Mushers and teachers gathered at the Midwest Sled Dog Symposium and Iditarod Teacher’s Conference in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this final weekend of September. Mother Nature has been stingy with the brilliant colors that typically mark fall but the air is crisp and morning temperatures are dipping lower and closer to the first frost.

There’s something for everyone who attends the symposium/conference. Teachers heard from veteran teachers who use Iditarod as a theme for education. Mushers and sled dog fans heard from Dr. Jerry Vanek, Iditarod veterans Charley Benja and Ed Stielstra as well as Yukon Quest veteran Laura Neese. There’s an incredible silent auction and a musher’s yard sale. The full day of learning concluded with the keynote presentation by Yukon Quest and Iditarod Veterans, Anna and Kristy Berington.

The teacher portion of the conference was kicked off by 2017 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail, Annie Kelley of Chicago. Annie shared unique math and language lessons that enhance student learning through the theme of Iditarod. While Annie teachers grade 4, she included lesson adaptation ideas for both younger and older students. Annie also gave an overview of what teachers might expect from the teacher on the trail this year.

Katie Kunze and Helen Schufletowski presented “Mushing through First Grade “and” Endless Iditarod Activities respectively. As a musher, Katie incorporates the Iditarod theme from start to finish of the school year in her grade one class. Through Iditarod, her students come to understand the difference between needs and wants with a drop bag activity. They develop map skills, writing skills and the skill of defending points of view. Katie also incorporates “Character” lessons through Iditarod. Helen has created a wealth of lessons that she shares with the teachers in her district including literacy, geography and using technology to track the race.

Art Teacher, Anne Clayton conducted a session on how  sled dog themed art lessons can be incorporated into the curriculum. It wasn’t just teachers that enrolled in that special session. Mushers, race fans, teachers and school age kids filled the chairs in her art room and created beautiful sled dog based paintings. While the subject was fairly straight forward, a team of dogs pulling a sled with a mushers on the runners in the foreground and the northern lights in the background, each and every painting turned out to be a very unique piece of art. Some even included inspirational sayings to compliment their piece of art.

Iditarod veteran, Charley Bejna was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes seventeen years ago. He says, “It’s a struggle everyday. You always have to manage it.” Cold conditions can present serious challenges in keeping the insulin and insulin pump from freezing. In his Iditarod 2015 recap story Charley writes about the run between Galena and Huslia, “The temperature was pegged on the thermometer at -60 so it might have been colder than that. I was a little worried that my insulin pump or insulin might freeze, so I kept it under my clothing at all times.”

Charley has come to Iditarod through participating as a non-musher in the ceremonial start. He was an Idita-rider in Bruce Linton’s sled in 2007. He returned to ride Linton’s tag sled in 2008. As it turns out, Benja and Linton have something in common besides the Iditarider experience. LInton is also an insulin dependent diabetic. It seems that Bruce and Charley embrace the same mantra, diabetics can achieve anything as long as they take care of themselves, live a healthy lifestyle and have a positive attitude.   Charley says, “The dogs motivate me to take care of myself so I can take care of them.”

Super Dogs is a popular symposium session where Ed Stielstra introduces the dogs that have made Nature’s Kennel race team. Ed along with Yukon Quest veteran Laura Neese  are signed up for the Yukon Quest. Laura will make it a distance double be running Iditarod also.  It’s still a question as to whether Ed will do the distance double.  Joann and Larry Fortier from Coyote Run Kennel located in Gaylord, MI also introduced their sprint racing team. Meeting the super dogs of other kennels helps mushers identify important characteristics and bloodlines that are desirable.

Dr. Jerry Vanek has specialized in sled dogs throughout his veterinary career. He’s been chief or trail veterinarian for over 110 races/expeditions in ten countries since 1992.  In a presentation called LAF-ing at a Dog Team, Vanek shared what every animal owner should be trained to do. “LAF” is an acronym that stands for Look/Listen, Ask then Feel. Vanek says, “Don’t just do something, stand there!” That’s what vets do as a team comes into a checkpoint. They stand and observe the dogs for something out of the ordinary. In other words, look before you leap to touch. Mushers know their dogs while the veterinarians know the whole population. Vanek also talked about the interaction between musher-veterinarian-sled dog known as the Golden Triad.