With school budgets not being what they once were, private music lessons are often the only option for parents who want their children to learn more than how to carry a tune.
Studies show that music's hands-on learning of beat, rhythm, and scales hardwires math student's brains to better understand concepts like division and recognizing patterns.
Neurological Research and Music Education Statistics found students who were exposed to music-based lessons scored a full 100% higher on fractions tests than those who learned in a conventional manner.
Juneau piano teacher Deborah Wood teaches more than just how to play a song.
Music connects with lots of different areas of the brain..its a lot of growth across the board.
Nationally, schools with music programs have a graduation rate of nearly 20-percent higher than those without.
PROBLEM-SOLVING - CRITICAL THINKING - ANALYSIS AND LEARNING TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO GET AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER ARE ALL SKILLS LEGISLATORS USE EVERY DAY.
DEBATE AND FORENSICS TEACH THOSE SKILLS TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. DRAMA TEACHES ANOTHER SKILL THAT IS A PREREQUSENT FOR A REPRESENTATIVE - EMPATHY.
OVER HALF-A-DOZEN MEMBERS OF THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE STAYED IN JUNEAU OVER THE WEEKEND SO THEY COULD CHEER ON THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHO WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE DRAMA-DEBATE-AND-FORENSICS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
ITS A UNIQUE SPORT - WHERE MOST PARTICIPATE AS INDIVIDUALS - YET COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOU LIVE IN OR HOW MUCH MONEY YOUR PARENTS MAKE - DRAMA DEBATE AND FORENSICS ARE EQUALIZERS WHERE ANYONE CAN BEAT ANYBODY ANYTIME.
LAST YEAR MARKED THE FIRST YEAR-EVER THAT KODIAK SENT A TEAM TO STATE. SATURDAY KODIAK BEAT OUT EVERY LARGE SCHOOL IN ALASKA EXCEPT WEST ANCHORAGE - WHO TOOK FIRST PLACE IN SWEEPS BY LESS THAN A HANDFUL OF POINTS BY WINNING THE DEBATE CATEGORY.
THE ROCK TOOK FIRST PLACE IN BOTH DRAMA AND FORENSICS.
SITKA HIGH SCHOOL HIT THE TRIFECTA FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES - COMING OUT ON TOP OVERALL IN ALL THREE CATEGORIES. AN EXCEPTIONAL EFFORT CONSIDERING 197 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN EVENTS WHERE MEMORABLE STORYTELLING WRAPPED AROUND POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS - SUICIDE - AND HEALTHCARE.
UNLIKE MOST THEIR AGE - THESE KIDS WON'T BE FOOLED BY FAKE NEWS AND PROPAGANDA - LIFE SKILLS THAT ARE NOT BEING TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM.
EAST ANCHORAGE, SERVICE AND CHUGIAK HIGH USED TO DOMINATE IN 1980S WHEN SPEECH - FORENSICS - PUBLIC SPEAKING AND DEBATE WERE ENGLISH ELECTIVES STARTING THE FRESHMAN YEAR.
THIS YEAR AT STATE THEY FIELDED LESS THAN A DOZEN PARTICIPANTS - MOST OF WHOM ONLY PRACTICED ONE DAY-A-WEEK FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER SCHOOL
WE WERE TOLD THEY QUALIFIED FOR STATE BY PARTICIPATING IN AN EVENT ONE TIME AT A REGIONAL MEET. THE LACK OF PREPARATION DIDN'T DO THEIR TALENTS JUSTICE.
JOSH GREEN/ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS, "In the program of studies in the Anchorage School District there is a class called debate and there is a curriculum for it, but to my knowledge, none of the eight Anchorage high schools are offering that class now. All these kids you see doing this today they are doing it in an extracurricular format. It is a good skill through, its an awesome skill to have. These kids are practicing on academic skills, transitions to life."
AT THE END OF THE STATE TOURNEY EVERY SEAT IN THE THEATER WAS TAKEN FOR COMMAND PERFORMANCES BEFORE THE AWARDS CEREMONY. IT SEEMED EVERYONE WAS ON A FIRST NAME BASIS -
THE VOLUME LEVEL OF THE CHEERS AND NUMBER OF STANDING OVATIONS DEMONSTRATED GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AND FRATERNAL BONDS FORGED TIEING TOGETHER YOUNG ALASKANS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
WHILE THE LAW IS STILL ON THE BOOKS THAT THE STATE HAS TO GIVE OUT A P-F-D DEMONSTRATED TO BE UNSUSTAINABLE - SOME LEGISLATORS FEEL THIS WILL BE ANOTHER YEAR A PARTIAL P-F-D IS CUT. WE SPOKE TO FAIRBANKS REPRESENTATIVE ADAM WOOL WHO SITS ON THE HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN AN EXCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE TO FIND OUT HIS OPINION ON WHAT ALASKANS WANT.
