2019 Annual Report
2019 Annual Report Table of Contents From the Director From the Coordinator Mission 3 Reasons to Love GeoFORCE How does it work? Who We Are Class of 2019 Highlights from 2019 Academy Industry Mentors Staff Looking Forward to Next Year Financial Report Thank You Sponsors
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A big thanks to the GeoFORCE photographer Leif Van Cise, lsvancise@alaska.edu for the photos included in this report.
Published Dec. 2019
From the Director Dear Friends, Parents, and Sponsors, 2019 has been an eventful and rewarding year for GeoFORCE Alaska! In July, 22 students completed the four-year summer program and attended the graduation ceremony. Six of these students earned their high school diploma or GED in May, and in August all six became college Freshmen. The remaining 16 students are on track to graduate high school in spring 2020, and all have been accepted at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. On the exit survey, 50% of participants indicated that, because of GeoFORCE, they plan to study science in college. I look forward to seeing more GeoFORCE alumni on campus next fall. GeoFORCE Alaska exists in order to introduce rural high school students to geological questions, tools, and techniques. I have been consistently impressed by our students’ enthusiasm for hands-on learning, so this year we introduced a capstone project during the Fourth-Year Rocky Mountain Academy. On a visit to Dinosaur National Monument, participants spent half a day making their own geologic map of the local rock formations. This required that they use a geological compass to measure the orientation of rock layers and a GPS receiver to plot the location of contacts – boundaries between rock types – on a topographic map. This was an especially challenging project, but the students rose to the occasion. On the exit survey, 82% agreed or strongly agreed that they liked learning to use the compass and GPS receiver, and 73% agreed or strongly agreed that they enjoyed making their own geologic map. All of the students were extremely proud of their final maps, which were both accurate and beautiful. In spring 2020 we will be recruiting a new group of 36 students to enter the program and participate in the First-Year Alaska Academy during the summer. I am deeply grateful for the support of new and continuing sponsors. As a result of your contributions, a new cohort of students will have the opportunity to meet, travel, and collaborate with peers from schools throughout northern and interior Alaska. Many thanks to our sponsors for making the GeoFORCE experience possible, to our students for embracing the challenge, and to participants’ parents and families for supporting their efforts. GeoFORCE is possible, and successful, because of you. Thank you for your continued support!
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Dr. Sarah Fowell Director, GeoFORCE Alaska
From the Coordinator Dear members of the GeoFORCE community, Thank you for your support. 2019 has been packed full of achievements and milestones for our students and for the program. The students completed their final year of GeoFORCE last summer which by itself is a huge achievement. Six have graduated high school and have transitioned to college. 2020 promises more achievements as the younger students in the cohort will be graduating high school in May and will head to college later in the fall. Watching the students take on new challenges with confidence has been incredibly rewarding. Moving away from home and finding a new community in college is no small feat for our rural students. Many of our students will be the first in their families to go to college. The community we have built in partnership with local schools, parents, sponsors, and the university has created a supportive network that empowers the students to take on these challenges. Thank you for your commitment to the students. The investment of our time and effort is making a difference. One very exciting development I would like to announce is the introduction of a new tool that we will be using during the next Academy. In order to introduce technical and mapping tools earlier in the program, the First-Year students will learn to use an online app to produce an ArcGIS Story Map which will describe their Alaska Academy experience in their own words and photos. This will provide an excellent product that students can use to share their experience with their community while reinforcing the learning objectives on the Academy. 2020 and the next Academy feels right around the corner. My spring will be packed with excitement as we start to recruit the next cohort of students. I have three months of travel planned in January, February and March to visit over 25 rural schools in the North Slope, Northwest Arctic, and Interior. Our marketing campaign will go live early in January to spread the word about the program. Anything that you can do to amplify our message and pass the word on to students and parents will be a huge help. We have a lot to look forward to and be thankful for. Thank you for your commitment and support as we continue to make a positive impact in the lives of our students. 2020 here we come! Sincerely,
Brian Reggiani Program Coordinator, GeoFORCE Alaska
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Mission • Raise high school graduation rates. • Encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors in college. • Increase the number and diversity of Alaska residents entering Alaska’s technical workforce.
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3 Reasons to Love GeoFORCE We’re Hands-on
GeoFORCE emphasizes hands-on field projects and experiential learning. Students learn best when they can use tools and technology to tackle field-based projects at spectacular geologic sites.
We’re Committed
The four-year structure of our program is unique. We recruit students in 8th and 9th grade while they are still exploring career options. Our goal is to spark their interest in the geosciences early and maintain that interest through high school and into college.
We’re Building Communities Each cohort includes a strong group of likeminded students and mentors. The experiences they share help build teams and strengthen friendships. These connections support the students as they move through their education and into their careers.
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How does it work? GeoFORCE recruits students from Alaska’s North Slope, Northwest Arctic, and Interior Regions.
Students apply to the program in eighth or ninth grade and stay with the program for Four years. Each summer the same students return for a week-long Academy in a different part of the U.S.
