As exciting news of the Gates Millennium Scholarship winners reverberates across Alaska, the importance of teachers being trained to mentor students through the challenging application process is becoming increasingly evident. Through the efforts of Tad Bartimus and Dean Wariner, with support from the Association of Alaska School Boards, this year’s writing workshops targeted teachers in all regions of the state, and have already produced 36 teachers and a pipeline of 30+ students preparing to apply for the Gates and other scholarships next year. The achievements of this year’s Gates Scholarship winners have inspired the next round of applicants, whose subsequent successes will profoundly affect their futures, their families, and their communities.
Here are links to news coverage of Alaska’s 2014 Gates Scholarship winners:
Anchorage Daily News Editorial by Elise Patkotak: Good numbers will outlast the grim in Alaska’s villages
Anchorage Daily News: Chevak students win ‘million-dollar’ Gates scholarships
KRBD Radio in Ketchikan: Ketchikan student wins full-ride Gates Scholarship