Galena Interior Learning Academy

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1 Season s Gree ngs from: Galena Interior Learning Academy 2nd Quarter Newsle er Hello from the Ptarmigan Hall Dorms! This quarter we have been busy here at Ptarmigan Hall. We had students involved in wrestling; the team and individuals did a wonderful job. Basketball season began. We had lots of students up bright and early to par cipate in pre season basketball work outs at 6 a.m. during the week preparing them for long and hard prac ces in the future. Students worked vigorously preparing for the Bertram Peabody s Holiday Special theatre produc on. There were countless hours from all students involved to make the play into a wonderful produc on. They did a fantas c job! We have a na ve dance group working hard to come together and prepare for performances in the spring. There are many amazing, talented students willing to share their region s dances and teach others their heritage. We had many opportuni es for service around the community of Galena, ranging from stacking wood, hauling wood to fundraising for cancer relief funds. It s amazing how much these students are willing to do to help others around them. It was a busy quarter and we are proud of all the hard work the students put in to make everything so special. An update from your student s Resident Advisor 1

2 Thanksgiving Each year we have community members who want to host Thanksgiving for our students here at GILA. Some hosts take as many as 15 kids in their home. This gives the students a chance to sign up and enjoy a holiday in a home se ng with their peers and with members in the community. Students enjoy the opportunity to go spend me off campus as well and get a home cooked meal. The Dining Hall provided rolls and pies for the homes that invited students to come enjoy Thanksgiving. Students enjoying Thanksgiving out in the community Open House Here at the dorms we have separate floors for the boys and girls to live. The girls are not allowed on the boy s floor and the boys are not allowed on the girl s floor; with the excep on each year when we do what we call an Open House the weekend a er Thanksgiving. The students have an opportunity to clean their rooms and get clearance from a staff member that their room is clean for the event. We will then open up the floors for student s friends of all genders to come see their living quarters. Students will spend an hour on the boy s floor and then an hour on the girl s floor. Staff are all assigned to be on the floors at that me monitoring all the open house rooms. The students busily cleaned so they can enjoy the open house with friends this year. A erwards we had a dance on campus for GILA students. 2

3 Wrestling We had the Galena Interior Match on December 2nd. It was an internal meet here at the GILA gym. Students competed against their teammates in their same weight class. Seniors were able to call out staff and challenge them to a wrestling match as well. It was a great opportunity to see all the talent we had on the wrestling team. Chiara Demen eff, Cassandra David, Elena Jacobs, Thomas Tocktoo, Mitchell Echuck and Weston Andrew will all be wrestling in the state tournament. The team did an awesome job in regionals. Basketball Basketball began November 30th. Their first games were at Grace Chris an School in Anchorage. Both the Girls and Boys Varsity traveled to this event. Girls Varsity Basketball Arc c Survival Outdoor Leadership had a arc c survival trip mid November. The students prac ced their survival skills on an overnight trip. They did an awesome job. Their teacher Tim Kalke was proud of them and their ini a ve out in the wilderness. 3

4 Happy H0lidays from the Music & Arts Program! We just wrapped up the semester with a super fun show presented by Galena Musical Theater. Bertram Peabody s Holiday Special was a 1970 s throwback celebra on of joy, cheer, and all around good vibra ons. Enjoy these pictures, provided by the Galena High School Media and Informa on Technology Program. We are excited for next semester, when we will be producing the Northern Echoes Film Fes val, which will feature student films that are already in produc on under the direc on of RA Cait McCann. We also look forward to more Open Mic Nights, another musical theater produc on, choir performances, and much more! Stay tuned for some more news and pictures in the Spring! Natalie Olender Director of Music & Arts 4

5 Na ve Dance The na ve dance groups are preparing for performances in March. We are going to try and a end Cama i or FNA events in Fairbanks. The students have been working hard prac cing a few mes a week. In prepara on for March we are planning a community event here in Galena. They will be teaming up with the Rural Youth Leadership Club to do a cultural night full of na ve dance and cultural events. There will be highlights focusing on well being and resiliency amongst our na ve youth as well. We are in the process of making a song in Yupik to perform with the GILA dance group. There is a lot to look forward to for the GI LA Na ve Dance Group in the coming semester. Service Student s this semester have been involved with several service projects. We have had con nual work in the community hauling and stacking wood. The community members are much apprecia ve of our student s efforts. A group of students worked this semester on fundraising for a Holiday Cause. They raised funds for an adult diagnosed with Cancer. All the proceeds were given as a gi for treatment. Christmas Fes vi es In prepara on for Christmas we had students and staff make decora ons for the Christmas Party. Karrie Pavish Anderson played music for the students to enjoy while mingling. Santa came and enjoyed the Christmas party as well. A er the Christmas Party we had a Christmas Dance to finish off the night of fes vi es. Students par cipated in the Christmas Cookie Exchange at the Elder s Center as well. 5

6 Reminders With this winter weather ge ng into nega ve temperatures we ask that you make sure your child comes back to school with the following: winter coat boots snow pants hats gloves. Bertram Peabody Holiday Special Cast If there are any reasons that the students are unable to have all of the above winter gear please contact us here at the GILA dorms, contact Kailey, Richard, Simone or Ellie and we will be able to help problem solve here at our end. Contact Us Mailing Address: Student Name PO Box 359 Galena, AK Dorms Front Desk: (907) Dorms Fax: (907) GILA Wrestling Team Upcoming Events Basketball: January 13 14: Boys and vs. Delta. January 19 21: Dean Cummings Tournament January 27 28: Monroe home February 3 4: Boys and Cross Country Skiing: February 4 5: Besh Rural Youth Leadership February 11th: Culture Night 6

7 These are the Staff that work with your Student every day in the RA Liza Ashley Hello, my name is Liza Ashley. I have been at GILA for 3 years working with our students. I am na ve Hawaiian and enjoy working with another na ve culture much like my own. Teenagers are my favorite peeps they are on the verge of coming into their own and I love seeing the transforma on. I learn something new every day from them. They teach me pa ence and test it every day!!! Go a love teenagers! RA Doug McClure My name is Doug McClure. I am a Resident Advisor here at GILA. I live in Galena with my wife, Heidi and my son, Nikita. We have been here for three years and enjoy it very much. I was a carpenter for 25 years before coming to Alaska and ge ng this opportunity to do what I love, which is working with and shaping the lives of young people. I am so excited for this year and very grateful that you have trusted us with your student. Hi! My name is Hannah, I m a recent college graduate who grew up in Anchorage, AK. I love traveling, pain ng and being outside. I hope to share some of these interests with your kids this year. I have already loved ge ng to know them, and I m excited for the rest of the year with them! RA Hannah Karlberg My name is Lowen Kanani Ashley and I'm Na ve Hawaiian, Filipino and Caucasian. I'm from Wai'anae, Hawaii on the island of O'ahu. I've been in Alaska for a li le over 2.5 years now and I've been enjoying this amazing place and the Na ve culture here. I look forward to another great school year here with your student. RA Lowen Ashley 7