For Teachers » Alaska Bound? Read This!

Iditarod 2010 — Is About to Begin!

Diane — Sat, 30 May 2009 22:18:12 +0000

While many students, teachers, and race fans are enjoying the summer, the Iditarod staff is preparing for the next race. The mushers are starting to plan for the next Iditarod, too!

The Volunteer Picnic and Musher Sign up for Iditarod 2010 will be held on June 27 at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska.

Stay tuned to the website for information!

Join us at Summer Camp: June 20 – 28, 2010

Diane — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:30:03 +0000

Click and play! Want more information? Click here! Music by Cathy Walters

Why attend Summer Camp? Click ‘play’. To return to this website, use the back arrow key! Music by Hobo Jim and used with his permission.

The Happy Trails Kennel

Diane — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:10:31 +0000

By: Nikki Allen 2010 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail^TM Finalist

The name of his kennel says it all: The Happy Trail Kennels. Martin Buser believes that in order to be successful in his sport you must have happy dogs, which is his number one goals in raising sled dogs. Born in Switzerland, Martin became interested in sled dogs as a teenager. He moved to Alaska in 1979 to learn more about the care and training of sled dogs. Martin ran his first Iditarod in 1980 and currently holds the record for the most consecutive runs at 23. His 2002 team still holds the record for the fastest Iditarod by completing the race in 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes, and 2 seconds! Although the wins are special, Martin says that one of the awards that really sets a musher apart from the rest is to receive the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award. He has won this particular award four times (‘88, ‘93, ‘95, and ‘97).

Upon visiting the Happy Trails Kennels three days before the ceremonial start of the 2009 Iditarod, it was evident to me that Martin Buser raises healthy and happy sled dogs. You can see in Martin the love that he has for his dogs and his sport, especially when he uses the term “we” when talking about racing. “We” refers to Martin, his team, and his sled. He would never make it to Nome without the dogs, and they would never make it to Nome without him. They are a team. As with every team you need a leader and according to Martin, “there is really only one leader, and they better have two legs.” Martin provides the food, shelter, and the all-important order during the race. Because he is in charge, the dogs are relaxed and will give him full trust. Martin says that his favorite thing about driving dogs is the feeling that you have when you are out on the trails. When you have that “magic carpet” ride when everything is going right and you have all 16 dogs working in unison. It’s “addictive” he says.

The most educational experience on the trail for Martin was the storm of 1991 when he finished the race in second place. He says that it was the hardest anyone had ever worked in a race and the lesson that he brought out of the race was gaining trust in confidence in the dogs and himself in overcoming obstacles. As far as a favorite race goes, Martin says that the first win is always special, but the record run was pretty special too. Especially with it being what he calls a downhill race or “magic carpet” ride when everything really goes your way.

Martin Buser is truly one of a kind. A superior musher who has an exceptional passion and love for the sled dogs that he raises and trains. We wish him the best of luck on his 2009 journey to Nome.

For more information on Martin Buser and the Happy Trails Kennels visit their website at www.buserdog.com.

Will You be in Alaska? Don’t Miss This!

Diane — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:12:25 +0000

Are you going to be in Alaska for the start of the race? Don’t miss these special events open to the public:

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Fieldtrip: Iditarod Headquarters, lunch, and Martin Buser’s Kennel

7:30 Meet in the Millennium Hotel Lobby. Board the Bus for the Fieldtrip.

8:00: Bus leaves

Iditarod Headquarters: Vet Check!

Observe the vets and mushers at work. Mushers will be arriving HQ

throughout the morning. The veterinarian staff will be performing the final

examinations of the dogs.

Visit Iditarod Trail Committee Headquarters Museum and Gift Shop

Lunch

Kennel Tour: — Iditarod Four-Time Champion Martin Buser, Big Lake, Alaska.

* Tour Martin’s kennel and facility. Discover what it takes to raise, train, and run

Iditarod. Meet his canine athletes. Martin will share highlights and stories from the

trail, providing valuable information as he gives a personal, behind the scenes glimpse

of living in Alaska and running dogs.

http://www.buserdog.com

The exact return time will be determined by weather and other factors. Estimated time of arrival back at the Millennium is between 4:00 – 5:00 PM.

Fee: $125.00 per person. Limited seating. Book in January/February.

Call: 605 228 6071

Friday, March 6, 2009 Iditarod Speaker Events and Book Fair and Author Signing

$25.00 per ticket, per speaker.

