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Whether you graduated last week or 30 years ago, chances are that there was a standout teacher at some point in your school career. What was it about that person that made them significant? Perhaps they had a unique teaching style. Maybe they took extra time or showed you extra kindness? They may have seen the potential in you earlier than anyone else did. So on this program we celebrate and appreciate those educators who have made us all better people as a result of their work.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining KTD host, Shana Sheehy, in the studio to discuss the importance of teachers and the legacy they can create are three of Alaska's most honored educators.  

• Carol Comeau is the outgoing Superintendant of the Anchorage School District - a position she’s held for 12 years. Her career with ASD started in 1974 as a noon-duty attendant, from which she transitioned into various teaching and administrative positions. She is retiring this summer and moving to Bellingham; from there she’ll get to see her grandchildren and their parents a whole lot more.

• Lorrie Heagy is the music teacher and librarian at Glacier Valley Elementary School in Juneau. Lorrie has 15 years of classroom experience and started the Juneau, Alaska Music Matters and Art is Elementary programs. She was honored to represent this state’s teachers as the 2011 Alaska Teacher of the Year.

• Patricia Truman is the Executive Director of the Professional Teaching Practices Commission for the State of Alaska as well as the Alaska Teacher of the Year Coordinator. She is a 30-year retired teacher whose career included teaching in the Yukon Flats, Fairbanks North Star and Matanuska-Susitna School Districts. She is the 2001 Alaska Teacher of the Year.   

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

Guest-related links:

• Anchorage School District
• Superintendent Carol Comeau's page
• Ms. Comeau's Retirement Celebration + "90% by 2020" 
• Anchorage Schools Foundation - Carol Comeau Endowment Fund
• Juneau School District
• Lorrie Heagy's Juneau, Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) program
• Lorrie Heagy's Art is Elementary program
• State of AK Dept. of Education - Teacher of the Year
• State of AK Professional Teaching Practices Commission

"Status of Teachers" story links:

• NEA-Alaska 
• UAA's Institute for Social & Economic Research (ISER) report on teacher turnover
• Another ISER research report on teacher turnover
• Education researcher Richard Ingersoll’s website
• Richard Ingersoll publication on the status of teaching
• Richard Ingersoll report on trends in teacher workforce

FEATURED STORIES:

- The Status of Teachers - Generally speaking, parents and communities tend to have favorable opinions of teaching and yet somehow, teachers are not held in as high regard as other professionals and they’re not paid as well. So how does this affect who chooses to teach? And what will the teaching workforce look like in the future? KTD contributor Jessica Cochran spoke with some people who study the teaching profession and learned about some surprising trends.

- My Most Inspiring Teacher - Kindergarten through high school - that's thirteen years - and chances are there is one teacher who stands out above the rest. KTD producer Sarah Gonzales asked a few high school and college students to recall the one teacher who was especially inspiring and why.

- Power of One: Stephanie Berglund - "Ms. B" saw the confiscated hydroponic equipment confiscated from a drug bust in her small town of Whittier, Alaska as an opportunity to help one of her struggling students grow into something beautiful. KTD host Shana Sheehy has this installment in our Power of One series, highlighting those who make a big difference in the lives of kids.

Child obesity is a heavy problem in the country and  our state is no different - one in three children in Alaska enter kindergarten overweight. Kids who are fat can have serious, even fatal, health conditions, they get picked on and they don't feel good about themselves. Sick and teased with low self-esteem - that's no way to be young! That's why this time we're talking about preventing childhood obesity and overweight, plus we'll look at eating healthy in the bush and staying active throughout the year.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio are two guests this time. 

• Dr. Gary Ferguson serves as the Director of Wellness and Prevention at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). He also is a staff doctor at Avante Medical Center. He obtained his doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine in 2001, and has been working in the Alaska Tribal Health System for the past 11 years.

• Karol Fink is the program manager for the State of Alaska Obesity Prevention and Control Program. She has been a Registered Dietitian for almost 20 years and has a Master of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Washington. She started her public health career 16 years ago at Providence Seward Medical Center. 

