I interviewed Martin Buser at the Kalskag Check Point in the Kusko 300. My name is Ashley Evan, and I go to school at Zackar Levi Elementary School.
The first thing I asked him was, “How many dogs do you have?”
Mr. Buser said, “I have 14 dogs.”
Then I asked him, “Have you ever seen any wolves while you were mushing?”
He told me, “ NO, I did not see any wolves.”
Then I asked him, “Did you ever have any problems while you were mushing?”
Mr. Buser told me, “Oh, Yeah, I have had problems!”
I asked him, “Is it fun mushing with your son Rohn?”
He said, “It was great fun mushing. First time seeing my son on the trail.”
I asked Mr. Buser, “What’s your lead dog’s names?”
He said, “My lead dogs names are Goose and Colonel.”
It was fun getting my photo taken with Jeff King, Martin Buser, Aliy Zirkle, and David Fitka let me drive his dog team to turn around. He is my uncle.

Students explore nanotechnology at robotics competition

12-20-06

by K.J. Lincoln

Participating in Lego League Robotics requires creativity, teamwork, and problem solving, and this year twenty-three high school and middle elementary teams from schools in the Lower Kuskokwim School District demonstrated those skills during this year's robotics competition.
The theme this year is NanoQuest - the study of Nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology is a new scientific frontier that will impact many facets of society, such as medicine, computers, and the environment, says First Lego League, the organization who sponsors the robotics competition. The nano world is 100,000 times smaller than the thickness of a single strand of hair where everything jumps and shakes - even solid things. At the nano level, the atoms that make up a solid object constantly move and vibrate.
Students participating in robotics at their schools designed and engineered their team's lego robots using LEGO Mindstorm Kits that contain a programmable "brain" that drives the robot's motors and sensors. The programs are created by the students on computers, which are then transmitted to the robot with an infrared tower before competition begins. The students use their programmed robots to complete missions during each round.
Besides building the robots and computer programming, the robotics team combines physics, engineering, mathematics, problem-solving and teamwork into their project, including fulfilling the requirement of conducting and presenting a research project about nanotechnology.
During the competition, NASA also gave live presentations to students in Bethel and by videoconference to village schools. Topics included current and future Mars exploration, the Mars Rover, and comparisons between Earth and Mars. There were also demonstrations of the new VEX Challenge robots by the BRHS physics class led by Mr. Wegner and Mr. McCallson.
The two-day competition finale took place on December 5th, 2006 at the WarriorDome. Judges awarded honors based on the following categories: teamwork, project, design and programming, performance, and the Spirit of Innovation Award. The regional results are as follows:
High School Division
Teamwork Award: Tununak West Coast Nanobots
Nanotechnology Project Award: Kipnuk Agyam Massiinacuarai
Design and Programming Award: Tununak West Coast Nanobots
Robot Performance Award: Tununak West Coast Nanobots
Spirit of Innovation Award: Tununak West Coast Nanobots
Grade School Division
Teamwork
1st: BRHS Nanowarriors
2nd: BRHS Warriors
3rd: Kilbuck Delta Terminators
Project
1st: Oscarville Nanowolves
2nd: BRHS Nanowarriors
3rd: Kwigillingok Kuigilnguq Metervik
Design and Programming
1st: Tununak Atomic Bots
2nd: BRHS Nanowarriors
3rd: Kilbuck Delta Terminators
Robot Performance
1st: Atmautluak Villagers
2nd: Tununak Atomic Bots
3rd: BRHS Nanowarriors
Spirit of Innovation Awards: BRHS Nanowarriors, Tununak Atomic Bots, BRHS Warriors
LKSD Rookie Robotics Team of the Year: Kwigillingok, Kuigilnguq Metervik
LKSD Robotics Coach of the Year: Oscarville, Chris Meier
LKSD Against All Odds Team: Kipnuk Agyam Massiinacuarai
The BRHS Nanowarriors coached by Sheila Wallace, and the Tununak Atomic Bots coached by Ward Beau represented the region and the LKSD school district in person at the Alaska State Robotics Competition in Anchorage on Dec. 8. The BRHS Warriors coached by Jon Zebrowski also represented the region and school district through the Virtual Competition by videoconference.
"The BRHS NanoWarriors, BRHS Warriors, and Tununak Atomic Bots teams represented the school district and region well at the 2006 Alaska State Robotics Competition "NanoQuest Challenge" held in Anchorage on Saturday December 9th," said Leinberger.
In total, 56 teams competed for a single slot at the FLL World Festival in April as well as recognition for outstanding Robot Performance, Design and Programming, Teamwork, and Project Presentation.
Tununak's Atomic Bots squad brought home the 2nd Place award for Teamwork. Presenting the Lego trophy was Paul Gadonis, president of FIRST. At the end of the competition, the teams were able to see the live space shuttle launch on the big screen.
Next year's robotics competition theme is "alternative energy".
"Thank you to all coaches, parents, volunteers, judges, LKSD District Office staff and the BRHS staff for helping make this season a success," said Leinberger. "Without the support and effort of everyone, this program would not be possible and congrats to all students and coaches who participated in this year's LKSD Regional Robotics Competition!"

Thanks to Local
Donations, KuC Carves

11-1-06

by Agnes McIntyre

The Kuskokwim Campus college students extend a sincere "Thank You!" to their supporters in Bethel. On Monday, October 23, KuC students began designing, carving, and creating faces for the twelve pumpkins that Branch Manager David Hicks and the Alaska Commercial Company (AC) in Bethel donated. With AC's support the Pumpkin Carving Contest was a smashing success.
The transformed pumpkins were displayed and voted upon by KuC faculty, staff, and students resulting in five student contest winners. Pumpkins carved by Chuck Ayagalria from Napakiak and Fortuna Manumik from Emmonak tied for first place. Second place was awarded to Maxine Agathluk from Emmonak. Third place resulted in a tie between Brent Beans from Mountain Village and Zack Kameroff from Emmonak.
KuC students would also like to thank Hageland Aviation and Grant Air for providing roundtrip ticket prizes, Swanson's for donating a CD/AM/FM clock radio, YKHC for their generous gift of a YKHC jacket and two caps, ID Variety/Radio Shack for donating thirty $5 Gift Certificates, and Video World for donating five gift certificates.
Agnes McIntyre is the Emerging Scholars Program Coordinator for the Kuskokwim College.

A trip to Umkumiut

10-24-06

by Phyllis Carl

At the end of August, on a Wednesday, we rambled to Umkumiut. Before we went that morning, I quickly packed up. I was late to school, but gladly we didn't have class that morning. We started sauntering to Umkumiut by 10:45am. We grabbed our lunches as we went outside of Nelson Island School. Kim counted us, and Brett was in the lead.
As we strolled I saw people in town. I saw four-wheelers passing by and people smiling. I'd hear people laughing, talking, giggling, and yelling. I saw high school students who were walking along smiling.
Some students snuck to Nunakauyaq Yup'ik Corporation as we passed, but some students didn"t, like me. I mean the students in between Brett and Jennifer. We strolled along the shore, the beach, and as we strolled along the shore, we saw all kinds of rocks. They were fossils, colorful, big, small, and rocks with stripes.
I was with my two cousins, Magdaline and Krista, and we were strolling on a hard and bumpy beach. When we got to half way we saw two boats with a bunch of bags on them. When we were one-third away from Umkumiut, and we ate our lunch, just the three of us that I know of. But we didn"t eat all our lunch because we wanted to eat the rest at Umkumiut. We walked fast but then we stopped a little while then, and ended up in the middle, but we started to walk fast again.
Two hours later we arrived there and sat down on a log to eat the rest of our lunch. We talked for a moment then we set up the tent. We went around the campfire afterwards and listened to the elder talk about how they use to play games back then. We had free time for an hour and had one class only on Wednesday. We had suppertime but then Krista and I served people and it was kind of hard and uncomfortable because we used cups. Most people had seconds and it was more uncomfortable because I was hungry and I didn't get to eat. I just ate, and ignored serving seconds. Every student had chores, too.
Krista and I sat around the fire and kind of talked to each other. After a while we listened to people tell stories. They had s"mores, but I didn"t have them because I hardly have pop and candy or junk food. I had one marshmallow. For both nights they had s"more but I just ate a marshmallow.
On the last night, we told some ghost stories and I had fun. Listening to the ghost stories I was getting kind of scared because it was getting darker outside, too.
On August 30th it was our second day, but this time it was a full day, all day. We had breakfast, and then we had classes. Before we went to Nunalleq we had a few classes. After, we went to Nunalleq, we were going to have an elder talking to us over at Nunalleq, but we ended up picking berries. We picked up blueberries, raspberries, salmonberries, and blackberries, and my hands got sticky. Afterwards we picked berries we gave them to Ms. Mutch, Brett, or Kim to make akutaq. And after a while we went back to Umkumiut then they made akutaq. Some people walked over and looked at an old sod house and someone dug in the grass and then we saw a human skull and a rosary on top of it.
We had free time over at Umkumiut and it was fun. I went to go wash my hair in the cold rushing water and the weather was cold that day. I was hanging out mostly by the fire with Krista and that;s it. We had the rest of the day for free time.
Friday came next, and I couldn't wait to get home really bad. The teachers woke us up, and we had breakfast. Then we put away the tents after packing back up. After all tents were put away, we had a short meeting about going home, when we get to Toksook Bay, and lunch. After Kim counted us we started to walk back home. After a while Krista and I split up. I walked through the tundra while Krista walked along the shore. It was easier for me to walk trough the tundra than the shore. When I arrived home to Toksook Bay I was really happy and it took me 2 hours to walk home nonstop. It was really fun this year when we went to Umkumiut and it wasn"t sure like last year.

