Instructional Staff
Molissa Bifelt - Mathematics Teacher
By CURTIS KING
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Molissa Bifelt likes to travel a lot all around the world. She’s traveled to lots of places like Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii, Italy, California, Wisconsin, Missouri, Washington state, Washington D.C., Illinois, Colorado, Arizona and many other places in the lower 48. The places that she wants to travel to are Australia and New Orleans. She’d like to buy a car in Arizona and drive it back to Alaska. Ms. Bifelt and her significant other are building a cabin for hunting and fishing.
Ms. Bifelt, 34, was born and raised in Fairbanks. Her family is from Ft. Yukon and Huslia. She’s had a lot of jobs in Alaska before becoming a teacher. She worked as a guide on the riverboat Discovery for five years, as a line walker for the pipeline for two years, as a hiking guide in Denali National Park for three summers, and as a tutor in Fairbanks and North Pole. She did her student teaching at Randy Smith Middle School in Fairbanks.
She received her bachelor of science degree in mathematics and a minor in statistics from the University of Alaska – Fairbanks. Right now she’s working on her master’s degree at the UAF School of Education.
She first started teaching at GILA five years ago. Her significant other, Mr. David Wightman, is a high school teacher teaching woodworking, carpentry, and drafting. His son Koby is 9 years old in the fourth grade. He goes to Sidney C. Huntington School in Galena and lives with them for the school year.
Ms. Bifelt teaches mathematics classes and coaches Cross Country running.
email:molissa.bifelt@galenanet.com
GILA phone: 907-656-2053 ex: 118
Melissa Robbins - Counseling & Career Preparation
By Leo & Leonard Ewan
Melissa Robbins was once lost in the Alaskan wilderness. It happened when she went on a snow machine trip from Tuluksak to Akiachak along the Kuskokwim River, while on her trip she lost her way and ended up in Kwethluk. After asking a few locals for advice, she found her way back to Akiachak.
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Ms. Robbins is our Galena Interior Learning Academy School Counselor. This school year will be her second year in Galena. She is in charge of putting together student class schedules in the beginning of each semester. She also takes care of students with emotional and social needs.
Ms. Robins was raised in Wise River, Montana, a small town even smaller then Galena. She spent 6 years fire fighting in Montana and other various places. Melissa then went to Graduate School to become a School Counselor. She got her Master’s in Counselor Education from the University of Montana. After graduating, she spent two years in Tuluksak as a counselor and one year as an itinerant school counselor constantly flying to seven small villages.
Melissa chose Galena to have more of a permanent stay. She enjoys the community and also likes the school for the diversity of the students from all over Alaska. On her free time, she plays basketball, goes on hikes, does beading with Ms. Bifelt, and she likes to check out new places.
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email:melissa.robbins@galenanet.com
Phone: 907-656-2305 ext 106
Paul Apfelbeck - Language Arts
Paul Apfelbeck has the biggest garden in the village of Galena. He regularly harvests more than 200 pounds of potatoes every year, much of which he gives to the community. He cultivates baskets full of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and many other vegetables that he uses to feed his family throughout the year. During the winter, he cultivates his students.
Mr. Apfelbeck, 55, was born and raised in Connecticut. After graduating from American University in Washington, D.C., he moved to the West Coast. He was hired in 1986 to work as a reporter at the Ketchikan Daily News. He was the editor of a small weekly newspaper in Oregon and wrote for The Frontiersman in Wasilla.
At the age of 42, Mr. Apfelbeck went back to college to become a teacher. He worked at a junior high in Tuluksak and at an elementary school in Covelo, California. Mr. Apfelbeck is now the language arts and journalism teacher at the Galena Interior Learning Academy. His wife Isabella works in the business office at the Galena City School District. Their son, Joseph, 12, is a seventh-grade student at Sidney C. Huntington School.
email: paul.apfelbeck@galenanet.com
GILA phone: 907-656-2053 ex: 105
Arne Erickson- Computer Technology & Pre-Algebra
By DANITA DOUGLAS
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Arne Erickson is one of the few people that has stood at the top and the bottom of the United States. By that he means he has traveled to the northernmost point at Point Barrow, Alaska and walked on the frozen ocean while on a basketball trip in high school. The southernmost point was on the Big Island in Hawaii, where he went with his wife Susan. Mr. Erickson (born in 1963) has been to the Pacific, Arctic, and the Atlantic oceans, three of the four oceans in the world.
Mr. Erickson was born and raised in Tok, Alaska. He graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a major in criminal justice and a minor in education. While at UAF, he met his wife Susan, who is from Kaltag, Alaska. They have been married for 24 years and have four kids and one lovely granddaughter. Their oldest is Agatha; she works in Fairbanks at TCC. The other three – Elsie, Diloola, and Edwin - live in Galena. Diloola and Edwin are currently students at SHS.
