Category: Inspiration

KPBSD inspiration: Anna Devolld

KPBSD Inspiration: Anna DeVolld, Connections Homeschool Class of 2023

She’s 14, won’t graduate until 2023, and is buzzingly changing our world, one word, image, and seed at a time.

Meet Anna, a homeschool student, with an online teacher who inspires her to be a citizen scientist…

“My KPBSD Distance Education science teacher, Ms. Leslie, inspires me to set high goals and work diligently to reach them. She always encourages me to be a “citizen scientist” and to make a difference in our community by following my dreams. She has an amazingly kind and funny personality, and as my role model, she has shown me that curiosity and resiliency are important! Not only does she support my academic life, but she also cares about who I am and what I’m interested in. Because of the way she touches my life (even though we’ve only met in person a few times), I’m planning to go into the same profession: online education. I want to change students’ lives the way she has changed mine.”

Caring for the Kenai competition with educator Kim Leslie

Faced with Choices…

Recently, pollinators have been declared the most important creatures on earth by the Earthwatch Institute, and yet their numbers are declining at an alarming rate. In the U.S. alone, their numbers drop by 30% every year!

Last year, I decided to do something about this worldwide problem and I created a program to benefit pollinators here in Alaska: P.O.P. – Promote Our Pollinators! P.O.P. began as a Caring for the Kenai project and is designed to educate our community about the importance of pollinators and why their numbers are declining, while providing ways to promote their population growth and inspiring the next generation to be good stewards of our natural resources. I created a flier, activity book, Facebook page, Twitter account, and website to educate and inspire our community to take action for pollinators. I have designed promotional items like reusable tote bags, stickers, and buttons and distributed them at many community events like Industry Appreciation Day. I have given numerous presentations in schools, Rotary Clubs, and at the Soldotna Senior Center.

“When you are 14, it can sometimes be difficult and overwhelming to start a project like this, but I have the support of many individuals, organizations, and agencies who encourage me to pursue my passion for pollinators.” –Anna Devolld

Would you like a portable, pollinator garden?

“I created Pollinator Packs to address pollinator habitat loss. Pollinator Packs are six-pack pots that contain six different pollinator-friendly seedlings: the start of a pretty, portable, pollinator garden for anyone! My prototype year in 2019 ensured the plants would thrive and attract our indigenous pollinators. Next summer, I will be planting and freely distributing hundreds of Pollinator Packs, providing the easy to locate food source that pollinators need at frequent intervals in urban areas. The supplies needed to grow these packs and produce the promotional items are funded by grants from the Awesome Foundation, the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska, ENSTAR, and by donations from local businesses. The City of Soldotna and Soldotna Parks and Recreation have partnered with me to install permanent pollinator garden signs in five locations this spring.

Education and State Government

I am scheduling more presentations for this spring and creating an online P.O.P. class for 3rd through 6th graders. In addition, I am also requesting that the Alaska DOT implement section 1415 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, a law that encourages state governments to use best practices to support pollinator health along roadside rights of way.

“I’m a gardener, and I really like planting seeds, so here’s one for you to grow: find something that you’re passionate about, no matter how small, and see how you can use it to change our world.” –Anna Devolld

Fun counts too!

While I love dancing and playing my piano, many of my favorite activities take place outside. I always look forward to skiing at Alyeska. My dad taught me how to ski when I was two, and now I can almost beat him down the slopes! I also really enjoy camping in the summer: sitting around the fire, roasting marshmallows, and listening to the sounds of the lake. In addition to admiring the scenery, we get to meet quite a bit of wildlife. One year, a brown bear came sauntering through our campsite! We watched him investigate a little bit, but when he took special interest in our tent, Mom decided it was time to get a trailer!

Expanding horizons with travel

I love to travel! Every year, my family visits a different part of the United States to see famous landmarks and historical sites. We have been all across the country: from New York to California and Minnesota to Texas. Last summer, we drove along the Mississippi River from Minnesota to Louisiana; it was amazing how much the climate and culture changed as we traveled. I enjoyed all the amazing architecture and delicious food (Cajun food? Yes, please!).

