Alaska Educators Awarded $96,000 for USDA Minigrants

Submitted by Roxanne Creamer
Phone: (907)474-5406
09/23/02

The College Rural Alaska has received funding for University of Alaska Fairbanks educators and seven secondary schools grades 9 - 12 for innovative projects that promote the understanding of science and mathematics through natural resources education using phenomena unique to specific regions of Alaska.

The intent of this program is to address preparation for higher education needs within a broadly defined arena of food and agricultural sciences related disciplines. This funding was possible by a USDA grant to CRA and the Cooperative Extension Service.

Robert Aqqaluk Newlin, Sr. Memorial Trust ($15,000) - Camp Sivuniigvik est: 1985. The goal of the summer program is to connect young people with their ancestral traditions, preserving Inupiaq culture and teaching Inupiaq values through Elder mentoring program and a curriculum designed to teach traditional skills, Inupiaq values and food preservation. 150 students from 11 communities will participate in 4 six-day camps, offering skills to build self esteem, awareness, survival techniques, plant identification & fishing.

Mark Thompson ($4,450) - This project involves grades 7-12 will continue the ongoing exploration of local water resources seeking to learn more about their qualities, sources and quantities. The project will involve a successful hands-on outdoor approach to education that many of our students have been motivated by in the past. Both science and math are supported fundamentally through measurements and calculations.

Greg Finstad ($8,998) - This project is designed to use reindeer and the reindeer industry as a platform in which to teach students Alaska history, Alaska Native culture, economics, renewable resource use, sustainable agriculture, northern ecology and biology with exposure to applied science.

Jeff Ralston ($34,946) - High School students will explore local natural resources (caribou, salmon, waterfowl, etc.), the habitat and migration routes, and common methods of harvesting these resources. They will become familiar with wilderness travel, survival and specific subsistence skills. Math and science concepts are tied into this project and will be directly tied to classroom work. This program is targeted at the at-risk student.

Roger Ruess ($15,054) - This program is conducting continued research on geese and the plants on which they rely while rearing their broods in western Alaska. The program is designed to develop mathematic implications of these methods to students in grades 11-12. The group will initiate a field experiment and develop a classroom educational program centered on results of this work.

Marlys House ($7,365) - Students in grades 9-12 will participate over a three-year period to collect historical and current data on weather and river conditions and enter them into a database. The students will use technology to analyze how the identified trends and cycles are related to fluctuations in fish and game in the area.

Jennifer Carroll ($18,181) - Disseminate traditional knowledge in food, technology, clothing/crafts and environmental information and attempts to change students’ attitude toward university science courses utilizing native educators will allow students to learn by observation and introduce students to scientific study in subjects with which they are already familiar.

CRA is currently accepting proposals for additional mini grants until September 30, 2002 for a copy of the RFP or information please contact the Program Development Specialist/Manager 1-800-478-3402 or e-mail: znejh@uaf.edu