Target Iditarod Teacher on the Trail^™ Trail Tidbits 10

by Kim Slade

Mike Williams:

Although musher Mike Williams was battered with a head injury from the trail, he took time out of his busy Iditarod schedule to talk to students at the school in Nikolai. He talked about sobriety, which is a huge reason he is running the race. He told the kids, “You know right from wrong, so make the right choices.” He gave advice about what to do if someone in their family drinks. Having a support system was key to his counsel. He suggested that the village organize a support group for children, like in his village, they started a Boys and Girls Club that provides a place for kids to go when they just need to get away. Having Mike speak meant a lot to these students, and is just another sign of the close Iditarod community.

McGrath:

I stopped in McGrath this afternoon. School is not in session, so I went to the Iditarod Area School District Office and met Assistant Superintendent Karen Ladegard. We talked about the district, compared curriculum, and spoke about the McGrath School. It was a beautiful day and I walked through McGrath taking in the sights.

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