This year, Arctic Village's very first year of participation in the Alaska Migratory Bird Calendar Contest, Gustafson and Reed collected 37 entries in the community, whose total student population is only 43 strong!

Arctic Village, a Gwich?in Athabascan Indian community which sits on the East Fork of the Chandalar River, is adjacent to the southern boundary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The lands of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continue to support the Gwich'in Indian and Inupiat Eskimo peoples who have lived there for thousands of years.

The village of Kaktovik, an Inupiat Eskimo community located on the north shore of Barter Island and adjacent to the northernmost edge of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, has participated in the Alaska Migratory Bird Calendar Contest since 2002 and will host the local 2006 calendar contest judging for both villages in late February, 2005.

For more information about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or the Alaska Migratory Bird Calendar Contest, please contact Joanne Gustafson or Jennifer Reed at 1-800-362-4546 or visit the calendar web page at http://alaska.fws.gov/external/education/calendar.htm.