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…” Colossians 3:23a is Miss Devolld’s favorite motivational phrase, and it is abundantly clear that it is a guiding principle leading her vision and destiny. What grabs your heart of care in our world? What supports do you need, and what can your first step be to begin?

Want to learn more about pollinators? Connect online:

Links

photos: 2015 State of Alaska winning essay for the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Essay Contest; Industry Appreciation Days booth for POP – Promote Our Pollinators; VFW Voice of Democracy Award Ceremony; Caring for the Kenai awards with educator Kim Leslie

KPBSD celebrates Anna Devolld who is proof positive of the KPBSD mission to empower all learners to positively shape their futures.

Do you have a story tip about a KPBSD graduate, current student, or staff member to profile in our weekly inspiration highlight?
Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD director of communications, community, and government relations: Pegge@KPBSD.org

KPBSD Graduate Inspiration: Joel Isaak, Skyview High School #ClassOf2007

Joel Isaak Skyview 2007
Joel Isaak, Skyview High School, Class of 2007, is a practicing artist, currently enrolled in an Indigenous Studies doctorate degree program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Tribal Liaison for the State of Alaska Department of Education and Early Learning. Isaak says,

“I want to keep growing in learning my Dena’ina people’s language. I love spending time with elders learning language and material culture and passing it on to future generations.”

When he reflects on a message to younger students, or his younger self, he offers:
 

“Find quality people and focus your energy on working with them. Don’t let negativity or people who are trying to bring you down stop you from working hard towards your goals. Never put an age limit on friendship.”

 
Following his 2007 graduation from the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, he was awarded a Bachelors of Fine Arts Sculpture from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Masters of Fine Arts in Sculpture from Alfred University in New York.
A man with exceptional talents and kind insightful eyes, Joel said, “I would spend hours of time in the art studio after school when I was in high school. This was a safe space for me to learn, do homework, and develop my artistic skill. I had fantastic art teachers. I began my undergraduate studies pursuing a chemistry degree. After several car accidents, I was no longer able to do lab work. I had a friend mentor who encouraged me to pursue art. I still have to be careful with the physical repercussions of my injuries but I am able to work prolifically in sculpture.” His art is truly fantastic; view the video featuring Joel: Fins of Fashion: The Alaskan Artist Creating Salmon Skin Stilettos, and visit his website at https://joelisaak.com/.

Shout-out to special teachers
“Teachers inspired me to follow my career path. I now work in education and I had some amazing teachers in my K-12 and university studies. These teachers became mentors to me and encouraged me to learn and explore a diverse range of studies. I would like to thank several of my teachers from my high school years—they provided safe classroom space for me in school when I was going through a lot. Thank you to David Schmidt and Clark Fair for letting me eat lunch in their classrooms on a regular basis, Teri Zoph-Schoessler, and all of my art teachers at Skyview.”

“I am passionate about developing an educational model that addresses the clashing of European colonialism with indigenous peoples. Fundamental to healing this rift is stemming the loss indigenous languages and treating all people with respect. This need is evidence by the staggering history of abuse of women that needs to stop. I hope that my art and working to educate can help bring awareness and change in a positive direction.”

–Joel Isaak, Skyview High School Class of 2007
Today his home is back on the Kenai Peninsula, he works with DEED, creates meaningful art, and continues to pursue life with purpose and passion.
Do you have a story tip about a KPBSD graduate to profile in our Wednesday Inspiration? Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD communications liaison, Pegge@KPBSD.org.

KPBSD Inspiration: Kersten Gomez, Soldotna High School #ClassOf1998

KPBSD Inspiration, Kersten (Petersen) Gomez, Soldotna High School Class of 1998
Kersten Petersen Gomez Soldotna High 1998

“I was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) as a child, struggled with academics, and was bullied. This took a toll on my self-esteem. I was afraid to put myself out there and try anything new out of a fear of failing and being ridiculed.”

