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This year, five Alaska teachers were named finalists for Alaska teacher of the year.
Tracy Bell, an elementary school teacher in Kotzebue, was among them.
Growing up in St. Johns, Michigan, Bell initially went to college to become a nurse. But she found herself jealous of her friends who were studying education.
“My roommate was going to school to become a teacher,” Bell said. “Just seeing the work she was doing, and how exciting and enthusiastic she was about it, nursing didn’t feel right. So that’s when I decided, ‘Let me try teaching.’”
Bell initially was going to be a high school teacher, but she later decided elementary school teaching was her path. At a job fair, she met with a representative from the Northwest Arctic Borough School District. Though rural Alaska was very different from the Lower 48, Bell felt she’d be able to adapt.
Spike in Kivalina cases continues as vaccination efforts ramp up January 29th |
Health officials with the Maniilaq Association announced this week that a resident of the region had died from complications related to COVID-19 after being medevaced from a Maniilaq service area village to Anchorage for a higher level of care.
Over the last three weeks, nearly 20% of the residents of Kivalina have tested positive for COVID-19. While most of the residents have reportedly experienced mild symptoms, the rapid spread of the virus through the village has tested the community and the public health system set up to protect it.
More COVID-19 cases in Kivalina, as some area schools reopen January 21st |
Schools across Northern Alaska returned from winter break this week, but not all students will be returning to the classroom. As some communities see COVID-19 cases continue to spike, schools move into red, high-risk zones, requiring distance education to curb community spread.
Between Jan. 7 and Jan. 14, 14 residents of Kivalina tested positive for COVID-19, with one case from a resident of Noatak, one case from a Buckland resident and another from Ambler. Kivalina has seen a recent spike in case numbers, with nearly 70 residents testing positive since the new year. The cases in Kivalina are considered mild and connected to previously known cases, according to a Jan. 16 Maniilaq press release. The Noatak resident tested positive in Kivalina, and is currently in isolation there.
Adventures in COVID vaccine administration December 24th, 2020 |
A light breeze blew out of the east, cooling off the already 15 below zero temperatures. The days are short above the Arctic Circle in December. The pink sky of the Arctic s short day brightened the darkness. In Kotzebue a team of medical staff from the Maniilaq Association gears up to head out to surrounding villages.
The novel coronavirus has been at the top of discussions since early this year. As we approach the Christmas holiday a new topic has been overtaking the headlines the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. As the nation braces for widespread vaccine administration, the Arctic is quickly adapting to numerous challenges in regards to this new vaccine. The people of the Arctic are no stranger to embracing change and facing adversity due to rural challenges.