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The crew of students and staff left the UAA campus after a busy morning in
their respective tracks. Students from the Video, Audio, Music, and Art
left in the vans, and rode out to Portage Glacier.

The students ate their lunches in the vans and soon arrived at the
Begich-Boggs Visitor Center where they wathced the video “Voices from the
Ice”. After the presentation students followed Ranger Kyle Kitter and
leader Dave Aplin on guided tours to the Byron glacier. The campers walked
about a mile up to the glacier and were able to play in snow in August!

In room 166, stomping and clapping is all that could be heard. “We are so ready for Drumline people,” said SI participant Hannah. In between bouts of laughter, today’s music track did a warm-up practicing rhythm with rounds of stomping and clapping. When everyone had enough, Music instuctor Erica opened up discussion and asked everyone what music means to them. This started talk of favorite bands – from Frou Frou to Nickelback, all were talked about. By gathering thoughts on music, everyone compiled their musical insight onto a mobile. ATMI reporter Andrew Aquino asked Madelin, a senior at Colony High, what she though about music.

“It’s being able to communicate not only through words, but through melody and rhythm.”

Collectively, this idea was shared with the rest of the group. It seems like everyone is passionate about being able to communicate through music, and are having a good time doing it.

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After lunch and community mapping the campers split up into their separate family groups to find their tracks.

Two family groups met up with Audio track instructors Paul Flahive, Sara Perman, and Shana Sheehy. The track lesson began with an explanation of what audio consists of, and why it is so cool. First the students learned about the different types of peices- ranging from Vox Pops (short for Vox Populi, Voice of the People) to full length packages. The instructors played pieces for the students so they could get a feel for the difference. After talking about what they did and didn’t like the kids were given the chance to use the recording kits.

Paul, Sara, and Shana taught the students how to operate the kits, how to get good sounds and how to recieve good interviews. After testing the kits out on each other, the track students headed outside to get interviews with campers from another camp, EFY, happening on campus at the same time. All
of the track students met and chatted with the EFY campers and were able to learn some valuable interviewing skills.

At the end of the day the group returned inside and began to discuss story ideas for their greater project. The students and instructors brainstormed different ideas ranging from melting permafrost all the way to societies role in global warming.

Tomorrow the campers will have come up with solid story ideas and begin the working process with interviewing.

Hundreds of youth from across Alaska are at the University of Alaska Anchorage this week attending Especially For Youth, or EFY. As one camper said, this Latter Day Saints event helps Mormon teens connect with their faith.

“We get together every four years, I think. I’m here from Fairbanks and this week I get to see my friends from all over and deepen my spirituality.”

Audio Track students from the Summer Institute talked with a handful of EFY participants this afternoon. EFY kids got to tell us what’s going on while SI students got hands-on time with audio equipment. In addition to talking with our youth, EFY participants collected in the UAA quad to play games on the grass, break out in spontaneous song and generally have a good time.

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After a hearty breakfast at the UAA commons the Summer Institute 2007 participants filed into the staging center to discuss hot topics such as global warming, recycling, and renewable resources.

Joe Oktikun and Wiley Cason began this morning’s presentations with a powerpoint focused on global warming. Participants learned of the damage global warming has done to our climate through images of receding glaciers and tales of suffering wildlife.

After a quick breather outside Stephanie Thompson and Wade Banta made a presentation on recycling. The youth learned about reusing and recycling materials. Thompson and Banta taught what materials were considered recyclable, how to dispose of them, and how to start a recycling program in
smaller communities.

The last presentation this morning was more hands on. Madeline Siedler and Ryan Zinn created a game show format presentation where they asked Institute participants questions regarding renewable and non renewable resources. The youth were very involved and very well informed and excelled at the game
show format.

After the peer leaders were finished with their presentations, Anna Barnwell and Vernor Wilson asked the Institute participants to brainstorm the environmental issues that affected their communities. The students were broken into 6 groups : Anchorage, the Valley, Fairbanks, Western, St. Paul Island, and Cordova/Nanwalek. After a half an hour of brainstorming each group came back having mapped out their communities. They presented on the major industries of their area as well as the biggest threats to the
environment in their home area. Students came up with all sorts of different issues including (but not limited to) erosion, pollution, and overpopulation.

As Summer Institute students begin to trickle through the doors of the UAA commons, AYEA adults and peer leaders rush around in preparation of the evening’s activities. Summer Institute students are settling into their rooms, playing Ultimate Frisbee on the front yard of the dorms, and snacking on trail mix and bagels as final preparations are made for the first evening of fun.

Welcome to the home page of the 2007 Media Skills Training Summer Institute. This website, hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage and maintained by the Alaska Teen Media Institute, will provide ongoing coverage throughout the training week and will continue to exist as a reference for supporters to see all of the exciting work that happened at the Summer Institute. Check back for regularly updated content starting on Monday, July 30th!

For more information:

Alaska Youth for Environmental Action

UAA Department of Journalism and Public Communications