GeoFORCE Alaska Annual Report 2022

The GeoFORCE Alaska mission is to:

• Raise high school graduation rates in rural Alaska.

• Encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors in college.

• Increase the number and diversity of Alaska residents entering the technical workforce.

GeoFORCE Classroom: Grand Canyon

from the director

Sarah Fowell, Ph.D., Professor, UAF Department of Geosciences

Dear Friends, Parents, and Sponsors,

The current cohort of GeoFORCE Alaska students is unique in that it includes participants from three regions: the North Slope, the Northwest Arctic, and Interior Alaska. Due to the pandemic, students met in small groups in 2021, exploring Alaska with students from villages in their own region. Therefore it was very exciting to bring the entire group together for the 2022 Second-Year Academy in the southwestern United States. Not only was this the first time that GeoFORCE would take these students outside Alaska, it was also their first opportunity to meet many of the other participants.

It can be intimidating to navigate new people, places, and experiences all at once. Therefore I was delighted when the vast majority (91%) of students who successfully completed the 2021 program elected to participate in the 2022 Academy. Five adventurous new students also applied to join the cohort and fill available seats. A total of 33 rural Alaskan students met in Fairbanks in June. After a few days of study, practice, games and team-building on the University of Alaska campus, they departed for the southwest.

I was immediately impressed by the positive energy of the group as they hiked uphill to get a closer view of ancient sand dunes in Zion National Park or climbed down ladders to investigate the water-carved walls of Lower Antelope Canyon. They even took COVID in stride (more on page 6).

I look forward to another opportunity to travel and learn with this cohort in summer 2023. The third and final Academy will focus on volcanoes and plate tectonics. With your support, they will have the opportunity to make new friends, travel to spectacular geologic locations, collaborate on a capstone project, and create digital maps to summarize their experiences.

You make the GeoFORCE experience possible.

Dr. Sarah Fowell

from the logistics coordinator

Sarana Schell, M.S.

Dear Partners, Participants and Families,

Thank you for another wonderful year!

The Second-Year Academy is our most complicated, with a host of national park permits and tours to arrange, as well as the standard bus charter, hotel reservations and meals for around 50 people, across four states. Thus, it wasn’t the most convenient year for some of our staff and a handful of students to test positive for COVID a few days after we arrived in the Lower 48, but that’s what happened. Happily, all students were asymptomatic.

With some students and staff in quarantine, logistics for the group that continued took a little longer to execute. Everyone had to call up a little extra patience, and I was impressed with, and grateful for, how well students adjusted and stepped up when we asked them to take on more responsibility for maintaining our schedule and a positive attitude.

It was heart-warming to see their comments in the thank-you notes they wrote to sponsors, including “I learned so much. I appreciate everything on this trip.” “Thank you for giving us kids an opportunity to learn and explore more into the Geology field.” “I’ve grown academically...” “I had fun traveling and making new memories.” “My favorite place was Lower Antelope Canyon… It felt like a dream.” More quotes are on pages 19 and 20.

It was truly an honor and a pleasure to share this geoscience learning adventure with our team of great students and staff.

Sarana Schell

2022 staff

Staff members undergo training through the University of Alaska Fairbanks and have experience relevant to their roles. Day counselors are graduate or undergraduate students majoring in geoscience, and Support Driver Josh Barna is pursuing a master’s degree in geoscience. Education Coordinator John Welkener and Lead Counselor Kailyn Davis are secondary school teachers with bachelor’s degrees in geoscience. All of these staff have the background necessary to help students apply concepts and identify features in the field. Night Counselors are undergraduate geoscience students who remain on call after hours for participants who need supplies or assistance after lights out.

5

Kailyn

Counselors Bryan Bosserman and Devon Low Night Counselors

Roberta Walker and Yesim Goyette

UAF photos by Leif Van Cise except of John Welkener, April Knox, Ada Causey, Devon Low and Roberta Walker

Support Driver Josh Barna

Education Coordinator John Welkener

Counselors Lauren Keller, April Knox, Ada Causey Lead Counselor

Davis

a note about COVID-19

Covid had a big impact on GeoFORCE Alaska again this year, after delaying the start of the program until 2021.

After only two wonderful days in Utah and Arizona, a small group of staff and students tested positive for COVID, Director Fowell included. Following our COVID mitigation plan, this group entered a fiveday quarantine, while the remaining 27 students continued with the scheduled program. Fortunately, the students with positive tests exhibited no symptoms, but this made the quarantine somewhat frustrating for them. I appreciate their patience with COVID restrictions and their comradery with fellow members of “team positive”. We were able to arrange some local outdoor activities for COVIDpositive students at the end of their quarantine.