–Mrs. Alaska America 2017, Kersten Gomez, Soldotna High School Class of 1998, and Kenai Peninsula Borough School District elementary educator

 
This week’s KPBSD 1998 graduate inspiration is now an educator in the school district! Kersten (Petersen) Gomez says, “When I was young, after school I would line up all my stuffed animals and teach them what I learned at school that day. I knew I wanted to do something with children even then, but it was not until I watched my mom receive a rose from one of her students at graduation that I knew I would follow in her footsteps and become an educator. I remember the boy telling her that he would not have made it through school without her unwavering support—I wanted to make a difference like she had.”
 
Now in her thirteenth year of teaching in KPBSD, Mrs. Gomez is a second grade teacher at Redoubt Elementary. She graduated from University of Alaska, Anchorage, and Kenai Peninsula College, and began her teaching career at Nikiski North Star Elementary with kindergarten and second and third graders for four years, before moving to Redoubt Elementary.
 

“My favorite moment of every day is when I stand in the door to greet my kids when they walk in. Their excitement and smiles are contagious, and no matter what kind of day I am having I feel blessed to have the opportunity to spend each and every day with them!”

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Married to Terry Gomez, also a KPBSD Soldotna High School Class of 1998 graduate, she knows the effects bullying took on her self-confidence and feelings of self-worth. As a result, she says, “It is important for me to teach empathy and kindness to the next generation of leaders. It is sad to me to see the way adults in our country treat one another. With each class, hopefully I am making a difference that will impact the future.”

Kersten Gomez (1)-2

Kersten Gomez (3)

A big dream for Mrs. Alaska America 2017

Attending Soldotna Middle School and graduating from Soldotna High School in 1998, Gomez explains, “It took me until the age of 37 to follow my dream and participate in the Mrs. Alaska America 2017 pageant. I was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) as a child, struggled with academics, and was bullied. This took a toll on my self-esteem. I was afraid to put myself out there and try anything new out of a fear of failing and being ridiculed. When I won I was shocked, but the experience reminded me that my self-worth is not determined by what others think of me. In the year as Mrs. Alaska America 2017, I volunteered, spoke publically and shared my story, and competed against women from every state across the country at Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the most incredible experience I have had and through my year of service, I grew so much as a person and in my self-confidence. If I let fear control my decision making, I never would have had the opportunity to make an impact on the state of Alaska.”

To grow in confidence, volunteer

I have volunteered at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, Boys and Girls Club of America, the Soldotna Kids public library, and helped collect literature throughout Alaska that is now on its way to the worn torn country of Liberia to build libraries in schools there!
Kersten Gomez (1)-3

“I tell kids all the time,

‘Don’t let fear hold you back from what you want to do in life. You can accomplish so much more than you think you can!’”

 

Links

Do you have a story tip about a KPBSD graduate to profile in our Wednesday Inspiration? Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD communications liaison, Pegge@KPBSD.org.
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Kersten Gomez (2)-2
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KPBSD Inspiration, Kristin (Beck) Bates, Seward High School #ClassOf2004

“A combination of opportunities I had while attending Seward schools sent me into a salmon spiral,” said Kristin Beck Bates, a Seward High graduate who attended Nikiski Elementary, K-Beach Elementary, Seward Elementary, Seward Middle School, and graduated in 2004.

Kristin Bates Seward 2004

KPBSD Inspiration, Kristin (Beck) Bates, Seward High School #ClassOf2004

Kristin, now the hatchery manager at Trail Lakes Hatchery north of Moose Pass, Alaska, explains, “We have 3 million smolt (fingerling) sized fish on site and every day they need to be fed, their tanks cleaned, and monitored. It gives me a daily purpose, and knowing that these sockeye and coho are someday going to fill the freezers of my fellow Alaskans makes me work even harder to make sure they are healthy and happy. When working with live animals, no one ever gets a day off. It is a 24/7 job to make sure we are here in case of emergencies. It may sound corny, but these slimy little critters are family and I enjoy seeing them develop and grow from the moment they are fertilized as eggs to releasing them into the ocean. Saying goodbye is always the hardest part!”
 
