Category: Community Partners

Celebrate Meredith McCullough, 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence

Meredith McCullough 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (3)
“The greatest gift any teacher can ask for is the knowledge that they have helped to improve the lives of their students in some small way. I am blessed and humbled that this incredible community feels I am building that legacy, and hope to continue to serve my students, their families, and my colleagues for many years to come.” – Meredith McCullough

Meredith McCullough is a teacher at Kenai Central High School. She teaches 11th grade English and honors English, and French two, three and four. She’s been a teacher for eight years, five in Alaska.
Raised in California, Meredith graduated magna cum laude from Linfield College in Oregon with a teaching certification and two bachelor degrees, one in literature and one in creative writing. During her first teaching job, in Oregon, she obtained a Master of Education with an emphasis in literacy and technology.
Her students say she has a passion for teaching. One wrote, “She doesn’t just want students to pass or slide by–she wants them to learn and remember what they learned. She wants them to have the same hunger for knowledge she has.”
Her enthusiasm often makes appear like one of her own students, excited about the lesson or book on which the class is studying. In fact, one student tells us Meredith even has ways of explaining things in “teen lingo” so students can better understand them. She hosts Shakespeare Club, drawing like-minded students together who love the Bard as much as she does, which generates spirited discussions of the English language’s most famous works.
Meredith connects with her students on both educational and social levels. She makes it a point to learn all her students’ names as quickly as possible at the beginning of a term, and several former students have written to her that she inspired them to become teachers.
When one of her students lost his father, he walked into Meredith’s room on his first day back, gave her a hug and said her class was the only reason he wanted to come to school.
Another student wrote, “I know it sounds crazy, but she genuinely cares about her students and wants them to succeed. She will do whatever she can to help them however she can.”
“One of the greatest joys of my job,” Meredith says, “is that every day I walk into Kenai Central High School, my students inspire me to become a better educator and human being.”
Meredith has served as an English Department and World Languages Department head for several years. She is also an advisor for several school clubs, including Creative Writing Club, Drama and the aforementioned Shakespeare Club. She also helps students complete the Job Shadow unit at the high school, which places students into the workforce for a day and requires them to complete career technical writing.
As one student wrote, “Her class is unlike any other class I’ve ever had and I just love it.”
Meredith McCullough 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (1)

“Meredith is a superstar teacher at our school, where she provides leadership and support to her fellow teachers while being a model for innovation and personalization,” said Alan Fields, Kenai Central High School principal. “Meredith is first and foremost an expert at developing relationships with students. Students are drawn to her enthusiasm and knowledge that she brings to her subject area. Meredith is always adding a fun way to engage students with the material and allowing them to share that interaction outside of the classroom.”

This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential.”
“BP is proud to honor these great teachers and their tireless work in the classroom,” said BP Alaska Regional President Janet Weiss. “We see it as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our people live and work – and an investment in the people who help make Alaska great.”
Now in its 22nd year, the BP Teachers of Excellence program honors K-12 teachers from all school districts statewide, including public and private schools.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teachers of Excellence winners are:

 Congratulations, Meredith McCullough, BP Teacher of Excellence!
Meredith McCullough 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (2)
Kodiak, Alaska

Celebrate Bobbi Larrivee, 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence

Bobbi Larrivee 2017 KPBSD BP Teacher of Excellence (3)
“Teaching has been my life ambition. Today, after 23 years, it still is. No doubt there are tough days, but when I reflect on those moments, I realize I’ve been given an opportunity to look at a challenge from a different view point and get in there and try again. Perseverance is the gift teaching has given me. However, what keeps me coming back, is the children. My students are my greatest inspiration. I Struggle when they struggle, I laugh when they laugh, I cry when they cry but best of all, I accomplish when they accomplish. As a special education teacher, I’m fortunate to spend multiple years with my students and we become our own unique “school family”.  As with every family we have good times and bad, struggles and celebrations but at the root of every bond and every memory is LOVE.  Mother Theresa’s quote expresses what is in my heart: “It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that counts. I am truly grateful to have such an exceptional career.” –Bobbi Larrivee

