Help My Students Get a Popcorn Machine and Slushie Maker

I have posted a new project for a popcorn machine and slushie maker for my seniors. They are working really hard to raise money for a senior trip, but it is hard in such a small community. These 2 items would really help us to raise more funds in our concession. Thanks so much!!!

Click here to donate to my project, and use the code SPARK if you donate. It doubles your amount.

Fall in Toksook Bay

Sorry it has been so long. A lot has happened since my last update. I have been so busy with cross country, teaching, and I am taking classes for a masters in educational technology through UAS. Nali has missed me lots because I have been travelling a lot. But she did get an extra special treat from my parents. A whole happy meal. Here is her with her burger.




















For cross country we travelled to Bethel and Quinhagak. We also had our own meet, but because of scheduling, only 1 boy from Nightmute came to run. Here is a pic of some of my high schoolers.

Here is a picture I will leave you all with. This was taken when we had a scavenger hunt for 6th-12th grade. I was in charge and I sent myself to the bay to sit for an hour. It was the most gorgeous morning, but it was a little chilly.

Back in Alaska!!

My Dad, Nali, and I made it to Anchorage a little before 4 this morning. I am so grateful that I am almost back home in Toksook for the school year!!

It is just such a long trip. We left Indiana at about 6:40 pm Saturday and then made it to Anchorage by about 8 am Indiana time on Sunday. We are currently staying in Anchorage, at the Puffin Inn, until Monday morning. Our flight is at 9:45 am Monday morning and we should be back in Toksook by 2 pm.

In Anchorage we went to the market in downtown Anchorage to start our day. While there they had some circus performers. It was a great show!! They juggled fire, did some acrobatics, rode a unicycle, and shot a plunger arrow at a pan. It was absolutely hilarious.



After the market, we did a shopping trip at Fred Meyer. I was able to fill a cooler with meat for at a least a month and some other goodies, like bread and fresh produce.


Next we came back to the hotel to rest up and spend some time with Nali. We wanted to get some energy for our next adventure.




Before we left we got the new edition of the Runner's World magazine. I usually look at the rave run and dream of how I could actually do it. It just so happens this month's rave run was in Anchorage on the wolverine trail. Unfortunately, it is 5.2 miles to the peak so that would be about a 10 mile run. However, we did make it out there with Nali and went for about 30 minutes before we turned around. Nali was breathing so hard and I didn't want to have to carry her back. lol.













We wore Nali out. The hike took us a little over an hour. Usually our walks are like 30 minutes, if we take one.

Vacation!!!

This summer I decided to take a vacation where I could learn to surf. So I googled surf vacations and found Surf with Amigas (http://surfwithamigas.com/). I chose to go on their northern Nicaragua retreat. BEST DECISION EVER!!!!!! Last week I learned to surf, did some yoga, went volcano boarding, and went horseback riding down the beach. It was an amazing week, and one I will never forget!! Everyone was so nice and supportive. I couldn't imagine a better group.

For anyone who has not heard of volcano boarding here are some pics. Basically you hike up the most active cinder cone volcano with a wooden sled and then slide down. A guy at the bottom has a radar gun to clock your speed. I went 26 km/hr. It is listed as #2 on CNN's big thrills list (http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/16/travel/thrilling-experiences/). We went down the volcano that is behind us in the group photo below.

My roommate, Cat, and I in front of our cabana

We stayed at el coco loco (http://cocolocoresort.com/), which was about 3.5 hours away from the airport. The resort is eco-friendly so there was no flush toilet or air conditioning. This hardly mattered as I think I only spent time in our cabana to sleep. It was very nice to be in a place that was a little more rustic, as I was able to disconnect for the week. The resort was so beautiful and every night I was able to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean.

Our cabana was the last one on the right

I want to go back!!! There wasn't anything I disliked.

Hawaii 4/17-4/21

The airport is very open.

Here are some pics from my trip to Hawaii with PREPARES.

Flying over Maui (I think)

Pic from the hotel

My partner teacher

PREPARES is the most AWESOME program at Alaska Pacific University. The program is working to design place-based, culturally relevant science curriculum to supplement our normal science instruction. These lessons are based around climate change in Alaska, and my students will share what they learn with a partner school in Hawaii. We went to Hawaii to meet with our partner teachers

My 7th grade class, which participated in testing the PREPARES lessons this year.

Here are some pics from the field trips we took. Everything was so beautiful. I wish we would've had more than 3 days in Hawaii. I must go back!!!

Fish ponds

Pu'u Wa'awa'a Ahupua'a

Lava Tube

 

Summer Break

On my way home. I am in anchorage and it is almost 11 pm!!

Random things

Nali's new Easter toy (sent by my mom) was destroyed in less than 5 minutes. I think it was a new all time record for fasted toy destroyed. But she absolutely loved and still plays with it even though it lost all of its stuffing about 2 weeks ago.

Here is how we clean the floor. lol. Students are exhausted and the floor look really shiny afterwards.

For anyone who is curious about our weather, it is snowing. Yes because it was easter we got the present of snow, snow, and more snow. I think someone must've really pissed off mother nature. This is more snow than we have had all winter. Even though you can't tell it from the picture it was snowing when I took the picture yesterday.