CHILD OBESITY LINKS:

Alaska-specific resources -

• Alaska Obesity Prevention & Control Program
• ANTHC - Wellness & Prevention
• ANTHC - Nutrition 
• AK Traditional Knowledge & Native Foods Database - find the nutrituional value, calories, in foods native to Alaska
• 'Childhood Obesity: Beyond Baby Fat' (Ak Baby & Child magazine)
• Ak Grower's School (UAF Extension)
• Ak Farm-to-School Strategic Plan
• Sitka's Fish-to-Schools program
• Healthy Futures Alaska
• State of AK P.E. Requirements
• Get Out and Play Every Day (AK Dept. Health & Human Services)

National resources -

• Institute of Medicine's 2011 Child Obesity Report
• American Academy of Pediatricians Child Obesity Prevention Pages
• AAP Obesity Prevention - 'What Families Can Do at Home'
• 10 Tips for Parents for Talking to Kids About Weight (WebMD)
• ChooseMyPlate.gov - USDA's new, daily dietary recommendation that replaces the food pyramid
• CDC's Physical Exercise Recommendations - 60 minutes/day for kids
• Shape of the Nation report - P.E. requirements by state
• Why P.E. is Important infographic
• CDC's ReThink Your Drink Campaign - 1 in 5 calories consumed is from beverages
• Childhood Obesity in the US Map (Save the Chidren)
• HBO mini-series: The Weight of the Nation - the public is invited to a screening on May 23 in Anchorage and June 4 in Juneau, for more information visit Play Everyday. 

Articles/Studies -

• 'Obesity-related Type II Diabetes Harder to Treat in Children' (NY Times)
• 'More Mothers Unaware of Overweight Children' (YNN)
• 'Parents Don't Like to Hear "Fat" From Pediatrician' (Time)
• 'Losing Weight Doesn't Help Teen Girls Love Themselves' (Time)
• 'Why the Campaign to Stop the US Obesity Crisis is Failing' (Newsweek)

FEATURED STORIES: 

- Farm-t0-School Changing Lunchtime in Alaska - School lunches are designed to meet federal nutrition guidelines, but plenty of parents consider them far from healthy. Across the state, efforts are underway to try to get more fresh, local food incorporated into school lunches, increasing the health value, the taste and the market for local food producers. KTD contributor Jessica Cochran has more.

- Healthy Futures Alaska is Active this Summer - Your kids may have brought home their exercise logs at some point during this last school year - it's all part of the Healthy Futures Program and although the school year is wrapping up, we found out that they are keeping up the activities all summer long. KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with the program director, Cindy Norquest.

- Chef KTD: Lighter Mini-Cheesecakes - We asked our Chef KTD Liz Madsen for a "healthy version" of a kid-friendly dessert recipe and she showed our producer, Sarah Gonzales, how a few key substitutions can make for a healthy mini-cheesecake with berry compote - with less fat and minimally-refined sugars. [Recipe, photos + audio here]

Our Mother’s Day special explores how motherhood has evolved since the Greek and Roman times. We’ll be looking at moms through the ages as well as discussing modern trends in motherhood today.  It’s a fascinating discussion on family structure, societal expectations and the importance of moms. 

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy to discuss moms throughout time is guest Dr. Shari L. Thurer, author of Myths of Motherhood: How Culture Reinvents the Good Mother (Penguin, 1995), and The End of Gender: A Psychological Autopsy (Routledge, 2005). Dr. Thurer joined us from the WBUR studios in Boston. 

LINKS FROM THIS PROGRAM:

• ShariThurer.com
• The Conflict: How Modern Motherhood Undermines the Status of Women, by Elisabeth Badinter
• Review of The Conflict (Forbes.com)
• From 1997-2007 Full-time Work Grows Less Attractive to Moms (Pew Research)
• Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution, by Adrienne Rich

FEATURED STORIES:

- Teen Mom/High School Student - In Anchorage, some teen moms attend Crossroads - a high school just for pregnant and parenting teens. Some of them are also enrolled in Kids Corps Early Head Start program. The program has an in-home program, one that offers child development information, developmental screening and general support to these young moms. KTD contributor Jessica Cochran spoke to the woman who does those home visits, Tundra Paulson.

- Zen & the Art of Motherhood - We've all heard that practicing yoga and meditation can have profound effects on our bodies and minds; KTD contributor Paula Dobbyn explores the effects they also can have on practicing motherhood.

Preparing for college can be an entire family affair, not to mention the teachers and counselors who all pull together to help a young person get ready to succeed in higher education. This time on KTD we're talking about what it takes to get to university - and once accepted - how to do one's best during those college years. We're focusing on Alaska's higher learning institutions for this discussion. 

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy to dicuss all things college prep are two college graduates from Alaskan schools who each now work at their alma maters. 

• Brittany Hales is an Undergraduate and Early Honors Admissions Counselor at Alaska Pacific University. Born and raised in Alaska and an alum of Polaris K-12 school in Anchorage, her love of Alaska and the natural environment led her to pursue a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning at APU.

• Winston Montecillo is the the Communications Coordinator for the Department of Recruitment at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. A graduate of Ketchikan High School in 2006, he was awarded a UA Scholar scholarship that he used towards earning his BA degree in Psychology.

LINKS FROM THIS PROGRAM:

• Alaska Pacific University
• Early Honors Program at APU
• University of Alaska, Anchorage
• University of Alaska - Statewide site
• UA Scholars Program
• UA's Stay on Track program
• Eco League exchange program
• Koniag Education Foundation

FEATURED STORIES:

- Finishing in Four - For the University of Alaska statewide, about 30% of full-time, degree-seeking students get a degree within 6 years. The University is trying to increase that number – by creating what they call a “culture of completion” among students. KTD's Jessica Cochran reports. 

- Mentorship is Key to College Completion for Rural Students - After receiving the U.S. Department of Education’s Alaska Native Education Grant in 2010 the Koniag Education Foundation set a goal to reduce the dropout rate among its Alutiiq shareholders currently in college over three years' time. Instead they reached their goal in just two years - the college dropout rate fell from 20% in 2010 to 3% in 2012. Executive Director Tyan Hayes credits the power of mentorship for the success. She spoke with KTD producer, Sarah Gonzales.

- Dr. KTD: Teens and Sleep - Whether still at home or off at college, your child's sleep schedule still matters. Board-certified pediatrician, Michelle Laufer reminds us that young brains continue to develop through the mid-20's and sleep is essential to that function.

Storytime during family night in Mekoryuk

Place-based education means learning about a student’s immediate environment and their cultural history and heritage, too. Some educators say this is an essential part to a student’s overall education, while others think that teaching culture doesn’t matter to succeeding in college and beyond. This time on KTD we speak with educators who hold opposing opinions on whether or not to include cultural curricula in the classroom.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Two Alaskan educators, Dr. Paul Ongtooguk and Lynda Prince, join host Shana Sheehy in the studio to talk about the philosophy behind the cultural education movement and to explain its origins. We’ll also hear from Dr. Ben Chavis, a school choice supporter who is critical of the idea that schools should teach culture.

• Dr. Ben Chavis is a Native American educator who took the helm of an underperforming, inner city school in Oakland, California and through his controversial teaching methods the American Indian Charter School became the top middle school in California. He is the author of Crazy Like a Fox: One Principal's Triumph in the Inner City.

• Dr. Paul Ongtooguk is an Education professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and co-founder of Alaskool, an online source of Alaska Native history, language and culture. He previously joined KTD on Show 58: The Giving Show.

• Lynda Leal Prince grew up in Grayling, Alaska and holds a Master's degree in Education from Harvard University. She currently teaches World History and Alaska Studies at Bartlett High School in Anchorage.

• A man is a man in every part of the world. It has nothing to do with race. It has to do with the culture and education that each man has received since he was a child, in his home. It has to do with how he was raised. - Alicia Machado
• Culture is an instrument wielded by teachers to manufacture teachers, who, in their turn, will manufacture still more teachers. - Simone Weil

An outdoor classroom in Nanwalek

FEATURED STORY:

- Alaska Native Culture in Real Classrooms - In rural Alaska, one of the big questions about education is how to engage kids, how to make the academics they learn in school seem relevant to their life outside of school. KTD contributor Jessica Cochran learned about two efforts – a private school in Kotzebue and the North Slope Borough school district based in Barrow – that are working to do that by integrating culture and academics.

Images via AASB.org

Autism is being diagnosed with more and more frequency; recent reports say 1 in 88 kids in the United States have it. So this time on Kids These Days! we’re talking about autism spectrum disorders. We’ll learn about screening, supports and resources for Alaska families with loved ones on the spectrum, and we'll find out what the future holds for those who are diagnosed with it.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio are two guests who work all over the state of Alaska helping families understand and live with autism. 

