Our "Lock-In" event

 Our student government leaders designed an overnight called, "A Lock-In Evening". Any age could come to the event, but 6th grade and under needed to have a parent. 7th - 12th graders were able to stay for the overnight. It was an opportunity for the community to get together, play games, eat, and discuss issues and concerns that the region has.

  Games were the first order of business.  Here we had to get up and change chairs if we heard something we liked.

 Musical Chairs is always a big hit, especially when half the village is involved!

 These two in the green did a great job spotting available seats when the music stopped. They would jump up and shout pointing, as did other members in the audience.

 The circle got smaller and smaller.....

 and smaller and smaller until.........




there was a winner!


 These two needed to show me their lost teeth.

 

 

 So next on the agenda was the egg toss. It's pretty popular here.

the end result

 Fannie and I worked together 25 years ago. She was an aide that helped out with the special needs students we shared. She now has her grandchildren in school.

  After the eggs were used up the little ones did a balloon relay where they had to blow up their own balloons, run down, sit and pop them, and run back home to tag their teammate.

Some had a hard time landing on the balloon when they plopped down.

The real reason everyone was gathered was to listen to these two women, Rose and Marty, from Bethel. They had their own stories to tell of abuse, addiction, suicide, parenting, and family values from the Yup'ik perspective. A lot has changed from the days of old. In the past tuberculosis and flu killed many in the region, where whole generations, whole villages were lost. Children were taken from their homes and sent off to boarding school, and maybe returned to the village. The community responded to these women warmly. I heard several comments on how much they appreciated these women's courage to share their stories.

A prayer to end the evening.