In October, the ARM Education team met with several teachers and school administrators to reestablish a working relationship and to determine how to best enhance the existing ARM education outreach programs for the North Slope. Some of the current issues that the North Slope Borough School District is facing were discussed during these conversations. According to the No Child Left Behind Act, schools must refocus their teaching goals to raise student achievement in reading, writing, and math. Schools currently need to meet annual yearly progress standards as well as begin preparing for national science tests that will be administered in Alaska for the first time in 2006. This knowledge helps us to understand the current needs of the NSA school district and to design effective lesson plans and other educational and outreach activities.

Monthly on a Saturday afternoon, Barrow Arctic Science Consortium (BASC) hosts a “Schoolyard Talk” for local and visiting scientists to share their research with the community through a public presentation. The ARM Education team discovered that this is a favorite local event when a good crowd of scientists, teachers, and community members showed up to hear what we had to say. On Saturday, October 11, Tina Sommer gave a slide presentation on ARM Education and Outreach, and Michael Ebinger demonstrated the kiosk software. Bernie Zak, the NSA ARM site manager, followed the Schoolyard Talk with a tour of the ARM site.

The ARM Education team was also invited to share in some of the seasonal activities that were taking place in Barrow, such as the successful catch of the first whale of the fall whale-hunting season. Mike and Tina bravely jumped in the 30-degree Arctic Ocean to proudly join the Barrow Polar Bear Club. Tina and Margo were lucky enough to see polar bears on a tour to Point Barrow, and they all tried the North Slope delicacy of “muktuk,” or fresh whale skin and blubber.