• Kris Green works for the State of Alaska as the Autism and Parent Service Manager and Rural Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Outreach and Autism Screening Clinic Manager. Working in the Division of Public Health, she oversees autism program services and coordinates the statewide screening clinics, held in 10 rural Alaska hub locations. She is a member of the Governor’s Council Autism Ad Hoc Committee which focuses on implementing the 2006 State of Alaska Autism Plan, whose goal is to improve access to care for Alaska children and youth with autism and their families.

• Teresa Hirst is a certified Advanced Practice Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, specializing in new or follow-up patient assessments and evaluations of children with neurodevelopmental and autism conditions from birth to age 18 years. She works with the State of Alaska, traveling to regional hub communities to conduct assessments. She routinely provides patient, family, and staff education on pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders in communities throughout Alaska.

AUTISM RESOURCES:

Alaska-specific resources -

• Alaska Dept. of Health & Social Services - Autism Section
• Alaska Autism Resource Center (AARC)
• Anchorage Parents Support Group
• Autism Society of Alaska (based in Fairbanks)
• Stone Soup Group - providing statewide support to families
• Providence Autism Diagnostic Network
• Ghosh Psychiatric Services (Anchorage-based MD)
• Arom Evans, MD 907-696-7466 (Child psychiatrist in Eagle River/Palmer)

National resources -

• CDC's new data on Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Diagnostic & Statistical Manual 5th Ed. - changes to ASD diagnosis
• Autism Society of America 
• 4 Paws for Ability - nat'l dog-training co with office in Anchorage
• 30 Blogs on Autism (Babble.com) 

Articles/Reports -

• Autism Rates Rise Again (Science News) 
• Autism May be Linked to Obesity During Pregnancy (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Mothers of Kids with Autism Earn Less (Health Day)
• Alaska Legislature Passes Autism Bill (ADN)
• Eighteen with Autism: a Mom's Perspective by KTD's Erin Kirkland

FEATURED STORIES:

- Rising Rates and Changes to Autism Diagnosis - Dr. Shubu Ghosh is an Alaska-based child psychiatrist who is currently helping to redefine the diagnostic criteria for autism for the DSM-5. We asked him how the diagnosis will change when the new manual is released in 2013, and why the rates are going up now. He spoke with KTD producer Sarah Gonzales.

- Our Kindergarten Classmate with Autism - New contributor Tara Bicknell takes us into a kindergarten classroom in Haines where the kids are helping the adults learn about autism.

- Therapy Animals Helping Kids with Autism - Sometimes an animal can provide a kind of support that other people can’t. KTD contributor Jessica Cochran met some people working with children and dogs, and learned about the benefits for both humans and canines.

Car, boat or snowmachine, driving is a reponsibility, a privilege, a rite of passage, a danger and a freedom - at any age! This time on KTD we’re exploring all the facets of what it means to be young with a license to drive in Alaska. We’ll discuss safety issues, driver’s ed, licensing, preventing drunk driving and why modern teens aren’t getting their licenses as early as teens of yore (hint: studies stay it’s because of texting and social media). 

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joing host Shana Sheehy to discuss all things driving in Alaska are two guests. 

Don McDermott is a retired educator who has been teaching driving to Alaskans of all ages for nearly 20 years. McDermott came north to be a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage where he was the first Dean of the School of Education. He retired in 1988 and has since taught at the AARP - Alaska's driver safety program... he also taught his own son to drive.

Lieutenant Arthur "Tom" Dunn is the Deputy Commander for the Alaska Bureau of Highway Patrol, a division of the Alaska State Troopers. Lt. Dunn was a police officer in Whittier and Homer before working for the Troopers in Palmer, Kodiak, Sitka, Homer and Anchorage.

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

Statewide resources:

• Alaska Driver License info/laws - (DMV)
• Overview of Teen Driving Laws in Alaska
• AK Injury Prevention Center - Teen Driving
• List of Driver's Ed courses in Alaska
• Forget Me Not Mission - anti-drunk/distracted driving group
• Taylor White Foundation - drunk driving ed aimed at Alaskan teens
• CarseatsAlaska.org 

Articles/Studies:

• 'Fewer Young but More Elderly Have Drivers License' (Univ. Michigan)
• Kids Count Alaska - Youth Accidents
• About Alaska's "Red Stripe" Licenses (Turnagain Times)

FEATURED STORIES: 

- When I Was Young: First Car - Beaters or brand new, every adult has a fond story about their first set of wheels.

