Akiuk Memorial School

Home of the Grizzlies

Student news reporting on the influx of students joining Akiuk Memorial School throughout the school year.

Akiuk Memorial School's Cultural Heritage Week took place from April 17-21st. There were 19 different stations twelve of which have not been done for at least five years. Kindergarten and First graders were able to complete two different stations while the rest of the students attended three stations.

On Russian Orthodox New Year Kasigluk Recreation did a bonfire with the help of Wilson Twitchell. The bonfire was about 15 feet around and it was not huge only like 3 feet. Some kids were playing around it and throwing sticks/wood to it.

One courageous student discusses the harm adults that can be caused by starting and spreading rumors.

One courageous student discusses the harm adults in villages create in drinking alcohol in front of their kids.

Akiuk Memorial School is proud to announce the launch of our brand new website! Our new school website is one effort we are making toward improving communication with students, parents, and community. Please take some time to explore our site and familiarize yourself with its layout and contents.

Last spring, several Akiuk families (and our whole community!) hosted five junior high students and their teacher for a week as they visited from Anchorage to learn about life in Kasigluk. A week later, five Akiuk junior highers traveled with Tammy to Anchorage to learn about life in the city.

Culture Week at Akiuk Memorial School is held every year. Culture Week consists of students, staff, and community members from Kasigluk coming together to participate in traditional cultural activities. Take a look at some of the activities students and staff took part in during Culture Week.

Our Cross Country Grizzly Team has grown over the past four years. Also, students who join the team are very serious about their conduct and practices. Our Grizzly runners are more competitive and more successful every year. Cross Country Grizzlies run in a fun and challenging environment! This year we started with practices early in August, and we participated in Invitational Race held in Akiachak on Saturday, September 12, 2015. Jonah Slim won first place in 3K Youth Race for boys. Olinka Pavilla was third in 3K Youth Race for girls. Way to go Cross Country Grizzlies!

Culture Week at Akiuk Memorial School is held every year. Culture Week consists of students, staff, and community members from Kasigluk coming together to participate in traditional cultural activities. Take a look at some of the activities students and staff took part in during Culture Week.

Coached by Wassillie Kassel and Danny Andrews, the Akiuk boys picked up two wins at the 2015 Kusko-Delta League boys tournament, topping Napakiak and Kwethluk to end the year 3-9. With four seniors next year, the experienced boys will be a challenge for any team.

Coached by Peter Schneidler, the Akiuk JR High team has experienced great success this season on their way to a 12-6 record in the Kusko-Delta League. The Junior High Grizzlies finished 3rd in the Kusko-Delta League in 2014 at the tournament held in Atmautlauk. Congratulations Jr. High Grizzlies! DEFEND THE DEN!

The Grizzlies built on their second place finish at the Region One mixed six volleyball tournament in 2013 by winning the first ever LKSD Mixed 6 Tournament held in Akula in 2014. Akiuk swept Quinhagak and Akula en route to a convincing victory and top seed in LKSD. Returning players #25 Cpt. Timotheen Charles, #17 Co-Cpt. Yeako Berlin, #21 Paul Martin, #30 Golga Oscar, #3 Yago Andrew, and #5 Alaina Tinker formed a strong core while new players #23 Esther Berlin, #12 Leah Demientieff, #35 Henry Charles, and #33 Leondre Demientieff all contributed significant minutes during the season. #33 Leondre Demientieff joined the ranks of 8th graders to have played in an official mixed six game, becoming the third player in the history of Akiuk Memorial School to do so.

Leondre and Kiesha participated in the junior high speech contest in Bethel. Kiesha placed first in the Yupik Dramatic category!

Our Cross Country Grizzly team has grown over the last three years: we have more students joining our team and our runners are more and more competitive! Cross Country Grizzlies run in a fun and challenging environment. Last season in 2014, we had seventeen practices, and we participated in two Cross Country meets: first in Kwethluk on August 29th and second in Akula on September 13th. Way to go Cross Country Grizzlies!

The girls team was coached by Esai Twitchell Jr. and Marilyn Charles in 2014.

Freeze-up, funerals, parent conferences, illnesses, sports travel, and an extremely busy group of participants (including their coach!) all contributed to a very late start for the Akiuk HS Speech Team. Were we ready? I doubted it. Had I helped them prepare and practice sufficiently? I didn’t think so. These were the questions and worries in my mind as we pulled on winter boots and zipped heavy jackets, gearing up to cross the freezing river on our Speech Contest Adventure last week.