This month, a group of forest service employees along with five Wrangell High School students traveled to the Eastern Passage to collect the bones of a gray whale that unexpectedly washed up on shore earlier this year. The skeleton will provide plenty of local educational and research opportunities.

A group of teenage boys are rolling a giant whale skull into the back of a landing craft. The bones are heavy and awkward. And there is a smell, though it’s not nearly as bad as when the whale first showed up.

The whale carcass was spotted floating near Channel Island last June. It was one among hundreds of gray whales reported to NOAA that have mysteriously died in along the West Coast this year. Within days, the forest service gathered a group of community members to perform a necropsy on the whale. They took blubber and feces samples hoping to find evidence that would reveal the cause of the unexpected mortality event.  

Three months later, the corpse has changed significantly. 

“I thought it would decompose this much but not this fast,” says Martin Hutton with Wrangell’s Ranger District. “I’m amazed at the sheer volume of this whale and how fast it disappeared.”

Over the summer, the carcass laid on a rocky beach tied to nearby trees. Hutton says, as the tides came in, sea critters would feast on the carcass, and as the tide went out land animals would do the same. 

At least, that’s what Hutton thinks. He’ll have a better idea once the Forest Service looks at video footage from the past three months. The agency set up cameras in nearby trees and collected the tape on this trip. 

When it came to collecting the bones, the Forest Service decided to include the school this time. 

The school arranged for a group of students studying oceanography to go on this trip, along with their science teacher Heather Howe. She’s looking at a mass of bones and applying what she knows about human anatomy to what’s laying on the beach.

“There’s so many similarities in the way the vertebrae look and the different phalanges, so to see the bones would be really cool,” Howe says.

“I better be getting an A,” jokes Coby Holder, one of the students on the trip. With a dull ax, he’s hacking away at the remaining tissue on the spine. The Forest Service didn’t want the nasty goop on their boat.

The Nolan center is expecting to display the skull. If all the bones are there, then the school hopes to assemble and display the whole skeleton. More than likely, some bones are missing. In that case the school will still have the opportunity to examine what remains of the gray whale. 

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For high school upperclassmen it’s that time of year: college applications. The pressure is already on with SATs and essays. But as KSTK’s Laura Helgeson reports, some students say the way Wrangell has changed how grades are weighted is causing extra stress.

Wrangell has a small senior class: 23 students. But of those, four are poised to be named valedictorians. They all have 4.0 grade point averages.

But the district approved a new grading scale that’s just a bit tougher. Students had to earn a 90%, an A-, in all their classes to get a 4.0. That mark has jumped to 98%, an A+. Similarly, a B- is weighted lower than a B and B+.

The school administrators enacted this change. 

According to High School Principal David Macri the change is about “what constitutes rigor.”

He says a student that received 90 percent on a paper or exam, shouldn’t receive the same recognition as a full 100.

“But basically it is to make our students better prepared for a global economy, a global market,” he said.

Wrangell’s school board didn’t need to approve this measure. But at meetings over the summer, members reviewed it and didn’t object.

But there are complaints coming from all levels — not just upperclassmen

“I’m the person who values her academics very much. And I prioritize them over almost everything,” said 9th grader Haven Jack. Even though she’s only in her first year, she addressed the school board at the September school board meeting.

“I always do my best. Even then I almost never meet a 100 percent,” she said.

There’s no standard for this across the region. Both of Juneau’s high schools weigh a 90 and 100 percent grade equally. Petersburg’s grade scale doesn’t differentiate between an A and A plus. But an A minus is weighted less. And in Sitka, they don’t use percentages at all; grades are weighted between 1 to 4. 

Macri says Wrangell’s high school administration is considering taking another look. 

“We believed that we did our due diligence, but clearly we didn’t because of concern that’s out there,” Macri said.

The school is looking for students, staff, and community members to form a taskforce to figure out the best system. 

“Is there going to be a change, I can’t say that,” Macri said. “But we’re open to suggestions.” 

No date has been set for the meetings. 