Mr. Erickson has done commercial fishing for halibut or salmon almost every summer since 1985 which is another job he has besides teaching. His boat is called F/V Beach Boy. He has also worked for Tok River Outfitters as a hunting guide for mountain sheep in the Alaska Range and brown bear in Southeast Alaska.
Mr. Erickson has taught in Sishmaref, Hoonah, and Galena. He has been teaching for 22 years. He is highly qualified in secondary math, U.S. history, world history, government, and political science. Mr. Erickson is currently teaching web page design, video productions, computer literacy, career planning, and pre-algebra at GILA. Arne said that the things he likes about teaching at GILA are meeting students from all over the state of Alaska, learning new things, and the friendships with students and staff. Mr. Erickson was the J.V. boys basketball coach in 2011 and in May of 2011 he was hired as the Varsity boys basketball coach.
email: arne.erickson@galenanet.com
GILA phone: 907-656-2053 ex: 107
Lynn Betterton - Mathematics
By VICTORIA LOMACK
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Lynn Betterton, 49, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was raised on various military basis in the U.S. and Japan. Mrs. Betterton lived in Anchorage during the big earthquake of 1964.
After graduating from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, she was hired in Spring Dale. Mrs. Betterton then moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, then back to Arkansas. In 1999, she worked toward getting her teaching degree, and started with teaching in 2003 in Paris, Arkansas, and then in Mulberry, Arkansas, in 2004. She moved to Galena in the fall of 2008.
Her husband Scott works in the maintenance department at Galena City School District. He is also the wing commander for the local Civil Air Patrol. She has three grown children, Jacob, Jessica, and Victoria.
email: lynn.betterton@galenanet.com
SHS phone: 907-656-1205 ex 123
Carrie Given - Science
By FRANCIS VASKA
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Carrie Given has broken her tailbone twice. The first time was when she was diving into a pool. The second time was when she used to be a horseback tour guide in Skagway.
When she was breeding horses, she was unable to get the male’s fence door open in time, and the horse proceeded to turn around and kick her. Right in the backside.
Ms. Given, 32, was born in Montana, and grew up in Idaho. She went to Valli Vue High School in Caldwell, Idaho. She then went to college at UAF and got a degree in biology. She worked as a horseback tour guide for Cruise Line Tour Guides. Afterwards, she worked as a traveling substitute teacher for the North Star Borough in a variety of subjects, and decided that she liked teaching.
She went back to college and got her teaching degree. She came to Galena and taught science for four years. This is her fifth year teaching. She is single with no children.
email: carrie.given@galenanet.com
SHS phone: 907-656-1205 ex 128
Jason Harris - English
By SHERRI KESSNER
Hawk Highlights editor
Jason Harris has a yellow lab named Kemper who he claims has taught him all he knows about child psychology and education philosophy. He believes that the psychology of training a dog and of training a child are not all that different. Both require a lot of patience, practice, and love.
Mr. Harris has been a teacher with the Galena City School District since the fall of 2008. He teaches English II, III, IV, and AP English at the SHS campus. Prior to that, he taught seven years in the Bering Straits School District. The first two years in the BSSD were in Savoonga and the last five were in Koyuk.
In his ten years of teaching, he has taught nearly all the grades between fifth and twelfth grade in a range of subjects from math to English.
Mr. Harris is married to Myra; they have a daughter named Romay. He enjoys swimming and just about anything he can do outside. When he grows up, Mr. Harris wants to be a pilot and fly for either Hageland or Everts Air Cargo.
email: jason.harris@galenanet.com
SHS phone: 907-656-1205 ex 126
Steve Hoffine - Automotive
By DANITA DOUGLAS
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Steve Hoffine, 45, was born in Great Falls, Montana. When he was 6 months old, his family moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where he grew up.
He graduated Laramie High School in 1985, and then went to Wyoming Tech (an automotive/diesel vocational school). He took both automotive and diesel classes. After graduating from Wyoming Tech, he went to work for the local Chevrolet Dealer, where he worked for 13 years.
In 1999, he moved to Alpine, Wyoming, where he worked at an independent automotive repair shop, working on all types of vehicles. He then moved back to Laramie, and went to work at Wyoming Tech, the same school he graduated from in 1986. He taught students there for four years before he was offered a job here at GILA in 2007.
His high school dream was to teach high school auto shop. Not too many people get to live out their high school dream career or live in the state of their dreams. Mr. Hoffine would not trade or change anything in his life. He enjoys Galena and all the students he gets to interact with.
