Alongside direct support to Alaska Geographic's wildlands, our 4% donation went toward supporting their youth and teacher education programs.
Alaska Geographic partners with land managers, scientists, educators, and communities across Alaska to connect thousands of kids to their first outdoor experiences. Alaska Geographic furthers those connections through focused mentorship and opportunities to become youth leaders.
This past summer, Alaska Geographic's most recent student expedition brought 11 diverse students from south-central Alaska on a seven- day sea kayaking journey to Prince William Sound's Blackstone Bay. There, students worked to keep 17 Mile Beach Camp healthy for future users. The students assisted Chugach National Forest Rangers and staff build a new campsite, assisted with beautification projects, and dug an outhouse test pit, among other tasks.
Along the way, they met with many different outdoor professionals – an archeologist, wilderness rangers, photographers, and an avalanche forecaster, to name a few. For many of the students, this was their first outdoor expedition and first conservation work experience.
Our donation covers hiking boot and gear stipends for 16 students to be outfitted in the necessary gear for these trips, helps ensure Alaska Geographic can cover the costs of 20+ passports for their Chilkoot Trail trip, allows them to fly four (or more) students to Anchorage from villages to participate in a course, and helps provide food for three of the Prince William Sound courses, mentioned above.
