Hello, my name is Yvonne. I’m originally from a small village located 30 miles down the Kuskokwim River from Bethel Alaska. Because the educational and work opportunities were limited in the village, I moved to Bethel almost four years ago to continue my education.

As soon as I moved here to Bethel, I got a work permit and started working for the school district. When my job ended with the school district, I started working for a local grocery store for over a year. While working there, I was also working for the State of Alaska with the Department of Labor and the Workforce Development. As a student intern at the job center, I was connecting young people and older youth to the high growth energy jobs and teaching younger youth more about them. During the process of learning about the High Growth Jobs, I was also thinking about my future career. Working with energy jobs I was gearing more towards that career direction.

During the whole time I was learning and being a resource for high growth jobs to youth, I was attending the Bethel Alternative Boarding School half the time. One day Martin, who works for the college, came to our school and did a presentation. Math is one of my favorite subjects in School, and Martin’s presentations were mainly about science, math, and technology. His presentations were catchy, and made me think about what I could be missing out on if I didn’t go for the college programs involving the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program.

My uncle once told me that I would be a great asset if I ever started working for the big industries in Alaska near home. One question I had about that was, “Why me? I’m just a girl.” My uncle said it was because ever since I was a baby, they took me out every summer and taught me the land. Growing up with Yup’ik as a fist language would also give me a good chance of hire for a great job. During Martin’s presentations, he mentioned needing local people to work for the science and engineering field, and that was when I took my uncle’s words to heart and applied for these programs.

When I woke up this morning it was kind of hard for me to wake up even thought I slept really good last night though I woke up I got really cold. After breakfast we went to class which started at 9:00. It was our fisheries class. Today I got the cut the fish with my teammates and dissect it. It was really fun!!! After the class we went to go down to have lunch. A little after lunch we went to our Anthropology class and learned about culture, not just our culture but everyone’s. It was also pretty fun! After class we went back to our camp and got ready to go hiking. When I first went up the hill my legs were hurting also my lower back then it got a little bit easier. We seen bones of a muskox,a lot of fur on the ground, big rocks, feathers, graves, snow, and humongous cliffs. When we went back I slept for an hour and came and worked on my paper and other homework! Now it’s less than half and hour to go bed now and wait until the next day!

-mary moe

Hello, my name is Florence Nukusuk and I am from Hooper Bay. I recently graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe High School on May 10th, and again at home in front of my family, friends, and hometown on May 18th. The explanation of my two graduations is that on August 3rd 2006 the high school and elementary burned down at Hooper Bay, including my home. I ended up attending Mt. Edgecumbe without applying to the boarding school, and it was my senior year. I thought I was going to be attending Edgecumbe for the first semester, but, I stayed; due to the fact the school has a good education and more structured activities. As a first year student I did very well both academically and athletically. I tried out for the varsity basketball team and made it as a starting guard/point guard, which is why I stayed the whole year. We took second place at regions and made it to state. I have experienced playing against tall girls; I think some are tall because I stand only 5 feet and 4 inches. Now that I have had great success during my high school years, I am currently enrolled for the fall semester as a freshman majoring in biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I plan to receive a bachelor’s degree in biology. I am interested in the science of life, how species are structured, and what species need to survive, which is why I am highly interested in the Summer Science Field Camp. Besides my interest in science, I love to play sports and do subsistence activities such as egg, berry, and green gathering, cutting fish, and cutting seal. I also love to spend quality time with my family, travel to different places, and meet new people. I love to learn every day.

People call me Bird, the nickname that has followed me since 6th grade. My real name is Chris. I was born in the rainy town of Juneau and lived there for a few years. I then lived most of my life in Haines though I got to experience many other places. That is part of the reason that I am entering the Bethel Summer Science Camp. I believe that this will be a great experience to enter a new part of the world and see what it has to offer. I am greatly interested in the world around us, and in the ways thoughts and webs of ecology merge together to create what we are today. This camp seemed to apply much of that through anthropology and biology, two subjects I want to spend at least part of my life getting to know better. Ever since I was little and I studied birds I knew that animals interested me greatly. Anywhoo, thats about all I can say about me.

Bird

Hi my name is Mary. I’m attending Bethel Regional High School as a Senior this year. I have lived in Bethel all my life. My heritage is Eskimo,Inupiak,and Cup’aq. I love my parents and my brothers and sister; I am also the baby of my family. I also love my relatives and friends. I have a tremendous amount of cousins. In my spare time I love to play the game of basketball during school sports also wrestling. When I am in the outdoors I like snowmachining,playing basketball,football,baseball, and riding around the area. Right after graduation I want to go straight to college, maybe here in Bethel for my first two years, then go off to a bigger college. My career goal is to work with computers, I want go get my master’s degree and if I have more money then get a couple of more degrees. My motivations for attending the Summer Science Field Camp include that Mekoryuk is my dad’s hometown, and I know so little about Mekoryuk and Nunivak not only that but while we are there, we are going to learn about fish, anthropology, computers, also the outdoors. It motivates me because we are going to go hiking and I never gone before, so that will be an experience for me. Finally, we buried my uppa this past winter and I would like to know more about the Mekoryuk area because my uppa got to know about it. I would like a chance to follow his lead.

I am from Bethel, Ak. I like to be be outdoors camping, fishing, or playing sports. I grew up playing baseball and basketball and going camping with family and friends. I am interested in math and science and plan to be an engineer or architect later in life. I was interested in attending the Summer Science Field Camp because it sounded like a great experience. This camp is right down my alley, plus it’s free. I am looking forward to getting out there and learning more about science, and am glad I got accepted to attend this unique camp.

Hello everyone, my name is Kyle Chavez. I have lived in Bethel all my life, born and raised! I like anything that has to do with the outdoors and sports. Hunting, fishing, kayaking, swimming, running, biking … I could go on and on. My favorite subjects are math and science, but I’m really looking forward to my anthropology class. I’m excited to get out into the field. I like the idea of having a lot of outdoor fun, and this summer science camp looks like the way to go. Sure I’ll miss being home, but I’m hoping time will fly by. Of course there are some great incentives for attending the camp and passing these classes. The gear is top of line and will be a great addition to my personal stash. I’ve also been told that ipods are raffled off for extra motivations. Last but not least, the free college credits that we are getting, if we pass the class of course. Credits don’t come cheap and I’m looking forward to completing these classes and having loads of fun at Nunivak!

My name is Dimitri, and I am attending the Summer Science Field Camp. I strive towards increasing my knowledge in both math and science. I am very interested in global warming and renewable energy. In the future I plan on attending an engineering college. I would like to become someone who helps make our world eco-friendly, efficient, and safe for future generations. What motivated me to attend this Summer Science Field Camp? Well, I was very skeptical at first, considering how long the camp was, and the big chunk of time that it would take out of my summer. But I came through and realized that it would be a great opportunity for me to accumulate knowledge concerning the environment, whether it be biological or anthropological.
Now you know who Dimitri is.

It’s that time of the year again where the Summer camps at KuC are just around the corner. Be sure you’re not left out this year if you’re a Junior or Senior in high school. Below are downloads for this year Summer Science Field camp out on Nunivak Island.

Click here to download the Application.

Click here for the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Click here for the Brochure.

For more information Contact

Program Support, Summer Science Field Program
Kuskokwim Campus, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Box 368 Bethel, Alaska 99559
voice 907.543.4523 / fax 907.543.4527
carol_sanders@bethel.uaf.edu

As part of their Natural History of Alaska class, the Ellikarrmiut Summer Science students have been participating in a limited (but very productive) dig on the site of an old kiiyaq, or men’s house. Exciting artifacts from the dig could eventually prove that humans have been inhabiting and using Nunivak Island and the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta for much longer than has previously been proven.

