Keeping That Summer Vibe Alive! Post #2

September 21, 2022

A new school year has begun, but there are many lessons from the summer to bring back to the classroom.

Alaska

Pink fireweed and green vegetation in the foreground of calm blue ocean waters and snow capped mountains in the background

Auke Village Recreation Area. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Stori Oates

Summer in Juneau, Alaska kicked off with warm temperatures and sunny skies. It also heralded the start of summer camps and outdoor education experiences for students across Alaska.

Sealaska Heritage Institute Opening the Box STEAM Academy - Stewards of Haa Aani’

Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Opening the Box STEAM Academy focused on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and STEAM career connections. Students earned high school credit while working alongside Elders and professional researchers. The overarching goal was to inspire campers to learn, grow, and drive the change that honors the values of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people of Southeast Alaska. Campers built their learning around the four core values:

Haa Aaní - Our Land
Haa Shuká - Our Past, Present, Future
Haa Latseen - Our Strength, Leadership
Wooch Yax̱ - Balance, Reciprocity, and Respect

NOAA Fisheries scientists partnered with Sealaska Heritage Institute to co-develop a week of hands-on learning, reflection, and place-based analysis of how water quality impacts the health of salmon populations and other aquatic organisms in Southeast Alaska. Mornings were filled with a variety of field-based activities such as water quality sampling, surveying the intertidal for sea star abundance and health, and meeting with NOAA Fisheries scientists to learn about career pathways in STEAM, just to name a few.

The Marine Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge or Stewards of Haa Aani’ Strand encouraged campers to use their natural ability to observe the surrounding world, make connections, and engage in steps to be the voice for the past, present and future. Campers were given time to reflect on their own experiences, the experiences of others, and draw on that knowledge to find positive paths forward.

Compilation of images demonstrating water quality work — STEAM Academy campers collect water quality data at Steep Creek. This monitoring work is part of Gastineau Guiding Company’s Alaska’s Whales & Science Adventure Citizen Science Program. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Photo montage of students pulling and checking crab pots for invasive species — STEAM Academy campers pull a crab pot onto the boat to check for invasive green crabs in Auke Bay. Only a few staghorn sculpin were caught (and released) and the data were entered into the long-term invasive species monitoring project database maintained by Alaska Sea Grant and Gastineau Guiding Company. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Image montage of humpack whale tail flukes and students taking pictures on a whale watching boat — STEAM Academy campers learn how scientists identify humpback whales from the distinct patterns on their flukes and try their hand at capturing photo IDs. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Image montage of students waering green waders sampling while standing in a creek — STEAM Academy campers collect water quality data at Montana Creek. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Image montage of students in green waders standing along the creek edge sampling water — STEAM Academy campers collect water quality data at Auke Creek. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Discovery Southeast Outdoor Explorer Camps

NOAA Fisheries scientists partnered with Discovery Southeast to provide place-based, hands-on programming for their Outdoor Explorers summer camp. Whether it was learning about Juneau’s aquatic ecosystems or how to identify plants and seaweeds, campers engaged in hands-on learning through play and exploration of their natural surroundings.

Three different images of kids learning about science — During Oceans, Streams, and Salmon Week, Discovery Southeast Outdoor Explorers campers visited Auke Bay Laboratories and participated in a variety of marine science themed lessons. Campers tried their hand at piloting Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs), learned about environmental DNA (eDNA) during a genetic sequence matching activity, and participated in a fish counting activity that taught them how fisheries scientists estimate fish populations from shipboard survey data. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Kelly Koehler

Image montage of third grade students in rain gear collecting seaweed on a rocky beach — During Botany and Wild Edibles Week, Discovery Southeast Outdoor Explorers campers met NOAA scientists at Point Louisa to explore the intertidal and collect seaweed samples for an onsite bookmark making session. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program Middle School Career Explorations Camp

Middle school students attending the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) Career Explorations Camp spent a week in Juneau taking part in hands-on activities based in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Campers met with industry professionals, University of Alaska faculty, and staff from federal agencies, including NOAA Fisheries, to learn how math and science are used in real-world careers.

Campers toured Auke Bay Laboratories and had an opportunity to ask NOAA scientists and University of Alaska students about their individual career paths. Students also participated in a number of hands-on activities that challenged them to build on their previous knowledge and skills and make new discoveries.

Middle school students sit on wooden benches while looking at a wall of marine fishes loacl to Southeast Alaska — Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program students tour Auke Bay Laboratories. Students visited the lab to learn more about fisheries research and speak to scientists about career paths in STEM fields. Credit: Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program used with permission by NOAA Fisheries

students look down into a touch tank of sea stars and sea cucumbers — Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program students explore the touch tank at Auke Bay Laboratories. Credit: Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program used with permission by NOAA Fisheries

Students gather around a square yellow pool filled with water to pilot ROVs — Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program students pilot SeaPerch ROVs at Auke Bay Laboratories. Students learned how NOAA Fisheries scientists use drones and autonomous or uncrewed underwater vehicles to conduct research in Alaska waters. Credit: Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program used with permission by NOAA Fisheries

Stay tuned for the next post where I highlight NOAA Fisheries’ work with summer interns from Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Opening the Box Internship Program.

Previous: Keeping That Summer Vibe Alive! Post #1

Meet the Blogger

Stori Oates

Stori is the Communications and Education Coordinator for Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Auke Bay Laboratories. She is an experienced field biologist and K-12 educator with a MSc in Marine Science and BS in Biology. Stori collaborates with NOAA scientists and partner organizations to co-develop culturally responsive and place-based education opportunities and curricula for students across Alaska.

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