Barbara “Bobbi” Larrivee teaches special education at West Homer Elementary, grades 3-6. The subjects she teaches are all academics, plus life and social skills. She’s been a teacher for 21 years, 18 of which have been in Alaska.
It’s worth pointing out that Bobbi was nominated for this award by many of her fellow teachers and her principal, most of whom wrote long, heartfelt testimonials to what a dedicated, loving teacher she is. One teacher wrote, “She teaches some of the most challenging students in the school, and she does it with the biggest heart and a warm smile on her face.”
Bobbi grew up in rural Montana, where she attended a three-room school with eight grades. After middle school, she was bused 25 miles to a high school where she suddenly had 400 kids in her class. She worked while going to school. One of her jobs was as a childcare attendant for a church, and another put her on the support staff for a women’s group home. She says, “Those experiences started my lifelong connection with children and special education.”
She graduated early and moved to Seattle, where she worked with adults who experience deafness and blindness. But her heart was working with children, so being well accustomed to working and going to school, she pursued her childhood education degree while working full-time.
As we know, life often has other plans for us. Bobbi had a family and it was nearly 15 years after she graduated high school that she achieved her bachelor degree in elementary education–with honors–from University of Montana. She moved to beautiful Homer, Alaska, where she owned and operated a pre-K program for 12 years. In 2008, she joined the district as a teacher.
Again pursuing education while working, in 2011, she completed a master’s degree in education through the arts.
Her varied and deep experience has made her a tremendously caring teacher. One of her fellow teachers wrote, “The students Bobbi serves will be young adults in the community soon. She strives to help them all be functional and contributing members, with skills ranging from self-regulation to self-help.”
Bobbi works hard to find ways to reach her students, and devise teaching techniques that will encourage them to be involved in learning. Her lessons are often not necessarily academic–because she knows that once a student learns to enjoy learning–even if it’s learning to play a ukulele or yoga–he or she will be able to apply that love of learning to any other subject.
As another coworker wrote, “Bobbi is a well-loved and respected teacher among her peers at school and, despite her demanding schedule, she is the first to sign up for a committee. She will often say to her colleagues, ‘Let’s do this. We can do this, you guys!”
Bobbi Larrivee 2017 KPBSD BP Teacher of Excellence (4)
 
 

“Ms. Larrivee contributes to the positive school culture at West Homer Elementary in a number of ways,” said Eric Waltenbaugh, principal. “She is an important voice on our PBIS Team and works tirelessly to create systems schoolwide to support students’ social emotional growth and development. She heads up the Sunshine Committee making sure everyone in the building feels recognized and valued for their contributions. At staff meetings and professional development opportunities she helps guide our decisions with all students in mind. As an Intensive Needs Teacher, one challenge she faces daily is designing and delivering programing for a diverse groups of students. She has a true gift in the ability to understand students and provide them what they need. She supports and trains her aides to be highly effective with some of the most challenging students in the school, and she persists in finding ways for all her students to be successful. Earlier this year her students practiced and performed a play for regular education classes. She found the right roles for each of her students so they could shine. Throughout the performance, the audience of regular education students cheered for each of the actors as they demonstrated their skill on stage. What a wonderful way to help her students feel the success of their hard work and have the rest of the school view their achievements. While she is truly a gifted educator, she continues to welcome feedback from peers modeling her value of being a life-long learner.”

That pretty well sums up Barbara’s wonderful spirit.
This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential.”
“BP is proud to honor these great teachers and their tireless work in the classroom,” said BP Alaska Regional President Janet Weiss. “We see it as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our people live and work – and an investment in the people who help make Alaska great.”

Congratulations, Barbara Larrivee, BP Teacher of Excellence!
Bobbi Larrivee 2017 KPBSD BP Teacher of Excellence (1)
Kodiak, Alaska
 

Celebrate Colby Way, 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence!

