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FARMINGTON – Students and organizers who participated in the trip to a school in the Alaskan bush country earlier this year are looking to complete the exchange, bringing their new friends across the country, to Maine.
Near the end of August, a group of 10 students from Mt. Blue Middle School traveled to Alaska for more than a week. They spent a few days seeing the traditional, tourist offerings of the state; Denali National Park, Anchorage museums and cruising Prince William Sound, but the latter part of the trip was spent in the village of Crooked Creek. There they met students from the Johnnie John Sr. School, participating in classes where they hiked the surrounding hills, dissected fish, created local delicacies and explored Crooked Creek.
The students began talking about arranging a second half to the exchange almost immediately. Teacher Tim Shumway, now working in Crooked Creek, as well as chaperon teachers Wendy Simpson and Greg Veayo were at first hesitant about the idea. The logistics of bringing a handful of Alaskan students across the country would be complex, and expensive.
MBMS students volunteered to try fund raising the money to help bring the students over, and are planning a variety of activities. They presented a compilation of their trip to school board director’s Tuesday, and will present a more-comprehensive summary of their experience at an open house on Monday, Nov. 8 in the Mt. Blue Middle School cafeteria from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
What a beautiful picture! Very excited to begin fundraising with the group to bring the Alaskan students to Maine.
what a great bunch of kids, we are all so proud of all of you, can’t wait to host the Alaska kids…
I am originally from Maine and that would be a cultural change for them. I think it is great.
We are very excited to bring the kids back from Alaska! Having our children go to Alaska had a huge impact on our children. However, bringing the kids from Alaska back to Maine will have ten times the impact. The kids are very much looking forward to the community night to share all of their great experiences with the public. We hope to see you all there :-)
I think it’s a great idea to bring the Alaska kids here!
This wonderful story continues…. what a great experience it has been for these young children!
Hats off to fund raising!!
Cannot wait to have the children from Alaska to come to Maine!