August was a great month at Kenai Alternative! We welcomed 50 students to our first rotation, 37 of them new to our building. For the first couple of weeks, we have focused on promoting student ownership and leadership. We recognize that our students chose to come to Kenai Alternative and are proud of their decision to take ownership in their educational pathway. Their decision demonstrates a commitment to finishing their academic journey in a positive manner and not allowing existing circumstances to continue to hold them back. The staff and I try to celebrate this level of student ownership on a daily basis and hope that our students recognize how proud we are of them.

Additionally, we have stressed the value of student leadership on the school's culture. We have a strong sense of what our culture is at Kenai Alternative, but in order to make it grow and constantly improve, we need students to take on a leadership role. We have already seen students begin to emerge as leaders and demonstrate a strong commitment to the school and community. Under Shannon Dosko's leadership, Kenai Alternative volunteered to help at the annual Kenai Middle School Color Run. We had six students - Mercy Gephart, Daivion Swain, Bailey Demello-Rice, Aiden Koenig, Xander Kinslow, and Makayla Eberhard - volunteer at the event and display a strong sense of servant leadership. We applaud their efforts and look forward to seeing continued growth from all of our students.

Finally, I want to recognize the work of a local student. Trinity Dykstra (pictured below) spent her summer fundraising money that she then donated to Kenai Alternative High School. Trinity's efforts and giving spirit are awe-inspiring. We are so appreciative of her and will always welcome her as a valuable member of the Kenai Alternative family.

#GoWolves #RunWithThePack

Levin Hendrickson is the Kenai Alternative High School student of the month for August. Levin is extremely hard working and comes to school on a daily basis with a positive attitude. She is a vital member of the Kenai Alternative family and we are very proud of her. Congratulations Levin!

Tayler Lee, Jesse Markham, Tyler Croom, and Daivion Swain

KAHS staff members Elizabeth Chilson and Anna Widman are collaborating with Riley Board (a journalist at KDLL) and Report for America to create a student-focused service project. Students will work with KAHS staff and Ms. Board to develop student content in print, photo, and audio form. Students will be exposed to various journalistic skills, such as interviewing, photojournalism, broadcast, and expository writing. Student participation can lead to publication and possible future internships. We want to thank Ms. Board and Report for America for this partnership and look forward to seeing what this group of students produces.

Shannon Dosko, the KAHS Sources of Strength advisor, led students through a team building exercise on Friday, August 26. Using spaghetti noodles, a foot of tape, and 1 marshmallow, students attempted to build a free standing tower. The winning group of Xander Kinslow, Aiden Koenig, and Ryker Meyer built a tower that stood at 33.5 inches tall!

Kenai Alternative offers students the ability to learn in a more individualized environment that focuses on the development of skills and knowledge that will be essential to life after school. Our staff is dedicated to the social emotional well-being of all our students and provides support beyond the traditional classroom walls.

Email: kmcfall@kpbsd.k12.ak.us
Website: https://kpbsd.org/schools/kenai-alt/
Location: 705 Frontage Rd Suite C, Kenai, AK, USA
Phone: (907) 335-2870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KenaiAlternativeHighSchool
Twitter: @kenaialt