Call 605 228 6071 to pay by credit card in advance of event or purchase tickets March 3 – 6 at the Millennium. Watch this section of the website for information should we be close to sell out on the speaker events!

9:00 AM: Special Iditarod Speaker:: To be announced

10:15- 11:15: Lisa Frederic, Author and Iditarod Musher

http://www.lisafrederic.com

Learn about Lisa’s journey along the Iditarod Trail and what it takes to train for Iditarod.

11:30 – 1:00: Book Sale and Author Signing: 3rd Floor Millennium

*Books by famous ‘Alaskan/Iditarod’ authors will be for sale. Many authors will be present to autograph the books. (Book Fair 11:30 – 1:00) Join us! FREE event. Books will be available for purchase. Authors will sign the books!

1:00 PM Aliy Zirkle: Yukon Quest Champion and Iditarod Musher

Learn about Aliy at her website: www.aliyzirkle.com Aliy says, “I consider the Iditarod not only a competition of the highest caliber, but also a celebration of true Arctic transportation. “I appreciate the trail crossing the magnificent state of Alaska and can think of no better mode of transportation I’d prefer than a dog team.”

2:30 – 3:30 PM: Dr. Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM, Iditarod’s Chief Veterinarian. An informational slide show presentation featuring a glimpse of the Iditarod Trail and first hand experiences before, during, and after the race, provide the viewer with the discovery of the contributing factors that lead to the top notch, healthy canine athletes that run Iditarod. Learn about the race. Discover valuable information about what it takes to raise, feed, and care for the true athletes of the race, the dogs.

*** Teacher’s workshop: March 3 – 6, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska.

For additional information, click here!

2009 Winter Conference and Summer Camp for Teachers

Diane — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:48:24 +0000

The Iditarod Education Department holds two conferences in Alaska each year. The Winter Conference is held the week prior to the start of the race, and the Summer Conference is held the week before the Volunteer Picnic each June.

Winter Conference – March 2 – 6, 2009

Head north in February to discover ways to impact instructional practices using Iditarod as a theme. Conference sessions and event speakers will inspire you as an educator and challenge you professionally and personally. Meet the Teacher on the Trail and finalists for next year’s teacher.

Discover standards-driven curriculum connections for classroom instruction and strategies that help students be academically successful. A bonus of attending this four-day conference is the opportunity to attend the Musher Drawing Banquet, the start, and the restart of the race. University credit is available at this conference.

For the Conference Schedule (PDF) Click here!

Registration Form, (PDF) Click here!

Events open to public, Fieldtrip – March 4 and Event Speakers March 6 (PDF) Click Here: Tickets for Speakers and Fieldtrip

Summer Conference – June 21 to 29, 2009: Summer Camp for Teachers!

Pack your bags for camp – Idita-Summer Camp for Educators! Join us for a week’s worth of Iditarod and Alaska summer camp adventures. Spend three nights sleeping at an Iditarod musher’s kennel. Listen to the dogs howl in the early morning hours as you begin your day’s activities which have been designed to provide opportunities to learn, first hand, about raising and training sled dogs as well as running Iditarod.

Field trips, authors, Iditarod speakers and mushers will provide “teacher-campers” with knowledge to build engaging classroom curriculum. Teachers will depart after a week-long conference with the ability to harness a dog and keep a classroom engaged with a “sled bag full” of important information and renewed sense of teaching enthusiasm! University credit is available.

SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION MATERIALS WILL BE UPLOADED SOON. CHECK BACK for information!

Learn about the 2008 Summer Camp! Click here!

Registration Form (PDF) Click here!

2009 Camp Schedule (PDF) Click Herer! (2009summercamp09.pdf)

Why Attend a Conference?

The Iditarod Education Department strives to assist educators in connecting the Iditarod to content and cultural standards required by each state and according to NCLB.

We are dedicated to empowering educators to use best practices of education using research based instructional methods, develop quality standards driven lessons, create units of study that engaging students in the learning process, encourage them to practice basic skills, and to encourage the use of technology as a teaching tool and a tool for students to use as they complete lessons and projects.

Iditarod is a tool of instruction that leads students to academic success. University credit offered through the University of Alaska, Anchorage. Although these conferences are intended for teachers, race fans are welcome to attend as well.

Contact Information

Iditarod Education Department
1412 South Melgaard Road
Aberdeen, South Dakota 57401

Diane Johnson, Director

Click to Email
(605) 228-6071