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Juli Westrich 2023
January 1st. The New Year is a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. It is a day of potential – a strange sort of limbo where anything is possible in the coming year. Resolutions are made with the hope that in two months…six months…nine months we will be fitter, …
I’ve been wrapping presents this week and, as a busy mom, that sometimes includes wrapping my own gifts. While sorting and organizing it became clear that the theme of my holiday is “winter weather gear.” I wrapped, and will unwrap, liner gloves, Smartwool socks, three sets of base layer long underwear, two mid layer wool …
Earlier this month I shared a post about the importance of representation; students need to see people like them doing, achieving, and experiencing all types of activities in this world. Representation provides a sense of belonging, hope, and inspiration. To quote Iditarod finisher Will Troshynski again, “Representation matters. Seeing a possibility for someone like yourself …
Crossing the finish line in the early morning hours of March 15, 2022, Brent Sass was crowned champion of the 50th Iditarod. I immediately texted my oldest daughter to let her know “her musher” had won the Iditarod. My family became Iditarod Insiders a decade ago and each year we each select one musher to …
I run, but I’m not competitive and I don’t always enjoy it. I started running pretty late in life, as a new mom who wanted to return to her pre-baby pants size and not be out of breath climbing the stairs to grab a diaper. Running worked for me because I could squeeze in 2 …
Iditarod is where dogs run the race, but the race runs on volunteers. This is a pretty bold statement, one I made in a post earlier this month, and I stand by it. I’m not alone in recognizing that the volunteers are the heroes of the Iditarod. The mushers are aware that their ability to …
In the October IditarodEDU newsletter I teased that this SEL “Snack” would focus on gratitude. (Are you getting the newsletter??? If not, you definitely should sign up HERE for MUSH ON!, the free monthly digital newsletter from IditarodEDU that provides a ton of cool stories, great education ideas, and insider information!) Part of developing good …
Next month is Thanksgiving here in the US. The holiday focuses on gratitude but, if I am being completely honest, it is really all about the food. I will definitely get back to the thankfulness component in my November posts, but for now let’s talk turkey…and mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. There is something about …
Today is Indigenous People’s Day. This designation provides the opportunity to stop and reflect on the rich heritage of the people and cultures that inhabited North America prior to European exploration. The Iditarod Trail crosses the Indigenous lands of the Athabascan, Iñupiaq, and Yup’ik/Cup’ik people. The Iditarod Race interacts with these vibrant cultures at many …
Last month’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) “snack” focused on building Self-Awareness so students can identify big emotions. Now that our learners are more aware of, and can label, their feelings, the task is to figure out what to do about it. To avoid tantrums, freak outs, and meltdowns I provide a framework and tools to …