Tununak celebrates students' success

10-3-06

by Barb Angaiak

Paul T. Albert Memorial School in Tununak has made Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in two of the last three years. This is certainly good reason to celebrate, and celebrate they did, at a party held on Friday, September 15th.
Parents, Advisory School Board members, staff, students, elders and community members were all invited to a special party honoring the achievements and progress made by students during the past year.
During the event, high school students were given HSGQE awards for achievement and SBA awards were given for progress by those in grades three through ten. There were Phase progress and Yup'ik language achievement awards given out also. The third graders, who took the tests for the first time in the spring of last school year, were honored with a throwing party. Their mothers threw items to the guests in the audience. The celebration culminated in a picnic for everyone that included hot dogs, chips, fruit, and s"mores for dessert.
The No Child Left Behind act (NCLB) is the federal law that requires improvement in student achievement each year and this measurement determines whether the school meets AYP. Under the law, schools and school districts are held accountable for showing progress in the percentage of students who score proficient on assessments in language arts and math. The national goal is that all students will be proficient by the end of the 2013-2014 school year.
According to Gayle Miller, site administrator of the school, the progress made in Tununak can be attributed to hardworking staff and students and the continuous progress learning system used in LKSD.
"Our students have taken increasing responsibility for their own learning since the beginning of SBE in 2000," said Miller. "Students are able to learn at individual rates and they are required to be successful at a level before they move on."
The next step for even better student achievement is: "parents and students working together to make sure that kids are at school every day and are well rested." In fact, students were also recognized for their attendance and wore signs around their necks throughout the party stating that they had been absent less than ten or less than five days. 71% of the achievement awards given were earned by students who missed less than 10 days of school. At the meeting it was suggested that the ASB work to move village BINGO to afternoons so parents would be home to put children to bed. The audience shouted support for this idea.
Longtime teachers Anna Bond and Janel Rosga say they were surprised at last year"s results, but are convinced that the hard work of staff, students and parents is paying off.
"Students have gotten more familiar with key words and vocabulary through the use of the phase system that the LKSD uses. Those words are used throughout the year and not just around test taking time." said Bond. According to Rosga "It"s so cool that we made AYP without the safe harbor provision. We really made it."
Six schools in the Lower Kuskokwim School District made AYP last year and it is anticipated that many more will make the grade in 2006/07.
Congratulations on a job well-done by the staff and students of Paul T. Albert Memorial School in Tununak.Â

8-1-06

The Bethel Lifesavers and the Parks & Recreation Department would like to collect your cookie recipes to create a cookbook to sell as another way to raise funds for the swimming pool in Bethel. Please fax recipes to 543-2183 or deliver to the Bethel Youth Center. If you have any questions, please contact Janet Athanas at 543-2248.

Kilbuck and Kwethluk

Kubb-ers meet for 2nd Annual Tournament

5/9/06

by K.J. Lincoln

The second annual Kilbuck KUBB Tournament was held last Saturday, April 29, 2006 on the snow covered Kilbuck playground. The Kwethluk Kings brought in 2 teams coached by Ross Drury. The first team, Lil? Saints consisted of Julia Fisher and Katrina Egoak. The second team, the Kubbmasters featured Kenneth Jackson and Carmen Rivers.

Hosting Kilbuck had four teams coached by Kilbuck teacher Rafe Johnson. No Fear: Richard Alexie, Michael White, Carlos Manuel, and Darren Anvil; KUBB Divas: Sherrie Kanrilak, Cheyenne Nick, Karla Hare; KUBBsters: Kira Polk, Kayla Rousey and Erin Fox; KUBB Queen: Ashley Tikiun, Kiana Lliaban, Meghan Stanton, and Mary Dyment.

The KuBB Masters: Kenneth Jackson and Carmen Rivers were crowned the 2nd annual Kilbuck KUBB Tournament Champions with No Fear taking 2nd place and KUBB Queen taking home 3rd place honors. Kubb is played in a best out of three setup.

In the game of Kubb, pronounced ?coob?, each team has 5 kubbs and 6 throwing sticks. A kubb is a wooden block and in the Swedish language, kubb means a ?block of wood?. The aim of the game is to knock over the King after knocking down all the other team?s kubbs.

It is said that the Vikings played Kubb in Sweden and Scandinavia over a thousand years ago. It has been kept alive on the island of Gotland near southeastern Sweden in the Baltic Sea. This game has grown in popularity over the years in Sweden and today, there is an annual Kubb World Championship held in Gotland.

Mary Dyment of Bethel who played for the Kilbuck team Kubb Queen in the tournament said that she enjoys playing Kubb and recommends that others learn how to play.

?It?s fun,? she said. ?It teaches teamwork, cooperation, and sportsmanship.?

Pilot Station

kindergarten class enjoy school trip to Bethel

by Heleen Omsberg

?The people on the bus go up and down, up and down all around town,? sang the Pilot Station Kindergarten students as took their first bus ride as part of their field trip to Bethel on April 25.

As preparation for the big day in Bethel, they learned about careers, signs identification, letter recognition, colors, worth of money, food groups, buying and selling, geography, traditional culture, and more using the Lower Yukon?s standards for level 1 and 2.

The Quality School?s Model component of balanced instruction-direct instruction, application, simulation, and real life, was an important part of the three month lesson planning that led to the culminating activity in Bethel.

One of the simulations was to sell fry bread at their student store to staff and students. Kindergarten children used a working cash register, collected money, and handed out fry bread to customers. The money raised was to be used for a gift for their parents and a treat.

The group consisting of Mrs. Omsberg - teacher, Anna Heckman - aide, Gene Stone - principal, Don Aschinger - Federal Programs Director, chaperones Susie Makaily and Ruth Heckman, and 18 students flew down at different times in a Caravan 11 and a 207.

We visited the Subway, watched a sub being made, received delicious cookies, and took pictures on our mini-cameras. Next, we had a tour of the Fire Station where we were treated as special guests and learned about fire trucks, firemen?s jobs, fire safety, Stop-drop-and-roll, and received stickers and coloring books. We practiced good manners at Shogun?s and enjoyed huge hamburgers, fries, and a soda. The students were fascinated by the turtles.

After our final bus ride to the Cultural Museum, Charles took us on a tour of the museum with well displayed artifacts. Following a visit to Delta Discovery and taking pictures again, the kindergarteners walked to the AC store to do a little shopping. Each student bought home a bouquet of flowers for their parents and relished an ice cream treat before heading back to Pilot Station.

The rest of the week the class made a booklet complete with photos about their favorite thing they saw or did in Bethel, wrote thank you letters, and worked on a collage of their trip. Mrs. Omsberg gave a report to the ASB, which gave the first approval of the trip. The Regional School Board gave final approval and Don Aschinger, Right Start Director, provided funding for this activity.

We would like to thank all our partners who made this trip successful and created a wonderful memory for all involved. Parents, students, staff, Local and Regional School Boards, Hageland Air, Subway, Bethel Fire Station, Delta Discovery, Shogun?s Restaurant, The Cultural Museum, and the AC Store, and Golden Eagle Transportation.

Students? names: Chloe Tinker, Angel Nick, Clarese Nick, Dallas Fancyboy, Denzel Polty, Dylan Nick, Emily Johnson, Fabian Xavier, Fred Nick, Ian Makaily, Jimmy Nicholi, Joseph Zacharof, Katie Polty, Keisha Fancyboy, Leann Francis, Nikki Myers, Tatiana Heckman, and Trina Fancyboy.

2006 Upriver Science Fair results

3/21/06

by Dave Bonanno

The Kuspuk School District Upriver Science Fair was held in Crooked Creek on March 10th, 2006. Students traveled from Stony River, Sleetmute and Chuathbaluk to participate in the event. Students put a lot of work into their projects and impressed the judges with their displays! Each student received a participation prize for entering a project at the fair.

There were science activities during the day in addition to viewing and judging projects. Students in grades 7th grade through 12th learned a few things about rotary wing flight, and then had the chance to make and fly a model helicopter in the gym. The model chopper could reach the top of the gym on a good flight! Each level one student had the opportunity to make a paddle-wheel boat of their own and then race it in a large tub of water in class.

High School Division Results:

1st place Dana Effemka and Christian Rush ? SLQ

?Surface Tension?

TIE 2nd place Tracy Parent and Sarah Keene ? CKD

?Where do beans grow best??

Amanda Phillips and Sarah John ? CKD

?Results with and without salt.?

3rd place Mark Vanfleteren and Wilbur Willis - CKD

?Magnetic field pattern?

Middle School Division Results:

1st place Logan Gusty and Albert Waskey - SRV

?Craters?

2nd place Eva Felker and Darien Thomas - CKD

?Spoiled milk and fresh milk?

3rd place Christian Rush - SLQ

?Breaking up?

Elementary Division Results:

1st place Georgianna Detering, Josephine Phillips and Agnes Avakumoff - CHU

?Does hot water freeze faster than cold water??

2nd place Karen Egnaty and Kaitlin Rush - SLQ

?Rubber Egg?

3rd place Alison Zaukar and Desmond Thomas - CKD

?Food Habits?

