Around the World in 80 Minutes

On Monday, April 14th, over 350 people came to Keet Gooshi Heen to travel the world without getting on a plane or boat. Rooms in the school were transformed into different countries and cultures. Travelers were able to experience games, food, and sights from 11 different countries and cultures. Belize, Jamaica, Southeast Asia, Philippines, Tlingit, South Africa, Norway, France, Mexico, Germany, and Hawaii were all represented.

 

Students and their parents were able to watch a Hula dance in Hawaii one minute and then do the limbo in Jamaica in another minute. They sang songs in French, then heard South African Hip Hop. They saw dragons in Southeast Asia and then trolls in Norway. They had chips and salsa in Mexico, then sauerkraut in Germany. After everyone had traveled the world, they were rewarded with ice cream before heading back home.

This event was made possible by a grant giving by the White E. Crossing Bridges' tutors supplied some much needed help with the set up, event, and clean up. And of course, this event would not have been possible without all the volunteers who came and shared their countries or cultures, language, and stories with their fellow Sitkans.

 

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Crossing Bridges

This is the place where kids can find a cool place to finish homework before leaving school.  In Homework Helpers, students keep their grades up with one-on-one help from high school tutors. Mrs. Lee is the tutoring coordinator.  You can see her in Blatchley room 118 or talk to her at 966-1452.

This is also the place to look to find something fun to do after school.  Whether you’re into art club or archery, Der Deutche Club or drama club, you’ll find it here.  If you still haven’t tried cup stacking or unicycling this is your chance.  Between Keet and Blatchley, we’re now running between 5 to 8 programs every day. So pick up a permission slip at Community School and join something.  We are interviewing for the position of activities coordinator.  He/she will be right next to Mrs. Lee in Blatchley room 118.  You can talk to him/her at 966-1453.

Crossing Bridges is a rare and innovative partnership between Sitka School District (SSD) and Mt. Edgecumbe High School (MEHS).  Our aim is to improve academic performance, increase students’ feeling of connectedness to their respective schools, increase family participation, and develop a relationship between SSD and MEHS that is cooperative, long lasting, and mutually beneficial.  Our primary activities involve tutoring, family involvement and after school clubs.

This is the largest grant the district has ever received. Crossing Bridges is an Alaska Community Learning Center program funded by the Alaska Department of Education.  Our funding is scheduled to last until June 2008.

The Crossing Bridges tutoring program hires and trains qualified high school students from Mt. Edgecumbe High, Pacific High, and Sitka High to work after school with students in Ventures, Keet Gooshi Heen, and Blatchley. They help younger students with their homework, and practice reading, writing, spelling, and math skills.
Our high school tutors meet periodically for activities and wilderness retreats that promote communication skills, trust, leadership development, teamwork, and a sense of belonging. We hope that some of our tutors will choose to advance through college and become teachers, and we trust that the statewide connections they make with each other will last into adulthood.
Our elementary tutees receive one-on-one help from older students in a mentoring relationship.

We also bring families into the schools by hosting family events such as carnivals and holiday craft parties.  Events often involve about 200 to 500 participants.

Further, we offer many after school programs to promote school-connectedness that simultaneously encourage academic interest.  Our offerings have included:

American Sign Language, ANB Grand Camp Family Night, Archery, Art Club, Beading Studio, Bilbo and Frodo’s Birthday Party, Brain Games, Cake Decorating, Chess Club, Clothing Design, Cooking Class, Crazy Hats, Cribbage Club, Cross Stitch, Drama Club, Der Deutche Club (German), Dodge ball, Family Fun Nights at KGH and BMS, Fall Family Carnival at KGH, Fun and Games, French Club, Geo-Caching, Gym Games, Jeopardy!, Keet Compass (a literary journal), Knitting and Felting, Latch Hooking, Lego Learners, Lego Robotics, Lights on Afterschool, Mad Scientists, Project Runway, Puppetry, Radio Journalism, Reader’s Theater, Reading Radio, Spanish Club, Soccer, Spring Break Camp at KGH, Sport Stacking, Strategy Games, Theatrical Productions of Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen, Three Doors to Death and Café Murder, Tlingit Forest Products, Totem Carving (assisted with STA’s project), Unicycle Lessons, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Winter Craft Party, and Wool Dying & Hoop Knitting.