I am also deeply grateful to the parents to whom we spoke when we called with updates. Your patience, understanding, and trust in the GeoFORCE staff is greatly appreciated.

The two groups met in Phoenix at the end and flew home together as originally planned. Once in Alaska, two students tested positive and quarantined in Anchorage before returning to their home communities.

We did not require a COVID vaccination for participation in 2022. Given the impact of COVID on scheduled activities, the costs incurred by changes to travel plans, and concern for the health of our students and staff, we are considering whether to change this policy to emphasize prevention.

— Director Sarah Fowell & Logistics Coordinator Sarana Schell

What is GeoFORCE Alaska?

GeoFORCE Alaska is a four-year*, field-based summer geoscience program for high school students from rural Alaska communities. Each summer, 36 students spend a few days on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus learning geoscience concepts. They then embark upon a handson learning adventure that illustrates those concepts.

Applicants must have competitive grades in math and science, submit essays, and be recommended by a teacher or counselor.

To remain in the program, they must create a digital StoryMap, complete field-based projects, and earn a score of at least 80% on the annual final exam.

Team projects allow students to practice the scientific method while visiting spectacular geological locations around the country.

* Due to the global pandemic, the current cohort will be a three-year program.

GeoFORCE Classroom: Grand Canyon

Why GeoFORCE Alaska?

Participants must keep their grades up to continue with the program.

They graduate high school at a higher rate than their peers statewide.

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

Students examine ancient sand dunes in Zion National Park.

2018-2019

Who is GeoFORCE Alaska?

GeoFORCE Alaska students are from Interior, North Slope and Northwest Arctic communites. The next opportunity for 8th and 9th grade students to apply will be winter 2023-2024.

Gender

Region

How does GeoFORCE Alaska work?

Hands-on lessons at the University of Alaska Fairbanks introduce concepts that students will see in the field.

Field projects give students opportunities to practice skills and learn about careers.

Making learning fun keeps students engaged.

Each new field site brings opportunities for active learning in the academically intense program.

Interactive evening review sessions are followed by a quiz.

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

Guidebooks help students connect concepts with real-life examples in the field.

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

Second-Year Academy objectives:

• Identify limestone and explain how it forms.

• Find evidence that water and wind can erode rock and explain how this is possible.

• Reconstruct ancient environments based on rocks and fossils.

• Identify hanging gardens.

• Identify features caused by differential erosion.

• Foster friendships

All photos this page: Leif Van

• Illustrate the relationship between dunes and cross-beds.

Cise, UAF

Where did GeoFORCE Alaska 2022 visit?

The Second-Year Academy explores geologic features of the Southwestern U.S.

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise Fort Knox Gold Mine

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Lower Antelope Canyon

Zion National Park

Virgin River Gorge

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

Meteor Crater

Zion National Park

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Horseshoe Bend

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

Zion National Park

“I am forever grateful because I liked everything that happened for two weeks.” “Thank you for letting us go thru the Grand Canyon. I was scared to but I did it anyway and I had fun doing it.”

“I took so much from this program, while having fun.”

“...We saw faults, crossbeds, fossils... We all made so many unforgettable memories! Taikuu!”

“This was my first time out of Alaska and it was amazing.”

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

“I enjoyed every moment of this trip. Making new friends was a blast... I also enjoyed learning stuff that I didn’t know before this trip.” “I’ve learned so much more on this trip than at home. THANK YOU!” “I got to learn about things I don’t ever see at home so I thought it was very special. I am beyond thankful for my experience.”

“My favorite thing about rocks or looking at rocks were faults. I also like topography.”

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

UAF photo by Leif Van Cise

Some Third/Fourth-Year Academy objectives:

• Identify common igneous rocks.

• Define viscosity and relate it to eruptive style.

• Illustrate the difference between cinder cones, shield volcanoes, and stratovolcanoes with a labeled sketch.

• Define caldera and explain how one forms.

• Compare and contrast volcanoes in Oregon and Alaska.

• Explain how tsunamis are generated.

• Stay safe.

• Have fun!

Tentative dates: June 5-22

Financial reports

Platinum Level $25,000+

Gold Level $10,000-$24,999

many thanks to our Sponsors

We deeply appreciate our sponsors, whose generosity and sustained commitment allows us to offer the GeoFORCE Alaska experience to students at no cost to their families.

We have a great team behind our mission to inspire the next generation of geoscientists. If you are interested in making a corporate donation or would like to learn about other ways to get involved, please contact us at 907-712-7540 or geoforce@alaska.edu.

Silver Level $5,000-$9,999

Enaa Baasee’! Taikuu!

Ana baasee’! Quyanaq!

Thank you! Mahsi Choo!

Your support makes GeoFORCE Alaska learning adventures possible for young Alaskans.