Up-and-coming Bethel Youth Court gets ready for Mock Trial competition

2/14/06

by K.J. Lincoln

Students participating in the Bethel Youth Court have been holding court and learning courtroom procedures before they travel to the State Mock Trial competition in Anchorage. Team members include Zena Peter, Kyle Jimmie, Jonathan Nicori, Christina Ulak, Micah Brown, Joene Billy, and Yvonne Jackson.

They will be battling against 12-15 other teams from around the state. Last Saturday, the team held a dress rehearsal with their coaches Public Defender Liz Pederson and Attorney Heather Sia and the Honorable Judge Dennis Cummings. Other coaches include Aileen Haviland and Starr Jensen, teacher and Principal of the Bethel Alternative Boarding School.

Learning by doing has done a lot for the students, says Jensen.

?One of the things I?ve seen come out of this mock trial practice is students reading and writing skills are increasing and their ability to abstract and reinterpret information,? she said. ?I expect to see an increase in their test scores this spring when they take the state standardized testing. Anytime we find a creative way to increase their academics is a win-win for everybody so youth court will be a real benefit to the school as well.?

To be a part of the Mock Trial team, students had to commit to be at all the practices and learn the mock trial problem, which they got online.

?It has been time intensive and difficult for a lot of the students to add to their already full schedules of after school activities. Ideally, we would like to have 15-30 students on the youth court,? said Jensen.

Originally, students from both Bethel Regional High School and BABS were recruited. Any student in 7th-12th is eligible to be on the Youth Court and is encouraged to participate.

Zena Peter of Akiachak, a first year BABS student, is on the team.

?I wanted to see what it was like to be a defense attorney,? she said. ?It is really fun and it will look good on my r?sum?. I encourage others to join the program. They would learn a lot from it.?

With the support of local attorneys and other volunteers, the mock trial program began which is a perfect opportunity for the kids to get into the spirit of courtroom procedures, says Jensen. They have been working on practicing for the mock trial competition since the 3rd week of November. Jensen, with the help of Judge Cummings, has been working for the last 3 years trying to get a Bethel Youth Court in place. Pederson hopes that after the mock trial competition, the Bethel Youth Court program would expand and start hearing cases.

?We are hoping that after they come back from the mock trial tournament that they will continue on with the Bethel Youth Court and actually starting a youth court here in town,? said Pederson. ?Kids who are charged with crimes can elect to go before these students who will act as judges and lawyers, and this is the first part of that training program.?

The Department of Juvenile Justice would refer cases for them to hear.

?The Bethel Youth Court will be able to hear whatever the Dept. of Juvenile Justice sends their way, and initially we?re looking at MCAs and maybe truancies,? Jensen said.

Improved self-confidence and public speaking skills are the fruits of the students? labor, says Jensen, including understanding the law.

?I believe the more opportunities the youth have to do things and understand things on the right side of the law, the less likely they will be to break the law. These are our future leaders and they should be commended for their willingness to put in the time above and beyond their regular school activities and homework to participate.?

Next Friday the team will travel to Anchorage.

?Big kudos to Elizabeth Pedersen, Heather Sia and Eileen Haviland who have all donated a lot of time in training the students in law for the mock trial competition,? said Jensen. ?We?re on our way because of dedicated attorneys like these three. We also want to thank everyone who gave generously so that the team could go to Anchorage.?

Lego robotics is

sports for the mind

12/6/05

by K.J. Lincoln

By being inspired to accomplish goals through teamwork and problem solving, students in the Lower Kuskokwim School District are demonstrating creativity, ingenuity, enthusiasm, and determination through their participation in this year?s Lego League Robotics Competition.

Twenty high school and middle elementary teams competed in this culminating event after 12 weeks of intense but fun preparation at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center on December 2-3.

This year?s robotics competition theme is 2005 Ocean Odyssey.

Robotics students engineered and built their own Lego robots with LEGO Mindstorm Kits that contain a programmable RCX ?brain? that drives the student-designed robot, motors, and sensors. The programs are designed and created by the teams on computers, which are then transmitted to the robot with an infrared tower before competition begins.

?Computer programming, physic, engineering, math, problem-solving, and teamwork are all involved in the process,? said Robotics Program Coordinator Marc Leinberger of the Lower Kuskokwim School District. ?It is really awesome.?

The robotics teams focused their projects on addressing the specific needs of exploring, working in, and using the oceans. They examined unique problems involved using the world?s oceans including addressing international cooperation, protecting natural resources, fixing mechanical failures, and undertaking scientific investigations in a constantly changing environment.

In addition to building and programming robots, the teams were also required to conduct and present research about an ocean activity or resource. The research projects were presented and judged during the competition.

Also during the competition the teams tested their robots on a playing field with several tasks to be completed in a 2 1/2 minute period. The tasks addressed the unique problems that might occur when man explores and works in the ocean.

This year?s Ocean Odyssey officials and guests included Design and Programming judges Kelsey Frazier - past Vice President Alaska Robotics Education, and Dr. Bob Brown - U of A Mathematics Instructor; Robot Performance Referees Susan Barstow ? LKSD Science Education Specialist, and Marc Leinberger; Research Project Judges Aoody Vangtan ? LKSD System Analyst, and Susan Barstow; and Teamwork judges Ron Binkley ? LKSD Assessment Specialist, and Kim Abolafia ? LKSD Math Ed. Specialist.

Kelsey Frazier, who ?sold? the idea of Robotics to LKSD was an especially honored guest, said Leinberger.

High school team category winners:

Design & Programming ? Eek Cougars

Performance ? Akiuk Grizzlies

Project Presentation ? Tununak West Coast Bots

Teamwork ? Kipnuk Nukalpiat

Directors Award ? Akiuk Grizzlies

Middle School team category winners:

Design & Programming:

1. Tunt Legomaniacs

2. BRHS Team Aquatics

3. Toksook Bay Orion

Project Presentation (Research):

1. Kipnuk Little Monsters

2. Kilbuck Great Whites

3. Kilbuck 6th Grade Wolves

Performance:

1. Oscarville Technobots

2. Toksook Bay Orion

3. Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Crazy Sharks

Teamwork:

1. Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Crazy Sharks

2. Akiuk Jr. Grizzlies

3. Toksook Bay Robomanics

Directors Award:

1. Oscarville Technobots

2. Kipnuk Little Monsters.

Volunteer/Mentor Award: Tom McCallson

Rookie Team of the Year Award: Tununak West Coast Bots

The Directors Award Winners in the Middle School category - the Oscarville Technobots (Chinace Egoak, Nick Joekay, Nicole Stevens, Patrick Waska, and Coach Chris Woodard) and the Kipnuk Little Monsters (Garrick Amik, Kevin Brown, Shanlee Samson, Daniel Jenkins, Gerald Kashatok, Maggie Aliralria, Billy Mukluk, Kiera Mesak, Brandon Paul, Julius Carl, Jako McCarr, Natalie Active, and Coach Naomi Olsen) will represent LKSD at the state competition on December 10, 2005 in Anchorage.

?Everyone is a winner for stepping forward and accepting the Ocean Odyssey Challenge,? said Leinberger. ?Congratulations to each of you!?

LKSD Sr. High

Speech contest results

11/21/05

The district wide SR High Speech contest was held November 15-16, 2005. There were 102 students participating from 14 different schools (Akiuk, Akula, Atmautluak, BRHS, Chefornak, Goodnews Bay, Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Mekoryuk, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Quinhagak, and Toksook Bay).

?Thanks to all the district office staff, coaches, chaperones, and community members for volunteering to be speech judges,? said LKSD Student Activities Coordinator Sharon Wegner. ?Your time and effort are greatly appreciated.?

English Expository

1. Melanie Shavings - Mekoryuk

2. Juanita Bavilla ? Napaskiak

3. Dennis Panruk ? Chefornak

4. Michelle Tinker ? Akula

5. Sara Amos ? Mekoryuk

Yup?ik Expository

1. Anastasia Brink - Akiuk

2.Juanita Bavilla ? Napaskiak

3.Elena Anthony-Nightmute

4. Carl Williams ? Napaskiak

English Dramatic Interpretation

1. Ken Beaver ? Kwigillingok

2. Jenny Klejka ? BRHS

3. Alessa Poe ? BRHS

4. Bosco P. Carl ? Newtok

5. Alicia Chagluak ? Toksook Bay

Yup?ik Dramatic Interpretation

1. Magdaline John ? Toksook Bay

2.Misha Charles ? Akula

3. Michelle Tinker ? Akula

4. Amanda Mark ? Quinhagak

5. Jodi Friend ? Kwigillingok

English Humorous Interpretation

1.Andrea Aliralria ? Kipnuk

2. Gerald Tom ? Newtok

3. Juliann Aliralria ? Kipnuk

4. Troy Wilkinson ? Kwigillingok

5. Terrilyn Brown ? Quinhagak

Yup?ik Humorous Interpretation

1. Heidi Kiunya ? Kwigillingok

2. Joshua Peter ? Akula

3. Johnny Andrew Jr. ? Kwigillingok

4. Tiffany Andrew ? Kwigillingok

5. Candida Andrew ? Kwigillingok

English Original Oration

1.Jessica Athanas ? BRHS

2. Jolene Bavilla - Napaskiak

3. Charlene Berlin ? Akiuk

4. Melanie Ivanoff ? Mekoryuk

5. Galen Nicholai ? Napaskiak

Yup?ik Original Oration

1.Jolene Bavilla - Napaskiak

Child Centered Schools

11/15/05

by John Lamont

Most public schools in the United States are child centered. All public schools in Alaska are. I would like to spend a few words on the why?s, how?s, and what ifs of school environments in Alaska.