Colby Way 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (3)
“Something that I would like to share with my students is: You can lose every material item in your life, but no one can take your education. This was told to me by one of my favorite aunts (a professor at Millersville University in Pennsylvania). I have carried this advice with me through the proverbial thick and thin of life. If I could have my students take anything away from my class/ teachings is:  you have to cherish your education and constantly improve and expand your education. The reason being, there will be times in life where the world seems to be against you, and the only thing you may be able to rely on is your own education. If you have continued to learn and grow, these tough times may not be as tough as they seem; due to one being able to use their prior knowledge and problem solving skills.” –Colby Way

Colby Way is one of two teachers at Port Graham School in a community of fewer than 200 people across Kachemak Bay, near Seldovia. He teaches all subjects to a wide range of ages, grades five through 12. He’s been a teacher for six years, five of which have been in Alaska.
Colby began teaching in Pennsylvania, after attending West Chester University and Lock Haven University. He fell in love with teaching 17 year ago, when he was put in charge of running the kindergarten-level swim lessons. He says, “Teaching a child to do something they will know for the rest of their life sparked my interest. I was hooked.”
When he began his teacher career in earnest, Colby and his wife spent a year teaching at a small, private school in the Marshall Islands. After that, they came to Alaska. Colby says, “Living and working in a rural Alaska community requires one to be involved outside of the classroom. How the community perceives a teacher can be aided by just getting out and exploring.”
Colby and his wife attend community events, like pot lucks, open gym, dances and meetings. And they hunt and fish, of course, always inviting other community members to join. He also coaches the school’s cross-country running team–and, in fact, last year was the first year in school history that Port Graham had an official team of any kind.
Colby is using his experience in integrating school and community through his coaching. His cross-country team will be inviting community members and elementary-school students to join the student athletes in a community health initiative in which community members will have a choice of running, walking or biking along with their team during the off-season.
In the classroom, Colby uses the same charisma to teach a wide age-range of students. His fellow teacher says Colby is exceptional. “He can work with a senior on graduation, then turn around and help a sixth-grader with plotting points on a line.” Because Colby has to teach all subjects, again from basics to senior-level courses, he incorporates lots of fun into his teaching. His students have successfully raised salmon from eggs, did an entire field-to-table science unit with rabbits, started a student council program from scratch, and many other hands-on projects – all while also teaching the core curriculum.
His fellow teacher says, “If you’ve ever met Colby, you know he’s a presence. Colby dedicates his entire year to his students. He bonds with the students on a personal level and he always wants them the succeed.”

“Mr. Colby Way is one of those teachers who is a sterling exemplar of both the art and skill of teaching,” said Nancy Kleine, principal. “He is sensitive to every student’s needs as if the details of their education are essential for his masterpiece of who they are and can become. He is amazing amongst his fifth through twelfth grade students, never missing a beat, always in action, as he assesses and meets everyone—small or tall—at their current level, sets a high bar, builds confidence, and moves them forward. Mr. Way challenges every student through highly intentional project-based learning. An avid athlete, Mr. Way astutely initiated the “just right” sport for this small village: cross country running. To do this, he involved the entire community, enticing them into a running club to promote health, great relationships, and support for runners on the middle and high school teams. Port Graham is exceedingly fortunate to have Mr. Colby at the helm of their young adults’ education. His students will remember him always as the one who taught them how to keep trying and to live generously.”
Colby Way 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (2)

This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential.”
“BP is proud to honor these great teachers and their tireless work in the classroom,” said BP Alaska Regional President Janet Weiss. “We see it as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our people live and work – and an investment in the people who help make Alaska great.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teachers of Excellence winners are:

Congratulations, Colby Way, BP Teacher of Excellence!
Kodiak, Alaskalby Way,

Celebrate Jonathan Dillon, 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence!

Jonathan Dillon 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (3)

“While I am honored by this recognition, I want to share that it isn’t mine alone. What we achieve at Mountain View Elementary—both students and staff—comes from the ways in which each of us work to support one another. I am fortunate to teach alongside helpful administrators, loving families, master teachers and staff, and—most importantly—kind, curious students. I am grateful to be a part of the Mountain View family.” – Jonathan Dillon

