Hi Boys and Girls,

Did you know that there is a special program for teachers called the Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™?  This program offers teachers a unique opportunity for a once in a lifetime adventure.  One teacher is selected every year to spend 3 ½ weeks in Alaska doing presentations, visiting schools, and flying in a small plane up and down the Iditarod trail following the teams from Anchorage to Nome.  During the time these teachers are the Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, they prepare lessons and they report from the trail.  I bet your teachers use some of the lessons developed by the Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™,

So, how does a teacher become Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™?  There is an application they have to fill out.  I looked over the application and it’s the biggest homework assignment I’ve ever seen! Some teachers say that it takes months to put together all the information needed to complete the application.  All the applications are due by Dec. 1 of each year.  Once all the applications are received, the selection committee goes over each one and together they decide on 3 finalists.  Those finalists then go to Alaska the week before the start of the race.  They do a presentation at the Iditarod Teachers Workshop, have an interview with the selection committee, complete an assignment/project, go to the banquet and to the start and restart of the race.  They get to meet many of the mushers and give lots of ear scratches and belly rubs to the canine athletes.  When the race is over, the selection committee will select the next Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ from the 3 finalists.  What a wonderful experience for these 3 teachers.

I was very lucky to do email interviews with all 3 of this years finalists.  They sound like very special teachers.  Here is a little about each of the finalists:

Blynne Froke

Blynne lives in Northern California. She has been teaching for 23 years and is currently teaching English to high school freshman and sophmores.  She’s been teaching the Iditarod in her curriculum for the past 4 years.  She focuses her lessons on goal-setting, problem-solving, teamwork and leadership skills.  She and her students explore all aspects of the Iditarod  from race strategies, weather prediction, and musher experiences.  Blynne says, “ They like me sit on the edge of their seats awaiting the next step of this amazing adventure.  This year her freshman class is preparing third grade teaching units that they will be delivering to their young partners.

Blynnes hobbies (other than the Iditarod) are knitting, reading, writing and running trails with her dog. A new hobby is drawing which she is teaching herself.   She has completed two half marathons and is currently training  for her third. Blynne is married with 2 children.  She sure sounds like one busy woman.

Dawn Owens

Dawn lives in Florida with her husband and four dogs (all rescues).  She has been teaching for 18 years.  Her pride and joy is working with the middle school population in the varying exceptionalities self-contained classroom.

If she is selected the Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, she said her personal goals will: “be to absorb each of the experiences that the Iditarod has to offer, participate fully in all the activities and requirements and relay that experience to teachers and students locally and globally.  It is my desire that more teachers and students will become interested in the Iditarod experience; learn the history and dream of greater adventures for themselves and others.  On a professional level, I would like to be able to take the experiences back to my school, district and classroom and share all of the valuable lessons and lesson plans that were developed by me and previous teachers from the trail.  This will enhance my teaching and student’s learning through standard’s driven lesson plans oriented around the Iditarod.”

Dawn’s hobbies are traveling, camping, boating/canoeing, 4 wheeling, star-gazing, anything outdoors, reading and playing with technology.

Joy Davis

Joy lives in Indiana.  She is a high school teacher, she teaches reading lab, co-teaches both English 11 and business math.  She has a Masters degree in Education and is licensed in mild interventions at the high school level.

Joy attended the teachers summer conference in 2009.  She didn’t go home alone.  A retired Iditarod sled dog went with her.  She was hooked.  Her goals are to continue to meet interesting people.  She also wants to share her enthusiasm and knowledge about the Iditarod with others.

Joy is married and has 3 adult children.  She also has 5 grandchildren and one on the way.  Living with her and her husband are 7 dogs- 1 malamute and 6 Alaskan huskies. Her hobbies include cooking for her dogs and reading.

Don’t they sound like special teachers?  I sure would like to be in one of their classes.  I wish all of them the best of luck.  Hey!!  Do you have a special teacher that would make a good Target® Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™?  If so, ask them to apply and maybe next year, I’ll be writing about your teacher.

See you out on the trail,

Gypsy