After spending 43 years in the public school systems in Alaska I feel that I am qualified to express and provide some information on how we can do better in truly providing a positive, child centered learning environment for all our children. Our children are our future and no one can disagree with that statement (I hope).

First, let me explain what points I would like to make with this article: everyone involved in teaching must share the same love for children; as an educator we all must receive continuous training; as parents and community members we all should provide educators a warm and accepting place in all our communities; and we all should volunteer our services to our children?s schools.

Most educators choose the field of education because they want to help children become productive citizens. This takes a lot of professional training, as do most other professions. What is different is that educators are molding our future through their teaching. Many people do not understand that this is the most critical component of our democracy - educating and creating our future citizens and leaders.

Each generation of citizens should and do experience a higher quality of life than the previous generation. I do believe that we must be very participative in educating our future generation of voters (our children). All adult citizens should take time from their busy day to check up on a child in their community and ask them, ?How is it going in school?? or ?How are you doing??

Let our children know we care about them and that we are here to help them become successful members of our community. All educators show children that they are cared about and loved through their teaching. Classroom teachers tell children that they are trustworthy and respectful. In turn, the children do the same.

There is not one classroom in our democracy where a child is degraded through a teacher raising her/his voice to a child. If there is, that person is not an educator and does not belong in a classroom. I am an educator and know the challenges that we face daily. When we feel frustrated, what we need to do is look in the mirror and ask ourselves, ?Am I here to help children through my teaching or to threaten them into listening??

A child learns when he/she feels safe and cared for; if they are threatened, learning is restricted. We all understand that if we want a child to learn we should provide them with an environment that is safe, caring, and conducive to learning. This is only a minute slice of how our children should be taught.

Training is one of the most important aspects of being a good teacher. Everyone has heard of the teacher who has taught the same grades/subjects the same way, year after year for 20 years. Educators do not approve of this philosophy. Rather we believe each student is different and has a different learning style and ability, so each child is taught differently, although they may be learning the same standards in the course they are in.

I challenge those who may read this article to ask your children?s teachers questions about how they teach. I ask you to spend a day in your child?s classroom observing the teaching styles and practices. I know you will be amazed at what you see. A teacher has to teach in many different ways in order for a child to understand. Teachers need regular training in current practices and in how to use assessment data to best identify a child?s learning deficiencies. We need to recruit parents to help and support us in asking our governmental agencies for more resources so that we can provide continuous training for teachers and teaching support staff. Please help our children through your involvement in our democratic system.

How many of you have been in a situation where you have felt out of place? It is not a safe or secure feeling, is it? I?ve talked with our children in several different schools over the years and asked them the same question. A majority of their responses are the same - they don?t like to be in that situation. I explained to them that this is how some people feel when they come to a different place, especially with a totally different culture.

Some teachers who teach in remote Alaska find themselves in this situation where they are unfamiliar with the culture or feel out of place; also, these teachers tend to feel more secure remaining close to the school colony. These teachers may only leave the school colony to go to the post office or to the local stores on occasion. These teachers have very little contact with the community whose children they are teaching.

As community members, we should help our children?s teachers to feel a part of our community and invite them into our homes and invite ourselves into their classrooms. I have heard of an ?adopt a teacher? program where community members pick a teacher and allow them to become a part of their family. They invite them to family special occasions such as birthdays or first dances. Teachers who make this personal connection to a community tend to have longevity in that community, especially in rural areas of Alaska. Let us all help to make our children?s teachers feel a part of our community. After all, we trust our children to their care for six or more hours a day for an entire school year.

Lastly, as I have said before in an earlier article, volunteer in your child?s classroom or school as often as you can. Each time a child in our community sees a parent or an adult in their classroom or school, they know that the parent or adult cares about their education. You must want to volunteer and not be asked. When asked, volunteers tend not to do the best they can and the children pick up on that and know that that volunteer does not really care.

Our children are our future. Let us make every effort to keep them in a supportive and caring environment. When you see a child today, ask them how are they doing and let them know that it?s nice to have them as part of our community.

M.E. Coin Drive

brings in $2,171.50

11/8/05

Like most of the world, Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat Kindergarten Teacher, Jeanette O?Brien was following the coverage of all the destruction and devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Her daughters Kelly and Haley asked her about the children who lost their schools and homes. Although the O?Brien family had already sent money, the two M.E. students wanted to do more. O?Brien decided to approach the staff at M.E. about starting a coin drive.

With much enthusiasm from everyone, the M.E. Katrina Coin Drive was started. October 23 was set as the end date. Everyone agreed that the money raised would go to help a school ravaged by Katrina.

For two weeks, M.E. students filled jars, cans and sacks. Everyone, from Principal Carlton Kuhns, staff, parent and community volunteers counted coins for days. Just this week the counting was completed and much to everyone?s amazement, ME School had collected $2,171.50. O?Brien and other teachers said they thought maybe over $1,000 would be raised and were thrilled over the efforts.

Principal Kuhns was ecstatic. ?It was a great opportunity for our students to see what they can do to help others in need. It is so important for kids at this age to think about others. Developmentally, it?s a very cool thing.?

Kuhns is working with a non-profit group called Acadiana Educational Endowment to select a school affected by Katrina and send the $2,171.50 directly to that school.

Bethel Council on the Arts makes donations to support art in local schools

11/1/05

by K.J. Lincoln

As a way of saying ?thank you? to the community, the Bethel Council on the Arts is giving local Bethel schools a $1,000 donation to support Art in the curriculum.

?There?s so many talented people here and by giving the grants, the kids can have a chance to do art and music projects that the schools aren?t able to do with budget cuts and the rest,? said Betsy Taguchi, President of the Bethel Council on the Arts.

The funds are left over from the ?really great? 2005 Cama-i Festival, said Taguchi. Each year the Council gives donations with whatever they have left to support the development of the arts through giving to the children?s schools.

This year?s wish lists includes an electric keyboard, two guitars, and a digital camera for the Bethel Alternative Boarding School.

For the Bethel Regional High School, the donation will be used to purchase supplies to build traditional drums. BRHS art teacher Shelli Franckowiak hopes that the drums will grow into something bigger ? an afterschool drumming group

?The $1,000 donation from the Bethel Arts Council will put us on our way to having kids experience a traditional art form as well as starting a drumming group here at BRHS,? said Franckowiak.

As for Kilbuck, the availability of funds for art would encourage teachers to incorporate art into their curriculum.

?The materials would be provided to inspire teachers to incorporate art into their day so that Kilbuck students could continue to express themselves artistically,? said Staci Gillilan, the Site Technology Specialist at Kilbuck Elementary.

The presentation of the check for the Ayaprun Immersion School was made during Yuuyaraq, where students learn about Yup?ik values and cultural ideals.

?We were very pleased with their contribution,? said Ayaprun School principal Agatha Panigkaq Shields. ?The children were very excited to receive this gift. The Council presented us with the donation during our Yuuyaraq time, and our theme at the time was ?Ikayuucaraq? ? Helping Others, which was very fitting. We will be able to use it to enhance our curriculum through art. Quyana to the Council for this donation and to everyone for their help and support.?

?I think it helps students in ways that we don?t even understand,? said Taguchi, ?It is really an important part of their day.?

Here are some facts about Art from the California Arts Council: Arts education helps build academic skills, increases academic performance, improves test scores, improves behavior, reaches kids at risk of dropping out of school, improves self-esteem and builds the kind of creative skills that are required of people in the workforce of the new century.

?Arts Enhance Learning: Numerous major studies show that learning and achievement are improved when the arts are an integral part of students? school and after/school experience. Engagement in the arts nurtures the development of cognitive, social, and personal competencies.

?Process of Discovery: The arts encourage learning as a process of discovery that engages the whole child - body, mind and heart ? in exploration and problem solving.

?Language and Literacy: Research powerfully details the effective use of drama in preschool and early grades as a technique for teaching and motivating children to develop higher-order language and literacy skills.

?Arts Help Teachers Teach: Studies of older children show that drama improves reading skills, persuasive writing ability, narrative writing skills, and children?s self-conceptions as learners and readers.

?Higher SAT Scores: Students with four years of study in the arts scored higher on their SATs. In 1995, for example, SAT scores were 59 points higher on the verbal and 44 points higher on the mathematics portion than students with no course work in the arts.

?Attendance: Attendance almost always goes up when arts are part of the curriculum, and remains stable.

?Brain Development: In musicians who started training in early childhood, the neural bridge that links the brain?s hemispheres, called the corpus callosum, is up to 15% larger. A professional musician?s auditory cortex - the part of the brain associated with hearing - contains 130% more gray matter than that of non-musicians.

The Bethel Council on the Arts sponsors the popular Cama-i Festival, musical concerts, an annual Arts & Crafts Fair the week after Thanksgiving, a Christmas Singalong and other miscellaneous events to enhance and enrich the community with the arts. The next event that the Council is sponsoring is ?Just Desserts? on Sunday, November 6th at 7pm at the Cultural Center to showcase local artists.

Jr. high speech

contest a success

10/25/2005

by Sharon Weaver

The Jr. High Speech contest was held October 18-19, 2005. We had a total of 131 students (10 more than last year) from 15 different schools - Akiuk, Akula, Atmautluak, Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, BRHS, Eek, Kilbuck, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwigillingok, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Quinhagak, and Toksook Bay.