Experiential learning
Participating in Take Your Kid to Work Day (with Phillis Shoemaker) at the Institute of Marine Science (IMS) during elementary school taught Kristin to siphon out king crab tanks at a very young age. A member of the ocean based learning group called Youth Area Watch with teacher Mark Swanson, she said, “A highlight was helping scientists ID orca whales in Resurrection Bay! In high school, I had internships for credit at the Alaska Sealife Center (set up by teacher Dan Krier) and the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery with Jeff Hettrick. I later enjoyed an oceanography class that included a trip to the University of Hawaii, Hilo, where we caught sea cucumbers for research. Seward’s annual Silver Salmon Derby had me star struck every summer catching beautiful coho, but one memory I won’t forget when I was about 15, was going to the Bear Creek Weir near Seward and asking future coworker Cathy Cline how to get a job working with fish and doing what they did with salmon. I remember her saying, ‘stay in school, come back and see me when you are 18,’ and describing how incredible working at the weir was Now at 32, I manage the Bear Creek Weir and look back at all the experiences I had while growing up in KPBSD’s schools!”
 

Bates believes,
“The world is growing in size and I can use my skills to raise healthy fish to put out into our oceans. By doing the best I can while the small fish are in the hatchery, it means they will have a better chance at surviving their crazy ocean life. I feel like my part is small in the ‘bigger picture’ of salmon resources globally, but in some way I am helping feed the world and Alaskans. I have strong environmental ethics and want to use them to better our great state. I want to work towards making hatcheries more eco-friendly, maximize production through new technology, and work with the local communities to see what ideas they have for bringing fish hatcheries closer to their coastal waters.”

 
Inspiration: sit on a boat for 20 hours
“Fishing with my Dad as a child in Seward inspired me. I still don’t like to eat bologna and processed American cheese sandwiches, but I could sit out on a boat for 20 hours a day just trying to catch one of those amazing silver salmon! I have other siblings that would opt out of fishing, but I was in the boat every chance I could get. I hold these memories close of me and my Dad. I want every person to be able to fish for salmon on the Kenai Peninsula for many years to come. This drives me to think of new ideas and innovative ways to bring more fish to local waters. A career in fisheries is challenging every day. I am lucky to be practicing my skills right at home here on the Kenai Peninsula. Having my family close, working with salmon stocks that I grew up fishing for, and educating the people in communities that I care about—this really makes my life complete. Because of all of these details, I know that I am right where I am supposed to be. I do not know where my career is going to take me, but as long as I am advocating for the states salmon resources, I know that I will be doing meaningful work for the people of Alaska.”
 
Life advice for K-12 students
“Stick with it. Looking back it wasn’t as hard as I thought while in the moment. There are teachers who truly care about you—lean on those special ones to give you life advice and help guide your future. Put yourself first. Every time. Lastly, do not lose touch with those teachers who gave you an extra hand. They will not ever stop caring about you and can be a resource well into the future!”

Kristin high school basketball kristin bottom far right-2
Seward High basketball

Heartfelt thank you to Seward High School teachers:
“Through the diverse opportunities you gave me to get out and explore our community and career paths, I found something truly unique. Now I get to directly give back to the Kenai Peninsula in a very humbling way. I could not have done it without you and I strive to make you all proud! Dan Krier, Martha Fleming, Stephanie Cronin, and my many sports coaches, I owe you one for getting me through school! I wanted to quit many times, but because of your dedication to your students, I kept coming back. Special shout out to my Mom, retired (yet still teaching) KPBSD teacher Laura Beck, her special connection to her students and her kids really made me into who I am today: a science nerd, who also loves educating!”
 
Education beyond KPBSD

  • University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho
    • Fishery Resources: Managing fish populations to ensure that they are healthy and sustainable
    • Wildlife Resources: Managing wildlife resources to make sure populations are healthy and that people and nature can stay balanced overtime.
  • University of Phoenix (2017), MBA. “I wanted to add a higher degree that would make me into a well-rounded employee and manager.”

 
Connect with Kristin
Kristin began working for Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association (CIAA) in 2014, as the assistant Hatchery Manager at Trail Lakes Hatchery, just north of Moose Pass, Alaska. In 2017, she was promoted to Hatchery Manager. Kristin says, “We raise sockeye (14 million annually) and coho salmon (500,000 annually) for many user groups on the Kenai Peninsula. CIAA provides and protects your salmon resource through hatchery enhancement and habitat rehabilitation and protection.”

Kristin Hidden Lake Sockeye Project-2
Hidden Lake, sockeye enhancement project

Kristin Caribou Hunting-2
Caribou hunting up north off of the Denali Highway

 
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Elementary school softball

 
Kristin Bates close up-2
High School “Close Up” group going to Washington D.C. to learn about government

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Outward Bound students, Trail Lakes Hatchery, summer 2018

KPBSD celebrates Kristin Bates who is proof positive of the KPBSD mission to empower all learners to positively shape their futures.
Do you have a story tip about a KPBSD graduate to profile in our Wednesday Inspiration?
Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD communications liaison, Pegge@KPBSD.org.
Net pens hold sockeye smolt in Resurrection Bay
Net pens hold sockeye smolt in Resurrection Bay

KPBSD Wednesday Inspiration: Megan Mazurek, #Classof2005

Anchor Desk

“There’s something satisfying with meeting daily deadlines and starting fresh the next day.”

–Ms. Megan Mazurek, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District graduate, Class of 2005, Nikiski Middle-High School, and KTVA 11 News Anchor in Anchorage, Alaska.
Only 150 miles by road, and 20 minutes by plane from where she attended school at Nikiski North Star Elementary and Nikiski Middle-High School, Megan Mazurek is now a familiar face in households bringing us the evening news at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 PM Monday through Friday, on the CBS Affiliate news station in Anchorage. Mazurek is proud to share stories about people making a difference and challenging news coverage. She explains, “Every day is different. It’s filled with new stories, new people and new challenging coverage. I get to meet with new people who are helping make a difference in our community. At the end of every day I have proof of all the hard work our team has put together in a broadcast.”
As a young girl, she was active in dance, which became a building block into her now very public role as a television news anchor with a camera trained on her to broadcast body language and every word she speaks to thousands of viewers. A graduate of University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and minor in Art History, Megan is only a few classes away from completing her Master in Business Administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage. The UAA College of Business and Public Policy provides learners with perspectives and skills needed to assume significant leadership and managerial roles.

Advice to her younger self or a K-12 student from a 2018 perspective:

“What you may be interested in now will not necessarily be what you make into a career later; however it will teach you valuable lessons in other ways! I was very involved in dance growing up, and though I didn’t go on to teach, I used what I learned about being in front of an audience as a building block to working in front of a camera.”

Service and care for others:

Megan does not stop at only reporting about people making a difference in our communities, she is involved. When asked what issue or organization grabs her heart of care and concern, she replies,

“I’m actively involved with the Abused Women’s Aid In Crisis Shelter (AWAIC) in Anchorage. It provides a safe place for women, children and sometimes men when they are in a dangerous situation or may not have anywhere else to go. This year I did my first Sleep Out with the Covenant House of Alaska, which offers a safe place and resources for homeless and trafficked youth. I helped to raise $1 million, a record amount for the annual Sleep Out Champion event!”

Connect with Megan Mazurek every evening on KTVA, or through social media

Jacob Doth, one of her teachers said, “Dance was her life in high school. Her talent matched her determination and you can see that her hard working, never give up attitude is continuing to aid in her blessed life!”
KPBSD celebrates Ms. Mazurek who is proof positive of the KPBSD mission to empower all learners to positively shape their futures.
Do you have a story tip about a KPBSD graduate to profile in our Wednesday Inspiration? Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff at communications@KPBSD.org.

Highland Games Guest Salmon
Highland Games Guest Salmon, KTVA

 
Thunderbird flight
News story, Thunderbird flight

 
Flying with the Thunderbirds
Flying with the Thunderbirds, Oh the places we’ll go! KTVA story

SCHOOL PICTURE
 
DANCE PICTURE

halibut fishing

Celebrate STEM leader, student Riley von Borstel

KPBSD celebrates #STEM leader Riley von Borstel, Seward High School, Alaska, who participated in the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Lowell, MA, June 29 – July 1, 2018.
Winner of a Nobel Prize in Physics, and Science Director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists, Dr. John C. Mather nominated Riley von Borstel to represent Seward High School based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and passion for science and technology.

Riley Von Borstel

Dr. John C. Mather, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics and Science Director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists nominated Riley von Borstel to represent Seward High School based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and passion for science and technology.

“Among the many problems in today’s world one that really catches my attention is climate change,” said von Borstel. “We are beginning to see frequent negative changes in our environment—much quicker than ever before. I am not necessarily interested in environmental studies, but I am interested in the wellbeing of our future as a society. I think that as a society, we need to discover new, greener methods that would be kinder to our planet than what we are currently doing.”

The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be scientists and technologists, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

“I was inspired by my driven peers and the motivational speakers to get a jump start on my future and lay out a plan for my senior year; it was truly inspiring to be around thousands of different students from all across the United States who all had similar morals and priorities,” said von Borstel.

During the three-day Congress, Riley von Borstel joined students from across the country and heard Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science recipients talk about leading scientific research; was given advice from deans of the world’s top tech universities; be inspired by fellow teen science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future of science and technology.
“This is a crucial time in America when we need more nimble-minded and creative scientists and technologists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially,” said Richard Rossi, Executive Director, National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists. “Focused, bright, and determined students like Riley von Borstel are our future and she deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give her.”
The Academy often offers free services and programs to students who have the desire to learn more about their future in science and technology. Some of the services and programs the Academy offers include online social networks through which future scientists and technologists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by tech and science leaders; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance, and much more.
The academy was founded on the belief that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education plays a critical role in enabling the United States to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace of the 21st century and that we must identify prospective talent at the earliest possible age and help these students acquire the necessary experience and skills to take them to the doorstep of vital careers. Based in Washington D.C. and with an office in Boston, MA, the Academy was chartered as a nonpartisan, taxpaying institution to help address this crisis by working to identify, encourage and mentor students who wish to devote their lives to advances in society as scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians.

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Free eBook! Inspiring New Ways of Learning at Nanwalek School

School principal authors free interactive eBook to showcase 1:1 iPad initiative

Nanwalek School ebook

Free eBook!
Inspiring New Ways of Learning at Nanwalek School

Learning leaders in Nanwalek, a small village on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, across the bay from Homer, Alaska, published Inspiring New Ways of Learning at Nanwalek School. The free interactive digital book details and celebrates the journey and accomplishment to leverage iPads for learning across the classrooms and community.
The 33 page eBook Inspiring New Ways of Learning at Nanwalek School, showcases how Nanwalek School worked to capture and archive cultural stories, teach native language, personalize learning, and transform classrooms into places of deeper exploration and creativity.
In August, 2015, Nanwalek School became an Apple and ConnectED school, when a comprehensive 1:1 technology solution for every student and teacher kicked-off, and included Apple hardware, software, and services.*
kids running with iPad
“The process of transforming learning at Nanwalek School through technology has been an incredible experience for everyone, and I believe it is important to capture the beginning of what can only continue to grow and expand,” said author Nancy Kleine, principal of Nanwalek School. “Learning focuses on strengthening academic skills while treasuring cultural values and resources at the heart of our students’ lives. Nanwalek’s isolated geography accentuates the impact of our 1:1 iPad initiative through the Apple & ConnectED grant, for it truly unveiled the world and its possibilities to students. However, what we are doing is relevant to everyone.

