Funding supports educational outreach in the communities of Naknek and Kotzebue during the 2024-2025 school year
Anchorage – December 5, 2024 – Alaska Resource Education is excited to announce the award of a $20,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation in support of educational outreach in the communities of Naknek and Kotzebue during the 2024-2025 school year. Last fall, through an initial grant from Wells Fargo, our STEM Educator, Brant Hylinski, traveled to Naknek to teach high schoolers, middle schoolers, and the upper elementary students about energy sources that help keep our communities up and running while focusing on electricity and its applications throughout their lives. Hands-on lessons included snap circuits, what’s underground, building derricks, and building and racing solar cars.
"We are incredibly grateful for this generous grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation, which enabled us to continue and expand STEM education to students in Alaska,” said Alaska Resource Education Executive Director, Ella Ede.
This school year Hylinski returned to Naknek for four days in October to deliver engaging natural resource lessons to the Bristol Bay Borough School. Wells Fargo staff Jennifer Bump and Sam Mazzeo helped facilitate the visit and volunteered during the program delivery. This was Brant’s second year in a row traveling to Naknek to teach first grade through high school seniors about the importance of Alaska’s natural resources and to have some fun with STEM lessons for the students. Hylinski was greeted with, “Hey, I remember you from last year,” which was a warm and welcoming sign from students he had not seen in over a year. He taught over 50 students on energy topics that have extreme relevance to their community and our broader Alaska communities. Students were reminded about electricity and how it works to power our world, they made their own paper circuits, explored hexagonal thinking which connected energy sources to their type and their application, and finally completed an engineering challenge where they had to design, engineer, and test their own wind turbine blades to see which group could create the most electricity. The 7th-8th grade group of students created the most voltage with their design with a group from the 5th-6th grade class coming in a close second. It was a great experience for both ARE and the students.
“Volunteering with Alaska Resource Education representatives and students was so rewarding,” said Wells Fargo’s Alaska Commercial Banking Leader, Sam Mazzeo. “Sharing time, experiences and perspectives to help educate young Alaskans is important because they’re the future of our communities.”
From November 18-22 Hylinski braved harsh blizzard conditions in Kotzebue to teach the students at June Nelson Elementary and Alaska Technical Center about Alaska’s natural resources. With the generous support from Wells Fargo, Hylinski taught ten different elementary classes and three high school classes during the week. The blizzard that hit Kotzebue in the middle of the week saw temperatures dip down to -18F, but fortunately school was only delayed for two hours, and no classes were cancelled. Students were introduced to lessons about rocks and minerals, exploring the ins and outs of the natural resources that make our world move, energy and electricity, as well as the classic ARE lesson “Mine a Cookie.” Students had a blast learning about natural resources and look forward to seeing Hylinski again next year to continue their learning and hands-on experiences with Alaska Resource Education.
“As we saw in this year’s visits to Naknek and Kotzbue, this grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation supported a vital step toward achieving our mission, and we are thankful for the support and trust placed in us," Ede said.
This longstanding partnership underscores the shared commitment to creating positive change in the community. By working together, we can continue to build a stronger, more vibrant future for all.
Photos from 2024 ARE Classroom visit to Kotzbue:
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About Alaska Resource Education
ARE provides statewide educational opportunities to students and teachers. We distribute innovative K-12 education curriculum that meets Alaska State Science Standards and has been aligned with the common core in social studies, language arts, and math. By collaborating with industry professionals and educators, ARE aims to spark an interest in students about Alaska’s natural resources. Our curriculum is fun and hands-on.
Founded in 1982, ARE is funded through state and federal grants, and corporate and individual donations. The 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit is a partnership between the State of Alaska Department of Education and private companies engaged in the resource industry.
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