I would like to thank all the LKSD district office staff, community members, coaches and chaperones for all their help judging and performing numerous tasks throughout the event. Without your help, we would not have been able to host a successful event.

Congratulations to all the students who placed in each of the events. Kudos to ALL the students who had the courage and determination to compete in the 2 day event. You are all winners!!!!

Yup?ik Expository and Expository

1 Kamluq Naneng - Ayaprun 1 Angelica Phillips - BRHS

2 Papangluaq Nicholai - Ayaprun

2 Lauren Forbes - BRHS

3 Kunuin Owens - Ayaprun 3 Lydia Agnus - Nightmute

4 Miranda Mochin - Atmautluak

4 Kimberly Hoover - Akula

5 Tanuk?aq Jimmie - Ayaprun 5 Papangluaq Nicholai - Ayaprun

Yup?ik Humorous Interpretation and Humorous Interpretation

1 Kelsey Wallace - BRHS

2 Gabriella Sergie - Akula

2 Cody Lewis - Kwigillingok

3 Jamie Nicholas - Akula

3 Kristen Kashatok--Kwigillingok

4 Jerrilyn Andrew - Akula

4 Lonny Strunk - Atmautluak

5 Leon Jimmie?Kwigillingok 5 Carolyn Atti--Kwigillingok

Yup?ik Original Oration and Original Oration

1 Zachary Joekay - Napaskiak 1 Ian Sia--BRHS

2 Nug?aralria McElwee - Ayaprun

2 Eniana Pellumbi--BRHS

3 Kaganaq Oscar - Ayaprun 3 Jalene Herron-BRHS

4 Kamluq Naneng?Ayaprun Elit.

5 Renae Keene-Akiuk

Yup?ik Dramatic Interpretation and Dramatic Interpretation

1 Piiyuuk Shields ? Ayaprun 1 Carl Phillip - Kongiganak

2 Oscar Snyder - Kwigillingok 2 Leah Reuter - BRHS

3 Kimberly Hoover - Akula 3 Nancie Grifka - BRHS

4 Qak?aq Soots - Ayaprun

4 Kelsey Wallace - BRHS

5 Cody Lewis - Kwigillingok 5 Kristen Kashatok - Kwigillingok

Soaring through the skies

Through the eyes of a student pilot

by Phillip Samson

Hello to all Delta Discovery readers! My name is Phillip Samson and I am from the village of Kipnuk. I am now a student pilot training in Bethel and I encourage all of you to come in and join me in my training. Anyways, I am no one special or someone different - I am just a regular person who likes to do things like everyone else does (out in the villages that is). But for me, I made a choice in my life and that is to go to places I don?t normally go to. To see new things, experience something new in my life and that is? flying.

Flying? there is nothing like flying out there. Soaring through the blue covered skies with patches of clouds hundreds of feet in the air where people are little specks on the ground living their days while the airplane I fly roars across the sky for miles and miles. Going to places where I thought I?d never be able to go to in my lifetime. This is the best experience I?ll ever have for now.

I remember the day I had the controls in my hands for the first time being seated where pilots take everyone from place to place. That day was the most exciting day of my life to soar the skies with the freedom of birds. Everything I traveled through with a snow machine looked different from the air, and the best part was the sky was blue and the sun was shining bright. That day I flew with the pilots who go from village to village picking and dropping off people.

That one day I had my first solo at Atmautluak feels like it was yesterday. My body felt nervous and I knew I was ready. All I had to do was show my instructor I could safely land and takeoff at Atmautluak without him telling me what to do. I almost blew it with my radio work, but after a couple seconds of confusion, I straightened out my head and corrected myself. After that being taken care of, I gave him the landings and takeoffs he wanted.

In Atmautluak, he wanted to get out so that I would do my first solo. I remember adding power to the airplane. While doing that, everything felt different without my instructor and all was quiet except for the roaring of the engine. Power was at full max with airspeed getting faster and faster? then? liftoff. I will never forget that day, my day I became a known pilot by many people, a pilot who knows how to takeoff and land at an airport.

After a couple landings and takeoffs, me and my instructor headed back to the flight school in Bethel. Heading back, I wondered about what was going to happen when we got there. 10 minutes passed by then we landed and taxied off the runway to the flight school.

Making it to the flight school, I shut down the airplane and as I tied it down my instructor said he had to do his paperwork inside leaving me behind. After that, I headed inside to do a little bit of paper work. Then he tells me that we had to get our pictures taken in front of the airplane I flew in so I headed out first? one step out the door I sensed someone was behind me. I looked back? Dallas Chayalkun of Chevak had a water hose in his hands aiming straight at me. I froze staring straight down the black pit where everything could get wet in a matter of seconds. Two seconds passed by? I got soaked in water and after that the back of my shirt was cut out for good luck? What a day?

Now that I have soloed an airplane, I go out flying just about everyday (weather permitting). Doing this has always been my dream since I was so young, staring at airplanes go through the sky in amazement wondering how they keep themselves from falling. But I remember saying something to my mom (Fannie Samson)? I don?t actually remember how old I was (from a voice of a baby talking) I said, ?Mom, when I get bigger I?ll start bringing you to Bethel.? And if you?re reading this mom I?m real close to doing what I said about 16 years ago? upingakina:-)!

First snowman for

season in Chefornak

10/18/2005

Theresa Panruk and Nicole Mael spent time on Wednesday making a snowman in front of the village post office in Chefornak. Nicole works part time at the post office and thought it would be a good idea to have a snowman guard to keep people out of the post office in the evenings. She enlisted the help of her friend Theresa so that the work could be done more quickly. It was fortunate that so much snow fell on Chefornak on Wednesday before noon that it was easy to make the snowman. Nearby dry grass and a little mud helped complete the snowman in no time. This is the first snowman of the season for Chefornak.

M.E. Halloween Carnival

Fun for ?Little Folks?

10/18/2005

Mark your calendars for October 22. It?s the Halloween Carnival at Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat School from 12noon to 3p.m. The ?Little Folks? Halloween Carnival is always a popular community event. The annual fundraiser for M.E. advertises lots of ghoulish fun and food with games geared for Children 8 years old and under. Cupcake walks, face painting, pictures with Halloween Characters, pee wee golf, and ice fish pond are some of the events planned. Fun prizes are awarded for many of the events. Folks won?t go hungry as the 2nd grade classes will run the concession stand with juice, hotdogs and other goodies.

The money raised from the ?Little Folks? Carnival is used by M.E. teachers to enhance programs in their classroom and to buy supplies. The M.E. Carnival?s success is attributed to generous donations of supplies, time and energy by teachers, parents and community businesses. To volunteer call Beverly Hoffman at 543-2845 ext 252.

RAHI reunion to

coincide with AFN

10/11/2005

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Rural Alaska Honors Institute, in conjunction with the Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention later this month, will host a reunion for more than two decades of RAHI participants. Alumni, families and friends are invited to attend the event on Oct. 20, 2005 from 4-7 p.m. in the Gathering Room at the Brooks Building on the UAF main campus.

The RAHI program was founded in 1982, at the request of the AFN, to help rural Alaska students make the transition from high school to college. The six-week summer program brings at least 40 high school students to UAF each year. Students live in campus residence halls and learn about college life while working to build their academic skills through enrollment in university-level courses. They leave with up to 12 college credits, which count toward degree requirements later in their academic careers.

?We attempt to build a supportive community in which students participate in a rich academic setting, build a university transcript and develop a long-term supportive network with peers, staff and instructors,? said Denise Wartes, program coordinator.

To date, more than 275 RAHI alumni have gone on to achieve associate, baccalaureate or graduate degrees and many have become a part of Alaska?s professional work force. Wartes expects a strong alumni presence among the thousands of delegates attending the AFN convention Oct. 17-22 in Fairbanks.

?We deliberately scheduled this event to coincide with AFN,? said Wartes, ?So many of our alumni will be in town for the convention; it?s the perfect opportunity for us to host a statewide reunion.?

As the program heads into its 24th year, Wartes hopes alumni will attend and share nearly a quarter century of RAHI memories.

CONTACT: RAHI Program Coordinator Denise Wartes at (907) 474-6886 or by e-mail at fnmdw@uaf.edu or Program Assistant Carol Hollingsworth at (907) 474-7181 or by e-mail at fnch@uaf.edu.

We need water and sewer

by Charlotte Lake

My name is Charlotte Lake. I am 13 years old. I want to say things about Water and Sewer. Hooper Bay needs Water and Sewer because we don?t like to pack water all the time just to wash our hair, or do the dishes, or to wash our clothes and stuff like that.

If we had Water and Sewer I?ll bet kids would not be getting burned by hot water either in a basin or on top of a range or on a stovetop.

It will also be easier for elders to wash dishes or anything else with running water instead of packing water. We also don?t like to go to the dump to throw trash and honey buckets. It is so disgusting and gross.

We can get lice from not washing ourselves and not washing our clothes. We take a shower once a week in school but we can get boils or something else from lack of good water.

Once we get Water and Sewer Hooper Bay will thank you and be very happy.

Charlotte Lake is a 7th grader at the Naparyarmiut Elicarviat in Hooper Bay.

Why we need

water and sewer

by Misty Gump

We need water and sewer because people here are getting sick. We are getting sick from not taking baths or washing ourselves because we don?t have running water. Children are getting boils and head lice. Also because of honey buckets. We need something to protect us from getting sick. If we are sick and we smell something stinky we can get worse and maybe die.