We offer learning that is engaging, personalized, and place-based.

“I attribute our successes to the time dedicated to strategic planning in partnership with students, parents, community, and the school district. We have provided a model for transforming learning. Sharing our work to date is a way to benefit others, contribute to the collective imagination of the educational community, and most importantly to help all students expand their options to live happy, hopeful lives. This book was created as a gift to the students and community of Nanwalek—people I have come to love dearly—and to the educational world at large.”
“I am very proud of Nanwalek School and Principal Kleine for their work on a book describing learning and traditions at Nanwalek School,” said Superintendent Sean Dusek. “It captures the hard work the students, staff and community do every day to help everyone be a life-long learner to reach their fullest potential. Great work and I look forward to many more years of blending tradition and technology to inspire learning at Nanwalek!”
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*August 17, 2015 News Release: 1:1 iPads bring dynamic learning opportunity to Nanwalek School through White House ConnectEd initiative
Inspiring New Ways of Learning at Nanwalek School book cover

Amelia and Stella video convo #TaylorSwift

Dear Taylor Swift, kindly meet Amelia and Stella, two very special teens from Homer High School, in Homer, Alaska. You inspire Stella to be herself, and you brighten her life everyday.  
My name is Amelia Springer and I compiled this video for my friend Stella, who says she is the #1 Taylor Swift fan! I love watching Stella dance and sing to Taylor Swift songs at lunch and thought how amazing it would be if Stella ever got the chance to meet her in person.
Stella has down syndrome and I have a rare type of ectodermal dysplasia, AEC, which is a skin condition and was #21 in the world diagnosed with my specific type.

“I want this video to show people that we are individuals outside of our conditions, because I often feel that medical conditions are looked at from the medical side of things and I want people to see the brilliant minds and personalities  behind the conditions.” – Amelia Springer

Although Stella and I both have our syndromes we don’t let them define us, which is my goal for this video.
My other goal for this video is for it to possibly reach Taylor Swift so Stella experience her dream of meeting her!

So please like this video and share it!
Let’s see how far this gets!

Stella and Maria (2)

Meet Chris Mburu, be inspired by A Small Act

Kenai Peninsula! Meet Chris Mburu and be inspired by
A Small Act
November 16 – 17, 2017

Kenai | Ninilchik | Port Graham | Razdolna

Chris Mburu A_SMALL_ACT_Credit_Patti_Lee(3)
Chris Mburu, international human rights lawyer currently serving with the United Nations as a Senior Human Rights Advisor, is visiting Kenai, Ninilchik, Port Graham, and Razdolna schools, November 16 and 17, 2017. Originally from a small village in Kenya, Mburu benefitted from the generosity of a holocaust survivor named Hilde Back who sponsored his education. Thanks to her philanthropy, he successfully completed secondary school, went on to college at the University of Nairobi and Harvard Law School. He continues in this philanthropic vein through an education fund he began in her name. The Emmy nominated film, A Small Act, tells this story. For the last 20 years, he has worked extensively in the areas of human rights, governance, democracy, rule of law, transitional justice, peacekeeping, and conflict resolution. Joining Chris Mburu will be Kimani Nyambura, a young man who benefitted from the Hilde Back Education Fund, and is now attending college at Washington State University in Richland, Washington, USA.
KPBSD families and the community are invited to meet Chris Mburu and be inspired by his story. Bonus: in Kenai on November 16, everyone will also view the Emmy-nominated documentary, A Small Act, which shares his powerful story. Mburu is committed to justice in action and education as a human right.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Port Graham School | 9:45 AM