Jonathan Dillon teaches music in kindergarten through fifth grade at Mountain View Elementary School in Kenai. He has been a teacher for five years, all five of which have been in Alaska. In addition to being nominated by parents of his students, Jonathon was recognized by many of his fellow teachers. The universal consensus is that he’s a really nice guy, always willing to help struggling students and his coworkers, he simply loves teaching.
Johnathan graduated from University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelor’s in music and earned a master’s degree, also in music, from the University of Montana. Clearly, he is a gifted musician, but it’s as a teacher that he earned this compliment from a parent: “Mr. Dillon is remarkable in his ability to include all students, of all abilities, in his classes. When a student tells him they do not know something, whether music-related or not, he kindly interjects, ‘Not yet.’”
Whereas conventional wisdom may be that some people have musical talent and some do not, Johnathon approaches each student with the belief that every one of them can learn to create music. Because he teaches a number of grade levels, he is able to mentor them through the first years of learning music, helping them progress: playing a number of instruments, reading and even writing music. Most important, they learn to sing.
He says, “I believe singing is a great equalizer in music education. Each child has his or her own unique voice – and learning to use that voice is the foundation upon which all other musical skills flourish.”
Johnathan is dedicated to helping his students. He teaches band during lunch, and choir after school. He holds concerts during the year to not only allow his students to showcase their talents but to teach them what it means to learn a discipline in private then use it in real application – in public.
One of the many fellow teachers who nominated Johnathon wrote, “Mr. Dillon uses music as a vehicle to elevate each person to the point that they are operating at their highest self – and to ask, ‘How can I make someone else’s day a bit brighter?’ If Mr. Rogers were to come back as a music teacher, his name would be Johnathan Dillon.”
Jonathan Dillon 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence (2)
Many of Jonathan’s students come to school from very difficult home situations, including homelessness, adoption, foster care, poverty, divorce, and so forth. But as another fellow teacher wrote, “Mr. Dillon is a leader in our school in the way he models kindness, generosity of time and attention, and inclusion of all in his program. He goes above and beyond for those kids every day.”

“Music is only a small part of the curriculum that Mr. Dillon delivers to Mountain View Elementary students,” said Karl Kircher, Mountain View Elementary principal. “Good teachers model what they want their students to learn, and on a daily basis Mr. Dillon seamlessly models kindness, empathy and assuming positive intent as he manages his classes. The entire culture of our school is affected by his actions as he inspires our staff to emulate his practices. The amazing relationships that Mr. Dillon develops with his students and the joy they find in singing together with their friends is evidenced by the fact that 46, 4th and 5th grade students participated in after school, extra-curricular choir this year. Mr. Dillon’s smile and demeanor as he goes about his day from classes to Kindergarten lunch duty to his after-school computer code writing club for shows that he takes in as much joy as he gives.”

This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential.”
“BP is proud to honor these great teachers and their tireless work in the classroom,” said BP Alaska Regional President Janet Weiss. “We see it as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our people live and work – and an investment in the people who help make Alaska great.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teachers of Excellence winners are:

Congratulations, Jonathan Dillon, BP Teacher of Excellence!
Kodiak, Alaska

Celebrate Stephanie Cronin, 2017 BP Teacher of Excellence

Stephanie Cronin, Seward High School, 2017 BP Teacher of Excellence

“It is truly humbling to receive this award. I am very proud to accept it on behalf of my fellow 2017 Teachers of Excellence, and all the excellent teachers across our district. Thank you BP for this program and the recognition you give to public educators!” –Stephanie Cronin