- Drive or Surf? - Teens tell us if they’d rather use a car or a computer to connect with their friends.

- Forget Me Not Mission - A statewide anti-drunk driving effort tells how they are getting out the well-worn message in new ways. [Full story is posted here with links to book excerpt.] 

- AK's New Red Stripe License Law - Wondered why you’re getting carded when you’re obviously old enough? It’s the controversial new “red stripe law” that aims to prevent alcohol sales to certain past offenders.

Technology is changing the way we do so many things - how we communicate, navigate and regulate our every day lives. So how is it changing the way that we educate? We're taking a look at that question, plus many caregivers wonder if learning from a screen is fundamentally different than learning from a good, old-fashioned book. So this time we're exploring what technological innovation means to the future of classroom learning.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio are two high-tech educators.

• Dr. Mark Bailey has been exploring the use of pedagogically powerful technological tools to support early childhood education for more than 25 years. After receiving his teaching license in the 70’s, Mark taught young children for most of a decade before completing a doctorate in educational psychology. Dr. Bailey has founded the Early Learning Community at Pacific University where he serves as Professor of Education and Director of the Child Learning and Development Center.

• Amanda Duvall is the K-12 Educational Technology teacher for the Anchorage School District where she supports teachers coaching them on integration of technology into the curriculum. She is also the Anchorage representative for the Alaska Society for Technology in Education. Duvall has been an educator for over 11 years in both Washington and Alaska.

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

Research & reports on kids, education & technology:

• 'The Science of Learning: How Current Brain Research Can Improve Education' (report on how digital learning looks in the brain)
• 'Learning, Digital Media & Creative Play in the Classroom' (Dr. Bailey's project funded by the MacArthur Foundation)
• Technology & Young Children position statement (NAEYC)
• 2011 Video Gaming Statistics (Entertainment Software Assoc.)

Online educational resources:

• Khan Academy (free, online homework help, millions of lessons)
• TED-Ed (online educational videos)
• Alice.org (Carnegie Mellon Univ's 3D animation software)
• Scratch & Scratch, Jr. (MIT's online computer programming for kids)
• SLED (Alaska's virtual library & digital archives)

Alaska-specific technology & education resources:

• Consortium for Digital Learning (Assoc. of AK School Boards)
• Alaska Learning Network
• Alaska Society for Technology in Education

FEATURED STORIES:

- Video Gaming in Education - educators are realizing that the captivating, even addictive, power of gaming could translate well into engaging a student’s brain when learning math, reading and especially computer programming. KTD producer Sarah Gonzales learned more about the “gamification” of education.

- Technology Boosts Rural Learning Opportunities - In Alaska, there are more 140 public high schools with fewer than 20 students each. So how do a small number of teachers offer all the different classes a student needs to graduate? Some think the answer lies in offering more courses online. KTD contributor Jessica Cochran brings us the story.

Growing up means forming a solid sense of self, figuring out who you are and what you like in order to eventually become a fully realized adult. When a young person begins to identify as GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender) it can be a difficult time in an already fragile time of life. So, what is “coming out” truly like for Alaska’s rural and urban youth and how can loved ones best support these kids as they struggle to accept themselves – and to be accepted by others?

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Three guests join host Shana Sheehy to discuss this topic. 

- Jackie Buckley is the president of Anchorage PFLAG (Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays). She is the Executive Director of an Alaska home health corporation and has volunteered for Identity and the GLBT community for over 28 years.  She's worked in the Anchorage schools for 12 years, has raised all her own children in Anchorage, and now has 8 grandchildren, too.

- Katelyn Lanier-Moylan was raised in Alaska by her two moms and is currently a senior at West High School in Anchorage. She is the President of the Gay-Straight Alliance, serves as the Youth Representative on the board of Identity, and is the youth coordinator of the GLBT-friendly dance, Pride Prom.

- Verner Wilson III grew up in Dillingham on the rural shores of fish-rich Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska. He loves fishing for wild salmon with his family as a commercial, sports and subsistence fishermen. He has a degree in Environmental Studies from Brown University and has worked for the World Wildlife Fund Arctic Field Program for nearly four years now on fisheries conservation issues.

