Virtual Alaska With Mr. Hollinger
Journal Entry for Tuesday, May 1, 2001
After several days of perfect weather from somewhere Alaska's spring weather reappeared today. The day started out gray and rainy, then it started snowing in the afternoon.
I am reminded, and I remind my readers, that I am on a school field trip. Students are experiencing lots of different things, including trying to complete some school projects while they are here.
It was my job this morning to help students come up with project ideas for a Power Point presentation they have to create and present here on Friday morning. My role was to help them think about and choose a topic, then model, using a couple of presentations of my own, what a Power Point presentation might look like. Then I was supporting the students as they began to search the resources we have here for information, pictures, maps, etc., that they can use in their presentations. Later today Josh brought about a dozen iBooks from Anchorage. Tomorrow morning students will begin putting their project together using these computers. If I haven't made it clear before, these students are all home-schooled. They come from all over the Prince William Sound area. Some live on remote islands or in remote setting in the national forest or the nearby Wrangell - St. Elias National Park.. Their parents may operate fish hatcheries or are bush pilots or do other work way out in the bush. These kids come together once a year to socialize and work on projects that they just can't do out at their remote homesites. It's interesting for me just to learn about how they live. These are just regular kids like you back in Delaware, but they live quite a different lifestyle.
I did a little walking around town this afternoon and visited a couple of small stores. I found a book about the history of the Prince William Sound. I started looking for just the right tacky souvenirs to bring home to my family, too.
This evening everyone remained inside playing games and getting better acquainted as the weather deteriorated outside. There's a hike on the agenda for tomorrow morning and a visit to the shore at low tide tomorrow evening. We hope the weather cooperates enough to make those trips possible.
The Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival starts officially tomorrow. There's hope that the sun will come out for bird watching, but it isn't in the forcast.
Photos
This is the Catholic Church where we are all staying. Thirty+ kids and adults... two toilets, two showers. It snowed today.
The students in fourth grade and up are learning the basics of some musical instruments. I'm joining in in their jam sessions.
There's a roof over the playground toys at the school across the street from the church. It's not uncommon in this part of Alaska, because of all the snow and rain, to put a roof over a playground.
Cordova High School; where I post my daily journals on this web site and check my e-mail. People here have welcomed me warmly. The school has about 240 students in grades 7-12. It looks and feels like any other junior/senior high school.
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