“I know the distance between your dreams and the reality can seem to be scary. But for me, my dream is one long journey and I am ready to take every step on the route.” –Mina Deanna (picture taken by Terrie Hanke)

One task the campers are given at the beginning of camp is to create a quilt square. Terrie Hanke will make the squares that the campers make into a quilt. They will then be shipped to each camper’s school for a month to be used for lessons in the classroom and displaying purposes.  Look into the traveling quilt project for your classroom.

 This year each camper was given a letter from the word “Iditarod,” to create his or her square.   The camper was to come up with a word from their letter that can be turned into a lesson in the classroom. It has been very inspiring to watch the campers create their squares all week. They worked very hard on their squares, going through rough drafts, looking through thesauruses, and collaborating with each other. You could really tell they wanted this quilt to be the best.

I received the letter “D.” There were several words that came to mind for the letter “D.” Discipline, desire, determination, driven, dedicated, and many more. I thought of how students could use this in the classroom and connect it to the Iditarod as well as how I could connect with the word. I chose the word, “Dream.”

In my mind there are many that dream to run the Iditarod, dream to live in Alaska, and dream to live the best life possible. One can use this word in the classroom an endless amount of ways. Students can discuss their dreams and how scary them may seem, but they can reach them. The discussion can turn to how we reach goals. This can lead to how to set goals and writing these goals with the students. I am excited to see the other words the other campers chose tomorrow morning. I am planning on using these words throughout the year; plan to see lesson plans on this topic.

Today was a free day for the campers. Several of us went to the Matanuska Glacier and did a guided hike. Our task for the day was to somehow connect our word with what we did on our adventure. I connected my word and quote with my adventure today. I had a dream to be the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™.  I had a dream to come to Alaska and experience first hand the culture of a native village. I had a dream to bring true Alaska experiences back to my classroom. I had a dream of representing my school, my community, and other teachers around the world as Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™.  Out on that glacier today I realized my dream was coming true and I was living it.  It was a surreal experience.  It was and is very scary.  But, as the quote states, I am ready to take every step along the way.