Hello Everyone!

Hello Everyone!

As I get ready to head to Alaska and Iditarod's next Summer Boot Camp, I can't help but think back on the most excellent adventure we had last summer--- and continued ALL YEAR LONG on this blog--- a true collaboration site for all of you.

I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we all had and to thank each of you for being with us at the first Boot Camp. This year's experience is blessed because of the role you played last summer. Thanks again for being there and for continuing to be a part of Iditarod. We are family. You must stay in touch.

I hope this blog continues to be a place for all of you to reconnect with each other, to share ideas and successful educational adventures.

Have a great summer!

Diane

PS I posted a video and pictures from last summer. Click on the photo to enlarge it. Do you remember these things?

Looking forward to hearing from each of you!


Here is the blog url for the 2008 Summer Boot Camp: http://2008summerbootcamp.blogspot.com

Let me know if you want to make connections with this group and I'll send you an invite so you can join the blog and be able to leave comments. I've shared your site with them. Have a GREAT summer!

You Remember This

Scenes from 2007 Boot Camp

A Visit to Alaska's Past

Iditarod Spirit Continues

,

Hey Ya'll,

It's Tee. I just wanted to share with you pictures of one of my rookies that my class followed. Rodney Whaley visited Thursday May 1st and shared with us about the Iditarod and his adventures. I think my kids enjoyed his visit. I know I enjoyed his short stay. Also I got a signed poster that he graciously framed for me to place wherever I wanted . The picture will stay in my room until summer then it will be in my home until school starts once again.

Tee

IDITAROD CONNECTIONS 2008

Dear Summer Conference Iditanuts,

Howdy from Nebraska! Our snow is gone in the interior of the lower 48, but my memories of a cold, exciting and incredible Iditarod 2008 still remain and will do so for many years to come.

I attended the 2008 race as a Finalist for Teacher on the Trail. It was an incredible experience and I thank each and every one of you for fueling my fire to apply and for teaching Iditarod during the summer conference experience. The interview process was exciting and an incredible event. No matter what the outcome, I will look back on my experiences in Alaska as very rewarding and an incredible Alaskan adventure full of treasured memories.

I just wanted to share some pictures with you. Ann Dimond and I hooked up at the Teacher's Conference. It was great seeing a friendly face in the audience as I did my presentation. Ann was all over volunteering. I caught a couple of great pictures of her; loving dogs and handling the stop sign like a pro!!!!

Seeing Tee again was a hoot! Hey SISTER!!!! Sister Tee and her biological sister attended the Iditarod together. Watching Tee ride in her rookie, Jake Berkowitz's sled, was great. What a hoot! I caught a picture of Tee and Jane reconnecting at the restart in the musher staging area.

Of course, seeing Jane again was very cool! She did such a great job this year. Her Common Thread Quilt Project connected many students and schools in a way that has not ever been done before. Great Job Jane and Congrats on an incredible job well done.

Martha, one of the highlights of the trip came when we toured the Buser Kennel and listened to Martin talk about his life. His story about becoming an American citizen during the race in 2002 was magical, as if it were all written in the stars and meant to be. For those of you who don't know, Martin started the naturalization process in Anchorage before the race and ended the process in Nome after he won the race in record breaking time. What a great story.

Experiencing the Iditarod Race was an incredible adventure that I will always treasure. I truly would not have applied for Teacher on the Trail if it were not for the great experience that I had with all of you during the summer teacher's conference. Thank for many great memories! Let's stay in touch!!!

I have been meaning to post ever since returning from the race. Time has flown quickly with Parent Teacher's Conferences, Easter, and my son's tonsilectomy, life has not been dull in Nebraska. I hope this finds you all healthy & happy.

Happy Spring!

Judi

Alaska Bound!

Well, I taught my last class yesterday, we have a snow day today, and I take off on Sunday! After the conference, I have volunteered to work at the restart, in the phone room, at 'comms', in the computer room, and at the dog drop area. I wanted to see as much as I could short of going on the trail. On the 14th , I'll fly to Nome (and stay with Jon along with Jane!) and volunteer, watch finishers, and attend the Banquet. Then it's back to Anchorage to regroup and come home. I'll be posting what I see on a mac site that I thought I'd tell you all about in case you wanted to read about it. http://web.mac.com/anndimond This is where our students will be checking on what I'm up to. Can't believe this is really happening (and may not if I don't start packing...) Getting out my suitcase has brought back lots of happy memories from last summer- it will be fun to reconnect with some familiar faces!
Hope everyone is having a good year...