Old people can?t even do these chores, they will have to call a person to help them, and they?ll end up giving money for helping them!

It is hard trying to keep our houses clean too! We can?t wash clothes and do dishes without water. We will have to go all the way to the well and pack water, either by walk or by Honda. Some people can?t even get water because they live too far away from wells. So they will have to stay dirty until they get worms, flies, and beetles in their house that can go in their ears and nose that can affect other areas on their body.

It is hard cooking when there are children in the house because we put water on the stove to make hot water for dishes and one of them can reach and burn from the hot water.

One reason to heat water is because we use the water to wash our hands after we use the bathroom and before we are going to cook. That can make someone very sick. We use the dirty water over and over again because we have no running water to replace it.

Misty Gump is a 7th grader at the Naparyarmiut Elicarviat in Hooper Bay.

Why we need

water and sewer

by Alice Seton

We need water and sewer because it would be better for the people of Hooper Bay. For example, we would need showers, bathtubs, toilets, and fresh water. If we did have water and sewer, then we won?t have to get drinking water from the well or the lakes. Then we would be taking showers in our own homes and not at the washeteria or the school.

We would need the flush toilets because it would be better to have than the smelly, stinky honey buckets. Besides, we can get sick from the honey buckets.

We?d need the showers and clean water, than we can avoid getting boils and other skin infections. That is why we need water and sewer.

Alice Seton is a 7th grader at the Naparyarmiut Elicarviat in Hooper Bay.

World Youth Day Reflections: Germany 2005

by Christine McCaffery

World Youth Day in Germany was a calling by Pope John Paul II to youth from around the world to join him in August of 2005 to worship God and celebrate life. After he passed away this past spring, his successor, Pope Benedict XVI came to continue the Church?s support of active youth.

Bethel?s Immaculate Conception Catholic Church sent 11 persons in all, eight youth and three chaperones. Although we belong to the Fairbanks Diocese, we joined with the Anchorage Archdiocese to make up a group of about 150 traveling together from Alaska to Germany. Several priests and the Archbishop of Anchorage joined us for our pilgrimage.

We worked hard at fundraising, and we thank all the businesses and individuals who helped us reach our goal.

Our trip began with an overnight in Anchorage, a 3-hour trip to Vancouver, and then another 10-hour flight to Frankf?rt, Germany.

Our tour/pilgrimage began the day after we arrived. On the bus ride to the Fulda Cathedral, we all said a rosary. This became a daily prayer for all on the bus. A different youth led it each day.

During our pilgrimage we focused on German saints and became more familiar with how they lived and shared their faith. It was very connecting to be in the place of cathedrals and monasteries that have been around for centuries. Here in Alaska, especially in western Alaska, we have different types of connections to the people of centuries gone by. The cathedrals and crypts that we visited in Germany gave us a sense of history, particularly Church history, that we just don?t have in our own area. It was awe inspiring.

We traveled to cathedrals all over the southeast part of Germany. One spot was at Alt?tting. This is the pilgrimage spot of the Black Madonna. Many hopeful and thankful pilgrims for more than 500 years have come here to pray and ask for special favors and to seek God?s graces and healing for us. Just being in a place where so many prayers and petitions occur seems to lift the soul beyond its normal breaking point.

On another day, we hiked uphill about 5 miles in order to participate in Mass at Andech?s Monastery. It was more of an enjoyable walk than a contemplative pilgrimage. It was an accomplishment for some of our kids to walk uphill for such a long time!

In the cross-cultural area of Bethel, we worship in two languages: Yup?ik and English. During our pilgrimage through Germany, we joined other nationalities in celebrating Mass in the cathedrals. English, German and Italian were often all part of the Mass.

Once World Youth Day activities began and we joined the massive crowd of youth from all over the world, it was a bit overwhelming. It was the biggest crowd any of us have ever experienced. Prior to the big event, nothing could really prepare us for the thousands upon thousands of people that flocked to the opening Mass and ceremonies at the D?sseldorf arena. And then, triple that number to almost a million for the vigil outside of K?ln, at the Marienfeld. It was thrilling and intimidating at the same time to be among such a throng of people. However, everyone was there for one reason, to celebrate their Catholic Faith with each other and Pope Benedict XVI.

In D?sseldorf, we watched on a big screen the live general opening from the K?ln arena. The city of Bonn was also watching and then celebrating in their arena. After the initial beginning in K?ln, D?sseldorf began its own celebration with the procession of flags from participating countries of the world followed by hundreds of bishops and priests.

Above the ceremony, the stadium bleachers were full of flags as each group carried their flag as an identifier. Our Alaskan group had both an American and an Alaskan Flag to help keep us together as well as to identify us to the other states and nations.

This was the biggest Mass any of us had ever attended. How many people get to celebrate Mass with some 36,000 people in a sports arena? We had our radios with us in order to hear the English translation of the homily. We brought them again to the vigil with Pope Benedict XVI in order to understand his homilies.

D?sseldorf was the ?hub? where the English-speaking catechism took place on a daily basis. A different bishop taught each morning and there was time for open discussion and questions following the teaching. It was a bit difficult to keep focused on the teaching with a thousand or so people crammed into the cathedral. Youth were sleeping, chatting, actively paying attention and drifting into their own thoughts?it made me think of what it must have been like when Jesus addressed the multitudes of people.

Experiencing the vigil with Pope Benedict XVI and entering into Mass on Sunday morning was the highlight and culmination of our pilgrimage. We eagerly woke up and ate breakfast ready to board the busses by 8:00am for our overnight with the multitudes. Our bus trip was about two hours to the drop off place from where we walked into the vigil site. Our hike was another two hours before reaching the spot where we settled in for the next 24 hours. We attempted to arrive early, which is to say, we arrived with the first 30,000 or so pilgrims in the morning. We went exploring while also holding on to our sleeping space.

After several hours, the grounds continued to fill with pilgrims. We found ourselves being slowly crunched into a smaller space. We were ready, as we had been warned that the grounds would be filled to overflowing by the time the Pope came for the Vigil Mass.

Several of our youth ran to get up close to the route that the Pope would be traveling in his Pope Mobile. They were able to get a couple of photos. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm. Even they were a bit surprised at themselves for the excitement they felt with the Pope in proximity. Seeing and hearing the Pope was a very unifying experience.

We met Americans from New York City, Colorado, North Dakota, and California besides meeting people from Australia, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, England, and beyond. Throughout the weeklong celebration, youth were exchanging trinkets, jewelry, hats and T-shirts besides names and addresses.

The vigil was cool and comfortable for us Alaskans. Prayer and candlelight, singing and receiving the Eucharist, were all a part of the unity of Mass we celebrated together with the world. It truly was the world gathered in this one area of Germany, if only for a moment.

The night was cooler than most of us expected. We huddled together for warmth. The cool night brought us closer together as we experienced it. Nothing brings people together like challenging times where we depend on each other to get through.

Pilgrims on the field woke up gradually between six and 9:55am. Mass was at 10:00. All were awake and eager to greet the Pope by the time he came by in his Pope Mobile. It was near this time that I got to see him. He was arriving in his limousine on the outskirts of the crowd, in order to get into the Pope Mobile and enter more publicly. Since there were fewer people on this route, I was thrilled to be able to watch all the Bishops and Cardinals arriving and then see Pope Benedict XVI, himself waving from a backseat. I was easily within a stone?s throw of him?much closer than I ever imagined and with only one person between me and the Pope. I have gained deeper respect for the Church, as Christ established it, some 2000 years ago and how it still is active today.

I know that the youth were thrilled as half of them are already planning to attend the next WYD in Sydney, Australia! So, I suppose, Western Alaska will be hearing about our fund raising needs for a Sydney trip in 2008. Thanks to all who have helped us to get to Germany. It was a great trip!

We?d like to thank the following organizations for their support: Stan?s, Anvil?s Gun Cache, First National Bank, Heidi?s Tranquility Spa, Courtney?s Auto, Ida?s Perms & Cuts, Delta Discovery, Tundra Drums, Alaska Hovercraft, KYKD, GCI, Q-2, Anica, Lucy?s Cache, Grant Air, Datu?s, KYUK, Brother?s Pizza, Shogun, Pizzaria?s, Bethel Drilling & Welding, Titan Technologies, Malone & Malone, AVCP, Winterset Manor Storage, ID Variety, Northstar Gas, SWANSON?S, CORINA?S CASELOT, and the Diocese of Fairbanks and the Catholic Extension services for your generous donations and for their generous support of our WYD trip.

Chefornak students

study to earn gym time

by Madeline Lewis

At 7:00 PM, in Chefornak, there?s something going on in the school? study hall. During study hall, people work on their homework and use the time to catch up. Students study from 7:00 to 8:30. There are teachers there to help with homework.

After studying, there is one hour of open gym, but there are rules that they have to follow. If they want to go to open gym, they have to be studying for at least one hour. If they do not study for one hour or more they won?t be able to go to open gym. They won?t be able to have fun in the gym if they were late or had an unexcused absence that school day. They can go to study hall, but they won?t be able to go to open gym.

While studying, they cannot talk or they will be sent out and won?t be able to attend the open gym. For bathroom privileges, they have to go one by one. This is how we do our after school study hall and open gym.

