School Spirit Days by Nanuq

Our school has dress up days to show school spirit. On Crazy Hair Day I had my hair standing up straight as a pencil. I didn't have any hair gel, so I used toothpaste to keep it up. I wore sunglasses and so did Mollie with her crazy hair. I asked, "Who are you?" It was radical. I had so much fun that day. It was the funnest dress up day in my life. I wish we could have one like it again.

One Winter Day by Ahluk

Ben, Mollie and I went for a ride on a sled. It was after a humungous blizzard. We saw four arctic foxes. We cruised to the dump. I was amazed because we went hardcore fast. The wind whipped my face. It was awesome to go that fast. On the side of the island we found a big crack that Mollie almost fell into. I was thankful for my uncle taking us with him on a ride with the big sled.

Spelling Bee Winners by Atqaan

Nathaniel and I both won the Harold Kaveolook School Spelling Bee. Nathaniel was the first place winner and I was the runner up. It was my first time ever in my whole school career to win a spelling bee!! I was sooo excited! I would be the representative if Nathaniel couldn't go to the District Spelling Bee. I was the most excited person on earth!

My Community by Ahluk

My community.

Elders singing,
Kids dancing,
Parents watching,
Families celebrating.

Polar bears hunting,
Arctic foxes prancing,
Seals sunning,
Tuttu munching.

Northern lights dancing,
Moon smiling,
Sun shining,
Fog blinding.

Culture growing,
Nature changing.

My community.

My Community by Kunniak

My Community.

Trucks revving,
Children sliding,
Kids riding,
Weather changing.

Eskimos feasting,
Relatives playing,
Families celebrating,
Everyone dancing.

Hunters hunting,
Crews whaling,
Women singing,
Village sharing.

Town changing,
Culture remaining.

My community.

My Community by Avu

My community.

Seal hunting,
Polar bears grunting,
Foxes prancing,
We are dancing.

Humor laughing,
Stars flashing,
Lights dancing,
Midnight sun lighting.

Eskimo dancing,
Families feasting,
Christmas games playing,
Potluck meeting.

My community.

My Community by Apun

My community.

Kids playing,
Kickballs flying,
Basketballs swishing,
Snowball making.

Bingo playing,
Elders singing,
Adults caring,
Parents loving.

Tails wagging,
Dogs walking,
Puppies barking,
Pets adoring.

Whalers sharing,
family's giving.

My community.

Meyook's Whale Story

We catch bowhead whales for food. Our crew is called Browers' crew. Crews try to catch three whales in the autumn. We celebrate whaling. We have a feast and Eskimo dance. I help cut the whale and eat it. It is good. On Thanksgiving and Christmas we have feasts and we eat whale.

Toolook's Long Weekend

This is how I spent my three-day weekend. I went snow machine riding, saw some friends, and played with Doe-Doe. Also, I visited Isaiah.

I went snow machine riding with my cousin, Doe-Doe. We went all around town. When I was riding I saw Nathaniel and Nicholas. They were pulling a jet sled and Austin was in it. Doe-doe and I saw Nathaniel and Nicholas all over town.

When I stayed up late, Doe-Doe and I played Wii. On the Wii we played Wii Play, Mario, and Sonic at the Olympic games. After playing Wii, I was fixing my hair really funny and weird. It was sticking straight up.

At Isaiah’s house we played his Xbox 360. We played Saints Row Two. We could do a lot of cheats on it. You can get weapons and vehicles. You can turn into a giant and there is this game called Insurance Fraud. When you get hurt you can get a lot of money.

This is how I spent my fun weekend. I went ski-doo riding and hung out with Doe-Doe.I also went to go visit Isaiah. It was great to stay up late and sleep in.

Atqaan's Weekend

I spent my weekend playing my 360. The games I played were Saints Row 2, which is a mature 17, Kung Fu Panda, Call of Duty 4 online, Lego Indiana Jones The Original Adventures and Dragon Ball Z.

On Saints Row 2 you have to kill people! It’s super awesome!!! Better then any game in the world…in my opinion. There’s even an activity called crowd control!! On crowd control you have to protect the super star and you have to keep the crazed fans from hurting the super star! If the super star gets hurt too much… you fail!!! There’s even a activity called insurance fraud!!!!

Kung Fu Panda is fun because you fight enemies. Sometimes when you fight them real good you get coins. If you get enough coins you can get a new outfit! There’s even a level where you have to fly away from a big crocodile. It’s scary! Even the crocodile has good moves, man! Better than master cranes!

Call of Duty 4 is my second favorite. It’s almost like Saints Row 2, but different because it’s a war. Call of Duty 4 also has really awesome levels! I hate the first level and the last level. They’re scary! Call of Duty 4 is cool because they have a super humungous war.

The only one I didn’t play this weekend was Extreme Hunting 09! Its super scary! You want to know what you have to do first? I will tell you. First, you have to fight a bear!

I love playing my 360. It is good to play when the weather is cold and you have to stay inside. I love my games and am good at going through the levels.

My Community by Ahparaq

My Community

Friends learning,
Teachers grading,
I’m writing,
Classmates trying.

Stars twinkling,
Northern lights dancing,
Elders smiling,
Kids whistling.

Kaktovik knowing,
Community growing,
Culture learning,
Eskimos uniting.

Culture gaining,
Language training.

My Community

My Autobiography by Tooluk

My name is Georgianna. My Eskimo name is Tooluk (too-look). I’m 10 years old. I was born on August 19, 1998. My sibling are Melanie, Larry and John. My parents are Philip and Annie. I’m special because I stay with my aaka Clara.

My favorite thing to eat are French fries, caribou soup, sheep meat, and mashed potatoes. I also like to Eskimo dance and eat native foods. I even like to go camping or go picnicking at campgrounds. I like to go ski-doo riding, boat riding, and Honda riding.

Some things that I don’t like are math and supreme pizza rolls. I don’t like it when people are mean to each other. I also don’t like it when people die.

I try to be safe, but I have been in a Honda crash, a motorcycle crash, and a snow machine crash. I have also survived a snowy blizzard.

I am a pretty good girl. My family is proud of me and my teacher likes me. I am proud of my culture and I love to Eskimo dance.

My Community by Atqaan

Kids learning,
Birds flying,
People hunting,
Crews whaling.

Island changing,
Elders storytelling,
Adults celebrating,
Ocean warming.

Car driving,
Snowmachine riding,
Ocean boating,
Plane flying.

White fox watching,
Polar bears visiting.

My community.

My Community by Nanuq

My community.

Kids playing,
Grownups calling,
Dogs barking,
School starting.

Snow tumbling,
Snow machines roaring,
People shoveling,
Icicles dripping.

Polar bears roaring,
Arctic foxes running,
Wolves howling,
Caribou snorting.

Whaling crews sharing,
Everyone feasting.

My community.

Matt Lewis Visits HKS

Matt Lewis came to our school and showed us how to play the guitar and sing songs all day long. It was so much fun. He sang the fast song and showed us how easy it was to play a song. -- Avu

One day we had the Matt Lewis Band come to our school. Matt and Cameron are the guitarists and Matt is the singer. They have a few CDs. They can make up songs so fast. In about a minute they made a song about our school. Matt had such a great voice and vocals. When we sang it was just amazing. -- Siliun

Swimming at HKS

Swimming is a really fun sport because you're in the water feeling good. Our pool has a basketball rim. Most people play on the rim because it is low. The pool height is 3 feet deep. They don't want anyone to drown. -- Atqaan

We went swimming during our Journey to the Center of the Earth celebration. When I got in the pool I felt a chill, but I got used to it in time. I like to dive when I'm still in the water. I love the dolphin dive. I am really good at that one. --Avu

The pool at our school is awesome. We just got a new filter so the pool is clear. When you are in the pool it is super warm. There is a basketball hoop that is about 6 feet tall. The pool is only 3 feet full of water. Sometimes we have dunk contests. We even have 3 point challenges and long range shots. The pool has a lot of things to do. I can even do a back flip two times in a row. --Siliun Jr.