MPMS shirt traveling the Iditarod

Hi-
I shared Kathy's postings about the KuskoSWIM from buserdog.com with my classes. Got to talk about why mushers would hang together in those circumstances instead of racing to beat another team, and I could see their minds imagining the wet and the cold. Rohn, our rookie musher, is going to carry a tshirt donated by our high school's athletic booster club on his sled during the Iditarod. Kathy says they'll try to get a picture of him with it at the finish line. All our kids on our sixth grade team, 70-some of them, signed the shirt as did our principals and, of course, us three teachers. We're looking forward to the shirt returning to us, autographed by Rohn and his family.

My family has a new member as of a week ago--we adopted a 4 year old Siberian from our local shelter. Don't know what her history has been, but she's sweet, and we enjoy going on the walks she takes us on. Sometimes, my 15 year old ends up jogging to keep up. We named the dog Morgan, after Phil Morgan, the musher I was an Idita-Rider with in 2005.

Everyone who's heading to Alaska soon, have fun, and do lots of posting so those of us at home can enjoy it vicariously.
Martha

Kusko-"swim"

Hey, how about that race. Crazy, eh? I listened to a podcast on Alaksa NPR radio and it was wild, even for the most seasoned mushers!



Your students had a great experience getting to know Kent. And I bet they were a good inspiration for him. It's always nice to have some cheerleaders! And kids can always learn about making choices. That is so important in life.

Jane

Kuskokwim 300 and Rookie Update

Hi!

I hope this finds everyone having a good new year! I can't believe that

January is almost gone!

My rookie musher, Kent Kaltenbacher, scratched. The Kaltenbacher's

decided to scratch in the best interest of their family and dogs. They

have an opportunity to travel to Greece for 10 days this May to attend

a wedding of their "adopted" son. They decided to put the Iditarod plan

on hold this year. The Iditarod will always be there, the opportunity

to go to Greece doesn't come along everyday. As I explained this to my

class they began to see that mushers race in the Iditarod with varying

goals. For Kent it was probably finishing and for others it is to

win. Kent has been great to my class. The students and I have learned

a lot through his willingness to share his resources with us.

Martha, how about the Buser Guys? They did well in the Kuskokwim 300.

That is great!

Have a geat week!

Judi

Another website

Hi all!
On Martin Buser's site, they have the web address of the FAA webcameras in Alaska. A lot of the cameras are at remote locations, and several are at race checkpoints. They are pretty neat to view. Google either Martin Buser or Happy Trails Kennel to find his site. They also post photos and reports on that site; one photo in particular is great to demonstrate the long hours of darkness. It's of his son Rohn, preparing for a training run at 10 in the morning. My students got a really accurate idea of what a team looks like when it's running and the landscape of Alaska from the photos on this site.
Martha

Checking In

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable holiday break. I did. But now I am gearing up (both figuratively and literally) for my journey in Alaska. I'm starting to put together my winter educator's conference presentation and my Alaska school presentations. Also, I'm checking that I have all my gear and layers. I think I'm almost there! Luckily, I'll have a few days once I arrive in AK to have the "pros" look over my stuff and give me advice on what to take, leave behind, or get! :)

I can't believe this part of the Teacher on the Trail job is almost here. It seems like just a few weeks ago when I was with you all as a very NEW teacher on the trail.

I hope after my trip that I will be able to find ways to remain very involved in the Iditarod Education Department and work for the Iditarod. I can't imagine it not being part of my life.

I'd like to hear how you all are and what you are up to.

Wag more, bark less,
Jane

Two More Websites

Hey ya'll I have found more websites that help incorporate the Iditarod into our classrooms.
Some of you may have more than enough material and like myself just starting you may be looking for places . Anyway here are two addresses.

http://www2.grand-forks.k12.nd.us/iditarod/iditarod.html


http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson300b.shtml#lessons

Hope this is useful.

Tee