Bethel joins

hurricane relief effort

by Paul Basile

As the disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina unfolded, the world watched their television sets in horror and disbelief; many wishing there was something they could do to help. Within days of Katrina?s gulf coast landing, the world found out what they could do. A deluge of television and Internet advertisements led the American Red Cross? campaign for donations in support of their relief work in areas affected by the hurricane.

Sympathizers the world over have responded by digging into pockets, shallow and deep, to offer whatever financial assistance they can. The people of Bethel are no exception; several local efforts to raise money for hurricane victims are already underway.

Teacher Georgianna Starr spearheaded a very successful Ayaprun Elitnaurvik fundraising project. Students held bake sales on Thursday September 8 at the Kilbuck Elementary School cafeteria and at the A.C. Store. They also sold leftover baked goods and akutaq at a potluck that evening.

Starr said she had been keeping her eyes on the news, thinking about the hurricane disaster and about how she might help. The bake sale fundraiser had worked in the past and she thought it might be a good learning experience for her students.

?It?s important for students to look beyond Bethel,? said Starr. ?They need to know that they can help.?

The students seemed to understand the lesson.

When asked what the sale was for, student Tiana Williams said, ?For the Red Cross to help all the people down there who have no homes and no stuff.?

After the day of dessert peddling, the immersion program students raised $366, which will be donated to the American Red Cross.

The Association of Village Council Presidents has also organized a local hurricane relief fund.

Myron Naneng, President of AVCP, said the donations would be forwarded to the Red Cross.

?We?re appealing to people in the villages and in Bethel to help in one form or another to support people who are in a recovery process after Hurricane Katrina,? said Naneng.

As of Friday, September 9, AVCP had collected $390. According to Caroline Pavilla of AVCP, most of the donations they have received thus far have been from individuals, not village governments or other agencies.

Pavilla said that AVCP would continue their collection.

The City of Bethel is also conducting a relief effort. The city council voted unanimously to support a challenge grant that will raise funds for hurricane victims.

The city has begun accepting donations from the public. The city council has agreed to match whatever amount is collected (with a $1,000 maximum) and make a donation to the American Red Cross in the name of the City of Bethel.

Lindsey Meyers, co-proprietor of Bethel Furniture and Appliance Outlet, began a relief fund of her own shortly after the disastrous hurricane?s impact became international news.

?I watched the news and it was just so horrible,? she said. ?It?s heartbreaking.?

Meyers first made a donation to the Red Cross on her own, but then decided to appeal to the community for more support.

Meyers has raised about $350 so far, but plans to continue accepting donations as long as there is a need. ?We?ll be sending checks out monthly,? she said.

?This is one of the largest natural disasters in our nation?s history,? Meyers said. ?We need to do what we can.?

Another way that Bethelites can donate to the cause in the gulf coast is through Wells Fargo.

According to David Kennedy, of Wells Fargo, the bank has a fund set up to make donations to the American Red Cross? Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

?Customers can go into any Wells Fargo branch and mention that they want to make a donation to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund,? Kennedy said.

The money can be automatically transferred from the customer?s account to the Wells Fargo fund.

With a choice of ways to donate, Bethel residents will find it easy to offer their help to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

When asked why it was important help people who are so far away, Ayaprun Elitnaurvik student Olivia Shields gave a particularly astute answer.

?In our Yup?ik tradition, one tradition is that you?re supposed to help everybody when they?re in need of help?because we are all one.?

Boy Scouts to

recruit Bethel youth

by Paul Basile

An executive from the Western Alaska Council of the Boy Scouts of America will visit Bethel this week in order to drum up new recruits for the youth organization. Katherine Bang will conduct a campaign for the Race to Cub Scouting 2005 at local elementary schools on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Boy Scouts have been active for 94 years, providing outdoors and leadership training for boys throughout the country. The Cub Scouts program targets boys between kindergarten and fifth grade.

The Race to Cub Scouting 2005 is part of a national initiative to increase membership in the young-boys program.

Bang will visit classrooms to discuss scouting with students during the school day on Wednesday. On Wednesday night, she will host parents and prospective scouts for an event at the Kilbuck School cafeteria.

Bang will discuss the goals and activities of the Cub Scout program with parents and boys during the presentation.

According to Bang, scouting provides opportunities for boys to learn about things like hiking and camping, but also teaches valuable leadership skills.

?It?s for little boys to become men,? said Bang.

Last week, Bang conducted a similar membership drive in Dillingham, where she had great success.

?We signed up 21 new scouts and 11 new adult volunteers,? she said.

On Thursday night, Bang will host a training session for parents who have signed up to volunteer with the scouts. For Bang, it is just as important to recruit adults, as it is to sign up boys.

?Our organization represents preparing little boys to become responsible young men,? she said. ?We can?t do that without parent involvement.?

?What we foster is adults volunteering to spend time with children in their community.?

Many Bethel households may have already received notification of the recruiting visit in the mail. Elementary School boys will receive additional information at school on Wednesday.

The Wednesday evening presentation begins at 7:00 PM in the Kilbuck Cafeteria.

Thank you to the

Chevak Litter Patrol

by Cynthia Paniyak

Chevak Traditional Council Environmental Department would like to recognize this year?s Youth Litter Patrol: Jack Atcherian, Forrest Ayagarak, Alden Boyscout, Travis Boyscout, Isaiah Jones, Alvin Ulroan, Warren Ulroan and supervisor Mary T. Matchian.

Despite the rain, this group picked up to 100 bags of trash and crushed/bagged pop cans in 3 days. The Youth Litter Patrol, which is intended to be a follow up on existing litter control efforts in the community, is made possible by Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR) program. We would also like to thank Chevak Company Corporation Store, Rockin? Roy?s Yours, Our Cache, Wayne Hill Company, City of Chevak and Chevak Traditional Council who all donated sodas and snacks to our patrollers. Let?s continue to be litter free! For the land that provides us food and water, lets not litter and dispose of our trash properly. Lets continue to collect our pop cans, batteries and shopping bags.

Eight Kwethluk students take on the Big Apple

by Vicky Spencer

August of 2004 brought good news to the ears of sixth grade students at Ket?acik & Aapalluk Memorial School in Kwethluk. The National Geographic Society Education Foundation had awarded them a grant to work with students at Bank Street School for Children in New York City.

The previous year, Vicky Spencer, a teacher in Kwethluk, responded to an e-mail from Joe Bacal, a teacher at Bank Street School for Children in New York City. He was looking for Alaskan students to team up with his and teach each other about their cultures. Things took off from there.

Students were assigned pen pals, teachers planned lessons together via e-mail and phone calls, classes read the same books and answered the same questions on an online discussion board, and the students were able to share knowledge about subjects ranging from dog mushing and caribou hunting to taxis and skyscrapers. It was such a successful endeavor that the teachers decided to do it again the next year with dreams of bigger and better things, so they applied for a grant to fund their dreams.

In August of 2004, word came that the grant they were hoping for was awarded to them. With the funding and support from the National Geographic Society Education Foundation, they were each able to purchase a digital video camera, atlases, and several books to aid them in the development of their own website.

Throughout the year, the nine and ten-year-old students at Bank Street and the sixth-grade students at Kwethluk studied geography, mapping, and the cultures in their communities. They also wrote letters to their pen pals and discussed issues such as songs, movies, and their favorite subjects in school.

At the same time, work was being documented on the website, and students in Kwethluk began raising money in hopes of making a trip to New York City in the summer. The school and community support was astounding! By holding two fiddle dances, a bake sale, a basketball tournament, selling items from catalogs, raffling off a donated quilt, and recycling cans, the students raised over $10,000 and were on their way to New York City!

On Tuesday, May 31, 2005 eight students and two teachers from Kwethluk began their long, cross-country journey to New York City! They left the Kwethluk airport at 4:45 PM Alaska Daylight Time and after 20 hours of traveling, finally landed in Newark, New Jersey on Wednesday, June 1st at 5PM Eastern Daylight Time!

During rush hour, a shuttle bus took them through the Lincoln Tunnel to the Bank Street School for Children. There the students met each other, celebrated and chatted together, and then host families took their ?kids? home to get some well-needed sleep! They were finally in New York!

Thursday morning, June 2nd, everyone met at Bank Street School for Children and, after a quick lesson on subway safety, made their way to the American Museum of Natural History. There the Kwethluk students were able to explain the uses of Native Alaskan tools and art to the Bank Street group. They then went across the street and had lunch in Central Park before returning to the AMNH where they watched an IMAX film. They had time with their host families in the afternoon, and then met at Ollie?s for Chinese food before going to see the Broadway musical, ?Fiddler on the Roof.? After the show, some of the actors and actresses came out, gave autographs, and talked specifically to the Kwethluk/Bank Street student group!

Friday, the group began their day at the Empire State Building. Though it was a foggy morning, it was still beautiful to look down on Manhattan. Students took pictures and bought souvenirs from the Observation Deck. Once they returned to ground level, they ate lunch and took taxis over to Sony Wonder. Students enjoyed using the technology presented there. They got their own ID cards by typing in their names, speaking answers to the computer and taking their own pictures. They also walked around to various exhibits where they experienced more technological treats. Then host families took their ?kids? again and met together later that evening for dinner at Planet Hollywood.

Saturday started with specialty pancakes for the entire group at one of the host family?s homes. After filling their stomachs, they loaded the subway and headed to a Mets game. A few hot dogs, sodas, and cotton candy bags later, the students split up and went with their host families for an afternoon and evening of ?family? time. Some students saw Star Wars Episode III, some heard a mariachi band play while they ate Mexican food, and still others got to swim in a swimming pool for the first time!