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

Alaska-specific Resources:

• Identity - statewide GLBT support organization
• Anchorage LGBT Discrimination Survey (released 3/12)
• PFLAG Chapters in Alaska - Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Homer
• Pride Foundation - National organization with Alaskans in leadership
• SEAGLA (Southeast Alaska Gay and Lesbian Alliance)
• Bent Alaska - LGBT community news blog
• Fairbanks GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network)
• GLCCA (Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Anchorage)
• Alaska Identity Support warmline (7 days a week, 6p-11p) 258-4777 (in Anchorage), 888-901-9876 (statewide)

Articles & Books:

• "GSAs in Rural Alaska"
• "Homeless Youth: the Next Battle for Gay Equality" (AP)
• Silent Lives: How High a Price? (book by Sara Boesser, Alaskan author)
• LGBT Casebook (by Jack Drescher, M.D. to be released in April, 2012)

National Resources: 

• The Trevor Project - Preventing suicide among LGBT youth
• Trevor Project sucide hotline: 1-866-4-U-TREVOR (488-7386)
• It Gets Better project
• LGBT Youth & Health (CDC) - list of information & resources for professionals, parents and educators
• GLBTQ Resources for Professionals (Advocates for Youth)
• Understanding Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (APA)
• Savage Love by Dan Savage

FEATURED STORIES:

- The Psychology of Coming Out - Jack Drescher, M.D. is a psychiatrist who has researched and written about the emotional and behavioral issues that often accompany both "being closeted" and "coming out". He spoke with KTD producer Sarah Gonzales from his office in New York.

- Dan Savage's Advice for Caregivers - Speaker, author and columnist Dan Savage spoke with KTD host Shana Sheehy to offer his advice for how caregivers, parents and trusted adults can support young GLBT youth.

- A Young Alaskan's Coming Out Story - For a long time UAA student Mya Dale refused to recognize something about herself - that she is gay. She told KTD contributor Jessica Cochran the story of how she finally came to understand and accept who she is.

- Dr. KTD: HPV Vaccinations - Regardless of a child's sexual orientation, there's one thing all parents of adolescents need to consider - the HPV vaccine. Our own Dr. KTD, Michelle Laufer, M.D. has some advice for caregivers.

Can you feel it, too? The days are getting lighter, the temps a little warmer and our cabin fever is starting to break. This time on KTD we’re exploring what effect the springtime change of season has on the bodies and the minds of people of all ages. We'll learn about getting outside with kids in any weather, find out about the sun/vitamin D connection and we'll ask, "Is there really a medical explanation behind spring fever?”

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio to talk all things springtime in Alaska are:

- Jennifer Aist. She has been taking her four children into the backcountry since they were each newborns. She is passionate about exploring, discovering and connecting children with nature, and is the author of Babes in the Woods: Hiking, Camping and Boating with Babies and Young Children. She is also a lactation consultant and the director of parent education at The Children’s Hospital at Providence 

- Matthew Benson, M.D. is  one of two pediatric endocrinologists in Alaska. He is a provider with the Pediatric Subspecialty Clinic at The Children’s Hospital at Providence where he specializes in the treatment of pediatric hormone disorders, treating thyroid gland problems, growth disorders, early or delayed puberty, diabetes, obesity, low blood sugar and disorders associated with Vitamin D deficiency.

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

• The Children’s Hospital at Providence
• Wilderness for Kids (Jen Aist's website)
• 'Fact or Fiction: Is 'Spring Fever' a Real Phenomenon?' (Scientific American)
• KTD Show 1: Babes in the Woods
• KTD interview: The Role of Vitamin D in Treating Asthma
• Alaska Botanical Garden
• Junior Master Gardener program
• Agriculture in the Classroom
• StopSuicideAlaska.org
• Alaska Careline (suicide hotline): 1-877-266-HELP (4357)
• Alaska State Suicide Prevention Council

FEATURED STORIES:

- Gardening with Kids - The daylight is back, stores are full of gardening supplies, and for many Alaskans, getting seeds started is one use for all that “spring fever” energy - and it's great fun for kids, too. KTD contributor Jessica Cochran explores gardening with children.

- Springtime Suicide Prevention - Is it true that spring really does see more suicide attempts? KTD producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with Kate Burkhart, the Executive Director of the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council, the Alaska Mental Health Board, and the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse to learn more.

- Spring Skiing in Alaska - It can be hard to get out and about in an Alaska spring, waiting for the snow to melt. Our KTDontheGO blogger mom, Erin Kirkland, has a solution: just embrace it by hitting the slopes.