Tag: Nanwalek

Terence Paul Swenning | Nanwalek School #Classof2017

Terence Paul Swenning
Nanwalek School
Class of 2017

Nanwalek School Terence Paul Swenning s
Terence Paul Swenning is an inspiring graduate with exceptional determination, talent, and perseverance. Rather than taking a solely academic route through his schooling, Terence has demonstrated the ability to finish school with attention to academics, artistry, and athletics. Balanced with determination, Terence moves into the world with energy and independence.
Terence was eager to finish school and move into his adult life, and succeeded in earning his diploma a semester early. Spring semester was spent working for the Nanwalek IRA Council, and creating a business plan for his next adventure.
An ambitious young man, Terence plans to move to California to start a business selling t-shirts with his own artistic designs. He is currently putting his mind to the finances of this endeavor, seeking small business loans, and making necessary contacts in California. This independent means of making a living will allow him to pursue professional skateboarding.
Throughout school, Terence was known as a strong reader, a talented artist, a natural musician, and an active skateboarder.
Terence went about these talents gently, but firmly. Although students and staff know Terence as a quiet student, we have always been clear that he has a strong voice and a determination.
Terence is a driven young man, and his work ethic is very strong. To put the necessary pieces in place to move from the rural village of Nanwalek with 275 residents to the large state of California and start a small business to compliment his talents and lifestyle is remarkable. Everyone in Nanwalek will be watching to see his plan unfold!
Facebook: Nanwalek School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District www.KPBSD.org

Students host science fair in Nanwalek

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Sixth through twelfth grade students at Nanwalek hosted a Science Fair for their community. The Nanwalek community showed tremendous support for students by helping them with their projects and coming to the science fair to listen to student presentations and learning about their topics. The Nanwalek gym was buzzing with excitement! A few of the highlights for students:

  • “Talking to community members about things we were working on”
  • “Researching and learning on our own”
  • “I think the best part was being able to teach and present”
  • “Being able to give our ideas to the community”
  • “Interviewing community members about our topic”
  • “Learning a lot about our village population and capacity”
  • “I’m more comfortable presenting and conversing with people”
  • “Learning from my classmates about local, helpful plant-life”

The science fair was definitely a hit. Students, staff, and community members are already looking forward to next year’s science fair!
Story contributed by Penny Bearden
Suggest or contribute a story online link: http://bit.ly/SuggestKPBSDstory
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Nanwalek School Contributes to Retention of Ancestral Language

NAnwalek 1Good morning! Today is Wednesday, May 13, 2015! Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.” …. A typical school morning announcement? Yes! Until…. “Camai uciitilat, camai uciiniit. Ernerpak nupugpet Ipitaqa aniuq.”
Nestled at the foot of beautiful mountains and along the shores of Cook Inlet, Nanwalek, or “a place with a lagoon,” is home to approximately 250 residents who are from the Sug’piaq culture. The language of the Sug’piat is a dying language, with only about 20 fluent residents. They are the elders, who often do not live with children who are developing language skills.
It is hard for most people to imagine their language disappearing off the face of this earth. What would that be like? The exponential effects are many, for language affects interactions, culture, and history. Most would make every effort to save the language – or risk losing all traditions. In Nanwalek, the school has been key in the effort to save the Sugt’stun language.
nanwalek 3Alongside other schools, Nanwalek is focused on academic standards to help students from this isolated K-12 multi-graded school have as many options as possible when they graduate. As importantly, the Alaska Cultural Standards are essential to daily life at Nanwalek School. These provide another set of standards based on traditional and ancestral beliefs that are about survival of a Native world view, and in Nanwalek this is a way of knowing and being to preserve Sug’piaq values and history through bilingual education.
Links
School website
Connect with Nanwalek on Facebook
 
 
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