On Sunday, breakfast was hosted by another Bank Street family. After filling up on every kind of breakfast food imaginable, the group boarded the subway again for their next destination: Coney Island! Ride after ride filled the Kwethluk students with excitement, contagious laughter, and even more anticipation for the next ride. When it was almost time to leave, Kwethluk students got the chance to dip their feet in (or swim in) the Atlantic Ocean. After an already full day, the group ended with dinner at another family?s home.

Monday, their last day in New York City, flew by as the Kwethluk group went to Carnegie Hall for a backstage tour and then met with the Bank Street students to see the Statue of Liberty.

Finally, they ended their amazing journey with a farewell dinner, hosted by yet another generous family. Decorating the room were posters made by the Bank Street students depicting their week together. Everyone ate and talked about what an amazing week they?d had. Students enjoyed hanging out and playing games with their new friends one last time before leaving. Before the evening ended, the Kwethluk students thanked their hosts and friends by sharing more of their culture: they performed two Eskimo dances, showed how to make akutaq (Eskimo ice cream), and shared fish strips with everyone. It was a wonderful way to end such an exciting week!

Tuesday morning, at about 5:30 AM, the van picked students and chaperones up from each host home and took them to the airport for the day-long trip back to Alaska! Students were sad to be leaving, but they were happy to be on their way home and anxious to share all their adventures with others. It had been a wonderful week for all!

Putting science into action: Platinum Marine Summer Science Institute

by K.J. Lincoln

Students from the Lower Kuskokwim School District participating in the Platinum Marine Summer Science Institute are learning how to put science into action through the scientific method approach where a hypothesis is made and an experiment is used to test it. The students then draw conclusions using the data they collected.

By definition, the scientific method is the system of advancing knowledge by formulating a question, collecting data about it through observation and experiment, and testing a hypothetical answer.

These students have formulated their own research projects after being introduced to the marine ecosystem in Platinum, a Yup?ik Eskimo community on the coast of the Bering Sea. The students spent 4-5 days at various field stations focused on stream flow, beach survey, beach slope and erosion, botany, coastal ecology, and microbiology. Following the introduction to the stations, the students come up with a problem they want to research.

The research activity is called KELP: Kuskokwim Environmental Learning Project.

?Up to date technology and methods are used where possible,? said Naomi Olson, a teacher from Kipnuk working with the students in the KELP project. ?The students use digital photos, film, microscopes (including one that connects to the computer), a construction level, and other scientific gear to measure and carry out their experiments.?

Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) is also sponsoring the program.

?CVRF is encouraging the students to be more interested in science,? said Olson. ?Hopefully the student interest will carry over and we?ll have scientists in the future helping with the fishing and the environment in the delta.?

The students in the boys? session also toured the Platinum Mine and the piles of tailings ? the piles of rocks that are left over from mining.

Daniel Andrew III, a 7th grader from Kasigluk, chose for his project to study the effects of the Goodnews Bay Mine tailings on the plants within 20 feet from the riverbed and the effects of the mine tailings on plants 1 mile away. He began making his observations by counting and recording the types of plants that he found.

?I write the names of the plants, check them with tally marks at 20 feet from the riverbed, and then walk 1 mile and again, check the plants,? he said.

He will use his observations to make a comparison with his data and complete a report on his findings. His project, as the others, will be featured at the LKSD Science Fair next school year.

?All of them are leaving with a science fair project either complete or waiting for more data,? said Olson.

Staff for the camp included Ted Witenberger representing CVRF, Marc Leinberger - who put the project together, Supervisor Ross Boring, teachers Naomi Olson, Roberta Aloysius, Alan King, Becca King, Susan Barstow, and cook Moses Charles.

?Anglanarquq,? said Daniel Andrew. ?We are having fun, making new friends, and learning lots.?

The joys of

summer school

by Kathy Chagluak

About 35 students and 7 staff members at Nelson Island Area Schools participated in a two week summer school program. Students in grades 3T to 12 were enrolled in either reading or math classes. The all-day program included three 1 1/2 hour academic sessions in which students worked on passing indicator tests, projects, or played learning games. A mid-morning snack was served during the break. The last session of the day was spent doing a fun activity of their choice such as cross stitching, cooking, latch hook rugs, models and P.E. Summer school has been occurring for the past several years in Toksook Bay.

Yukon delta men train

by Richard Dennis

For the second year in a row, young adults from the Yukon Delta Region are training at the St. Mary?s SMART Center. There they are receiving training designed to give them skills to enter a trade in the construction industry. This year fourteen young men, ages 18 to 21, from Russian Mission in the East, to Hopper Bay on the Southwest and as far North as Kotlik, are all participating in this effort to give them the necessary skills for entry into a trade within the construction industry.

This training includes safety and skills primarily centered around the carpentry trade, although other trades are also introduced. The sessions range from classroom training, to skill development where safety, construction math and tool usage are all taught. The instructors for this years three week class are Randy Alvarez of the Southern Alaska Carpenter?s Training Center and Richard Dennis from Lower Yukon School District.

Students will split their time between the theoretical and practical. Actually, everything is practical. The classroom sessions provide training in construction math, safety training and project orientation. Projects are utilized to develop proper procedures and skills. Students have built sawhorses, practiced a special saw/cut/nail exercise and will be learning to build; a truss with a jig, stairs and completing a sauna for the SMART Center. Each of these projects is designed to develop and improve procedures along with tool skills for the construction industry.

Together the sponsoring agencies, Lower Yukon School District, Alaska Works and Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Assoc. all plan that our youth have the knowledge and skills necessary to get and keep meaningful jobs.

Richard Dennis, an aviator and educator writes from Russian Mission.

Brownie Troop

plants flowers

The Brownie Troop 249 of Bethel have grown a variety of flowers that they planted from seeds that were donated by AC Store. They also did an experiment on the effects of watering grass seed with microwaved water. The girls each planted two trays of grass seed and watered one tray with tap water and the other tray with water that was microwaved, then cooled. All girls reported the grass in both trays grew about the same and there was no apparent harmful effects of microwaved water for growing seeds.

The girls will be selling their flower starts on Saturday, May 28 from 10am to noon at the BNC parking lot as a fundraiser for their troop!

Weise graduates

from UAA

Bethel High School graduate Erin T. Weise received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from UAA at the graduation ceremonies at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage on May 1, 2005. She is the daughter of John and Eileen Weise formerly of Bethel. Erin has accepted a position with the Anchorage School District for the 2005-6 school year.

LKSD Teacher

of the Year

The Lower Kuskokwim School District is pleased to announce the selection of its 2004-2005 Teacher of the Year, Mr. Theodore ?Tad? Lindley.

Mr. Lindley is currently a math and science teacher at Bethel Alternative Boarding School. Tad began his teaching career in 1994 at Chief Paul Memorial School in Kipnuk after graduating from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a degree in Fisheries Science and Secondary Education. In 1995, he transferred from Kipnuk to Bethel Regional High School, and then to BABS in 2003.

Tad is well liked by staff and students, and is well known for his great sense of humor. He provides highly motivating lessons and holds high standards for himself and his students. In addition to his regular teaching duties, Mr. Lindley has coached two successful teams to The Tsunami Bowl Science competition in Seward, and a robotics team that won first place in the design category at the LKSD Robotics Competition.

As this years Teacher of the Year, Mr. Lindley will be the LKSD nominee for Alaska Teacher of the year, should he chose to apply.

Napaskiak students win scholar/athlete awards

Brian Riley and Brenda Joekay of Z. John Williams School in Napaskiak were awarded the United States Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete. Mrs. Sandra King, Site Administrator for their school, presented the awards on May 18th, 2005. These students share this honor with winners in high schools throughout the country from Florida to Hawaii. Each year the Army Reserve sponsors the program to recognize and honor top male and female high school scholars and athletes across the nation.

Launch Day!

by Kevin Barnett

It was a sunny, breezy, almost warm day on Thursday during the last week of school in Toksook Bay. Most of the student body was gathered expectantly on the old runway for an event that has become something of a tradition for Marty Smith?s sixth grade class at Nelson Island School. It was Launch Day!

Marty?s class had spent the previous weeks applying their acquired scientific principles, math, reading, and artistic skills to create rockets that would soar into the stratosphere?or at least 1000 feet anyway. The students, using a rocket kit, wood glue, and paints to add their own artistic touch, produced a sleek, colorful projectile into which they would one-by-one insert a small rocket engine, an igniter, mount onto the launch pad, attach the wires to the launch control, then 3? 2? 1? 0? Ignition? WE HAVE LIFTOFF! An eager cadre of recovery teams, consisting of students in lower grades, combed the surrounding tundra snatching spent rockets from the shrubbery and, in a few cases, ponds full of melt water though intrepid rescuers with rubber boots solved this recovery challenge as well.

Smith says he likes to use this activity to tie together a part of the science curriculum focusing on bodies in space. The only way to get a body into space, or at least on its way there, is with rockets. It is an effective hands-on method allowing students to get an authentic experience similar to that of a real launch team working to get a full-sized rocket into space. While their small models climb far short of earth orbit, the students are able work through the challenges of design and assembly and then apply and observe the principles of flight.

On this particular day, about 18 rockets went up without a hitch, and only a couple experienced minor damage to tailfins upon return to earth. If NASA had results like this, our space program would be in good shape.