Chris Mburu and Kimani Nyambura will speak to students and community members at the school from 9:45 – 10:30 a.m. The morning will culminate when the cross-country team runs through the village wearing Education is a Human Right t-shirts from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Kenai Central High School | 5:00 – 8:00 PM 

Join Chris Mburu and Kimani Nyambura for a reception and hear them speak from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., followed by a film screening of Emmy-nominated documentary, A Small Act. Everyone is welcome! Free.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Ninilchik School | 10:45 – 11:40 AM

Chris Mburu and Kimani Nyambura will visit Ninilchik School to speak. This is open to 7th – 12th grade students, parents, and community members.

Razdolna School | 2:00 – 3:30 PM

Chris Mburu and Kimani Nyambura will visit Razdolna School to speak. Everyone is welcome.

Education is a human right, and small gestures of kindness and giving can change individuals, families, communities, societies, and the world at large.

Thank you to Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula for sponsoring Chris Mburu to the Kenai Peninsula.
Questions? Contact Jane Beck; Executive Director Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula
907-226-1876, jbeck@kpbsd.k12.ak.us
About Chris Mburu
An international human rights lawyer currently serving with the United Nations as a Senior Human Rights Advisor. He graduated with a Master’s degree in law from Harvard Law School, where he had focused primarily on international human rights. For the last 20 years, he has worked extensively in the areas of human rights, governance, democracy, rule of law, transitional justice, peacekeeping and conflict resolution; he has served in many countries including USA, Switzerland, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Uganda, South Africa, Burundi, Ethiopia, Cuba, Rwanda, Kenya and Eritrea, mainly with the UN. He also served as Senior Advisor and later Acting Director for the UN Regional Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Outside of the UN, Chris has served as an expert with leading human rights organizations and policy think-tanks, including Global Rights, the International Crisis Group and Amnesty International.
Outside of his professional work, Chris founded a charitable organization in Kenya in 2001 which he named “The Hilde Back Education Fund” (www.hildebackeducationfund.com) in honor of a Swedish woman called Hilde Back, a Jewish holocaust survivor who sponsored his education when he was a poor needy child growing up in rural Kenya. The story of Hilde and Chris became became the subject of an Emmy-nominated Hollywood documentary film called “A Small Act” (www.asmallact.com), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010 and went on to win several awards. Chris’ charity has supported the education of hundreds of poor children and inspired the creation of “small act” initiatives in different countries.
 

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Making history – first KPBSD student is Microsoft certified

Gavin Goggia Skyview microsoft certification
 

“I am grateful for the opportunity that SoHi has provided for me and other students to become Microsoft Certified, and I am honored to be the first to achieve this.” -Gavin Goggia

Congratulations Gavin Goggia, Soldotna High School senior, for passing the Microsoft PowerPoint Certification exam and becoming the first KPBSD student to become Microsoft Certified. Gavin is one of 144 KPBSD Online Computer Applications 1-4 students, and several more students will earn certification by the end of the semester.
These students are currently training for one or more of Microsoft’s Office Specialist Certifications in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook or Access. These elective courses are taught online by Darren Jones from the KPBSD Distance Learning Program and offered to every KPBSD 9-12th grade student. The Computer Applications course content has recently been updated to now allow students the opportunity to become Microsoft certified upon completion. Students who successfully complete these courses may also earn college credit from University of Alaska Kenai Peninsula College Campus.
Microsoft certifications give students the power to chart their own course, fulfill their ambitions, and realize their potential. These certifications give students the tools to build a brighter future and prepare themselves for a successful career. In addition to all KPBSD students having access to the certification trainings, all KPBSD staff and teachers can now participate in the same online trainings to earn college credit and become Microsoft Certified!
Contributed by Darren Jones, KPBSD Distance Learning Technology Teacher