Haines High School senior Autumn Gross was recently named “Student of the Year” by the Alaska Society for Technology and Education. ASTE volunteer coordinator Amanda Duvall said Gross is the “tech minion” for the Haines Borough School District, working extensively on both Macs and PCs installing operating systems, maintaining computers, replacing hardware, and trouble-shooting daily problems. Gross has also worked with teachers to help with their technological professional development. Gross traveled to the ASTE conference in Anchorage this past weekend with technology teacher Sam McPhetres, second-grade teacher Kim Sundberg and administrative assistant/activities director Tiana Taylor. Several Haines students also won prizes in the ASTE conference’s annual digital media IDidaContest. Senior Jenae Larson took first place in the grade 9-12 podcast category for a podcast about why it is important to drink water, senior Destinee Cowart took first place in the grade 9-12 public service announcement category for a PSA about driving on icy roads, and second-grader Maddox Rogers took first in the K-4 e-book category for his autobiographical “Leviathan.” On the way to the conference, McPhetres stopped in Juneau for his mother Jan McPhetres’ birthday, also attended by his sister Wendy McPhetres and aunt Kay Voightman.
Fred Shields recently returned to Haines after nearly five months in the Lower 48. Shields drove to Viroqua, Wis., in October to spend time with his late brother Jeff Shields. While in Viroqua, he spent time with Sue Waterhouse and former Haines residents Steve and Michelle Williams. Shields then put more than 13,000 miles on his 1989 Saab driving across the country. Highlights included dinner with Tresham Gregg in Tucson, Ariz., swimming in the Atlantic Ocean off New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on Christmas Day with Michael Smith, spending time with Mark Sebens, John Bune and Nelbert Niemi in Austin, Texas, and visiting John and Erma Schnabel in Oakland, Calif. He also stayed with friend Elizabeth Burgio in Buffalo, N.Y., and Burgio later flew across the country to meet Shields in California. He rode the ferry back to Haines with Dick and Carol Flegel.
Haines has several “leap year” babies who only get to celebrate their true day of birth every four years when February 29 rolls around: Janine Allen, Fuzzy von Stauffenberg, Eric Kocher and Libby Kanupp. Allen held a “Leap Day” potluck at the Port Chilkoot Distillery in honor of the holiday.
Following the success of its January Poker Run, the Chilkat Snowburners held another snowmachine event on Saturday. About 75 people showed up at 25 Mile Haines Highway to play 60 hands of poker. Randy Sloper won the $20 hand with three-of-a-kind queens, Audrey Bader won the $10 hand with two-pair, and Daniel Martin won the $5 hand with two-pair. The Uglys of Haines brought out a grill and prepared hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone.
The Haines High School volleyball team raised $261 at its all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast fundraiser on Saturday. The team served plain, chocolate chip, blueberry and gluten-free pancakes to 22 people. The money raised will help send Kiana Donat, Jordan Stigen, Bozhi Sebens, Lindy Hill and Lilianna Benassi to a volleyball summer camp in Anchorage, coach Cassie Miller said.
Nearly 70 friends celebrated Cecilia David’s 90th birthday at the ANB Hall Sunday. The party included a performance by the Gei San Dancers, lemon chicken served up by Bob Duis and a birthday cake made by Carol Clifton. Friend Georgiana Hotch said Cecelia, who is the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 5 mother, looked wonderful in a pink outfit. “It was a really nice turnout and good food,” Hotch said.
Lori and Mike Carter recently returned from a 12-day trip to Maui. They spent the first week hanging out with Mike’s brother Dan Carter and sister-in-law Tricia Carter of Marquette, Mich. Lori and Mike went fishing for mahi mahi, attended a luau, snorkeled and went on a submarine tour. They also went whale watching with Captain Jeff Worthen, who also leads whale watching tours in Juneau during the summer and knew Haines residents Emily and Jeremy Stephens.
Bruce and Gail Gilbert visited son Scott Gilbert, daughter-in-law Deborah Read and granddaughter Anna Gilbert in Seattle for two weeks. Bruce and Gail’s daughter Glenda Gilbert reported her parents mainly spent time with family and friends.
A surprise visit from family gave Sally Andersen a very happy birthday last week. Friends Sara Chapell, Jessica Edwards and Sierra Jimenez organized the surprise. Sally’s parents Fred and Claudia Andersen came from San Luis Obispo, Calif. Sister Summer Andersen and her son Zephyr Cox came from Fairbanks, and sister Rachel Freeman and her daughter Cecelia Freeman traveled up from Portland, Ore.
The Haines Gardeners will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, March 7, in the community room at the library. The loosely-organized group is comprised of people who have taken a Master Gardener or permaculture class or have attended other gardening meetings and expressed interest in sharing ideas. The group will be planning for the plant sale for the May Earth Day event, a task usually taken up by the Farmers’ Market, Melissa Aronson said. In addition to planning for the plant sale, they will also exchange extra seeds and gardening equipment and talk about exercises to prepare for gardening. Contact Aronson at [email protected] to get on the email list.

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