It turns out that our camp here at Nash Harbor isn’t at the site called Ellikarrmiut at all. That village site sits on a spit of land just across the river, while we’re camped on the site of a different, higher village called Qimugglugpagmiut (loosely translated as “people of Big Bad Dog”). Oral tradition maintained that Ellikarrmiut was the older village, and an earlier dig at Nash Harbor focused almost exclusively on that side of the river. However, two afternoons of a tightly focused and supervised student dig at the Qimugglugpagmiut kiiyaq have already turned up artifacts very likely to prove older than anything found during two summers of digs across the river.

The kiiyaq was used and inhabited during the twentieth century; Joe David, our camp elder-in-residence, remembers taking fire baths and sleeping there. However, it is rapidly becoming apparent that the kiiyaq was built on the foundations of structures thousands of years old.

The most exciting finds so far have been exquisitely chipped, tiny projectile points and side-blades (microlithics????) that could be early indicators of a site from the Arctic Small Tool (AST) tradition. AST peoples took advantage of a warming trend and melting ice sheets to spread rapidly across the Arctic from probable origins in Siberia around 4500 years ago. These highly mobile and adaptible people probably followed rapidly expanding populations of game animals like caribou.

KuC Summer Science Program - The Ellkarmiut Summer Science Field Camp is one of the programs offered to encourage Y-K Delta high school juniors and seniors to consider education and careers in Science and Technology.

The camp is located in a remarkable wilderness environment on the shores of the Bering Sea’s Nunivak Island. The camp provides a learning environment that is a hands-on and adventure-based.

Students can earn six college credits if upon successful completion of the course of study as well as winning stipends and other incentives based on performance in the course. The program instructors are Dr. Rick Knecht and Skip Snaith. Courses offered include Biology, Field Videography and Anthropology.

The development of the facility has spurred economic development activities within the local Native community of Mekoryuk inciting business, local jobs as well as training for young people in the community.

Link to the Alaska Journal of Commerce Article

Link to economic development project as part of Summer Science field station.

The first Cruisewest Cruise tour ship of the year, the Spirit of Oceanus, landed at Nash Harbor on Sunday the 25th of June.

Students had the opportunity to mingle with the tourists and get to know these visitors, many of whom were visiting from different places around the world. I’m not sure who learned more, the students, the tourists or the NIMA employees…it was a good cross cultural exchange.

The tours included a cultural tour (led by NIMA youth from Mekoryuk, Ben Weston and Amanda), an extended hike up the ridge (led by Wayne Don - NIMA board), history tour (w/ Elder, Joe David and Dr. Rick Knecht) and some Bering Sea kayaking (led by aoc voluteers Steve Carr and Chris Pike) for the adventourous at heart.

About 65 people disembarked from the boat and landed ashore…NIMA corporation officials and Cruisewest administrators viewed it as a success as everyone involved seemed pleased with the outcomes…the tourists left with a better understanding of Nunivak and the people of Alaska, the students got a chance to interact with new and interesting folks and NIMA corporation brought some tourist $ to their island community.

More information on the CruiseWest tours can be found on the Cruisewest blog and on their websites.

http://www.cruisewest.com/blog/voyage/voyage_06210601.aspx

http://www.cruisewest.com/cruisewest/experience/ships/soo.aspx

click here to download

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Here is Dara Friday’s video on ” Clothes of Nunivak Island - Then and Now”.

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Here is Brandon Williams Now and Then video about Harvesting Reindeer. There are scenes of a reindeer be field dressed (no clothes were put on the animal), nothing gory though.

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click here to download

Here is “Homes of Then… and Now” by Peri Sanders.

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Here is the final revision of Oscar’s video “Ellikarrmuit Archeology”.

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click here to download

Here is Nels Now and Then on Shelter and how they have changed.

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Here is Levi’s final edition of “Food - Now and Then”.

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Here is Jessica’s “Now and Then - What it Was Like” video.

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Here is Jamie J’s final cut of what he calls “The Graves of Nash Harbor”.

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click here to download