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Heidi Sloan 2018 Teacher on the Trail
Paws Along the Trail with the Teens Last night, the teen mushers racing in the Junior Iditarod got their briefings at Iditarod Headquarters. Their families gathered along with them. As the meeting began, the racers were asked to sit across the front row. Several looked stoic or apprehensive, others relaxed, but I would say …
Paws Along the Trail with School Children This first week in Alaska as 2018 Teacher on the Trail™ has been spent speaking in area elementary schools. It’s an honor to be invited into their classrooms! I begin by sharing some differences between Virginia and Alaska: There are no moose in Virginia. All across the room, …
Paws Along the Trail with Family and Friends Next week at the annual Mushers’ Banquet, all the mushers will go up on stage. Many will pause and thank people who have helped them accomplish their dream of racing in the Iditarod: sponsors, family, friends, their dogs. It is a touching moment, hearing about all those …
Paws Along the Trail with Dog Houses Sled dog houses vary between kennels. Some mushers build and design the cozy homes. Others use plastic barrels or premade dog houses. Dogs’ names are painted on or routered onto wooden signs; this is mostly for visitors or new handlers as the mushers amazingly know the nuances and …
Paws Along the Trail with History One of the exciting parts of being Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ is being able to design a personalized patch. The patch is sewn on my parka, backpack, and the Teacher on the Trail™ sleeping bag we use to stay warm on the Iditarod Trail. Presidents’ Day, which …
Paws Along the Trail with the Strengths of the Sled Dog The Chinese New Year begins on Friday, February 16. A Chinese tradition chooses an animal to represent the year. Those born under said animal year supposedly possess the character strengths and weaknesses of that creature. Examples are the monkey, rooster, rat (no, thank you), …
Paws Along the Trail with an Earthquake While in Alaska last winter as a Teacher on the Trail™ finalist, we gathered on the top floor of the hotel, enjoying the Exxon Mobile social. The first speaker proceeded through a litany of warnings and advice on what to do in the event of an earthquake. I …
Paws Along the Trail with the Finisher’s Belt Buckle As the biggest football game of the year approaches, it brings to mind the prize the champions receive: special rings. The Iditarod is similar! Rookie mushers who complete the grueling race across the wilderness of Alaska win a special prize: the Finisher’s Belt Buckle. How did …
Paws Along the Trail with Team Captains How do mushers who use dogs from the same kennel choose their Iditarod dog teams? Matthew Failor says they divide up the dogs “like a school yard game.” In 2017, he and Michael Baker chose teams from the same kennel, 17th Dog. “We choose certain dogs to balance the …
Paws Along the Trail with Life Lessons You can learn a lot from a bunch of dogs! Exxon Mobile, a major sponsor of the Iditarod Education Department, is correct with this logo. Cindy Abbott, recipient of the 2015 and 2017 Red Lantern Awards, is a musher with outstanding persistence and a strong sense …