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Imagine one of Alaska's wild
eagles coming into a classroom in your neighborhood… Watching
the students' eyes get as big as, well, an owl's as they turn their
attention to their feathered guest, listening as the flood of questions
about the bird fills the classroom… Imagine being able to watch
the students as they learn about Alaska's wild birds with a live eagle
ambassador from the Alaska Raptor Center.
The Alaska Raptor Center's "Alaska
Air Warriors" program does just that. To teach people about Alaska's
wild birds and environmental conservation, our "Raptors-in-Residence" travel
with their handlers to classrooms across the country, from Alaska to
Florida to New York, and points in between. Schoolchildren learn more
about the birds, their habitats and Alaska firsthand during these up-close
visits.
Our educational programs touch
the lives of thousands of schoolchildren each year. Classroom visits
are a powerful way to teach children the importance of wildlife and
environmental conservation, and they offer truly unique and exciting
memories - for everyone involved. A child's first interaction with
an animal as majestic as a bald eagle, seeing that child's jaw drop
and eyes widen with curiosity and
excitement… it's a powerful moment to witness - and even more powerful for
the child to experience.
Our classroom visits focus upon
Alaska's wildlife and conservation, and, of course, the important role
bald eagles and other birds have in the environment. Our education birds
- including our "chief ambassador," Volta, the bald eagle - are
powerful and effective teachers who leave a lasting impression on those
who meet them. Classroom visits are customized by age, from elementary
school through high school - children of all ages share a common thrill
in a visit from Volta or another of our birds.
For information on our Alaska Air
Warriors program, call (800) 643-9425 or email us at volunteers.alaskaraptor@alaska.com.
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