“Culture surrounds us like the sea,” declared three young Nanwalek students. So true, especially during our treasured “Sea Week” at Nanwalek and Port Graham Schools. We want to say a hearty thank you to the many who helped our schools create a Sea Week infused with culture, science, the arts, and traditional food.

K Bay Air’s friendly, safe, and overall superb service continually supports our schools. We are appreciative for the generous donation of roundtrip tickets for our visiting artist, musicians and naturalists that made it possible for students to enjoy the full experience of science and the arts during Sea Week. Thank you, K Bay Air! You made it possible for our week to be magical.

Local support for Sea Week was plentiful. Thank you Nanwalek IRA Council and North Pacific Rim Housing for your donation of groceries for the feast. The T-shirts from Robert Kvasnikoff Foundation were over-the-top special. Coach Kilann Tanape and Nanwalek NYO Team, your demonstration was a great contribution.

Thank you to volunteers who helped prepare subsistence foods from the reef.

Every year, our students have the opportunity to get creative with real artists. This is possible through funding for Alaska State Council on the Arts which supports

Artists in Schools on the Kenai Peninsula, administered by Bunnell Street Arts Center with additional support from Rasmussen Foundation, Alaska USA FCU, Kenai Fine Arts Guild and private donors. This year, we were immersed in music and dance with Gwendolen Chatfield, who taught folk dancing and sea chanteys.

Also, Debbie Harris, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District art teacher, guided visual creations related to the sea.

Thank you, Gwennie and Debbie! Also, thank you Trina Uvaas and Brian Burns for your willingness to come play music. We are sorry the weather kept you out, but there’s always next year. You are appreciated.

Our marine environment is precious, and students love to learn subsistence traditions as well as the science found on our beaches and reef. We thank naturalists Seth Spencer and Kim McNett from Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Laura Woodward from Alaska SeaLife Center, and Dana Nelson, Alice Rademacher, and Syverine Abrahamson from Kachemak Bay Research Reserve for sharing their knowledge and activities. You are all amazing.

It has been a wonderful experience. Thank you all.

On behalf of many grateful students and staff in Nanwalek and Port Graham,

Quyana,

Nancy Kleine, principal

Nanwalek School and Port Graham School