He really likes spending time with his wife, Mary, and his kids, Jeremiah, Caitlyn, and Justin, enjoying all types of outdoor activities with them. He is also a big gun enthusiast. He enjoys spending time going to gun shows and target practicing when weather allows. He also enjoys fishing and hunting and enjoying everything Alaska has to offer.
email: steve.hoffine@galenanet.com
GILA phone: 907-656-2053 ex: 116
Jenna Lee - Cosmetology
By EMMA SIMPLE
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Jenna Lee runs the cosmetology program at GILA. On most Saturdays, some of the advanced students in her classes go to the cosmo building to work on cutting and dying hair, take part in other services given there, and to perform these services for people from the community and students from the dorms.
Ms. Lee, 25, was born in Los Angeles, Calif., but lived in 12 different places as she grew up. Her family moved around a lot. She graduated from high school at Greenwood High School in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
From there she attended one year of college at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. At age 20, she went to cosmetology school at Lindsey Institute of Cosmetology for one year.
In fall 2008, Ms. Lee moved to Galena to work in the cosmetology program in the Galena Interior Learning Academy, where she is still working after three years.
Ms. Lee loves to travel, go shopping, and read. Her fiancé, Chris Romine, is in the U.S. Air Force and is currently deployed in Afghanistan. They are getting married in June 2012.
email: jenna.lee@galenanet.com
Cosmetology phone: 907-656-2503
Rand Rosecrans - Culinary Arts
By DYLAN KORTA
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Rand Rosecrans enjoys spending time cooking, as well as boating, fishing, riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and other outdoor activities.
Mr. Rosecrans, 50, was born in McCall, Idaho. In the early 1990s, he attended the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, where he became a certified chef. He moved to Galena in 1997 from Homer, Alaska, to work as the Director of Food Services of the GILA Dining Hall.
Several years ago, the GILA dining hall was moved across the street and became the Two Seasons Dining Hall. Mr. Rosecrans has worked there ever since, where he prepares and serves food to GILA’s 200 students and manages the facility.
In 2010, the Two Seasons Dining Hall underwent an extensive, multi-million-dollar renovation. Mr. Rosecrans lives in Galena with his wife Suzette, who is the dining hall secretary.
email: rand.rosencrans@galenanet.com
GILA phone: 907-656-2053 ex: 102
Todd Brown - Welding, Small Engines, & House Wiring
By LEONARD EWAN
Hawk Highlights staff writer
In his free time, Todd Brown enjoys hunting, fishing, and trapping. He also attends church and owns a 200-acre farm in Idaho, which he takes care of during the summer.
Mr. Brown, 47,was born and raised on a farm near the Snake River in Idaho. He graduated from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. He has taught vocational agriculture in Idaho.
Then he moved to St. Paul, Alaska, and worked construction and other various jobs. He commercial fished for halibut and king crab.
At the age of 34, he came to Galena because his brother moved here and he was offered a job for teaching vocational education.
His wife Genny Brown also was raised on a farm. She works as a school teacher and librarian. He has two daughters, Kallie and Sarah. Kallie, 21, is currently working on her nursing degree at UAA. Sarah, 12, is in the sixth grade at Sidney C. Huntington School.
email: todd.brown@galenanet.com
SHS phone: 907-656-1205 ex 129
Freda Beasley - Koyukon Studies
By VICTORIA LOMACK
Hawk Highlights staff writer
Freda Beasley was raised with nine siblings, six brothers, and three sisters. She was born in Holikachuk, which is a former village on the Innoko River. When she was five years old, her family moved to Anvik on the Yukon Rover. She lost her dad at the age of 15 in August 1965, and two weeks after his funeral, she had to go to school elsewhere.
After high school, she went to college at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks. After several years of college, she got discouraged, angry, and left, so she dropped out. Ten years later, she took long distance delivery courses and graduated with a BA in elementary education. At the age of 42, Freda took her first teaching position at Holy Cross. She found out she loved teaching.
In 2002, Mrs. Beasley graduated from the University of Alaska – Anchorage with a master’s degree in educational leadership. Her goal is to become a principal in Galena, but that door hasn’t opened for her. Currently she is the Koyukon studies teacher at Sidney C. Huntington School. This is her ninth year.
Her older son, Edward Halton, 31, lives in Katlag. He graduated from West Valley High School in Fairbanks. He has three children and is getting married in September 2011. Her youngest son, Walter Halton, 27, is married, and lives in Anchorage. He has two daughters. He graduated from Galena City High School in 2000 and is currently almost a carpentry journeyman. Her husband, Howard Beasley, is the Water Plant Operator for the City of Galena. He is originally from Galena, and the Beasley family is from Louisiana.
email: freda.beasley@galenanet.com
SHS phone: 907-656-1205 ex 143
Keilah Redman - Physical and Health Education
By CARL ROSE
Staff writer
Keilah Redman has been helping in the classroom for the past 10 years and coaching for the past 12 years. She has coached volleyball, track, football, and basketball. She loves to ride bikes. And most of all she loves to teach.
