Alaska Rural Village Outreach

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The unique nature of Alaska, with its many rural and remote villages, provides the challenge of getting quality marine science education to students in schools which are usually multi-grade facilities with minimal staff support. The mission of the ASLC is to generate scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska¿s marine ecosystems. The ASLC has the unique ability to bring science to life for students by sharing our research and knowledge through our education expertise. This project fits under the ASLC mission by sharing marine scientific lessons to promote student¿s understanding of marine ecosystems. Greater understanding of natural ecosystems contributes to greater stewardship in the long run, because students are considered future stewards of the resource. Staff members of the Alaska SeaLife Center have been successfully taking science to these students for the past ten years. Rural schools in Alaska are not connected to the road system and have very limited resources. Access is by small plane. Teachers are often expected to instruct multiple grade levels, and often must teach subjects in which they have little back ground to draw upon. Most often the subjects that suffer are Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Students in these schools are predominantly Alaska Native, often with traditional lands and subsistence rights in nearby national parks. This program augments the science subjects available in rural schools which provides a service valued by Tribal partners, as well as strengthening the relationship between the NPS and long term resource stewards living and growing up in these villages. Rural schools in this program are in villages/local communities bordering Alaska parks. Frequently these villages are also the seat of Tribal governments with formal relationships with NPS. Education staff from the Alaska SeaLife Center will travel to off-the-road village schools to deliver K-12 science programs. Approximately 6 - 10 villages near Alaska parks and 1100 students will receive programs each school year. Education programming is a valued service in rural villages. NPS staff will deliver different, park specific programs alongside SeaLife Center staff. We expect this work to continue in future years, and this agreement may be modified to provide additional funds based on performance and progress, and subject to availability of funds.

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