Stephanie Cronin 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year (5)Stephanie Cronin teaches math and engineering at Seward High School. She has spent all 20 years of her teaching career in Alaska.
Stephanie graduated from University of Minnesota Minneapolis with a bachelor degree in economics and also received a bachelor’s in mathematics from University of Alaska Anchorage. She continued at UAA for graduate school received a Master of Arts in Teaching and also a master’s degree in educational leadership.
Stephanie’s enthusiasm as a student translates fluently to her enthusiasm as a teacher.
One of her students writes, “She planted the seed in my brain that it’s okay to be excited about math. Mrs. Cronin’s ability to bring excitement and engagement into the math room stems from the way she really cares about each student. I hope someday I can inspire any individual the way Mrs. Cronin and her selfless devotion to her career has inspired me.”
Stephanie’s goal in the classroom is to encourage her students to become creative problem-solvers, who are not afraid to try hard, take risks–and potentially fail.
She accomplishes this by building trusting relationships with each student. She greets each student as he or she enters her classroom, and honestly listens when they answer her question, “How are you?” Her classroom is a safe place, where students want to be, and where they feel the confidence to tackle tough problems.
She challenges her kids. When she gives the class a problem to solve, for example, she does not tell each student whether or not he or she got the correct answer. Rather, she sends them back and tells the entire class to agree on an answer. Only when they have all talked it out and come to an agreement will she lead them through a diagnosis of how to perform the correct math.
In this way, she turns individual effort into success as a member of a group–a team—and that evolves into self-confidence.
When a University of Alaska representative visited Stephanie’s classroom last year to promote college attendance, she remarked how impressed she was at the high number of students who wanted to become math teachers and engineers. When the students were asked why, they answered, “It’s because of Mrs. Cronin.”
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed. In addition to other awards, in 2012, Stephanie received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, which was presented to her by Vice President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., and she is the 2017 State of Alaska Alternate Teacher of the Year.
Another former student who attended Stanford University honor Ms. Cronin with the Stanford Recognition “Teacher Tribute” award for having the greatest influence on his education.
Principal Trevan Walker states: “If one were to survey any Seward High graduate since the Class of 2000 then I am confident that they would not only be able to describe ‘Positive Math Attitude,’ but that they would be able to describe what ‘PMA’ personally means to them. I can think of no greater tribute, to a truly excellent teacher, than this.”
This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential. Mrs. Cronin is definitely one of our finest teachers who has transformed math instruction at Seward High School. She makes a positive difference everyday and is an unforgettable influence on her students. This award is very well deserved.”
“BP is proud to honor these great teachers and their tireless work in the classroom,” said BP Alaska Regional President Janet Weiss. “We see it as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our people live and work – and an investment in the people who help make Alaska great.”
Now in its 22nd year, the BP Teachers of Excellence program honors K-12 teachers from all school districts statewide, including public and private schools.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teachers of Excellence winners are:

Congratulations, Stephanie Cronin, BP Teacher of Excellence!
Stephanie Cronin 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year
Kodiak, Alaska

Celebrate Karl Kircher, BP Educational Ally Award, 2017 Kenai Peninsula

BP Teachers of Excellence 2017
Karl Kircher BP Education Ally Kenai 2017
Karl Kircher, BP Educational Allies Award, 2017 Kenai Peninsula
The award recognizes the additional unsung heroes in our schools—support staff, administration or volunteers—who are working alongside teachers to inspire students and are making a difference in our schools and community.

“It is an honor to receive the BP Educational Ally in the School Community Award. The words “ally” and “community” really made this special for me. I’ve always considered my job as principal to be a supporting role to help create a community where teachers are inspired to excel by each other and by their students. The presentation also recognized our school’s efforts at community service to live up to our role as Kenai’s Neighborhood School. I was proud to receive this award as result of supporting a great team here at Mountain View Elementary.” –Karl Kircher, principal, Mountain View Elementary

At the BP Teachers of Excellence awards, this introduction was spoken, “The awardee from the Kenai Peninsula is just this type of individual. I’ll introduce him or her and ask them to come up to receive their award. And to make it more fun, they have no idea they’re here to be honored tonight.
This individual came to their school first as Vice Principal, then took the helm as principal two years later. Under his leadership, the school has taken on the subtitle of: A Neighborhood School which emphasizes kindness.
A tall man, this principal meets children at their level, sitting on the floor, listening, and engaging with the heart of students before speaking. He’s a creative thinker, a risk taker, and a man of action.
Not only does he respect the students, the staff and strive to improve the level of education for all students, he also seeks to engage with and meet the needs of the community.
He’s organized many community engagement opportunities such as the fall carnival, bike rides, and cook outs. He’s encouraged students and staff to reach out and give back, planting trees in public gardens, honoring veterans and packaging Christmas gifts to struggling families.
More than anything, we’re told, Karl Kircher, principal at Mountain View Elementary School, is a cheerleader—the director of a huge team working together for a common cause: equipping the next generation for success.
When we asked what type of prize Karl might like, his colleagues responded that his greatest joy in life is his family, especially his little grandson. So we have purchased Karl tickets for two adults and one child for the Kenai Fjords Tours National Park tour in Seward, so he can spend some much-deserved quality time with his family this summer.”