“My reason for coming to Galena was because it’s a great school district and a good job opportunity,” Ms. Redman said.
“The most surprising thing I’ve seen here is teachers and students are on a first name basis.”
Ms. Redman said she wants to help raise math scores and to get others interested in getting physically active.
Ms. Redman was born in Lansing, Michigan, on June 23, 1982. Her dad is Allen Redman and her mom is Shirley Redman. She has a brother named Elijah and a sister named Dominique. Ms. Redman is not married and does not have any children.
Before Ms. Redman had come to Galena, she earned a secondary education degree in math and physical education, and a master’s degree in elementary reading and math. She has also worked for school districts in Iowa for three years and a school district in Michigan for one year.
email:
Phone: 907-656-120 ext. 145
Marylee Kauffman - Academic Support
By DENEAUH DAVIS
Staff writer
Marylee Kauffman came to Alaska to stay for one year. Thirty-three years later, she is still teaching here in Galena. This year she’s moved to the Galena Interior Learning Academy. When she moved from Sidney C. Huntington School to GILA, she said that the worst part was the physically packing her furniture and then unpacking her things. To make her classroom more welcoming, she put up a map to mark and see where students come from. Ms. Kauffman also plays music and has a window in her room overlooking the campus. Her goal is to help as many students pass the high school qualifying test.
She was born July 30 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Her parents are Jim and Jean Brown; her siblings are Rick, Audrey, and Jeff.
Ms. Kauffman graduated from Moon High School and Slippery Rock University.
She previously taught at Philadelphia and before coming to Galena 33 years ago.
She said she came to Galena because it’s in Alaska and it’s a refreshing change from a major city.
Ms. Kauffman hopes to help raise contented children who give back to the community. Her children are Carlee (who teaches social studies at GILA), Julissa, Kyana, and Dana.
email:
Phone: 907-656-2305
Ross Tulloch - Science Teacher & Assistant Wrestling Coach
By DENAEUH DAVIS
Staff writer
While Ross Tulloch was busy doing construction and commercial fishing, he decided he
would much rather be opening doors for high school students rather than building them on homes. That’s when he chose to become a teacher at the Galena Interior Learning Academy.
Ross Tulloch was born September 10, 1976, in Tacoma, Wash. His parents are Bruce and Lawlee Tulloch. Mr. Tulloch was raised in Petersburg. He has three siblings; Cami, Ian, and Reid. He is married to Wendy Tulloch. They have three children; Aubrey, 6, Mackenzie, 4, and Marina, 2.
His education started when he attended Rae. C. Stedman Elementary, Petersburg High School, and Montana State University and University of South East Alaska where he received a bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degree in art and technology. During his teaching career, he has taught at Petersburg High School as a student teacher for a year and then in Metlakatla for five years.
He decided to come to G.I.L.A because of the people and the school, but while he has
been here, he said he has begun to love the diversity and friendliness of the students as well. While teaching in Galena, he hopes to give students the opportunity to love science as much as he does.
email:ross.tulloch@galenanet.com
Phone: 907-656-2305
By LYNNETTE STRICKLAND and DENAEUH DAVIS
Staff writers
Galena Interior Learning Academy recently welcomed new cosmetology instructor Wilma Omnik.
Ms. Omnik was born in Anchorage Alaska.
Her mother married into an Army family, which caused her to move often in her childhood. Her mother was Hulda Conley and father was James Cobb. She has eight siblings. She went to kindergarten in Japan and her further years of school were spent all over the world.
Ms. Omnik has three children: Patrick Baton, 27, Michelle Baton, 23, and Adam Baton, 21.
Wilma has had six licenses in the cosmetology career. She has two original instructor licenses and four other cosmetology licenses. Her first license was obtained in Connecticut at Albert Beatrice School of Beauty Culture. Her other licenses were earned in three different states: Alaska, Tennessee, and Washington.
She has worked at Hair Masters and Milan Institute of Cosmo in Washington, and Regis, Tangles, and The Perfect Look, all located in Anchorage. She has been in the cosmetology career since 1986 when she started her first year of cosmetology school.
“The harder you work [in this industry] the better your luck gets,” she said during our interview with her. She is so grateful to be able to work in Galena as she hopes to increase student attendance in the cosmetology program.
email: wilma.omnik@galenanet.com
Phone: 907-656-2305
Stephanie Weter - Physical and Health Education
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*under construction
email:
Phone: 907-656-2305
Dave Wightman - Carpentry, Welding, Woodworking, Auto CAD
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*under construction
email:
Phone: 907-656-1205