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Wrangell’s senior class is wrapping up its final days in high school. This week, seniors presented their culminating projects. While these projects range from science to sports to light maintenance, all involved the community at large.

Many seniors took on some form of little league coaching for their community project.

A pair of boys coached youth basketball for Parks and Rec. Kellan Eagle was responsible for a group of nine kids ages 8 to 10.

“They had fun no matter whether they were sitting on the bench supporting their team mates, out there playing, in practice, even when they were running because I had to punish them,” Eagle said. ” I learned a lot of ways to teach kids that don’t want to pay attention things they need to learn. ”

Riley Blatchley was his partner. He said he had a new perspective on his own coach, Cody Angerman, for his last year in high school basketball.

“After juggling playing time and making up plays while still working on the basics, once I got into season a couple months later I had a new respect for my coach,” Blatchley said.

A pair of girls made a box maze. It was constructed out of large, cardboard boxes to make a plaything for kids and adults.

“It’s pitch black in there so you have to try to find your way and crawl around to get to the end,” said Abbi Gerald.

The girls said the box maze is something the students try to do every year, just for the fun of it. Abby Armstrong says 171 participants circumvented the maze.

“I just love watching the kids start. They’ll go in there about five minutes later, they’ll come out the other side, they’re so pumped they got through, and they’re psyched to get back in there and go through again and again,” Abby Armstrong said.

One senior did some light custodial work. He scrapped off gum from under tables in the school.

“At the least to say this project was gross,” Anthony Messenger said.

High School custodian Jason Beaty asked Messenger if he had a freezing spray, it takes the gum right off. Messenger said, nope, he just hacked away at the gum with a scraper.

Now back to academics, specifically biology. Senior Elizabeth Johnson learned some things about Alaska’s amphibians.

“Even though I grew up here all my life, and spent 18 years here, I learned that there’s a lot of different types of frogs and amphibians out here that I didn’t think were,” she said.

Johnson spent some time up the Stikine River looking for frogs, toads and salamanders. She and other Southeast students accompanied researcher Joshua Ream, whom has spent years documenting amphibians near Wrangell. His findings will soon be published in the journal The Northwest Naturalist.

Johnson says she has an interest in science, but now understands a biologist’s work isn’t just spent in nature.

“I think that a lot of that was field work and I think he does a lot of paper work,” she said.

Johnson says she’s going to college in Juneau. She’s got no major in mind, but she’s interested in studying abroad.

Wrangell’s senior graduation is may 17^th

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Wrangell’s school board may appoint a student representative. The high school student wouldn’t have voting rights but council member say it would bring a much-needed perspective to the board.

Wrangell high schooler Jing O’Brien is active in student government. She recently traveled to Juneau to advocate for education funding. But she feels students should have their voice heard locally too.

“By having a school board representative, it would inspire more kids to have their voice be heard. And it would give our school board a unique perspective of student life,” O’ Brien said.

“I don’t think students realize how powerful their voice is sometimes. They have the most powerful voice in the entire district,” said Wrangell School District President Aleisha Mollen. It was her idea to start looking at adding a student rep.

Mollen hopes the student rep can bridge a gap, bringing students concerns to the board and then bringing board ideas and decisions to the students.

“If we don’t know what the students are really thinking or feeling about something, it hinders our ability to really make a decision that’s the best decision for the students,” said Mollen.

The benefits are intuitive. And research backs it up.

“We see an increase in feeling commitment and energy on the adults,” said Claudia Plesa who coordinates student engagement for the Association of Alaska School Boards.

She said more than half of school districts in Alaska have student reps. But she cautions it can be an adjustment.“

She suggests providing training for the student and being clear about expectations.

“And the student may not feel as comfortable if we don’t build relationships or if we don’t prepare the structures in advance for the student to be a full participating member,” said Plesa.

But more than anything, the student representative’s voice should be heard before the board takes action.

Wrangell High School Principal David Macri gave his opinion on the ideal candidate.