Snowmachine Riding

SKI-DOOGAQ
Going ski-doogaq is really fun! Whenever I see a jump or a bump I cruise! I take it and boom I am high in the air. When I'm in the air the air feels good on a sunny day. --Atqaan

One day while I was getting ready to go to my friend's house, my aapa showed up. He was sitting on his ski-doo and he wanted me to go with him. I asked my dad if it was okay and started to get on. While he was starting it, it roared! We started to jump across the lagoon at 30 mph. We went on the run way and it was awesome. I saw my teacher at the whale bones. When we started going down the runway it was like a plane, but we were only going 85 mph! -- Siliun, Jr.

Arctic Tern Report

Arctic Terns are seabirds. They are use to life by the sea. It lives one summer in the north and one summer in the south. They have the longest migration of any known animal.

Arctic Terns are about 13-15 inches long and they have a wingspan of 26-30 inches. They live a long time, about 30 years. They eat mainly fish. They also eat shrimp, krill, or insects and small invertebrates.

They are mostly gray and white with a red beak and feet. Their head has a black nape and crown, white cheeks, and a white forehead. Their tail is forked. The males and female look very similar.

In the northern summer they are seen along the coast. It breeds in the Arctic. In the southern summer they are at sea, all the way down by the southern edge of the Antarctic ice. They experience more sunlight than any other animal. Arctic Terns usually migrate far offshore. They are rarely seen from land outside except during the breeding season. Arctic Terns hardly ever land, so they eat while they are flying.

By by Kukulan and Ms. Jill

Arctic Terns mate for life. They lay one to three eggs, most often two. They live in big groups called colonies.

Mandi's Autobiography

My name Is Mandi. I am an Eskimo and my Eskimo name is Ahparuk. Most adults say they want to be my age, 11. Where I live is cold, small, but beautiful. It is a village, Kaktovik, mostly known as Barter Island. I have two younger siblings. Caitlin is my sister and Marcus is my brother. Would you like to meet my parents? Okay, here they are… Mary is my mom and Michael is my dad. I am the oldest child in my family!

What is your favorite season? Well… my favorite season is summer! I live summer because it is nice and warm. We can do lots of things in the summer like bike riding, Styrofoam boating, and other sorts of stuff! What do you like about summer? I like a lot of things about summer!

I hate it when there are big, I mean a big, copycats. I also hate getting hurt. In 2008 I got in a snowmobile accident! My foot got stuck in the back track of the snowmobile. It hurt like crazy! Well… I never want to get hurt again. Oh yeah, I forgot to say I dislike bullies.

I love going to school. I really enjoy math and writing. I also like working on my laptop. PE is good for me. I am proud to be a Harold Kaveolook School Ram and I can’t wait to play basketball and volleyball in middle school and high school.
When I grow up I’d like to work in an office and be a business person. I love filling out paperwork and organizing things. I like my life in Kaktovik and I’m looking toward the future.

Barter Island by Panigak

The village of Kaktovik is on Barter Island. Polar bears come here to eat on the whale bones. We to go school here. Many Inupiat Eskimos live here. The island is frozen most of the time. Planes fly in and out. Boats go in and out of the lagoon in the summer time. Sometimes we have blizzards.

Kunniaq's Barter Island Acrostic Poem

Best island ever
Always seeing whales
Rare arctic animals
Tails are always wagging
Everlasting traditions
Rural living

Independent people
Seal skins are good to use
Love and respect elders
Arctic coast near the mountains
Native pride
Driving trucks, Hondas, ski-doos and boats

Kaktovik Acrostic Poem

Keep whaling
Arctic people
Kids play
Terrible blizzards
Often snowy
Village on an island
Interesting animals
Killing tuttu every summer for food

Siliun, Jr.'s Barter Island Acrostic Poem

Basketball island
A lot of polar bears
Ram village
Tiny, but fun
Enters your heart
Roaming foxes

Ignoring ice storms
Sparkling snow
Lots of snow
A beautiful place
North of the Arctic Circle
Demanding respect from all