“I am excited Mr. Kircher has been selected as the first Educational Ally recipient in KPBSD,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “He is a tireless leader at Mountain View Elementary that has implemented a successful kindness culture at the school.  He has done an excellent job supporting teachers make the kind of difference that has raised the bar for all students.”

Please congratulate Karl Kircher, BP Educational Ally for the Kenai Peninsula!
Facebook: Mountain View Elementary
Website: Mountain View Elementary
Kodiak, Alaska

Kodiak, Alaska

Stephanie Cronin, 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to the 2017 Kenai Peninsula Borough BP Teacher of the Year, Ms. Stephanie Cronin, Seward High School!
Stephanie Cronin 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year

“This is a great honor; I would like to thank BP for recognizing teachers of excellence across the state of Alaska, and for their support of public education! I became a teacher to make a difference. Teachers make a difference when they inspire students to push beyond their imaginary limits and begin to truly believe in themselves. This is my goal every day.” –Stephanie Cronin

A whirlwind of enthusiasm in the classroom, she consistently inspires students to dig deeper and reach higher to achieve their full potential.
Described by colleagues, she is a “legendary teacher in the district and state, who continues to impact many lives through the ability to engage students, and is consistently working to strengthen the district and enrich the working lives of colleagues.”
In addition to her impressive education background, she is a member of many committees and professional organizations, all devoted to improving the education of our young people. Mrs. Cronin states that “volunteerism gives me the chance to give back to the community that has given me so much.”
In a community where there is only one high school, one might say that all paths to a diploma go through this teacher’s classroom. This means that the teacher must be all things that all students need in order to find success. She accomplishes this through PMA or “Positive Math Attitude.”
Principal Trevan Walker states: “If one were to survey any Seward High graduate since the Class of 2000 then I am confident that they would not only be able to describe ‘Positive Math Attitude,’ but that they would be able to describe what ‘PMA’ personally means to them. I can think of no greater tribute, to a truly excellent teacher, than this.”
The 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year receives a $1,500 scholarship to be used towards continuing education and an award sculpture.
This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential. Mrs. Cronin is definitely one of our finest teachers who has transformed math instruction at Seward High School. She makes a positive difference everyday and is an unforgettable influence on her students. This award is very well deserved.”
Stephanie Cronin 2017 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year (1)

Caring For the Kenai

2017 Caring for the Kenai Competition

“What can I do, invent or create to better care for the environment of the Kenai Peninsula or improve the area’s preparedness for a natural disaster?”

Watch Live Competition Video http://bit.ly/2017CaringForTheKenai

When Caring for the Kenai stepped into its twenty seventh year, a new super hero was created by Soldotna Prep freshman Anya Hondel and it took first place honors and a $1,600 cash award in the annual environmental and natural disaster preparedness contest.
Anya Hondel First Place c4k
“I was trying to think of an idea but I was stuck. Science is not my best subject so I wanted to incorporate some of my passions into the idea. I love to teach and I love performing arts so my idea was to create a character that could raise environmental awareness by writing and performing a puppet show,” said Anya Hondel, student of Ms. McGlothen.
Taking second place and earning $1,100 was Angela Druesdow of Nikiski who invented a wolf yearn dispenser to keep moose off the highways. “My plan is to install my ‘Spook the Moose’ boxes along sections of the highways that have the highest incidence of road kills,” said Mr. Morin’s student.
Angela Druesedow 2nd place C4K
In third place and claiming a $900 prize was Bradley Walters another Soldotna Prep student from Ms. McGlothen’s class. Walters, a Snow Shoe Gun Club member and skeet shooter has a plan to make lead contamination inert. “We apply a phosphate base fertilizer that immobilizes the lead from seeping into the ground and harming wildlife.”
Bradley Walters 3rd place C4K
Taking fourth place honors and $750 was Hunter Beck of KCHS and Kristin Davis’s student. Beck plans to build an outdoor platform to protect streamside vegetation from erosion so the Stream Watch program can continue.
Coming in fifth and winning the $650 prize was Kimberly Trefon from KCHS of Ms. Grossl’s class whose idea is to protect city rain drains from road run off contaminants.
The team of Krysten Johnson-Gray and Daisy Terry of Seward, Shoshana Brasher’s students won sixth place and a $550 prize with a tsunami song that they wrote and performed.
In addition to the $8,000 in cash awards for the finalists, this year $20,000 will be awarded to the schools science departments, thanks to the CFK signature sponsor Tesoro Alaska and the community partners Kenai River Raven Lodge, Hilcorp Energy, Peninsula Community Health Services, ConocoPhillips and Peninsula Radiation Oncology Center.  High schools using CFK as part of state standards curriculum were: KCHS, Nikiski, Soldotna Prep, Ninilchik, Voznesenka, Homer, Seward, Cook Inlet Academy and several home school students. Each school receives $750 for their participation and the remainder of the $20,000 will be allocated proportionately to how the students ranked in the CFK competition. Additionally, twenty plus students will receive special recognition awards from local businesses and individuals.
Other finalists that earned $400 each for making it to the final 12 out of 400 some entries are:

  • Jacob McConnell of Soldotna Prep with his educational pamphlet on how not to get lost and what to do if you do.
  • Kylie Ness of Soldotna Prep wants to organize a fall community roadside clean up with contest incentives.
  • Giorgy Kalugin of Vosneszenka researched a way to deploy lady bugs to kill the aphid outbreak in the Southern Peninsula.
  • Brooke Nash of KCHS addressed the issue of mega food waste.
  • Chelsea Plagge from KCHS did an amazing research on a new triangle that produces electricity from footsteps called Pavegen. She is preparing to run an experiment using the triangles at her school.

“Caring for the Kenai is an excellent example of extending classroom learning into our communities,” said Sean Dusek, KPBSD Superintendent of Schools. “Student creativity and problem solving is on full display and I am very proud of what they have been able to produce from this experience. Our students continue to amaze me and clearly demonstrate that our future is in good hands.”

Eric Soderquist, KPBSD Director of Information Services, a former Caring for the Kenai winner, and judge this year said, “This year’s project ideas ranged from educational awareness surrounding topics such as food waste, energy conservation, and natural disaster, to Spruce Aphid control, and improving stream access for water testing projects. Anya Hondell, a 9th grade student in Mrs. McGlothen’s class at Soldotna Prep, along with her sidekick “Captain Conservation”, presented a portion of a melodrama “Captain Conservation: Saving Energy One Plug at a Time” coming this summer. Captain Conservation battles Killer Watts while educating children and adults alike about energy conservation. The Caring for the Kenai event was broadcast live to audiences around the world utilizing KPBSD’s Polycom platform. An on-demand recording is available at http://bit.ly/2017CaringForTheKenai.”
In addition to cash awards the finalists will receive the 2017 CFK hooded jacket. Saturday, April 29, 2017, finalists, teachers and guests will attend the CFK V.I.P Awards banquet hosted in their honor by Tesoro at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska. All of the more than 400 participants that entered the contest will receive a custom battery pack for charging handheld electronic devices. This year’s oral presentation judges included Borough Mayor Mike Navarre, Tesoro Vice president Kenai Refinery Cameron Hunt, Brendyn Shiflea of ConocoPhillips, Marnie Olcott, CEO Challenger Learning Center, Eric Soderquist for KPBSD Supt. of Schools Sean Dusek, Dick Erkeneff, Kenai River Raven Lodge, Albert Wall PCHS CEO and Hunter Hanson CFK ’16 second place winner. Caring for the Kenai is administered as part of the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska educational programs.
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Sixth-graders invited to name two law enforcement K9s