“I would want someone who isn’t afraid to questions authority, appropriately,” Macri said. “I would want someone who is willing to go toe to toe for their beliefs.”

High School Junior Jing O’Brien admits she’s eying the job.

“Just because I think it would really help my future, and it would give me an edge on possibly a career in politics,” O’Brien said.

A selection committee of school administrators, school board and community members will vet student candidates for two positions: a board representative and an alternate. The school board is slated to revisit the topic on April 15.

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Wrangell High School’s girls volleyball team got to finals in the 2a state tournament. That’s the first time ever. (June Leffler/ KSTK)

It’s Monday. The sky is gray and everything’s damp. It’s definitely a day to accept defeat. Wrangell’s girls volleyball team went all the way to state, and lost in the final round to Petersburg.

But it actually is a huge accomplishment for the high school. And the students are celebrating by putting the team on the city’s firetruck and parading them around town for the afternoon.

This season marked the first time Wrangell’s volleyball team has ever gotten to the finals, according to Alaska School Activities Association records and the head coach, Jessica Whitaker.

“At the beginning of the season, our goal was to make it to state,” Whitaker says. “Once we met that goal we reevaluated and said we wanted to be in the finals. And we met that goal too.”

The Alaska state volleyball tournament starting in 1971. The last major victory for the Wrangell Wolves was in 2000 when they got fourth place.

The 2A tournament was held at Dimond High School in Anchorage Nov. 30 through Dec. 2.  It is a double elimination tournament. Each team gets one free loss.

Wrangell beat Petersburg Vikings in the semifinals Friday, 3-1, sending them to the loser bracket. Still in the tournament, Petersburg turned around and beat King Cove, setting the team up for the final match with Wrangell. The Wolves came into the finals with the advantage, but the Vikings won Saturday’s match 3-0 and the sudden death game 30-15.

“We knew we’d most likely see Petersburg again. They’re a very tough team. We saw them and had some close games that first match and then we went to the if game to 30 and they just dominated us,” Whitaker says. “It’s just the girls are so friendly with them, they know them, it wasn’t any hard feelings. They were really proud of their accomplishments and getting that far.”

Wrangell students Kaylyn Easterly, Krissy Lockabey, and Kayla Hay were recognized for all-tournament team. Erin Galla and Anna Allen got nods for sportsmanship.

Captain Helen Decker had a rough season, but a good one. She’s walking in crutches after a nasty spill. Everyone is asking her how she’s going to get into a firetruck with a leg injury.

“Well it’s called a team for a reason and they’re going to help me,” Decker says.

The team is half seniors and half underclassmen. So, Whitaker’s team will do some rebuilding next year.

The Lady Wolves will play a final alumni match on Dec. 16 in the high school gym.

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(Left to right) Kira Torvend, Robyn Booker, and Tasha Morse. Booker recently sung in the All-State Music Festival, the first time for a Wrangell student in 13 years.

For the first time in 13 years, A Wrangell high schooler participated in the Alaska All-State Music festival. All-State brings top student musicians and vocalists together for a weekend of rehearsals and culminating performances. KSTK’s June Leffler spoke with freshman vocalist Robyn Booker about her experience.

Robyn Booker spends three days practicing for the biggest choir performance of her life. She’s well-rehearsed, but a little nervous, like the rest of her ensemble.  

“It sounds pretty good. Now no one faint on stage because that’s going to be bad,” Booker says.

Apparently, fainting is a real possibility for the excited, stressed out, hard-working students. At a dress rehearsal, someone does faint and others sit, worrying they might go down too.

“There’s this girl at the soprano end, which is at the other end. She sits down. Somebody at the soprano II sits down, which is closer to me. And then it gets into the altos,” she says. “And I’m like ‘OK I guess I’m next.’  No I did not faint though.”

More than 700 student vocalists auditioned for a spot at the all-state music festival. A quarter of them were selected to perform at West Anchorage High School.

“It was kind of overwhelming to see how many people were there,” Booker says. “Knowing I was the only one from Wrangell. And all these other kids were from the interior and the north of Alaska. It was kind of frightening, I’m not going lie; it was very frightening.”