Silun, Sr.'s Barter Island Acrostic Poem

Birds fly over the lagoon
Alaska
Radical kids
Tuktak – fog hides the buildings
Eskimo culture
Respect for elders

Independent people
Sandy island
Land of Eskimo
Agviqs – bowhead whales
Natchiq - seal
Do not disrespect the land or people

Kunniak's Kaktovik Acrostic Poem

Kaktovik is the best village
Arctic is a good place for Inupiat people
Keeper of the culture
Top of Alaska
Ocean boating is exciting
Village where we live
Inupiat Culture
Kind people that respect each other

Kayutaq's Kaktovik Acrostic Poem

Kayutaq lives here
Alaska is awesome
Kids learn to hunt
Taught to eat Eskimo foods
Old culture
Village of the Inupiat
Inupiat island
Keeper of the culture

Ahluk's Kaktovik Acrostic Poem

Kind kids
Ahluk is my Eskimo name
Kids learn the culture
Taught to eat native food
Old people are respected
Village of Eskimos
Island in Alaska
Keeps traditions

Kaktovik by Nanuq

Kaktovik is a frozen land lost on the side of the ocean bank. It is 300 miles to the closest town. The Eskimos still use the tools they used a 1,000 years ago. They still hunt whales and other arctic animals for food and use some parts for tools.

Caitlin's Autobiography

My name is Caitlin. My Eskimo name is Kunniak. I’m eight years old. I live in Kaktovik, Alaska. I am the baby sister in my family, Mandy is 11 and Jennifer is 21. Jennifer lives in Minnesota. I also have a younger brother, Marcus. My parents’ names are Maryann and Michael.

I like to play boy games. I like to play with cars and motorcycles with my brother. He likes that. I like to draw on the board. I like to play PS3 games. I don’t like to play Barbies.

I like to have a healthy life. I go to evening rec almost every day. I don’t do drugs and I don’t like people that are bad.

This summer my Uncle Simon and my adada Thomas died while trying to pull in the boat when the water was rough. A wave came up to them and pushed them into the water. We had a sing-along at Kids’ Rec until they found them. It took four days to find them both. It was sad, but I survived and remember the good things about them.

I like myself and I want to be a teacher when I grow up. I might work in a restaurant while I go to college. I want to be a teacher because I can help kids learn to read, do math, and write better.

Ben's Autobiography

My name is Benjamin. My Eskimo name is Nanuq. It means polar bear and my Inupiat teacher in Barrow gave me that name. I am nine and my birthday is December 6, 1999. I live in Kaktovik, Alaska. It is an island in the Arctic Ocean. I am a single child. My mom moved when I was six months old. I live with my dad in Montana. My aunt is my legal guardian in Alaska. If I were to get killed, I don’t know what my family would do.

Someday when I grow up, I want to be a farm boy. I will have three horses and two will be buckskins. I’ll have buffalo sheep, gees, and loons. I’m going to have a big red barn and a farmhouse. I will have a shed in the stable for the horses and chickens. I will put my tools and the green tractor in the barn. I will buy a lot of hay and fields.

My favorite thing in life is gaming on the computer. I play Team Fortress, Battlefield 2142, and Counterstrike Source. Yes, they are all shooting games. My second favorite thing to do is to go shooting guns with my dad. I have a 22 and a pellet gun. My dad has a 22 and a shotgun. We go shooting in the mountains and shoot cans and targets. I use pointy and flat-headed bullets.

I like living in Montana and Alaska. My family loves me and I’m kind of spoiled. I get to do lots of fun things in my life.

Cody's Autobiography

Hello, my name is Cody. My Eskimo name is Siliun pronounced /sill-e-oon/ and I live in Kaktovik, Alaska. I am ten years old. My older brother Luke is two years older than me. My parents are Dave & Shelly, and they work at Harold Kavelook School. That is where I go to school. I am a very smart boy and I am one grade level above 5th grade in almost every subject.