2017 K9 Contest FlyerStudents Invited to Name Two K9s
Alaska’s sixth-grade classes are invited to submit names for two new law enforcement K9s, whose tasks will include searching for illegal drugs. Use of heroin and other opioids is a growing problem across the United States. Governor Bill Walker, who recently declared a public health crisis in Alaska, signed Administrative Order 283 to outline the state’s next steps to address the drug epidemic. The dog-naming contest is an initiative of Safer Alaska Building Strong Communities, to engage students in illicit-drug prevention.
Each sixth-grade class can submit one name for each dog. Be sure to match each name to a specific dog. K9A is a very friendly Belgian Malinois, one and a half years old, who prances like a horse when he walks. He is long and lanky. K9B, also a Belgian Malinois of the same age, pounces on his toy when he retrieves it. His fur is black from his paws to his knees, so he looks like he’s wearing socks.
Some helpful hints: Avoid cute names like Fluffy; these K9s are professional law enforcement members. Avoid scary names or the names of drugs. The names should be easy to say, preferably of one or two syllables. Names with a connection to Alaska might be strong contenders. Winning classes will receive acknowledgement from the Governor or Lt. Governor, a visit from the dog and his handler, and a plaque with a picture of the dog.
Submit names to Sharon Fishel at the Department of Education and Early Development at Sharon.fishel@alaska.gov. The deadline is May 10. If you have questions, contact Ms. Fishel at 907-465-6523 or Sharon.fishel@alaska.gov
2017 K9 Contest Flyer

From Great to Amazing : 12 students compete for $28K

Caring for the KenaiCaring for the Kenai logo 2017

Twelve student finalists will take their innovative projects from great to outstanding in a live competition, Thursday, April 20, 2017.

Four hundred entries culled to 120 semi-finalists when eight judges set the final 12 pick on March 8, 2017, in the 27th annual Caring for the Kenai competition. The final 12 will remain anonymous until the evening of April 20, and have a little more than a month to further research, create, and prepare, in order to dazzle a panel of industry experts for the opportunity to win a portion of $8,000 in cash awards plus funds for their respective school.
High school students from Homer, Kenai, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Seward, Soldotna, and Voznesenka responded to the prompt: “What can I do, invent, or create to better care for the environment on the Kenai Peninsula, or to improve the area’s preparedness for a natural disaster?”

Live competition – 12 teens present innovative solutions
Everyone is invited!
Thursday, April 20, 2017
6:00 PM
Kenai Central High School Little Theater

Be inspired, learn, and support the twelve teens who will present their original ideas!
Bonus: this year’s CFK competition will be streamed live over the internet by Soldotna High School technology students and has been viewed in the past in countries such as Canada, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, Germany, Greenland and Japan. If you can’t attend in person, tune in on a device or online. KPBSD will post the link on social media.
In March, the panel of eight judges from the professional community selected 12 Kenai Peninsula Borough high school students, from 120 semi-finalists, to compete for over $28,000 in cash awards in the oral presentation phase of the CFK program, sponsored by Tesoro. Judges reviewed more than 120 entries in the Caring for the Kenai (CFK) environmental and disaster preparedness contest. “The District’s students greatly appreciate Tesoro’s generous sponsorship of this important annual event and all of the volunteers that make this educational partnership possible every year,” said Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Sean Dusek. “The opportunity that Caring for the Kenai offers our students to showcase their creativity and ingenuity is excellent,” added Dusek.
Top 12 selection judges

Community Partnerships

The CFK educational partnership is part of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) science curriculum. This year $20,000 will be awarded to participating schools thanks to a matching grant from, Kenai River Raven Lodge, ConocoPhillips, Peninsula Community Health Services, and Hilcorp. The $20,000 in CFK grants will be divided proportionately to participating schools based on where their students place in the final oral presentation competition to be held Thursday, April 20th at the KCHS Little Theatre, starting at 6:00pm.

Student Recognition Program

In addition to the recognition and prizes that go to the 12 finalists each year, CFK’s Student Recognition award program continues to grow with over 15 local sponsors presenting special recognition awards to entries of the sponsor’s selection. Student recognition recipients will be announced in a Peninsula Clarion full page ad. The 12 CFK finalists will remain anonymous until after their oral presentations Thursday, April 20th.
CFK is being administered as part of the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska’s educational programs. Marnie Olcott, CEO said, “Challenger is thrilled to be part of such a valuable program, for our students, teachers and communities. Challenger shares the vision of growing the program not only within Alaska, but on a national level; we look forward to a long, successful partnership.”
The live feed, complete history and details of the CFK program are available at www.caringforthekenai.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/caringForTheKenai.com
Contest Coordinator, Merrill Sikorski, 907-262-4949
2016 top 12 small

2016 Caring for the Kenai Finalists