More than 300 singers and musician high schoolers across the state gather to perform the weekend before Thanksgiving. These are band, orchestra and choral students, like Booker. They get to work with college conductors from all over the country.

Tasha Morse is Wrangell schools music director. She says Booker’s audition tape was good, like unbelievably good.

“I told her, you know we don’t submit a whole lot of these. We have to pay for the audition it’s a small fee, but I said ‘we got to submit this’,” Morse says. “It feels good as a teacher to say I’ve got a kid that can sing and participate at this level. It’s not easy music, nothing about it is easy.

Booker sings complex compositions, some in Latin.

“The songs they chose were hard, but doable,” Booker says.

Booker says she learned the importance of vowel shapes, counting and pronunciation.

Wrangell’s school choir has 12 students. Booker performed with five times that many students at state. She says that gave her a new appreciation for the form.

“When you get a really good choir it sounds like one voice singing,” she says. “And that’s kind of what every choir aims for is that one voice. The harmony in all of it, the one melody that mixes together perfectly.”

Booker says she will audition next year and she’ll raise the stakes. She’ll try out for alto II first chair.

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In a dim classroom, a career counselor is meeting with 20 or so upperclassmen at Wrangell High School. The counselor gives examples of young people she’s helped find jobs. She cites wages, $20 an hour, $25 an hour, to entice the students.  But they are keenly aware of what’s up against them.

I asked senior David Guggenbickler what he plans to do after graduating high school. 

“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he said. “That’s what everyone asks and I haven’t put enough effort into finding that out yet. I don’t know what the right job would be.”

Barbara Brown works for the Ketchikan Job Center as part of the Alaska Department of Labor. The center serves Southeast Alaska communities south of Juneau. She met with folks in Wrangell to polish resumes and practice interviewing. She also wants to give a picture of what jobs are in demand in Alaska. 

Alaska has the highest unemployment rate of any state in the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That rate is about seven percent, which is the same for Wrangell.

But Brown insists there are jobs for qualified individuals in certain industries. Healthcare is one of the fastest growing markets, according to the department’s recent 10-year forecast.

Brown spends much of her time talking about skilled-trade jobs. Those include plumbers, carpenters, mechanics and welders.

She said a college degree isn’t necessary for a career, but usually some vocational training is needed. Brown connects job seekers to job training programs.

“We want Alaskans to have the skills for the good paying jobs,” Brown said.

Federal funds and monies from the state’s unemployment insurance fund go to the job center to bring more people back into the workforce.

“Maybe they need to upgrade to keep their job. Maybe an incumbent worker has been told you no longer have the skills for this job we’ll need to let you go,” Brown said.

Brown can help job seekers find apprenticeships and on the job training. The program works with employers who are willing to hire folks that don’t yet have the necessary skills for the job. Employees get hands on training while being paid. And the program subsidizes employers by paying half of the new employee’s salary for the first six months or so.

The department also runs the Alaska Vocational Technical Center, known as AVTEC. It’s basically a college campus for students pursuing information technology, maritime training and other tech and trade jobs.

Aimee Romeijn is the counselor for Wrangell’s middle and high school. She said it’s an even split, with some kids pursuing vocational training and others attending a four-year university. She said some are taking a gap year.

“It’s a hard choice and it’s a challenge, and I just encourage them to talk to their parents. Talk to different people to say, what’s it like to be in your career field, you know, what do you love about your job,” Romeijn said. “Because ultimately we want kids to find something, they love to do.”

 I tell Romeijn I would hate to be a senior in high school again, wondering what I should do.

“Part of that process is that they just switch one day they just decide ‘Nope I don’t want to do that anymore and I want to go into this.’  But even then they’re going to switch again,” Romeijn said. “It’s a tough age and we switched a lot to finally find out what we wanted to do.”

Job Seekers can call the Ketchikan Job Center at (907) 228-3248 or visit alexsys.dol.alaska.gov to find job opportunities and labor market information.

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