The Observatory heads to Western Alaska!

2013-05-06 17:48:47.000 – Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Cherfonak, Alaska!

The Observatory’s Distance Learning Program is excited to announce that we’ll be reaching out to another notoriously harsh climate– Alaska! For the first time in our program’s history we’ll be connecting with not only ‘The Last Frontier’ state, but with a program sponsored by the University of Alaska with funding through the U.S. Department of Education. More specifically, tomorrow in the late afternoon (mid-day for the students) we’ll connect with 20 students in Chefornak, Alaska, a village of around 400 native-Alaskans in coastal and western Alaska in the hopes of exposing these college-bound students to an occupation that they don’t typically hear about that utilizes math and science.

This program was made possible through our connection with the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, one of the main channels that schools throughout the globe can use find out about how to connect to the summit of Mount Washington for in-classroom interactive learning. It’s extremely exciting to offer these programs and know that the future is certainly bright for distance learning as a means for building educational outreach. If you or someone you know is interested in bringing the Observatory into the classroom visit our Education Page for more information!

As for now I’m headed outside to enjoy the last of the abundant sunshine, but as a side note: if rain holds off until Thursday, our records indicate this would be the longest streak without precipitation since 1977 (12 days). Crazy!

Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist