A member of KIAK-FM’s “Morning Crew” was presented a birth certificate Sept. 30 when Reindeer Research Program Manager Greg Finstad visited the show.
A guest from the university is invited to stop by KIAK-FM studios each Wednesday morning during the school year to talk about work and research. In addition to explaining about reindeer management and nutrition, Finstad told about RRP’s calf-naming program. Each spring school children submit suggested names for reindeer calves to RRP’s website. This year, a male calf born April 19 was named “Cruiser” in honor of JB Carnahan, the traffic reporter and commentator on the country music station’s morning show. Finstad presented a birth certificate to Carnahan to commemorate his new namesake.
The nomination came from Chinook Charter School. Hundreds of calf names are sent to RRP from classrooms in Alaska and beyond, including national and international entries. Calves are born in the spring and are not named until August after they have been weaned. RRP staff choose names from the nominations and attach them to the calves, but toss out any names that are part of Santa’s reindeer team. Some of the names chosen this year include: Maive, Lucy, Daffy, Elroy, Clover, and Hobbes.
The RRP is committed to educational outreach. In addition to classroom visits, farm tours, and a youth market steer program, RRP works with teachers to offer classroom curriculum. Because reindeer have a significant role in the historical and cultural perspectives of Alaska, particularly along the western coast., they are a useful medium for tying together lessons in science, math, history, and culture. Through the years, many teachers expressed interest in locating the resources to develop their own reindeer units. In response to this, RRP hosted a series of workshops in Fairbanks and Nome for teachers who wanted to learn more about reindeer and their potential as a teaching aid.
With a grant from the College of Rural & Community Development, RRP developed a curriculum book called Reindeer Roundup. This publication is a direct outgrowth of teacher workshops and many of the participants of those sessions wrote lesson plans that were included in the book. Reindeer Roundup meets the State of Alaska standards for Alaska studies in public schools.
Resource for teachers;
Reindeer Roundup! A K-12 Educator's Guide to Reindeer in Alaska, by Carrie Bucki, Greg Finstad, Tammy A. Smith, 2004, AFEFS Publication MP 2004-07 (PDF)
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