Students are selected on the basis of grades, an essay, and a teacher recommendation. 5
Active
Learning
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Field Work Mentors and Industry sponsors teach the students
REAL LIFE APPLICATION of geological concepts
Each Day, field exercises are followed by interactive evening classes, a review session, and a quiz. 6
Who We Are Sex 20%
Ethnicity/Race
Male
3% 3%
80%
Asian
6%
Female
Asian & White
4% 4% 4%
67%
Borough
12%
40% Northwest 60% Arctic North Slope
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Cacuasian/White African American/Black Pacific Islander/Hawaiian Alaska Native, Hispanic & White Alaska Native & White Alaska Native
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Class of 2019
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North Slope • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Angel Nageak, Utqiagvik Eda Ahmaogak, Utqiagvik Alexia Bankston, Utqiagvik Amyaa Edwards-Davis, Utqiagvik Jennifer McCumber, Utqiagvik Rachel Solomon, Utqiagvik Samuel Henry, Point Lay Reigh Chayalkun, Utqiagvik Joanne Glenn, Utqiagvik Caitlyn Kaigelak, Nuiqsut Veronica Jones, ASRC Sara Grist, Point Lay Abigail Fry, Anaktuvuk Pass Edith Spear, Utqiagvik Yvonne Sarren, Utqiagvik
Northwest Arctic • • • • • • • • • •
Tahayla Baker, Kotzebue Sharon Knox, Kivalina David Norton, Noatak Esther Barger, Noatak Bonnie Broman, Trilogy Metals Chad Horner, Kobuk Lena Norton, Noatak Carl Ravenscroft, GeoFORCE Savannah Hall, Noatak Solomon Sage, Kivalina 10
Abigail Fry, Anaktuvuk Pass
Alexia Bankston, Utqiagvik
Amyaa Edwards-Davis, Utqiagvik
Angel Nageak, Utqiagvik
Caitlyn Kaigelak, Nuiqsut
Chad Horner, Kobuk
David Norton, Noatak
Eda Ahmaogak, Utqiagvik
Edith Spear, Utqiagvik
Esther Barger, Noatak
Jennifer McCumber, Utqiagvik
Joanne Glenn, Utqiagvik
Lena Norton, Noatak
Samuel Henry, Point Lay
Rachel Solomon, Utqiagvik
Reigh Chayalkun, Utqiagvik
Sara Grist, Point Lay
Savannah Hall, Noatak
Sharon Knox, Kivalina
Solomon Sage, Kivalina
Tahayla Baker, Kotzebue
Congratulations to the Class of 2019!
Yvonne Sarren, Utqiagvik
Highlights from the 2019 Academy Paleo Environments Great Salt Lake, UT
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Mapping
Dinosaur National Monument, UT
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Fossil Hunting
Green River Formation, WY
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Geysers and Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park
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Industry Mentors Veronica Jones, ASRC “These kids are amazing. I’ve had the joy and honor of seeing them grow as kids leaving their families to becoming confident young adults who are ecstatic about science and moving on to higher education. I look forward to seeing how their lives unfold as they are all truly special.”
Bonnie Broman, Trilogy Metals
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“Trilogy Metals has been sponsoring GeoForce for several years now, but this was my first opportunity to be directly involved with the kids during their summer field trip as an industry mentor. I was extremely impressed with the level of information being taught to these kids and the knowledge that these kids had gained about geology over the last four years! It made me extremely proud to be part of this organization and I hope I can continue to support GeoForce in any way possible in the future”.
Staff
Alex Van Wyhe, Education Coach
A critical component to our team is the Education Coach. Each year, we hire a school teacher from rural Alaska to lead the daily review sessions. Thank you, Alex!
Our summer counselors are the backbone of the Academy. We hire a dedicated group of college students to act as near-peer mentors to our younger students. Our counselors provide one on one support to reinforce the lessons throughout the day. Thank you to this year’s counselors; Eric Orphys, Carl Ravenscroft, Marlee Haralson, Monika Valdez, and Casey Wheeldon!
Mckenzie Kinnear, Trail Driver 20
Looking forward to next year Objectives • • • • • • • •
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Explore rivers and glaciers as agents of erosion and deposition Learn basic rock types and terminology Diagram the rock cycle Explain why there are mountains in Alaska Distinguish meandering and braided rivers Explore industry careers in Alaska Read a topographic map Create digital Story Maps to share their experience
Upcoming Highlights • • • • • • • • • •
Mining in Alaska Rafting on the Chena River Fairbanks Permafrost Tunnel Suntrana Creek Coal Denali National Park Matanuska Glacier Kincaid Dunes Tidewater Glaciers UA Museum of the North Alaska’s Dinosaurs
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Financial Report
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Thank to all the Sponsors who made the past 4 years possible!
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Thank you to these corporate sponsors who make the GeoFORCE experience possible. We have a great team who stands behind our mission to inspire the next generation of geoscientists. Their generosity and sustained commitment allows us to offer the program at no cost to the students and their families. If you are interested in making a corporate donation or would like to learn about other ways to get involved, contact us by phone at 907-474-5313 or by email at uaf-geoforce@alaska.edu.
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GeoFORCE Alaska College of Natural Science and Mathematics University of Alaska Fairbanks PO Box 755940 Fairbanks, AK 99775 Uaf-geoforce@alaska.edu
UA is an AA/EO employer and educational Institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination