Only in Alaska!

I ended up leaving Manokotak one day early because there were no other flights available in time to catch my flight from Anchorage to Seattle to Denver on Saturday morning. So I left on Thursday after school. Luckily, I made it in time to catch the last flight from Dillingham to Anchorage. On the flight I sat next to a woman who is affiliated with the Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC). We had some good, interesting conversation on the plane about Native life and bush-village living, subsistence, grants and the future of the villages.

Arriving in Anchorage with my two most unpredictable and stressful flights behind me, I'd hoped I could fly standby to Denver, CO, my first destination. As it turned out there were 38 other people on the list so I'd be stuck in Anchorage until my original flight leaves early Saturday morning. At the baggage claim, I told my seat mate the bad news. I had already called a hotel, but she insisted, more than a few times that I stay with her in her already paid for room, through the BBNC.

We arrived at the hotel, a suit, BUT when we walked in I realized there was only one bed. That's right, I'm sharing a king sized bed with a stranger. I'm still alive.

Only in Alaska.

Time Magazine, For Kids

McKenzie is an artist. A little girl after my own heart.

I know, I know. It's been so long since I've written that I'm almost embarassed to start up again. I have no good excuse except that even in our little village, where there is time to watch the bright, salmon colored sunset, I have let the moments slip away from me.

I've got some fun news though. News that I am very proud to share. For the last few years I have been on the Board of Teachers for Time magazines kids edition called, Time For Kids. Early in the school year I mentioned Manokoak as a meaningful culture and location to highlight in the magazine. A few weeks ago, they took the bait and interviewed a few students of different ages over the phone. They had planned on writing two cover stories, the first for grades 2-3 in November during American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month and the second, grades 4-6 for Alaska's 51st aniversary as a state in January.

I have used this magazine with my students a few years now. Personally, I like it better than Time for adults! I am often amazed by the interesting information that I learn from the weekly magazine. Now students all over the country get to learn about the wonderfully interesting place that exits in the gigantic, but often forgotten state of Alaska, in a tiny village a few hundred miles south of Anchorage, called Manokotak.

I am so proud to be able to live and teach here. I'm also really proud of my 4th grade student who is featured here in the article.

Anyway, read the article and materials below. It's cute and I think the author did a good job of capturing life and the village today.

Article:

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/ns/article/0,28391,1939353,00.html

Homework: (Scroll down to "McKenzie and Me")

http://aolsvc.timeforkids.kol.aol.com/TFK/class/pdfs/2009f/091120_ns_all.pdf