THE LEGISLATURE INITIALLY SET UP THE P-F-D TO GIVE ALASKANS $50 FOR EVERY YEAR THEY HAD BEEN IN ALASKA - WITH A CAP AT A THOUSAND DOLLARS. TWENTY YEARS AGO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE PERNAMENT FUND RECOMMENDED CHANGING TO A PERCENT OF MARKET VALUE OR POMV APPROACH OF MANAGING THE FUND. IF EITHER OF THESE MEASURES HAD BEEN FOLLOWED TODAY THE STATE WOULD HAVE ROBUST FUNDING FOR SERVICES WITH THE CITIZENS ENJOYING A HEALTHY PFD.
When you add up the numbers on how Alaskan children are doing - our state receives a failing grade in many subjects we were passing just a few years ago. We sat down with Trevor Storrs of the Alaska Children's Trust to see if they had any insights on what the problem is and how to solve it.
The Alaska Children's Trust is dedicated to supporting efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect. Lend your support with a Pick-Click-Give from your PFD.
ARCTEC - THE ALASKA RAILBELT COOPERATIVE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRIC COMPANY HAS HAD A LONG PAINFUL START IN ITS EFFORTS TO HOUSE SIX ELECTRIC UTILITIES UNDER ONE ROOF. WE SAT DOWN IN AN EXCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE WITH DELTA WIND FARM OWNER MIKE CRAFT TO TALK ABOUT EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
A SERIES OF STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS ARE BEING MADE UP AND DOWN THE RAILBELT UNTIL THE END OF MARCH.
EFFORTS ARE ONGOING IN THE LEGISLATURE TO STREAMLINE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE JUST. WE SPOKE WITH EAGLE RIVER REPRESENTATIVE SHARON JACKSON ABOUT HER BILL THAT WOULD DRAMATICALLY CUT THE DAYS THAT A CHARGED PERSON HAD TO WAIT FOR THEIR DAY IN COURT.
THE BILL WOULD CUT THE CLOCK FROM 120 DAYS TO 70 DAYS. IT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO CASES CHARGED AFTER THE BILL WAS SIGNED INTO LAW.
Coercion and bribery, strong words being used by Wasilla Senator Mike Shower. We sat down with him today one-on-one to hear his explanation of how he wants to shake up the way the Alaska State Legislature goes about its business.
Shower told us that he is following Colorado's path all the way to the Supreme Court - where there they determined that binding caucuses were in fact illegal.
FAIRBANKS REPRESENTATIVE ADAM WOOL DOESN'T SIT ON THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE - BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED HIM FROM BEING THE ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION KING. HIS BILLS HAVE BROUGHT UBER AND LIFT TO ALASKA - AND NOW IN OUR EXCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE HE'S TURNING OUR ATTENTION TO ANOTHER WAY TO SAFELY GET HOME - ELECTRONIC BICYCLES.
ALASKA LAWS ALLOWS ELECTRIC BIKES TO RIDE ON ROADWAYS - PATHS AND SIDEWALKS UNLESS IT IS SPECIFICALLY POSTED TO EXCLUDE BICYCLES.
WE ARE ALL TO FAMILIAR WITH THE IMPACTS OF TRAUMA - DEPRESSION - ANXIETY - SUBSTANCE ABUSE - AND SINCE HURT PEOPLE HURT OTHERS - IT BECOMES A VICIOUS CYCLE WHERE VICTIMS TURN INTO VICTIMIZERS.
WE SAT DOWN WITH THE ALASKA CHILDREN'S TRUST IN AN EXCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RESOURCES DEVELOPED BY THE ALASKA RESILIENCY INITIATIVE TO BREAK THE CYCLE.
IT IS HOPED THAT THESE RESOURCES WILL BREAK THE CHRONIC CYCLE OF TRAUMA - AND ALLOW THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TO LEAD MORE HEALTHY LIVES.
CHANGING SEA ENVIRONMENTS ARE PUSHING FISH SPECIES NORTH AND DRASTICALLY SHIFTING THE FOOD WEB. WHILE ENHANCED HATCHERY OPERATIONS AND BETTER WAYS TO STORE FOOD ARE AT ISSUE - TALERICO ALSO SEES NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGRICULTURE OPENING UP.
There is an oil tax ballot initiative, and oil tax credit bill and the quintessentially Alaskan conversation of what is Our Fair Share. ConocoPhillips Alaska holds the legacy of our state's oil production since the drilling of our first exploratory wells. We sat down with them to find out their perspective on oil taxes and exploration in Alaska.
Willow sits on federal land in the National Petroleum Reserve which means that half the money the US government receives will go to the State of Alaska to address the needs of North Slope communities.
