Bering Strait School District

DEED Spotlight on Bering Strait School District. The Bering Strait School District serves 15 villages in northwest Alaska.

For the past five years, Bering Strait School District (BSSD) has planned, piloted, and expanded their Fabrication Laboratory programs across the district to leverage resources and provide instruction that help students develop skills that are relevant, current, and industry applicable. BSSD is now taking their CTE programs to the front lines in the global fight against COVID-19.

BSSD has worked in partnership with education and industry leaders to select program components that mirror current trends and best practices in CTE instruction. They are using Additive Manufacturing (also known as 3-D Printing) equipment and industry standard computer design and manufacturing software to produce Personal Protective Equipment. Over 100 face shields and masks have been printed to date by BSSD staff.

Many hands across the district are sewing traditional cloth face masks. The Bering Strait region has a long history of sewing items for protection. Today, the protection is not against the weather, but against a deadly virus. BSSD is coordinating the distribution of fabric across the district and believe that this traditional low-tech CTE activity will involve many students and their families, and support communities across the region in these challenging and uncertain times.

Thank you, Bering Strait School District, for using your unique CTE skills to protect the health and safety of your communities!

Do you have a great example of community support during the COVID-19 crisis? Tell us by tagging @alaskaDEED on social media, or emailing rochelle.lindley@alaska.gov.