Nome Beltz High School students have kicked off the semester exploring potential careers and interests head-on as a part of the “Winterim” program.
For the last two weeks, high schoolers have been using a 3-hour chunk of time in the afternoon to pursue activities like making parkas, book art, and operating heavy machinery. Nome Public Schools superintendent Shawn Arnold is enthusiastic about the effort. He says, “(the students) try something we normally aren’t able to offer. One of them is a construction trades, and it’s really exciting. We’ve partnered and worked with NACTEC as well as some local businesses to offer machinery, and (it’s) just a chance for students to kind of explore construction trade as sort of an option.”
The opportunity lends itself to a collaboration with local construction companies and three instructors from the Bering Strait School District’s NACTEC program. NACTEC is teaching three classes, including culinary arts and independent living skills, heavy equipment and fisheries occupation, and a class about automotive, ATV and small engine repair. With traditional education focused towards academics, Arnold mentions there are so many more things that students can learn and can explore. “We want to kind of interest them, too, for later careers,” he says. “Especially those here in the community that they can do, like building trades, or we have students, as well, visiting pilots there, and the airfield with Bering Air, so it’s a chance for them to explore and kind of learn and re-engage them for the year.”
NACTEC is just one of many sponsors that contribute to the exploratory electives period. Other community partners come from all over Nome, including resources provided by: Kawarek, Nome Eskimo Community, Sitnasauk, and members from around the community who are teaching classes.
June 20th, after Winterim is over, students will resume their class schedule just as normal.
