The Sister School Exchange program builds connections between Alaskan communities through a reflective experiential-based curriculum that culminates with an exchange.
The program operates throughout the school year, matching a teacher and five students from a rural system community with a teacher and five students from urban Alaska. These teams work through a 6-8 week curriculum on cross-cultural understanding, and then take turns visiting and hosting each other.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Alaska Native Education Program, the Sister School Exchange has engaged in cross-cultural exchanges in Alaska for the last seventeen years.
King Tech's Sister School Exchange was with Noatak. Five students from Noatak were matched with four students from King Tech. The Noatak students stayed with the King Tech students families for a week while in Anchorage. Students participated in a number of culture events. We began the exchange with a family potluck at one of our students homes. Each family brought a traditional dish and students were acquainted with one another. Students went on a nature walk to see a waterfall, gave a presentation on ice fishing in the village, and had the opportunity to go ice fishing while in Anchorage. We attended Fur Rondy and watched the sled dog races and experienced the carnival. Students toured the Anchorage Museum and watched a movie at Bear Tooth while having dinner.
In March, King Tech will visit the village of Noatak for a week and indulge in their culture and local activities.
See this website for more information about this program. This video shows how much students really enjoy this opportunity.
