My students live in a rural fishing village in Alaska. They are Yup'ik natives (the largest native tribe in Alaska) and their families survive on subsistence living--hunting and gathering. The culture of fishing changes with the seasons, from salmon to trout to herring to smelts.
Like most villages in Alaska, there is a high rate of alcohol and substance abuse.
Suicide attempts are common. The literacy rate is low and most kindergarten students begin school 2 years behind the norm in terms of their readiness for school. The drop-out rate is high.
My Project
My students are in an alternative program, which allows them to do credit recovery and gain the credits needed to graduate. I am encouraging many to think about photojournalism as a career. In Alaska, outsiders often come to our state and village to take breathtaking pictures of our natural beauty. There is no reason that native Alaskans can't become the photojournalists of the next generation.
These cameras will give my students the tools that may ignite the spark for such a career journey.
Many of my students already take pictures with the cell phones. I want to challenge them with more sophisticated equipment.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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