My favorite thing to do is play outside. I would say my favorite animal would be the dog. My favorite food is pizza. I like plain cheese pizza!

The worst food I have ever tasted was soup made with cabbage, onion, turnip, mushroom, and tomato. I do not like people who are showoffs.

One thing I’ve had to live with is having my nana (great grandma) survive cancer. She has had cancer four times. She lives in Maine. She lives by the ocean, so we get lobster every year we go there. We have such a big feast. After that we go crabbing. I enjoy being with my great grandma and I am glad she is a cancer survivor.

My life is a pretty good life. My family hopes that I’ll have a good life my whole life. When I grow up I want to go to college. I might like to design airplanes or be some kind of technician. That is my dream.

Isaiah's Autobiography

My name is Isaiah and my Eskimo name is Atqaan. My age is eight and a half. I was born in Barrow, but live in Kaktovik, Alaska. My siblings are Bo, Clyde, Edna, Cathy, Bryanna, Marianne, and Ruby. I was adopted by Fenton and Elizabeth. I love my families.

My favorite thing to do is play Xbox 360. I am the master at playing it! I am the best in the family. I am the best at all games…in my family. The thing I don’t like to play is board games. They are so boring! They really stink!!

I survived riding a bike and crashed down a really humongous hill! I crashed down with my bike. I had a big bruise and I was bleeding like crazy. It was like getting shot! I was even knocked out. I was really scared. I was injured, but I survived.

I like my life because I live in Kaktovik. My life is like the best ever! My life is exciting. I can do tons of things here. I can slide down hills, hunt, playout, see polar bears, and ride Hondas and Ski-doos.

Michael's Autobiography

My name is Michael. My Eskimo name is Panigak. I am 9 years old. My birthday is on January 26th. I’m the oldest in my family with a younger brother, Troy, and baby sister, CoraAnn.

My favorite thing to do is play with my brother. I like to ride on the snowmachine. Playing out is a lot of fun for me.

I really don’t like to do chores. My mom gives me chores everyday. I have to take out the trash. It stinks!

I lived in Anchorage for almost two years. I’m glad that I’m back in Kaktovik. I like my teacher, Miss Jill. I am learning to read and I love to do math.

I like myself and I can’t wait to grow up. I want to be in the army when I’m big. My family will be proud of me.

Nick's Autobiography

My name is Nicholas. My Eskimo name is Ahluk. My birthday is on June 17th. I live in Kaktovik, Alaska with my family. I have one younger sister, Natasha. I have two older brothers, Nathan, Jr., and Nathaniel.

I enjoy eating traditional foods like tuttu (caribou), ducks, and ptarmigan. I also like to eat fruit like oranges and apples. I don’t like mashed potatoes, grouchy friends, or Mondays!

I am a good helper. I work with Sherry in the kitchen by getting juice and putting milk out. I also help clean up after activities that the school has. After school I work at the community center for Sherry. She says I’m a good helper.

Most of the time things are good for my family, but over Christmas my family got in a crash. We went on the side of the road and got stuck in the snow bank. We were stuck for a long time. It was a little bit scary.

My life is pretty good. I am proud of my culture and like to go hunting with my dad. When I grow up I want to be an artist. I’d like to learn to carve ivory and etch on baleen.

Jonas' Autobiography

My name is Jonas Robert Paul. My Eskimo name is Meyook. My birthday is on October 21st. I live in Kaktovik, Alaska. I have one older sister named Irene.

Anybody that knows me knows that I like whales. My dad is part of the Brower whaling crew. During whaling we celebrate whenever we catch a bowhead whale. I always help by bringing the maktak to the shack, taking samples with the biologist, and helping with the butchering. During school I love to read about and draw whales. My favorite to draw is the killer whale.

I remember catching my first fish and shooting my first duck. I am glad that I live in Kaktovik where Inupiat traditions happen. I like to whale, caribou, beluga, and ducks. I am proud to be Eskimo.

The scariest thing that has ever happened to me was when I broke my arm when I fell of a ladder trying to get my remote control car. Another scary time was when I got bit by my uncle’s dog.

