A Uniquely Alaskan Experience
Seniors compete in Native Youth Olympics (Photo: Ana McMenamin)
Each year, S.N.A.P. Meet returns to take over the Newhalen School for a week in April, bringing together students from all over the Lake and Peninsula School District. Newhalen School Principal, Ed Lester, has been a key leader in making this event come together, with the help of other dedicated school district staff. The Newhalen School becomes abuzz with students, school staff, chaperones, and partnering organizations like REAP. Most everyone sleeps on the floor of the school, eating meals together in the gym, moving through activity sessions during the day and cheering on Native Youth Olympics (NYO) each night. 2026 marks the third year in a row that REAP has been invited to participate in the festivities. For more background on the annual gathering and REAP’s prior participation, check out Jenny Starrs’ excellent piece on her 2024 trip.
Building Camaraderie
It feels really special to be a part of the atmosphere where students and adults are excited to be together to envision a thriving future for students and their communities. AlexAnna Salmon and the language warriors team from Bristol Bay Native Corporation and Bristol Bay Foundation led cultural and Dena’ina language activities with students. The connection building among students that comes from participating in those activities, NYO and mental health awareness sessions builds a positive momentum throughout the week. It’s this energy that feels almost tangible in the school, the hope that can be felt when people come together with a shared mission. The camaraderie isn’t just being built among students; the adults who coordinate to host this event share in their care for the students. REAP presented alongside many other organizations including Ilisagvik College about post-secondary and career opportunities for high schoolers. Seeing familiar faces and meeting other community centered organizations fostered gratitude for partnerships.
Students of all ages took part in the activities at the career fair including solar panel circuitry and thermal transfer testing. (Photo: Ana McMenamin)
Lake & Pen Borough Utility Collaboration
High schoolers listening to Rob in the INNEC powerhouse. (Photo: Ana McMenamin)
In the spirit of collaboration, Natalie Kiley-Bergen from the Lake & Pen Borough joined REAP at the S.N.A.P. Meet career fair and for a tour of the Newhalen powerplant. Together we led students through hands-on activities demonstrating insulation, heat transfer and solar energy production. For younger students these short interactive lessons foster curiosity about energy sources and saving. But for older students this career fair event exposes them to real world opportunities and pathways beyond high school. “Engagement of students and early career professionals across Alaska in the various avenues that one can take in the energy section is essential to ensuring a vibrant workforce,” Natalie said after the tour. Getting a tour from Rob, the lead operator at the INNEC Powerplant in Newhalen, high school students got to hear about what experience and training it takes to have that job someday. While Newhalen is usually powered by Tazimina Falls hydroelectric project, they have a few diesel generators for back-up when needed, which also have to be serviced by Rob and his team. When asked about workforce development in the region Natalie said, “capable people who have responsibility, are asking who will replace them when they want to move on.” People like Rob want to inspire the next generation of utility employees, which starts with tours like this.
REAP’s Role at S.N.A.P. Meet
REAP teaches about energy efficiency and renewable energy careers but it is the human connection and energy of community gatherings that propels our work forward. Our efforts across the state in classrooms, career fairs, community meetings, and state legislature would be much harder and less meaningful without dedicated leaders in all of those spaces inviting us in. So much of REAP’s work is coalition building, multiplying the mind power of the collective to fuel the discussion of energy. S.N.A.P. Meet is a representation of what that sort of community building looks like for a school district. This work also wouldn’t be possible without partnerships and funding, supported by Natalie’s statement that, “REAP adds capacity to the workforce development priorities of the Lake & Pen Utility Collaborative.” REAP’s involvement with S.N.A.P. Meet was funded by Alaska Community Foundation’s Vocational Fund for Alaska’s Future building students’ career awareness, employability, and cross-sector skills for responsible natural resource development.
Students engaged at the REAP table during the S.N.A.P. meet career fair. (Photo: Natalie Kiley-Bergen)