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Laura Wright 2016 Teacher on the Trail
What is a parky? A parky is quite simply, the northern term for a parka. In the Aleutian Islands the word simply means “animal skin”. They are longer coats with a hood, usually lined with fur. Most are decorated with lovely fabrics and decorative trim. I remember seeing many parkys in the winter in Alaska, and wanting …
In Texas, we love our symbols. The famous “Lone Star” is a symbol that is easily recognizable by just about anyone, young and old. In our state social studies standards in fourth grade, we dig a little deeper into the symbolism and start to really understand our history and what those symbols we see and …
The first day of school is always filled with nervous excitement for teachers. What will we learn from each other? How can we share our passion with others, outside of the four walls of our classroom? This day was filled with special anticipation for me, as the 2016 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ facing the …
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a glacier is, “a large body of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley or spreading outward on a land surface.” This definition hardly does justice to the splendor of these stunning frozen formations, as some of the teachers from the Iditarod Summer Camp found out firsthand on …
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” John Burroughs How could one teacher be so lucky? This summer I was fortunate enough to come face to face with two special animals in the wild that have been on my “bucket list” of nature connections for, …
A little gift from Texas to the world! The nightly summer emergence of 20 million moth eating Mexican-Free tailed bats from Bracken Cave, outside of Austin, Texas! [wpvideo j7Ol0I8S]
“Funky, fun, and friendly,” are words often found in guidebooks to describe the quaint, tiny town of Talkeetna, Alaska. For me, Talkeetna felt a little like being back home in Austin. It has a wonderful, quirky, appealing charm, and the teachers from the Iditarod Summer Camp were anxious to wander the main thoroughfare and take …
The Iditarod race has many great stories to tell by the many men and women who help plan it, and travel the trail to help make it successful. Joe Pendergrass is one of the many people who make The Last Great Race on Earth® what it is. Joe is a member of a very special …
The Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ sleeping bag was handed over to me in a public ceremony at Iditarod headquarters Saturday. It is a special and longstanding tradition, with 17 men and women before me using it on the trail all the way to Nome. Erin Montgomery, the 2015 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, left …
Taking charge of the legacy of the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ has given me the opportunity to meet some of the most remarkable people. I have seen Peg Stout several times in the last few years, close by her daughter’s side, the legendary musher DeeDee Jonrowe, as I waited for an autograph or photo …