I like living in Kaktovik, Alaska, with my family and friends. In the summer it is fun to go boating and we explore the tundra. In the winter I like to slide down the big hills and drifts.

Alaska: North America's Bird Nursery Literature Contest

Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have been busy creating literature pieces for the 2010 Alaska Migratory Bird Calendar Contest. The following 12 posts are our final completed pieces. Please read through them and enjoy our students take on the "Alaska: North America's Bird Nursery" theme. Each piece is limited to a 60 word maximum and are meant to convey a positive conservation message related to migratory birds found on the North Slope.

Ms. Jill Exe

Alaska's Bird Nursery

Small birds,
Big birds,
Birds with flirty feathers come forth.
Many birds visit Alaska’s great north.
The bird nursery for every generation,
But we need your cooperation.
So help birds live healthy lives,
Prevent pollution so many birds will thrive.

By Sillun

Birds

Birds journey to visit us up north in the spring.
Birds fly over the tundra and the ocean.
Birds build their nests in safe places.
Birds wait for the eggs to hatch.
Birds like the long summer daylight.
Birds feed on plants and animals.
Birds journey south in the fall.

By Ahluk

Alaska’s Summer

Migrating birds love Alaska’s summer.
Wave goodbye to migrating birds.
Wonderful birds joyfully fill the sky.

Guard your babies from predators.
Feed them well.
Teach them to fly and be part of the flock.

Families on the tundra and in the air.
Flying high in the clouds.
It is the end of summer and time for you to go.

By Apun

Alaska: North America’s Bird Nursery

Birds fly north in the spring.
They eat from the tundra, lagoons, and ponds.
The adult birds make their nests.
Momma birds lay eggs in the nests.
The chicks hatch and grow all summer.
They head south.

By Panigak

Birds of Alaska

Birds arrive ready to hunt,
Some hoot, some whistle, and others grunt.

Most females have feathers that are brown,
And they nest around our town.

Baby chicks hatch in spring
And through the summer do their thing.

The adults won’t let the chicks be prey
Predators stay away!

The birds go south in the fall
Until the spring calls.

By Avu

Ducks and Birds

Ducks and birds come to flirt,
Protecting nests, on constant alert.

Camouflage feathers,
Sits on nest in all kinds of weather.

From the eggs chicks hatch,
Worms, insects, and prey they catch.

Hatched and raised in the north,
Around the world they go forth.

By Meyook

North in the Spring

All kinds of birds come north in the spring. Alaska is a great place to have their babies because of the long summer day, plenty of wide-open spaces, and enough food to grow healthy and strong chicks. Adults protect their young from predators. All kinds of birds migrate here early in the spring and stay until fall.

By Nanuq

Birds

Migrate toward the north,
Birds fly above the village,
Nest on tundra,
Eggs in nests,
Webbed feet paddle beneath the water,
Birds dive down on predators,
Chicks behind their mothers,
Flying around the tundra,
Migrate past us.

Alaska's Summer Birds

Birds come in the spring
Eggs in the nest hatch
Baby birds explore the tundra
Birds fly high in the air
Adults protect the chicks
Predators hunt
Chicks learn to fly
Flocks fly south in the fall

By Silun, Sr.

Snow Buntings of Alaska

I live in Alaska,
Where the Snow Buntings visit and sing la-la-la.

I’m excited the Snow Buntings are nesting,
And in a secret place the eggs are resting.

The adults perch up high,
Watching for predators to go by.

I want to watch the chicks learn to fly,
But, I don’t want to say, “Goodbye!”

Alaska's Birds

Birds fly everywhere.
They land on the tundra.
The mother lays the eggs in her nest.
The chicks hatch.
The birds eat and eat and eat.
The chicks grow bigger and bigger.
They learn to fly.
The fly back to where they came from.

Birds Come North

The birds come north to the top of Alaska. In the spring they fly over the mountains and tundra. They build their nests and incubate the eggs. Chicks eat and grow during the summer. Young birds learn to fly over ponds and lakes. Soon they will navigate their own way south.