One feature of his trip was a presentation to the high school freshmen, who showed great interest in traditional arts and crafts. At the request of school principal, we will arrange for a small group of carvers to visit Noatak School soon to conduct a one-day workshop in antler, ivory and woodcarving. I will look forward to providing the woodcarving instruction myself, as I have been an avid carver for many years now. As I often hear about how much our students would like to have regular classes in traditional arts and crafts, I hope our Regional School Board will consider making such classes a part of school curriculum. If any of the local Advisory Boards feel that such instruction would be valuable to preserving our culture and maintaining interest of the students, they may want to consider making that sentiment known to the Regional School Board as well.

Noatak seems to do an exceptional job of maintaining an excellent environment in their school. They have done an excellent job in retaining many of their teachers, who have in turn become a valued part of the community. And even without the benefit of a Village Public Safety Officer at this time, the village does a great job of enforcing the evening curfew for the young people. That may have much to do with the success that so many of their students are having in the classroom.

Another special aspect of Noatak is the large number of residents who utilize employment at Red Dog to support their families. It is not easy to hold a job that requires being away from family and friends for weeks at a time, but those who have managed to cope with that inconvenience are assets to their village. The income that they bring home goes a long way toward improving the quality of life for not only their immediate families but the village in general.

I'd like to convey my gratitude to Alice Adams, the Resource Specialist in Noatak who hosted my staff representative. The Resource Specialist position in each village is jointly funded by NANA Regional Corporation, Maniilaq Association and the Borough.

For information about our grant and loan programs and arts marketing, village residents are encouraged to visit their Resource Specialist, who can answer questions, provide applications, and serve as your local Borough representative.

I hope you are all enjoying the warm weather!